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David, Guy is correct about the spacers (except it would read better if you fit the spacers before tightening the rack mounting bolts!) What you don't mention is whether you replaced the levers (the arms that connect the trackrod end to the stub axle) with the older type as well as the rack. They should match together with the equivalent rack. This might have altered your steering geometry - the Ackerman angles/toe-in on turns but I don't know if this would affect the self-centring effect. Regards David "David Jacobs" 24075... MORE
Cap'n Bob, Appreciate the insight. The last 1275 I drove was a 73 back in 1981. Didn't know jack about such cars so comparison's are impossible. I was planning to lower the rear of the car with a block arrangement that raises the rear axle where it attaches to the spring. Since fitting the new wheels and tires I'm not so sure about this. I had to do some sugery on the rear to eliminate the "tuck-in" flange for clearance. The front wheels were even worse. Had to raise the wheel cutout an inch. Will probably flair them. Do... MORE
"Surely more weight at the front..." Well usually but depends on some other factors such as ride height and spring rates, damping, etc. Some BE's rode fairly higher at the rear than the front...not sure about the 1500's though...just don't "know" them. Fr'instance: as an "extreme" example.... In Rob's case he's got a lowered front end but the rear is stock ride height with the stock 86lb. 6 leaf springs...pretty stiff rear set-up with higher roll center than the front to boot. So.....:) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 24069... MORE
Well, Rob... Vicky B. offers a rear spring lowering kit at a very reasonable price so you wouldn't be out much if this approach didn't work. I think the Ford Sierra 5 speed is what Guy Weller has used or is currently using....and.... .....refering to fellow spritester Daniel's handy, dandy informative book, we find (Pg. 63) that "Frontline Spridget, Ltd. has a sseparate kit, with special adapter plate that allows conversion to the Ford" Sierra 5 speed gearbox. On Pg. 144 Daniel further kindly provides: http://www.mgcars.org.uk/frontine Also, if the lowering blocks don't work you might try Motobuild, Ltd. for... MORE
I bought my car as a rolling chassis, and live in a restricted area with only a car port (You cannot work on cars in the neighborhood, and if you do you can only work on them two hours). I bought the Duravent cover from Moss. It keeps the cats prints off. They seem to like walking on a warm hood, and with the cover being gray, I don't see any cat prints on the cover. It also has kept prying eyes from neighbors and theives from knowing what was going on. The car was fully restored in 14... MORE
"....an occurence you may not be able to predict, perchance?" LOL! Quite possibly, Nigel! :) But nothing that couldn't be handled with a little "chassis tuning" subsequent to a little experimentation in a vacant lot, eh? :) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 24067... MORE
Pilot Bob, I can testify from direct experience, those rubber bumpers weigh a ton! They can't have done the car any favors for handling or performance especially with the ride height raised an inch. My car in addition to losing the bumpers is running 1275 front springs with an unaltered rear. Haven't pushed it much yet but I imagine the front/rear height differential will be a problem. I'm also running 165/70 x 13 tires on 5.5 inch rims. The 1500 does vibrate a bit as the revs climb but a bag of nails? The roughest range is 3000 to... MORE
Well, Rob... The one I drove was a '75 with about 30K on it at the time. It ran 50psi and ran pretty smoothly right up to 4.5k...I didn't take it any higher....not my car! Most engnes have a "vibration period" or two within their rev ranges. Nothing to worry about usually...they just normally run more smoothly at some rpm's within the range than they do at others. Turbine engines are the same way. My own '74 had been lowered 1" all around (quite the street rod!) so I really felt the height difference but the handling of this... MORE
David, my understanding of the spacers on the steering rack are that they are there to help alignment withthe steering column. Column and rack need to be pretty accurately at 90 degrees to each other or the steering column wants to describe an arc as you turn the wheel. The rack should be fitted with loosened bolts first so that it can rotate around its own long axis in its alignment to the chassis. Then fit the steering column. Spin the steeering wheel a few times lock to lock to lign it all up and then tighten the rack,... MORE
Neil Well first off the bumpers weigh approximately 200lbs, the rear springs were recambered to bring the ride height up to 1 inch to bring it up to the correct height for the bumpers as a result of this - roll stiffness at the back end has been reduced and there is more tendency to oversteer. Couple this to the fact that the throttle on the 1500 is a lot more sensitive than before, add in the extra power of the 1500 engine, take the bumpers off making it a lot lighter, push that car hard into a corner... MORE
Things at work have finally settled down from the past few months. We have gotten a second weekend off in a row, and I was able to get the mechanic from the truck shop to come over to my house this a.m. at 8:30. Some of you know, the 68 Sprite locked itself into first gear a while ago. It also had the original engine it rolled out of the factory with still in it, all smoking and original. If I am to repair the tranny, I will replace the engine, if only temporarily, to fix the original one.... MORE
Don, I currently own a 1500 and have done for about 8 years but only driven 1275's (in various states of tune) so I don't know how objective my observations are but here goes... For standard vs standard the 1500 certainly has more torque and IMO is perhaps easier to drive around town in traffic althought at pretty subective i guess. It also has syncro on 1st. However, although (well mine at least) is silky smooth even at unadvisably high revs the 1275 always seems to me more comfortable reving very high. not to say the 1500 won't but... MORE
Don, My '75 has the bumpers removed and I discovered the following: Rear end:Area below the tail lights is flat and obviously not meant to be visible. Front: There are two large rectangular cutouts in the wings roughly in the position of the 1275 turn signals that are there to clear a large steel support for the bumper corners. Obiously there is no chrome surround or grille worth mentioning. In addition the bumper support frame extensions must be dealt with as they stick out pas the grille opening. I have had the grille extensions sawed off back inside and... MORE
Thanks for the information . . to all who have responded. Has the underlying frame changed? In other words I have a very rust free, dent free, complete front end of a 69 midget, can those fenders, front cowl, and hood be bolted on in place of the metal work that was modified for the rubber bumpers? That does leave the rear end to deal with. Don "Don May" 23963... MORE
Brad, Good luck on your first road test. I just got my 75 Midget running semi-properly this summer after 4 years of effort. If it's any comfort my list of needed parts is now two spreadsheet pages; engine, tranny, radiator, compete brake and clutch rebuild, tube shock conversion, new interior etc. etc. etc. I have also discovered I need to pull the engine.... again. I used the original clutch as it looked fairly recent but failed to consider the effect of time on the springs. Car runs fine but slips in higher gears when I put my foot down... MORE
Nigel... Way back when I just used Fantastic and Brillo pads to clean them up and sprayed them with Rustoleum Silver. I'd do them every spring and used Fantastic to clean them about every time I washed he car, which was often considering my both my MGA's were Old English White. Today, I'd clean them annually with something stronger like Easy-Off Oven Cleaner and spray them with Hammerite Silver, using Fantastic as part of a normal car wash to keep them clean between stripping/paintings. If I found one with a lot of loose spokes which continuously loosened I'd replace... MORE
I am selling my Custom Bonnet, Motor and transmission and a trunk rack on ebay currently check them out please. Auction # 2425933352 2425927695 2425933878 "Michael" 23898... MORE
The phone rang at 7:30 am Sunday morning "I'm stranded in Angles Camp, Jr. died," Jr. the name he gave the 63 Midget I sold him. "I just need a around town car." He said when he bought it. He had owned a Midget before and I was confidant I was not selling to an innocent in the ways of classic British cars. I had made clear that since I retrieved it from a carpentry work shop where it sat on blocks for twenty years and brought it back to life that I had not driven it over five... MORE
Hi All Let me start by saying thank you all for the help I have gotten so far on the list. My problem now is. I am haveing trouble getting the switch out so I can clean and or replace it. I replaced the column switch and that gave me all but head lights. Is there any tricks /easy ways to get it out. Not very much roo to work behind the dash. This is a 1979 midget. Thank you all very much Rick "mtman19552002" 23825... MORE
jro... Yep. They "jump" a bit due to axle and stiff set-up, assuming overinflation is not the culprit. Which way they go depends on throttle position, front end alignment, any curvature of the surface, "side loading" at the precise moment in time this occurs, etc. Slight "automatic" correction at the steering wheel should be all that is required to return to previous course. This is part of the car's "tossablity" factor in terms of it's quick "turn in" or ability to change direction rapidly ("dart around" in traffic) which is what makes the type so much fun to drive.... MORE
..sounds like your rear leaf springs to axle u-bolts need to be tightened. The whole axle can easily shift up to 2-3 degrees off line with the road direction. Consider replacing the rubber pads under the mount points and check the u-bolt torque. Paul Tegler ptegler@... www.teglerizer.com "ptegler@cablespeed" 23795... MORE
Jim Thanks for your interesting discoveries regarding this Midget. I'd certainly agree that the price now seems high, It's not quite as 'immaculate' as first thought. It certainly seems more like a Condition 1 car rather than Concours. I'd use all the fault's you've found to lever down the price with the buyer, particularly the lack of any history/service records ie you have no way of verifying the recorded mileage (the odometer could have been faulty at one point and replaced) and you have no information of service history. Condition 1 cars go for about 4k GBP (6k USD)... MORE
Mike writes: "Maybe the beast is supposed to feel like a go kart going down the road" You got it...that's exactly right. But, not "wondering" down the road, assuming the surface is smooth. It should go exactly where YOU point it and NOT the other way 'round. It should never feel as though the "tail is wagging the dog". On rougher surfaces the car will "move" sideways in a controlled manner as it "skips" over rougher pavement but it should never "wonder" or feel "loose", despite the fact road shock may be transmitted to the steerng wheel. Any "wondering"... MORE
Uhm, I forgot the original question. :-) If your car doesn't have excessive bounce, then what was your concern? Does it drift excessively when hitting a bump in the curve? Is the front loose in all turns? Does it wander on staight and flat roads? Has the front end ever been rebuilt? Does your steering rack have play? Let's see if we can find another topic to "discuss". Maybe we should start another thread if you feel there is still something amiss in car's handling. Another thought: What if the PO put too heavy of an oil in the... MORE
Neil, I suspect the same thing happened with my switch. Was having the same problem (unable to remove the key), and after a while, was able to do so. In the process, must have caused the spring to break, and offset the contacts inside. In any event, it looks like a new ignition switch is in order. Good luck, Pete "Pete Skalski" 23783... MORE
