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Perhaps I should have refrained from bringing up my anatomical anomalies in a discussion about technology, but isn't power what it's all about? Maybe spilling my guts about what turns me on is too much information. I would like to apologize to anyone offended by the implication that I would beat on Rob with my erection...that was not the intent of my comment. It was intended to be more related to testosterone=85those who have it, you know what I mean...those who don't, well...if my wife let me date, I'd explain... Enough deviance for one day...at least from me...time to... MORE
"Put 'um up, Rob" he said as he threw a left hook that missed badly. Actually, I might have to agree about Triumph engineering (did I say that out loud?) - 'cept for technology developed in the '50's, the Sprite and pre 74 Midgets are pretty good and have tremendous potential if someone has skill...or money to pay someone with skill. Your are also right that not much weight can come off any flywheel - even an "A" series or it will granade...then you really need money. The trick is knowing how much and from where to remove the... MORE
Yea, like he said... For those who have held one, you know the "A" series flywheel is about, oh, half a ton...alright, maybe not that heavy, but very heavy. Having that much mass smooths the acceleration of the engine reducing vibration but limits how quickly it will accelerate with everything else being equal. "Jim" 35920... MORE
1. Advantages 2. dis-advantages 1.You know how your Spridget performs with two people aboard? OK...take one out. There you have your "increase" in terms of a lightened flywheel as it appli es to lower gear acceleration, very generally speaking, more or less. 2. Depending upon state of tune and your touch with the clutch...slightly increased clutch wear (depending upon how you drive) due to less rotational inertia o f the idling motor. IOW, you may have to "slip" the clutch a little more to get away from a stop without stalling. There are mildly lightened steel flywheels for the... MORE
Hi All, As i slowly rebuild my 76 Midget, i have come across a slight dilema. I am about to put the Outer sill on to the car but when i line it up and clamp it in place the top of the outer and inner sills meet up perfectly but at the bottom the sills are apart by about 2 cm (3/4" in old money). It just does not seem right. Should they meet up at the bottom? When i removed the sill there was not this gap. I am unsure whether the previous owner had the sill... MORE
1964 R60/2 1968 MG Midget 1976 R90/6 1990 K100LT **Don't underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.** Jim Johnson 35890... MORE
1964 R60/2 1968 MG Midget 1976 R90/6 1990 K100LT **Don't underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.** Jim Johnson 35887... MORE
Ah yes , a normal Sunday's drive in the British countryside !!!! Mitsubishi rally car . First time on podium since 1991 and winner of the Dakar rally by an unprecedented 3 1/2 hours or so, this winter. Extremely advanced World Rally Car - , now ask me who's company designed and built (and tested them, (breathing on fingernails and polishing on front of shirt as he types !!!!) Alan EJ Some quite impressive driving , eh ? "Alan" 35850... MORE
Welcome, Jim.... rear RWA Midgets have a nice "balanced" look their square wheel-arched brothers don't share. Fr'instance, a Frogeye bonnet looks far more at home on the former as compared to the latter. A "tuned" 1380 matched with a 5 speed.... excellent!!! But more importantly, how do you feel about cats??? Cap'n Bob '60 Frog "Robert E. Shlafer" 35836... MORE
I should introduce myself. My name is Jim and I live in the great pacific northwest, near Seattle, WA, USA. I have a '73 Midget that I have owned since 1987. It has seen little use since the mid '90's for a number of reasons but it is currently in the "state" of being rebuilt (well, it has been in this state for a couple of years now). I've been accumulating parts and slowly working on my beast. I'm finishing up the suspension rebuild (poly bushings, new springs, Spax shocks in the rear, new lever shocks in the front)... MORE
With no apologies to my friends around the world. Bob in San Diego Subject: Notice to USA - from Monty Python Notice to USA For all you Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fans.. Basil's notice to USA NOTICE OF REVOCATION OF INDEPENDENCE by Basil Fawlty (John Cleese) Fawlty Towers, Torquay, Devon, England To the citizens of the United States of America: In the light of your failure to elect a competent President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective today. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II wil... MORE
Anybody have any experience running BF Goodrich Radial T/A's on a Spridget or other car? I'm looking at some tire options, and there's not that much out there in 60 series. I know they're not ultra high performance, but I'm not looking for a full comp Auto-X tire, and I've never got caught in the rain with the BE since I got it back on the road in 2000. Lots of times I don't even have the top stashed in back when I go out. Anyone? Hamondale "hamondale" 35805... MORE
Robert, wash your mouth out. To start with, NO MGB is a sports car, it's just a convertable. A tourer. A "boulavardier". An MGB convertable is no more a sports car than a Mercedes convertable or a Mustang convertable. And an MGBGT even less so. I have owned an MGBGT. Bought it as a family car when the family outgrew the Midget. A great long distance tourer, good shopping car with the big tailgate. A good car. Not a sports car. Now we can argue all day about what does make up a "sports car" but surely we all... MORE
Chuck...do not be mislead by compression ratios which could be had back when leaded ("manly") octanes were available . Today's unleaded "garbage" octanes require a little more thought in this di rection, assuming a cast iron head and the ignition advance curve you're probably working with, along with a "mild" cam with relatively little duration which will favor maximum "trapping" of the combustion gases in favor of the low end of the useable rpm spectrum (torque.. as in street application). With aluminum heads you can go about a point higher than with cast iron, all else being equal. Also,... MORE
Actually, Chuck.... .milling the head is preferred over flat-tops or domed pistons (as explained in your Vizard book, BTW) as a way of bringi ng the CR up a bit. With all due respect....strongly suggest you read the book...from cover to cover..... BEFORE (not after) you build your motor!!!! :):) Fr'instance....an understanding of the sections on cams will allow YOU to choose the best cam for your application, without input from others (though of course we are always at your disposal, obviously!!:). Cap'n Bob '60 Frog "Robert E. Shlafer" 35712... MORE
Hi all,I am building a 59 bugeye with a datsun 5 speed and parts from a 72 midget.The 1275 is a smog head 72 motor and I was just wondering if anybody knows a mild street way to build this motor.I would like a mild street cam ,am planing on a header and punching the block 20 over.I have the vizards book but its a lot to digest.He says MG metro pistons work fine but thats only 8.8 to 1 cr.I think I would like to have about 10 to 1 C.R..I don't think My motor has ever been... MORE
Stephan, It could be slippage between the 2 halves of the crank pulley. There is a rubber insert between the 2 parts providing a damper for crank vibrations. It could be that this has deteriorated allowing the marks to shift in relation to the crank, whilst the timing remains the same. Guy "Guy Weller" 35695... MORE
Hello all: This Question is about my '68 Sprite "Rosa" - 1275cc Is it possible that the timing chain jumps a teeth on any of the sprockets when it gets worn? I have my engine out of the car for an unrelated issue (replaced the starter ring gear =96 different story) and noticed that the notch in the crankshaft pulley is about 15 deg past the TDC mark when the nr. 1 piston is at TDC. I checked the posiiton of the nr. 1 piston visualy through the spark hole, and by using a wire and am quite sure... MORE
Stephan, The timing chain would not have any issue here as you are reading the crankshaft not the camshaft. If it had jumped then the valves would be out but your TDC would still be correct on the piston. Sorry I can't help more but that all I can think of now. I'm sure some of the experts here will help more. Duncan duncan@... "Duncan Sinclair" 35693... MORE
Yeah... California has really gone over the top on classic car "emissions". It's all part of a political agenda in this particular respect, obviously. Has nothing to do with air polution really. I mean my Vizardized '74 1340 almost made it by CT emissions and was only "out" by 50 ppm hydrocarbons or less than .05 CO, depending upon which side of the correct ignition timing we chose to go. And this thing had a VP3 cam, 45DCOE and got 90+hp to the rear wheels. When properly tuned and maintained, most emissions non-equipped vehicles can get by the criteria... MORE
Nology Hotwires.... exactly, Spencer...without 3rd party empirical data, I don't tend to "believe" either. if Vizard hadn't tested them, I wouldn't have spent the bucks....they're not inexpensive. But they do last a long, long time. They are very well built and I can tell you from experience they will burn off oil on spark plug tips, even in engines burning a quart every in <500 miles. You'll still get crusty brown carbon deposits that will eventually fill the gap and "short", but you won't be getting wet oil fouling at all, assuming compression is reasonably decent. Cap'n Bob '60... MORE
Hey cap'n Bob, I saw the Nology guys at a M/C show and they had this great display which showed a nice bright spark. Much brighter than the spark in the carbon core setup next to it. But they had no Technical backup other than this will incrase your HP, Torque, Fuel Economy etc. I guess I'm just a Cynic. But Mr Vizzard...I'd trust his judgment. -Spence "spencer_baker" 35612... MORE
Agree with you, JSB...3rd party proof. Nology wires..........David Vizard....... ......tested these in a V-8 (dynoed) for Motortecmag.com in 2001. They work ed! Couple of more lbs of torque and a wee-bit more HP at the top...all else equal. Cap'n Bob '60 Frog "Robert E. Shlafer" 35611... MORE
Jim... most people convert their points ign. system to electronic Crane, PerTronix (Lucas/Aldon "Ignitor") to get away from the maintenance schedule which must be followed to retain the intial efficiency of the stock points system when new points are installed and concurrently, dwell and timing are accurately set. For as you know, as the points wear, dwell and timing change. Thus, every 3k miles or so, resetting these values is the only way to maintain original efficiency of the points type system. Simply converting to the foregoing electronic systems while maintaining the otherwise stock coil does away with the... MORE
Resistance is a matter of extent. Some is good ("sparkier" spark :)...too much is no good. Remember the old Lucas resistor "caps" fitted to the spark plug end of their stock wire set-up?? Probably before "resistor" spark plugs? Ah-hah. There for a reason. No doubt a compromise between performance and radio "suppression"??? Cap'n Bob '60 Frog '''''' "Robert E. Shlafer" 35607... MORE
