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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
...this time on a 78 midget. When I turned the switch today, got the usual 3 lights, and then nothing. Until now, never had a problem with starting the car. Something definitely became disconnected from the switch, and will have to get the casing off around the steering wheel to look further. Any idea of what I can expect? I need moral support from fellow spridgeteers. The Lucas beast is alive and well, and I'm doing my best to avoid the thought of selling the car to get away from it all. Thanks, Pete "Pete Skalski" 23781... MORE
Hello to all I now have the steering wheel, cowling, turn signal stem assembly and wiper assembly off the steering column. How is the switch removed? I can't find any screws, etc. holding it on. My Haynes manual says I should be able to turn the key to the on position, depress the button and remove the entire barrel assembly. It won't work that way!! I also can't get it to the complete off position to remove the key. The key is somewhat bent in the barrel so I am afraid to work it too hard. My first thought... MORE
OK, let's try: Looks like a MKII or MKIII Midget according to the grille, bumpers and bonnet with chrome liner (non split rear bumper, thick bumpers, MG grille without the MG badge...). If you look at the seats....The early Midget MKII had a horse-shoe pattern seat, this changed later to the shown striped pattern. The missing chrome stripes at the sides and the Steering wheel horn butten might tell it's a Sprite. So my best guess: - 1966 MKII MG Midget, without side chrome stripes, and a non-original steering wheel It might even be an early Midget MKIII (1966/67).... MORE
Don It's extremely difficult to tell from those pictures the age or model, as by the looks of it, as you said, it has a mixture of parts from Sprites and Midgets on it, and you can't be sure what was original on that car. You have to make certain assumptions, and as this list has ably demonstrated in the past, assumptions are dangerous. It has a Sprite badge on the back, a Midget Grille on the front and Austin Healey Hub caps. If the boot handle is correct, this dates it to after October 1961 when it changed.... MORE
A follow up on the steering wheel lock clicking. The lock plunger knocking back and forth in the slot on the steering shaft formed sharp ridges on the top edges of the slot which when the steering shaft turned wore down the softer aluminum housing enough that the steel plunger was left slightly above the level of the surround housing and it was catching momentarily in the steering column slot as the steering shaft turned. I removed the steering column and rather than drill out the break off bolts took my Dremal tool and used a small thin cut... MORE
Don, Re the crack, there are many al. alloys which are not weldable, but I have no idea about this one. In any case, a typical good welding-repair practice for large and relatively fragile castings such as this is to pre-heat the whole bare casting (in an oven) and keep covered with thermal blankets as much as possible during the weld time to minimise distortion. Without this, even if the bell housing IS weldable, one of the dangers is that you might just cause the crack to propagate further by attempting to weld in situ and thus cause more... MORE
After stripping off the front end outer metal work and cleaning the engine compartment I discovered there is a crack in the transmission bell housing. The tab like area at the top of the clutch bell housing where the top two bolts are located has a horizontal crack below them.. It does not appear to be a major structural problem once the transmission bell housing is bolted on as all other areas and bolts are sound. It looks like an easy in place weld job. Is it possible to weld the aluminum housing material? Some PO strangeness as usual... MORE
Don... I know nothing about that chrome button but my gut tells me there is a problem surfacing here....the fact you can feel that the wheel isn't fully unlocking when it should obviously be fully unlocked is not a good thing....be careful, here.... me thinks that mechanism needs renewal before you find yourself in trouble while underway. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 23591... MORE
Thanks for the tips David. Now that I think about it I think I am to fault for the problem. I towed it home with the rear wheels on the dolly and the steering locked in center position. The California freeways, that in sections are fast approaching third word conditions, could have been too much jarring on the steering lock. 880 between Hayward and Berkeley is some of the worst freeway surface I have driven on in the states. Live and learn. Don "Don May" 23598... MORE
So that is a key release . . . sure happy it does not work. What a stupid place to put it, where you can't push it with out contorting yourself into unnatural positions.... The car is in the back yard and on a non-op permit so at least the steering lock will not lock on me while driving on the road until I fix it . . . NOW another question . . . can I defeat the durn thing. I do not want a steering wheel lock, that is what club sticks are for if one is... MORE
On my new 73 when I turn the wheel with the key on and steering lock supposedly disengaged I can hear and feel the steering wheel lock detents clicking and feel a slight catching as I turn the wheel as if the lock is not fully disengaged. Any thoughts as to what may be causing this. And what is the small chrome button just under the key slot for? Don "Don May" 23590... MORE
The tires rest a bit on the inside slopes of the wheel racks of the dolly but did tie down snugly. A buddy that had towed a midget on a dolly went down with me and things went smoothly. Backed it up on the dolly and locked the steering wheel. Stopped several times on the trip home and all was fine. Feels so good to have finished the paper work hassle and now to have it home at last. As far as U-Haul knows I towed home a 1985, blue, two door, Ford Escort. :-) I have no idea... MORE
Hi All I have a 79 midget and have to no lights.The column switch is very loose and needs replaceing. I got a new lucas switch from my local import parts store. I paid $98.00 for it.Is this a fair price? I am planing on putting it in tomorow morning.Will I need a puller to get the steering wheel off. And if anyone has any other helpfull hints or sugestions please let me know. Thank you very much Rick "mtman19552002" 23533... MORE
Hey don't forget what country you are in. Lie to the the U-Haul guy, telling him it's for an Escort. Then use it for the Midget and when it damages the underside you tell U-Haul that despite the fact you lied you're gonna sue their butts off. Bet you'd win too. I drove down to U-Haul today and measured the dollies, just enough width between the wheels of the car to straddle the ramp . . . but . . . as you said the fixed area of the dolly ramps looked like they will hit the underside of... MORE
HHmmm... I don't see how towing would fall under that category.... How would a tow truck be allowed to tow a vehicle. At least in MD... you see wrecked...no tags on the vehicle... most definitely wrecked 'non-operational' vehicles towed wheels on the ground all the time. Paul Tegler ptegler@... www.teglerizer.com "ptegler@cablespeed" 23500... MORE
In California the law is the wheels of a car with a non-operational registration status are not allowed to touch any road surface either while moving or parked or towed with wheels touching the road. I now have a no fee permit that allows me one day to move it from one location to another. If I did not have 55 miles to travel in heavy freeway traffic with no back roads only 55 miles of city streets and traffic I would not bother with such silly rules. Life in the San Francisco Bay area. I am not going... MORE
If its a street car I wouldn't worry too much. You could always run 1/4 inch wheel spacers. My race car rubs like a son of a gun I've finally got it so it is only rubbing fenders instead of springs. The advantage of the smoke screen around corners is offset by the fear of sidewall failure. More BFH work and a Panard bar eventually will solve it. Jay Shaffer 23508... MORE
Hamondale, What are you using for spacers? If I could get an extra 1/4 that would be great.I've pushed and pulled and bounced the car around and could'nt get the tire to touch but I figured once it got going, the weight of the vehicle might roll it left or right just enough to damage the tire. Thanks for the advice, Jack "austinbud2002" 23468... MORE
Ed, When I put the new tire and wheel on the front, I had someone sit in the car and then we depressed the suspension while the steering wheel was turned both directions. It didn't rub. When we put it on the back, we bounced the car up and down and found no problem with the fender wells or outer fender, just that narrow gap between the inside of the tire and the spring. I'm just wondering if the tire will ever flex enough in the sidewall to rub against the rear spring. The wheels are 13 x 5... MORE
Jack, I'm running 185 70s on Cosmic 5.5s with 1/4" spacers on the rear. Have about 1/8" clearance to the springs. On hard cornering, they apparently rub the spring at one of the clamps, because the paint there is very slightly erased and the sidewalls have the slightest scuff mark. A smudge, not an abrasion or cut. I can't hear 'em rub at all, so I'm not worried. I suspect your 1/4 - 1/2" is plenty enough. Anybody got a good reason otherwise, I'd like to know too. Hamondale "hamondale" 23464... MORE
I came across a really good deal on a used set of Minilite replicas with 175x70x13's mounted on them. The guy let me take one home and check to see if there would be any clearance problems. On the front, there is absolutely no doubt that they will run without rubbing. Lock to lock there is no touching. On the back, they roll just fine but, I noticed that there is only about 1/4 to 1/2 inch clearance between the inboard sidewall and the rear eliptical spring. With my stock wheels and the little 155x80x13's there is about an... MORE
David... The 3.7 diffs were supposed to be of lighter construction than the previous 3.9's and 4.22's, though I have never had a problem with either the 3.9 or 3.7 in normal street daily driving, and that goes for my 90+HP @ the rear wheels Vizardized '74, my Judson blown '67 and my current Cooper S spec. 1293. With respect to "transfer of power", none of these cars were driven abusively. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 23460... MORE
Now that my blue 63 has been sold to someone who loves it dearly I bought a purple 73rwa to keep my yellow 74rwa company however the 73 will sport a bugeye bonnet and a color change. Paper work was a bit of a hassle owners and buyers who did not report the sales so the DMV needs a paper trail in order to transfer title to me but think that is all in place now. Tomorrow it's lines to stand in and chairs to wait in at the DMV. Then it's getting a non-fee moving permit as it... MORE
David C. writes..".....so I use a cheap bottle jack...." Same here.... Never liked the stock system....to much weight at one small point it seemed to me, though I am sure the designers thought otherwise! Today, no jack at all....just a can of "Spare Tire","road service" included in the insurance and a cell phone for emergencies!~:) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 23346... MORE
