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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - 1275 engine mounts

Not shown in the parts list, but I am sure I have seen them are restraining brackets that stop the engine moving forward on the mountings under heavy duty use.
They are like a angled bracket that bolts under the rubber. Would they be export only parts, and does anybody have a photo or even better a spare pair?

Thanks Roy
R Mcknight

Hi Roy,

US destination midgets had those additional "L" brackets welded on from 11/'67 until 10/'74. I bet that you could find a set from a US source parting out Midgets (ebay, etc.).


Hope this helps,
Norm

Norm Kerr

hmmm

Got a photo of the uk version....id like to see that. I didnt know there was a differance

Thanks

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Prop,

looks like this: http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=1373


Norm

Norm Kerr

Norm

What does the US version look like?

I've tried looking at Moss Motors site, but it ain't user-friendly!
Dave O'Neill2

Sorry,

Im confused... that looks like the set up I have, what part are we talking about ....moss #

Thanks

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Dave,

The chrome bumper 'B' had a similar angle bracket on the engine mount - just a loose plate bolted on with the mount bolts. Shown in Moss book.

Not sure if bolt centres are similar ?

R.

richard boobier

I mean't to say I've not seen one on a Midget, but sounds similar to the 'B' ones.

R.
richard boobier

I think they were a '74 only item. Looks like a bit of angle iron welded onto the front of the pedestal. I have a set on my Sprite (I lost the originals).
Trevor Jessie

Richard

I'm familiar with the B item. Although mine were missing, I've managed to locate some.

I was curious to see the Spridget version.
Dave O'Neill2

Oh, crud, maybe they were only on '74!

I posted the dates above based on the other safety changes instead of looking it up in Horler.


Norm


Norm Kerr

I wrote "'74 only" because that is the only model year that I recall seeing them. I have no other reference.
Trevor Jessie

Here's what they look like on my '74.


Jack Orkin

Thanks jack

Now thats interesting... I havent seen that before
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Those little L brackets are interesting in how they work, too: If you think about it, they only do one thing, they prevent the engine from moving forward.

But, why would that ever be able to happen?, you may well ask, remembering that the transmission is securely bolted to the body by 4 points too. I suppose that if all 6 rubber mounting pads failed catastrophically and then you applied the brakes with an amazingly large and sudden force that could cause the whole thing to shift forward enough to matter? The worst that could happen is the fan damage the radiator (well, the worst is the whole thing fly out the front and land on the street, but really…).

Actually, what they are for is the opposite: during a front crash, the impacted part of the body tries to move rearward as it crumples. The frame needs to collapse at a rate that is not too slow (a too-strong frame will not absorb the impact energy, it will be too stiff and the passenger will be accelerated too quickly, and injured by that movement), or if the frame is too weak, it will crumple too easily and reduce the size of the passenger space and cause injury, so the engine is often used as a reinforcement by OEMs to help transmit some of the energy into strong sections of the body (like the transmission tunnel) and help preserve the survivability space in the passenger compartment.

Anyway, that's my theory of why BL added them, to meet the FMVSS frontal crash survivability targets. Those requirements began with the '74 model year, so the little "L" brackets were probably not on any of the earlier years.


Norm

Norm Kerr

Norm,

Im guessing the (true reason)... more work and hassle to get the engine out and back in....$$$$$$$$

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

This thread was discussed between 09/01/2014 and 10/01/2014

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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