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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - 1275 VS 1500

Hello,
Is it possible to use a 1275cc bodyshell to restore a 1500cc?
are there mods to do in the engine bay and in the trans tunel?
Laurent
ld derancourt

Other way around is easier!
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

Yes, and while you're at it you may wish to change the horrid Triumph engine and gearbox for the A series items...

;o)
J A Bilsland

First things that spring to mind...
No bumper support rails on a 1275 shell so nowhere to put the rubber bumpers.
No cutout in the front crossmember to fit the pulley wheel.
Gearbox tunnel is a slightly different shape but I think it could be "persuaded" with a bfh.
Heater air duct on the opposite side of the nose cone / valance assembly.
Probably less effort to simply source an A series engine, gbox and propshaft to be honest. Not for any other reason than practicality. The Standard Triumph vs A series debate has been thrashed out loads of times and each have their pros and cons.

Interesting that you say the other way round is easier Daniel? Do the bumper rails not cause fitting problems for the A series carb & filter assembly? The rails kind of give it away too...
Bob T

Thnks,
So the easier way is to source a A serie with ribcase gearbox in it.
But also wings and front valance to suite the GAN5 bodyshell, if I want to convert with chrome bumpers. Perhaps, simply a one piece GRP front end.

It becomes to be an uneconomical way to use a GAN5 shell to save a 1500 midget.
I ahve to find another way.
laurent

ld derancourt

Saving a midget/sprite is uneconomical anyway but so rewarding once finished!
Just do whatever needs to be done to keep any of them on the road.
This way in the future they are still around and the thentime owner can restore back to original or what ever.

Now we are talking un economical anyway, why not use all the 1500 parts(dash-springs-lights andso on) to get the 1275 shell roling and throw in a Kseries engine?
Should even be easier too then trying to fit the 1500 in a1275 shell i guess... just a thaught Laurent. ;)


Arie de Best

Arie you naughty boy!
using pictures from another (mgws) Konversion ;)

So Laurent
lets get this straight
you have got a rotten 1500 and a good 1275 shell

the most economical (but still not profitable) is:
-strip the 1500
-sell the wings engine gear box and all other 1500 specific parts
-use all interchangeable parts (suspention axle interior)
-source the missing parts (1275 ribcase panels)
and build it in to a chrome bumper/bumperless 1275

this way the result is the most desirable and worth the most

but buying a nice 1275 car is cheaper....

Onno Könemann

Many thanks.
In fact someone proposed me a restored Gan5 shell for only 200 euro, so I have said OK.
Now another guy propose me a rotten 1500 with papers as donnor car.
So it is not the good way.
My question is : What can I do with this shell:
- to sell it
- to source a rotten 1275

I still have a MKI Ashley to restore and a MKI to use. I have not a lot of time and money for another project.

So I am looking an economical and quick way to transform the shell I will receive in a few weeks in a runing midget.

ld derancourt

sell the shell or just keep it in storage
sounds like you have enough projects for the time being
Onno Könemann

Onno, could very well be i got this picture from you?
I needed a 1275 K to persuade Laurent to join the dark force.

How is the black K doing at the MGW, is it on the road now?
Arie de Best

With enough shells you could build a stretch limo/roadster.
tomshobby

it must have been me or Alex oops ;)

it is on the road and Arno is having lots of fun with it.
it is how ever stil running on smaller than optimum injectors.
The bigger ones are in but we have tried them and it is clear it will need a complete new RR sesion to remap

so it wil first be enjoyed with the smaler injectors and "only" 170bhp
somewhere in next year it will most likely go back to the RR (van beek racing) and get the full monty (estimated 200BHP)
Onno Könemann

Tom,
good idea.
I am looking for a 4 Wheel drive midget with 4 seats for my two kids and a big boot for my two dogs.
An open top estate Midget could be great, with one 1275 cc for front wheels and a 1275cc for the rear wheels, like the Citroën 2CV Sahara wich was a 4WD with two engines.

K serie?
here in France it is illegal to put a K serie in a Midget.

laurent
ld derancourt

>>here in France it is illegal to put a K serie in a Midget.

What kind of fascism is this? Write to your MEP and have the law changed without delay. Take to the streets. Appeal to the lovely Carla.

A
Anthony Cutler

We do not tell this Fascism, but French Exception!!!!
You lso hve to know that it is illegal to put a weber on a car which has been homologated with SU.
So all the MG's, Triumph, AH and so on with Weber are illegal. It means if you have a sever crash with wounded or dead persons, the insurance will refuse to cover your responsability....
Vive La France!
ld derancourt

Laurant, thats what you get if you have a revolution: dumb laws made by even worse politicians.
Liberté my *ss!!
LOL!!!

We and the brits still have our monargy and them Royals love their cars too so carlaws are less strickt then "the countries with out kings"!
With an exeption of Italy ofcourse... ;)
They have either a king or lawss. :)
Arie de Best

Laurent,
your in France not Germany.
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

God Bless America!

We can modify & insure anything we want to around here!
Dave Rhine

But Dave, in the US your not allowed to have alcohol before your 24 or something... :)
So you can modify your car but once finished you cant celebrate it by driving it around town while being drunk...
Whats the fun in that? LOL!!!






No, im not politicaly correct to now tell everybody they should drink and drive at the sametime. :)
Arie de Best

There is nothing to do with revolution.
It has more to do with imperalism.
You know, our lawyer system has been created by Napoleon the First.
Ou current President, which is a little Napoleon does not have for aim concept: Freedom

Do you heard the scandal here in France, when our President wanted to put his son (23 years old - still student) as the President of the biggest Business Center of France which is called Paris La Defense.
It is where all the biggest french and international compagnies have their headquarter.
Sure that a student of 23 years old has all the capabilities to manage this Business Center!

There is two laws in France, one for the KAISER and his friends and another one for normal people.

But France is not a so bad contry to live.
ld derancourt

Arie
Actually the age of alcohol is 21...it used to be 18 for beer & wine, 21 for the hard stuff, when I was a youngster.

I've never agreed with the age restriction of 21, since a young person can vote & join the armed services (& possibly die for his or her country) at age 18, but can't relax & enjoy an acoholic beverage...just doesn't seem right to me!

I agree with you about saving these spridgets. I purchased mine in June, it's a 1500...no previous wreck damage, no major rust, solid drive train, overall solid car, but years of shoddy maintenance & neglect.

With every completed project & subsequent test drive, the smile on my face just keeps getting bigger!

I plan to keep it as long as I live & pass it on to my grandson...he loves it about as much as I do.

Man, this thread sure took a different turn!

Laurent
Good luck with your project!
Dave Rhine

"when our President wanted to put his son (23 years old - still student) as the President "

Maybe he got advice from that Italian dude with the shoe-polish hair...
Alex G Matla

We have the Kinnock dynasty; he failed to be PM and then enjoyed career in Brussels with wife and 2 children also employed.

At least in France the top dude's wife has great style...

A
Anthony Cutler

And the French first lady is going to star in a Woody Allen movie. Although she doesn't know what role she will be playing...
Alex G Matla

And she thinks she will probably be a bad actress.....
ld derancourt

Laurent,
your local drire tester has probably never seen a Spridget before, fit what you want & he'll pass it, honest.
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

Howzit
Here in South Africa most of us drive without licences ,insurance or even brakes- steering wheels are occasionally considered optional extras and replaced with a pair of vice grips.Our president got off a rape charge on a technicality and managed to dodge a corruption charge by getting elected and firing the chief prosecutor. Apart from that life is pretty good, the food and wine are cheap and spridgets rust at a third of the UK rate.
Vive L'anarchie
Bryant
B R Roux

some picts of the shell


ld derancourt

another one


ld derancourt

Is that an R17 in the background?
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

I thought it was a Matra Murena in the background.

Pascal
pjw Seezink

Yes it is a Matra.
The owner, who stocks the Midget shell, has got 3 Matra.
This one which is standard.
One with a large race body.
The third is the prototype by Chapron.
Chapron was THE car body builder for special CITROEN.
The problem is the Matra Chapron was built 6 month before the bankrupt and there is no archive in the factory concerning this car. o very difficult to restore as original. Only one article in a car magazine to help the owner.

ld derancourt

I dint knew they went bankrupt, i thought they just gave up producing them and started to work on/for Renault(Espace?).
Arie de Best

The company which was banckrupt was Chapron, the carbody company.
At that time, there was no customer for custom-made body.
ld derancourt

I'm not that familiar with Matras, but I did see one with a V12 run at the 24 Hours of Daytona back in the early 70's....what a sweet sounding engine!

You could hear that engine above all the others any where on the track!

I loved it!

Dave
Dave Rhine

One V12 ran at La Mans Classic last year. You are right, the sound is magic.
ld derancourt

Absolute Magic!
Dave Rhine

funny i just wanted to say that the v12 matra at the Le Mans classic last year sounded that great to!
Onno Könemann

This thread was discussed between 24/11/2009 and 13/12/2009

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