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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Back on the road for this summer

After a winter of working on the midget it’s all back together and on the road.

I fitted a new rear panel and filler pieces, plus a repair section welded into the boot floor.

New clutch, head gasket, and reconditioned gear box.


The car runs great about from a crunch in second :(. The clutch and hydraulics have been checked and are working properly. The only thing I paid someone else to do was the gear box and it still isn’t right! So i’ll Be taking the engine back out shortly and getting it sorted.

Whilst the engine is back out I want to get the twin SU carbs reconditioned, The throttle spindles have a bit of play in them so they need new bushes. Can anyone recommend anywhere?

Oh and I still need to sort out a front wheel bearing.....



C MADGE

I have just rebuilt a 1500 gear box the first gearbox i have ever done and I was supprised how straightforward it was, watched a couple of youtube videos and read the workshop manual.
mark heyworth

Chris....I took my carbs to Ed Biddell 01684 577564 in Malvern on the recommendation of Peter Burgess.
'nuf said, I think
Dave
David Cox

Chris,

I have found that most of the carb spindle wear occurs on the soft brass throttle spindle shafts.
Replacing the spindles on the 2 or 3 sets i have overhauled has removed most of the slackness, to such an extent that i didn't need to fit the supplied bushes.
If you take them out you can see/feel the wear ridges.

I have fitted bushes to an ancient pair of H4's off a TR2, it does need care as they need to be bored in line - slightly trickey set up on my lathes !
richard b

Chris,
that looks good (I'm jealous of your paint).

A small note the rear number plate should be illuminated.




. . . and you appear to be missing a rear bumper.



I might have info on front wheel bearings somewhere, if only I could find it in the mass of information I have on FWBs.

Nigel Atkins

Thanks for the replies

Mark I'm beginning to wish I had done it myself. At the end of the day it cant be that tricky. Are there any special tools required ?


Nigel number plate light is on the list. As for the bumper, I have a ships anchor in the boot instead.
C MADGE

I have done a couple of 1500 boxes too, mostly successfully!

Not all that difficult. Follow Haynes/internet advice as certain things have to be done in a certain order. No special tools needed (they probably make life easier, but not essential). A hammer covers most of it! :-)

Synchros are the trixie bit and probably the reason for your crunch. I did done one box with new synchros and second crunched unless you were gentle. The other box I did I kept the old synchros and first gear sometimes struggles but the rest are fine.

Unfortunately you only find out if you have gotten lucky with all four once it is back in the car and you go for a test drive.

Malc.
Malcolm Le Chevalier

Thanks Malcolm.

I have just spoken to the chap who did my box and he assures me he used new syncros. He has suggested using the box for a few 100 miles and gentle changes in second to let the syncros bed in.


I'm sceptical, but hes assured me that he will fix it if it doesnt improve. He does gear boxes and diffs for others in the club and is well regarded.
C MADGE

Chris,
I think giving things a chance to bed-in is reasonable, mixing old and new parts or components can mean a bit of initial settling. If you're lucky they will get to mesh/rub-along/interact/work well or reasonably, if not they might always moan about being put together.
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 07/04/2019 and 08/04/2019

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.