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MG Midget and Sprite Technical Bottom end built up! BBS discussion at MG-Cars.net
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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Bottom end built up!
| Built up the bottom end today. Rebored +40, crank ground, balanced. New oil pump, timing chain etc. Getting close now, back in the car next saturday.  |
| SR Smith 1 |
| Very nice... what engine is that, 1500 ??? Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
| Hi Prop, Yep it's a 1500, well watever a +60 bore on 1493 makes it. |
| SR Smith 1 |
| A side view. Head going on next, want to lift it off the workbench before fitting that as it's getting bloody heavy!  |
| SR Smith 1 |
| I bet she is a boat anchor and a half Im not to involved with the 1500s but I know the weak spot are the thrust bearings... definatly replace those and once back in the car maybe replace the sump pan gasket agian... all that weight on them really compresses them out... I normally place the engine in an old tire to keep the pressure off the sump pan 1493...gez, she will run like snot .... I bet it will be a torqey little thing :-) Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
| Don't think the triumph engine is any heavier than the A series tbh Prop. This engine has taken unfair flak in the past, but this one did 146,000miles before this overhaul. Mind you it has had an oil cooler installed and overdrive to keep the revs down at speed which was the achilles heel of this unit, high reve knock out the big ends. It's a nice torquey unit and the gearbox is a lot stronger than the A series with the added benefit of synchro in 1st gear. Hopefully it'll be good for the same again now! |
| SR Smith 1 |
| All in one piece now, back in the car today, fingers crossed! Champagne on ice, it's not run for 4 years. |
| SR Smith 1 |
| what could possibly go wrong! |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Good luck! |
| M Le Chevalier |
| Nigel Atkins, Northampton, United Kingdom what could possibly go wrong! He could ask me for head gasket advice....haha Its going very well... im sure it will do fine, it sounds like you have a good handle on it and its history Looking forward to hearing it installed and running Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
| Well it's all installed guys. Forgot what a tight squeeze it is with the overdrive box! Maniflow tubular manifiold fits well and looks superb. So, we were 99% there, got the oil filter out of the box....................... wrong one grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. It can wait until monday now, but it's gone well. Just realised I've left the camera there, so no pics until tomorrow. Thanks for all the interest and encouragement guys. |
| SR Smith 1 |
| well there's the answer to what could go wrong - oil filter photos will be appreciated but only a video of the car in full flight will be taken as full evidence (with o/d cutting in and out of course) |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Wrong oil filter.... I agree thats a good issue to go wrong with... I hope thats it, and not a hidden nest of grimlins to deal with... remember, dont feed or water them after midnight if you find any Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
| Retrieved the camera this morning! New clutch going on, with the aid of my trusty assistant.............  |
| SR Smith 1 |
On it's way in. bloody tight fit as well |
| SR Smith 1 |
| Will upload a cpl more later when they're resized. |
| SR Smith 1 |
| New Maniflow exhaust manifold............ Well it looks faster!  |
| SR Smith 1 |
| 99% connected up here. Hopefully we'll turn the key and it'll burst into life on monday.  |
| SR Smith 1 |
| Sorry SR, This monday (tomarrow) wont be happening for you That thing looks so nice and fast, im sure it already hit 88mph, intialized its flux capcitor and is now waiting for you 2 mondays from now into the future Enjoy the day off tomarrow Well done, well done. Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
| Lets just hope it starts and runs as good as it looks Prop! The Flux Capacitor is an uprated one btw |
| SR Smith 1 |
| "The Flux Capacitor is an uprated one btw" If its the lucas brand ... make sure you have a can of electrical blue smoke refill, you know how dodgy lucas electrical componets can be Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
| Well guys......................it runs! Usual smells of stuff burning and things getting hot, but great oil pressure and sounds good. Gearbox and overdrive lovely and smooth, clutch light and works well. New frontpipe needed which will stop it getting flattened by speed humps. Just got to get it MOT'd now. A month of fettling now before Classic Le mans. |
| SR Smith 1 |
| Great news Aside from wrong oil filter... thats about the best ive seen in a long while congrats and well done Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
| Thanks Prop, feeling pretty chuffed, no leaks and everything works! |
| SR Smith 1 |
| A great feeling when it all goes together! |
| N.C. Nakorn |
| May even treat it to a new soft top as it's gone so well. |
| SR Smith 1 |
| steady on ! well done MoT - always a doddle :) |
| Nigel Atkins |
| It is a great feeling indeed, bedding in nicely, just a slight drip from the bottom hose caused by a loose clip, soon sorted, no oil leaks at all! Can't believe how light the clutch feels, the old one was well knackered obviously. Well worth the wait. |
| SR Smith 1 |
| First trip out on the road under it's own power for 4 years. Pleased the overdrive works ok. Bit noisy though, booked in to have a new bespoke front exhaust section made on tuesday. Happy days! |
| SR Smith 1 |
| and the video proof? you don't need to gurn like Prop did as that's his signature move are you a clutch dipper or lifter-off of accelerator pedal on o/d engage/disengage |
| Nigel Atkins |
| You old doubter Nigel lol Hopefully will take the car along to the Masc Kent meet this month, they don't believe the it exists either! Then a trip to friends in the midlands as a final shakedown before the trip to the sarthe in july. Will add a cpl of pics tomorrow of the car in one piece. |
| SR Smith 1 |
| Booked in tuesday for it's custom front pipe at an exhaust specialists, sounds like an F1 car at the moment! Then hopefully we can set it up properly. No leaks yet either. |
| SR Smith 1 |
| I finally fitted a custom front pipe (well centre as mine's a single box) after having trouble getting the standard pipe to seal as it had to move a bit to allow for the tube dampers and wished I'd done it a lot sooner |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Our car has overdrive fitted and the new crossmember sits above the front exhaust. When we negotiate the dreaded speed hunmps, the pipe gets crushed. Hopefully they can fabricate a new exhaust section that sweeps around the end of the crossmember to stop it happening. |
| SR Smith 1 |
| Must be nearly there! Bonnet bolted back on and the good weather's here.  |
| SR Smith 1 |
| So far so good, bedding in nicely. New one off front pipe fabricated and fitted, hope to put a few miles on the clock this weekend.  |
| SR Smith 1 |
Interior complete, ready for the off now. |
| SR Smith 1 |
| Nice Ive got that exact same steering wheel...it really makes the car...the rivits gives it even more syle points, when I ordered it, I was a fraid the rivets would be to flashy and over the top.... but I couldnt love it more... its just the right anount of class To add to the wheel, I want to find a high end 1960s 70s wind up/ automatic watch...thats really rough and beat up, with an out wworn out leather band have a custom made MG midget face made for it and a new crytal and the guts working to perfection and then strap that to the steering wheelx for a clock Anyway... nice job enjoy the driving season Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
| That wheel has been on the car about 15 years Prop, in fact it could do with a rub down and a re varnish now! Looking forward to the run to Le Mans now, what spares/tools to took tho? |
| SR Smith 1 |
| """Looking forward to the run to Le Mans now, what spares/tools to took tho?""" Credit card and a cell phone are the best tools :-) Thats a subject of alot of debate and as many opinions as there are posters My thought is this, because it is a new engine and the car has been idle several years...id say just the basic tools spanners, ratch set grippers screw drivers, knief duck tape and wire/connectors... just the minimal basics for a road side simple repair As to parts id rely on your gut, is there any part of the car that gives you question marks in your gut, for everyone its differant... a fuel pump to brake caliper To save on weight and space.. I just pack a spare tire not the whole wheel ... then I can load stuff inside of it, and if it blows ...likely not, its any tire shop can replace the tire and ill pack a can of tire slime just incase All though one tool I do recommend is one.of those cheap spray can fire extinguishers from wal mart, there like $15, but good to have behind the seat on a permant basis ... ive had need of one for the midget 3 times in 15 years, so a good item to have But nothing like a good 1/2 day 200 mile run around town and highway driving to blow out the cob webs and build trust and confidance in the car and see if there are any odd half dead grimlins still holding on for life, that could get a 2nd wind But those are my thoughts, others will disagree and have there own ideas... but thats why im a castol man and not a Pennzoil guy Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
| Steve, run the car regularly on reasonable distance journeys with a few blow-out and long distance runs, change any suspect parts and thoroughly test the new parts and their installation before your trip and then you can take whatever you believe to be a minimum of tools and spares (practically a spare car for some) I only take a manual foot pump and accurate tyre pressure gauge (no spare wheel), spare bulbs and fusees and now an absolute minimum tool kit mainly of a imperial socket and screwdriver head set in it's own carrying case a mate gave me, this is usually only used to help other cars out - as was my manual foot pump when I felt my life draining away as my mate used his weedy 12v tyre pump to try to inflate his totally flat spare wheel, he'd have had a flat battery by the time the tyre was half inflated |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Nigel Thanks for the heads up on the 12volt tire pumps... ive seriously considrd buying one, but didnt know if they were worth the cost of there packaging or not. Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
| Is air still free in the UK, here in my town it cost a $1.00 and now some places its $3.00...granted the air box says it goes to some obscure charities ive never heard of. Orherwise I got to drag out the compressors and fill em up, then drain them and restore... its 15 minutes, but still just a hassle, esp when I could have called gycho insurance for a quote instead (its a usa thing haha) Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
| Thanks for your thoughts guys. We've been to Le Mans about 10 times in this car and it only let us down once when we broke a halfshaft on the monday morning on a final trip up the Mulsanne, grrrrrr. Apart from the usual plugs, points, rotor arm,v-belt etc, maybe sticking a spare shaft in the boot is a good idea! Planning doing the first long run this weekend. The clock is ticking. |
| SR Smith 1 |
| Steve, I can't see the logic in carrying plugs, rotor and points plugs you can fit and test before you go, rotor and points you'll definite want to test thoroughly before the trip as many new made ones are crap and probably will let you down, buy from a reliable source like Distributor Doctor, fit, test and forget drive belt I can maybe see as it's small and light but again if you fit and test a new belt before you go why even bother with that the carry a half shaft because one once let you down takes you into the realms of owners that carry large and/or heavy parts because they once let them down - a owner put that he had a spare fuel pump in situ because he was once let down by a fuel pump - where's it end I used to carry a spare HT lead, longest one but I never ever had need of it and it'd be no good if the coil lead went whatever parts you carry you'll also need to carry the full range of tools to fit them I don't even carry a wheel brace or jack and have never needed them, on trips abroad either but you have to carry whatever spares and tools keeps you feeling settled - Sod's Law it'll be whatever you don't carry that you'll need but where does it all end Prop, there are different models of the 12v tyre inflaters and no doubt in your country the models will be bigger and more powerful to inflate the tractor size wheels you have on your run-about trucks, possibly take up half the Midget's boot but at least it won't involve much manual effort |
| Nigel Atkins |
| I hate to say it but the 24 hours was last weekend :-( |
| David Smith |
| I hate to say it but the 24 hours was last weekend :-( Opps.... at least it will be easy to find a close parking spot, hahaha Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
| I think Steve is going to the more interesting Classic Le Mans, on every two years |
| Nigel Atkins |
| I trust you've been to many of both to be able to make such a statement? |
| David Smith |
| Sh*te! Was it this weekend? lol Thanks for the concern David, but we are indeed going to Classic Le Mans which is held every other year about 3 weekends after the main event. It's a trip organised by the Kent area of the Midget and Sprite club, so we aren't riding solo. Congrats to Audi btw for another win this weekend, but Toyota and Porsche, with a new car, put on a good fight. |
| SR Smith 1 |
This thread was discussed between 24/05/2014 and 17/06/2014
MG Midget and Sprite Technical index
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