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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Good value cam

I need a new cam for my 1275 midget.

But I don't want to spend £183 on the Kent kit. What other choices do I have for about £120. Of course I'm looking to hot things up say a 276 profile.

I had been looking at a company call Morspeed but I've read a couple of the mini forums and there are several complaints about delayed orders. They have a phase 3 cam kit plus pump for £120 which has been recommended by some on this board.

What about Mini spares or Mini sports own brand products

Thanks for your help
tm wainwright

Not used their cams but Swiftune http://www.swiftune.com/Category/66/sw-camshaft-kits.aspx are rather good.

I have had other parts from them of their own design and have been extremely happy with them.

You might also want to give Piper a call; I have used their 270 and it was an excellent compromise.

Don't use Mini Sport; they suffer from the same issues as Morspeed. MED are ok for parts as well but others have had problems with engine builds and occasional late delivery.
Toby Anscombe

SW5 is a good choice. I had one and it was excellent low down. You can get a kit for about £130 I think, which is in your ballpark.
Tarquin

Swiftune SW5-07 without a doubt.....!

Don't compromise with anything less.....

Mark.
Mark T. Boldry

Are you buying just a re-ground cam or a new cam?

Are you buying just a cam or cam and followers?

You need to consider any price comparasions you make are on a like for like basis.

Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

The SW5-07 is great - torque on tap across the range
Mothy

I have used both the SW5 and a Morspeed cam in similar spec cars - had a Morspeed Phase 3 cam in my road car (now oily Pete's) and it was fantastic - 86bhp iirc with a bv head and twin HS2's. Much better than the SW5 with a bv head and hif44 but still perfectly fine in traffic. Morspeed are not the quickest with engines but I can't see you having a problem with just a cam.
John Collinson

I got the SW5-07 kit, havnt installed it yet, but it looks like fine art, and they delivered it 1/2 way around the world in under 5 days AND you dont need a core cam replacement to deal with...(vary cool)

also they make the cams on the same machine that makes cams for F1 race cars.

prop
Prop

AND they are made right in your town ..."KENT" so you might be able to go down to the swiftune camshaft orchard and pick a fresh one right off the cam tree at an even better price

prop
Prop

Prop- KENT is a county (bit like a state but a lot smaller!!!!???)
Swiftune are just outside Ashford which is a town ( although I think that is also a bit misleading - its really a tip).


David
David Brenchley

David, if I'm correct, they are ground in Kent by Kent....

Mark.
Mark T. Boldry

Thanks...I didnt know that

So how many "states" does great briatian have???

learn something new every day.

prop
Prop

Prop David has mislead you a little.

Great "briatian" is like a state in Europe. Like the Us has about 50 states Europe has about 20? countries such as Britain, France, Germany, Holland, Austria, etc etc etc.

Now I believe your States are sub divided into counties? such as Dade and Orange in Florida. We too have been subdivided into counties, one of which is Kent, as is my own which is Lincolnshire.
Bob (Robert) Midget Turbo

I agree with Toby. Fit a Piper 276, I have one in my 1275 Frog, goes like stink!!
John Stephens

Just to update

I decided to go for a Morspeed Ph3 cam. At £100 for the kit it is good value inc followers and oil pump. They were a bit slow answering the phone but confirmed they had item in stock and would send it out today.

My appologies if I suggested they might offer a poor service. I will add a further update when it arrives.
tm wainwright

Tim - If you need workshop facilities then give me a shout..
Toby Anscombe

A pop-up has just popped up on Morspeed's website:

"SORRY!

Morspeed appologise for the long delays some people have experienced over 2007, this was an error entirely on our behalf as we did not expect the company to grow at such a fast rate in which it has over the last 4 years.

We have now enroled more staff and trained exsisting staff further allowing us to reach target times more realistic, this has proven succesfull over the period September 2007 - December 2007 and will continue through 2008 and further.

Morspeed respect the forums for there honesty and have an active part in supplying them with useful information when possible, but we must point out that the people who have had delays in receiving there products are very few and are far out numbered by the positives otherwise we would not still be in business! unfortunately its rare for these positives to ever make it for all to see.

Simon Morson"


**********

One interesting aspect that links Morspeed's cam profiles to Keith Calver's and Nick Swift's (allegedly - companies do not always reveal exact specs) is that they all apparently use equal inlet and exhaust timing.

It seems that such symmetrical cams always give better low-speed torque than the extended exhaust timing traditionally used on A-series engines. (This point is not readily gleaned from Vizard.)

Tom










Tom Coulthard

I'm also likely to go for a morspeed PH3 so any feedback appreciated.

The guy who runs Morspeed was quite active on the minifinity board for a long time. It appears he was simply too successful last year and took more orders for engines than he could deliver - hence the long lead times. Time will tell if he can expand and keep the quality high.
Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

Equal inlet and exhaust timing are probably more appropriate to road cams than race cams.
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

Why?
Tom Coulthard

APT do symmetrical race cams at 286 and 306 degrees; Elgin do six different cams at 300 degrees and over, all symmetrical. Isky's A-series race cams are 300/300 and 320/320.

In this country, Kent's MD310 and MD315 race cams are both symmetrical, as are its 310SP, SuperSprint 595 (306 degrees) and 475 Race (324 degrees). Piper's BP300 (316) and BP320 are also symmetrical.

Tom
Tom Coulthard

A cam grinder will grind a number of cams.

Yep Kent's 310 upwards are symmetrical but everything below that aside from the 256 aren't.

So, unless I interpret my own statement to mean standard cams I'm wrong!!

Are the old Kent MD range 266,276,286 dated profiles now compared to more recent profiles with symmetrical profieles or is that exhaust manifold technology or whatever has removed the necessity for more timing on the exhaust? I don't know.

I see that APTs range of cams including the one in my cars engine is symmetrical but it's radical for road use, tamed by a CV manifold. I see APTs mildest cam still has asymetric timing (more on the exhaust).
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

Hiya

we got good results with a vp3 cam many moons ago. We also think most of 'em rebadge the kent megadyne cams as their own ones! Too many coincidences with valve lift tappet settings and cam timing figures!!!!

Don't buy a repro cam they dont last long buy a billet.

Peter
peter burgess

I think the A-series 1275 came out in 1966..67 somewhere in that area....

Im wondering, do you really think there are any possiable cam profiles left that have not been dicovered or tried....sorry I just couldnt resist stating the obvious...im guessing there are really only 15 cam profiles depending on application...and those profiles are all just being re-badged...the differance is in the quality of craftsmanship,and the service before and after the ringing of the money bell.

Arrogence is a private virtue...lol

prop
Prop

Further update

Cam, new fuel pump and followers arrived today.

2 days from order to door step.

Comparing it to the old one the profile is very sharp, but I guess that's the point.
tm wainwright

Hey! No puns allowed in a cam discussion. ;)
Trevor-Jessie

This thread was discussed between 10/10/2008 and 15/10/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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