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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - I let my husband drive my Midget

Sunday I let my husband drive my midget (first time). He had so much fun. I was surprised at how much he liked it (but I had to bite my tongue when he was shifting - he does not give the synchros enough time to do their thing). The car still has a hole where hot air and noise come from above the transmission and it was 90 degrees out (found the metal parts that are missing in a junk yard in California - they are on the way).

We probably went on a 120 mile tour before putting it back where I keep it. By the time we got there the three brass bolts that fasten the exhaust pipe to the manifold flange studs had come loose. I thought that I had made them tight enough. As I was tightening them back up today (with new nuts) I was wondering what torque to use. I did not make they as tight as I could because they are brass and I did not want to strip them but I did make them pretty tight. I guess it is something to keep checking and I will get it right (or perhaps it is correct this time). None of my other cars have this design (have bolts instead of studs and don't have brass nuts).

Rebecca

R Harvey

Reb,

That sounds like a cool time, I went thur bolts loosening on my work truck a sjort time back, you might try a little hi temp rtv sealer or some red lock tite...not sure that wiil handle the heat, you may have to do new studs and nuts

also make sure you have the header stapped down to reduce any move ment or flexing back and forth of the header

How old are you and your husband... Just curious

Prop
Prop

I am 47 and he is 45 (46 in Sept).

I am probably the bigger car nut (I have 5 old cars) but he really likes his 1970 Cuda. Since he is really a muscle car person I was surprised that he thought my little Midget was so fun. I had thought that he just thought it was a silly little toy (like a lot of my hot rodder friends).

Rebecca
R Harvey

Becca--try changing over to stainless steel nuts. This is a suggested fix by a guru on the MGA forum.

--Jack
JM Morris

Wow i didnt expect that... I figured mid 20s, Im 45, Ill bet you and your husband would enjoy (the Miz and the wiz) they just overhauled a MGB and stuck a buick V8 in the engine bay plus they do some autocrossing also in the St. louis MO. area...they hang out on the "Horizine" you can find it under the main menue of this site

Prop
Prop

here you go for the horizine section for "The Miz and The Wiz"

http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&access=&mode=tlist&subject=84

Prop
Prop

rebecca id always been a member of the "needs to have a big engine and be fasty fast club" then i got the midget.id loved them since seeing 1 when i was 9 but never driven one,im now a convert to the "dont have to be fast to feel fast club".in the past iv owned a 4.4v8 bmw7,a 4.0v8 bmw5,a caterham,a porsche,a lotus elan,jag xjs and a mk2 escolt rs2000 which tried and very nearly killed me.while the sound of a v8 still makes horny id now rather have my midget than just about any car. so your husband may end up selling his cuda.
roy j

Great to hear that you've convinced hubby of the merits of the Midget!

As for manifold-to-downpipe nuts, my 1500 also has the brass ones, but there are two on each stud, the upper one working as a jamb nut. They don't come loose...

But it's important to make sure you draw the manifold/downpipe flanges together evenly. I snugged each nut up a little at a time, ensuring that the flanges were essentially parallel, until they were fully tight. Then I added the jamb nuts, et voila.

Cheers,

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

This thread was discussed on 06/07/2010

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