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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - K series or not - thoughts please

I had a nice chat to John Collins tonight - thanks mate - re fitting a K series to Blackie and he suggested perhaps a little post here might help me decide.
I know it can be done BUT how far do you go.
For instance, fit the engine - drive or fit engine, upgrade brakes, suspension etc.

I am not after detailed discussions yet - or possibly at all - just a friendly guide as to what I could do esp keeping the cost down.

Thanks
Dave
Dave Price

Fit the engine; get it running well; drive it; upgrade the other items as needed.

I have an article to be published (maybe on MGCC midget Register site) I can send if you wish.

A
Anthony Cutler

Dave, if you can fabricate/weld then you can keep the cost right down.

Even good Ks are only a few hundred quid from a scrappy now, main things then are bellhousing, g'box, shortened prop and wiring.

If you can make some of your own bits (mounts etc) and keep an eye out on Ebay for others then I reckon you could just about do a standard spec conversion for a grand?
L McInally

The brakes on the stock Midget are (IMHO) barely adequate, so I would want to see them upgraded before thinking about the extra grunt of a K-Series!
Deborah Evans

Deb's comments are bang to rights really IMO


Whatever you do, brakes need to be enhanced over and above the requirements first. 9" discs and enough extras to make Prop float along happily maybe

Mine are fine

for 1293 and such (ish!)

any bigger and I'd be looking there first

(yes Ant, still thinking about it... but...)
Bill 1

Dave,

I followed Ant's advice and fitted engine first, but did upgrade all suspension bushes!

I then collected all other parts for upgrades needed.

I've got drilled/grooved discs with mintex pads and new callipers & brake bias valve fitted and the brakes are probably the worst part of the build (ask Bill as he thinks my car is slow! - its really that I wont follow him too closely!)

However, mine's only a "baby-k" as its a 1400 caterham supersport, so not too big power - but it does make the midget go very nicely.

Now its the 6 weeks holiday, I'll get around to some of my upgrades that I've got in the spares shed,

First will be the frontline front suspension kit,

After that will be my 9" brake upgrade, got the drilled/grooved dics, mgb callipers & pads, hub spacer - just need a friend with a lathe to make up the trunnion spacers and the steering arm spacers before fitting.

Then moving to the rear, peter may lowered springs to go on.

Anti-tramp bars to fit.

Panhard rod to fit (but will have to remove my fuel tank from the boot to bolt it in (so that will be the last of the jobs to get done!)

This should then sort the car, and I may even let Bill have a go

John

PS - I've got a ex-mgf vvc engine & ecu in my garage as well as 2 other MPI mgf's ready for breaking if anyone else is tempted!


John Collins

great to see I'm not the only one - brakes first regardless

the tune, size and power of the engine will necessitate the amount of upgrades required and how quickly but to get the most out of the car some bits will be replaced quite quickly

see Anthony's article as he has one, plus there'e a K-series forum on here

do yourself a favour and avoid buying bits directly from the Abingdon area
Nigel At

If you do the change, then I know fine well that the aforementioned Mr Collins would have advised you to do the brakes as everyone else has said brakes are not adequate. Before I'm accused of being scared - what's the point of having more power if you can't use it because you can't stop at faster speeds? The other thing is to look at your tyres and make sure they are rated for higher speeds.

If you go for it, then the engine in Johns' garage would be an excellent option and you know that he will have checked it over and it's suitable.

Ultimately, the point comes back to the question of what you want your car for - and only you can answer that question.

Everyone will give you their thoughts but they are irrelevant in most. Yes you can sometimes get a boost at 50-70mph, but I have never had a problem overtaking! As for the top speed - the big question is how often do you get the chance to use it on British roads...? So, weigh up the costs and advantages and disadvantages and then decide.
rachmacb

Much as I love our A series Midgets, in a K there is even less trouble overtaking! And then there is the fun that derives from being a Q-car. A few Evos here don't know what hit them (well, not literally of course). But then I'm just an old boy racer.
Paul Walbran

And as for the brakes - it depends on how you drive. The standard brakes are fine for an emergency stop from speeds up to the car's original max of about 100mph, (Rach's comment relevant here) but certainly start to get faint hearted if repeatedly braking hard into corners on winding or hilly roads with sticky tyres. In the long term - yes definitely upgrade the brakes but unless you are hard on them all the time I don't see a problem with Anthony's sequence.

Otherwise you end up like us - doing the whole lot at once and taking years to do it. Twice. Didn't learn from the first K and so the second one is taking just as long.

A good interim solution is to upgrade the friction material. Takes little time, costs little money. And check the hydraulics & change the brake fluid while you are at it.
Paul Walbran

I confess to knowing NOTHING about K's.

But, as I have already established my credentials here, with at least some members, as being foolish, reckless, dangerous and whatever else, -- and could give a damn, I will add my tuppence worth too.:)

If the K weighs less or the same as an A, (I don't know one way or the other), then I see no reason to change your brakes if they are working properly now.

If it weighs a significant bit more, then upgrade the breaks to stop the extra weight.

As Rach said, where are you going to use the extra MPH in the UK?

Well yes you could always break the law. :)

But pretty much ANY standard 1275 is good for a ton anyway if the engine is working properly, and you get a wind behind you. Certainly 90 MPH is easy enough.

Are the standard breaks rated to be sufficient at 70MPH? Some might say not. Me I think they are good enough.

So yep do your breaks it wont harm any, but if you are on a budget, I don't see them as a priorty.

For those that do, then surely this even applies to something as simple as a BHP boost from changing the distributor, flowing the head, changing to a better exhuast sytem, overboring etc etc etc ad nauseam.

All said in the best possible taste, and IM very HO of course :):):):)
Lawrence Slater

I'm not sure many of us who put K series engines in for road (not race) cars did it for top speed - Even with a 1400 mine gets up to 100 pretty easily and quickly (I've done it once and am not that bothered about doing it again).

The usable part is the smooth, quiet (sort of), reliable power with great fuel economy that means you really can keep up with (and get past) pretty much all modern traffic in all conditions.

If I had tuned an A series to the power my 1.4 has I'd have to continually be working on it and worrying about it breaking down (and at todays prices probably spend a good deal more to get it there). The K is (I'm probably going to regret saying this) practically 'fit it and forget it'. It's the rest of the car that I am continually tinkering with.
L McInally

I have a K series in my daily driver(MGZR 1.4) and although I did the head gasket before it had chance to fail and I used the later improved gasket with the heat shim and steel dowels, I still drive with one eye on the temp gauge and check coolant level regularly. Maybe I'm just parranoid, but the reputation is hard to get rid of.
Has anyone tried a Ford Zetec in a Spridget? It's all Aluminiun and might mate up with the Ford type 9 gear box more easily than other engines and doesn't have the HGF problem associated with Ks.
I don't dislike the K,in fact I think it's a very good, light and pokey engine, but I just wondered if anyone had experience of the Zetec, which is very tuneable.

Bernie.
b higginson

Bernie,

I think Ford have at one time or another applied the term Zetec to just about every petrol engine they make, except the Duratec, so it's difficult to know which engine you're thinking about and I also think all the Zetec engines are iron block. The Duratec is a Mazda engine and that is all aluminium but also has a different bellhousing pattern, it does mate to the Mazda box apparently from the MX-5.
David Billington

David. Thanks for the correction. I saw a highly tuned Fiesta at my local MOT station which had a"zetec" in it and I could have sworn it was all ally. Maybe it was a Duratec, in which case the whole Mazda engine and drivetain could be an option, possibly from a scrap MX5. Or am I starting to sound like Prop, ie. over complicating things? LOL.

Bernie.
b higginson

Bernie,

Have a look here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Zetec_engine . It looks like the smaller Sigma series engine called Zetec is all aluminium so I was wrong on that point.
David Billington

Dave,
have you driven a K-series in a car, my abiding memory of the Rover 214 and 216 when they came out were that they were revvy urging you along which you may think is ideal for a small sports car but IMO the urge of the engine makes it even more annoying when you can’t use it

IMO, to my style of driving, the real power and fun sector of the K tends to be higher than you can usually achieve on our roads at most times that I like to use or risk points on license on other roads

Certainly the extra overtaking ability is nice but you soon get used to it and as with engine power you soon want a lot more on ideal days then on lot less than ideal days you don’t use any of that extra power

Personally I like the plucky feel of the A-series and small 8v engines where just keeping with some modern traffic is entertaining and with an empty twisty road you can have fun below the legal limit

Before anyone thinks differently I should point out I’ve also had cars that most people would consider powerful and quick and used to overtake long lines of cars

I also sometimes for Sporting Bears Dream Rides take passengers out in my mate’s 130+ hp, 1.8 Zetec engined Westfield, another 16v engine, the car is very well set up and can be driven very fast but after a day I feel I need more power but a lot less speed as I want to overtake more cars more often but also not be doing such speeds all the time

So I like the two different ends of the power/speed and that the thing when you get a car in the middle it’s not as satisfying

Dave I think you need to decided where two different ends of the power/speed are otherwise you’ll be forever upgrading or disappointed

So who’s offering to let Dave try their K car?

ETA: Zetec was the engine way back when but then they started calling the cars Zetec, Duratec is said to be the better engine, well the Zetec as does the K go back a long time now
Nigel At

Dave. That's a good read. I forgot to mention, my freind Mike Bennet has just completed a BGT with a 2.0L Zetec engine. He's still ironing out a few cooling problems, but overall he's pleased with it. It has a type 9 'box in it and air con and some subtle suspension mods.

Nigel. I agree with your views about the A series. I love the sound of mine in my '65 Sprite when it's on full song on twisty country roads between walls or under a bridge and with the mods I've done it can be a points on licence job too if I push the pedal down a bit harder.
The K series can also be highly tuned, to the extent that I've heard of people running up to 200 BHP in a Spridget. Wouldn't you just love that to put one over on the Imprezas on a track day! (Why do they always sound like they've got a misfire?)

Bernie.
b higginson

Dave,

I have been trully smitten by the K-Sries bug. I originally started in 1961 with a works Sebring sprite from Donald Healey which I loved but in comparison to the K-Series it would have been slow!

My current car is just coming to the end of an extensive rebuild by Frontline during which it has been fitted with a Supercharged engine mated to a 6 speed Caterham gearbox. It recently made 242 BHP and 183 lb ft torque at 6950 revs at which has been limited until we have settled it in. At 8000 revs we expect around 270 BHP.

In my experience the following points are worth considering in addition to the points made previously,

The engine is approx 40% lighter than the A series, with the benefit of making equal weight distibution on both axles. Road holding is dramatically improved as a consequence.
Depending what cams, throttle bodies and ECU you install the engine can be extremely docile at tick over and therefore easy to drive in modern traffic. Mine has never over heated during long periods at tick over.
The K-Series not as high as the the Zetec and Mazda engines which makes it more suitable to fit in the Midget.
It is crucial to make sure the head gasket is properly installed with the uprated gasket, metal dowels and preferably the redesigned bottom rail. When doing this work it is crucial to replace the bolts with the original manufactured ones. Cheaper after market ones are not nessarcarily made of the correct metal spec.
You will need high performance fine spline half shafts and preferably an LSD otherwise you run the risk of breaking the originals.

It will however give you the most incredible pleasure along with some frustrations along the way and in any case you do not have to do every thing straight away, just keep chipping awat at it as time and money allow.

Eddie.
Eddie Brown

DB: correct - Ford name their engines according to marketing... leads to confusion for things like cam-belt changes, e.g.

My wife's T-reg Focus has a Zetec 1.8 iron lump. The later Focuses use the later generation mostly ally engine (Ecotec? or something). My son's old ST170 had an 'Ecotech' or whatever the branding on the plastic covers said... except it was the tuned version of the old iron 1.8 so really a Zetec! But for the top-of-the-range, it had to have the later branding!

Anyway, return to topic... some of the K'ers have already expanded on my post... it's how you drive it that determines the extra mods. I did no extra mods when I installed my K, sice I'd already done them for competition drving. The joy of the K is 2x or 3x acceleration compared with standard, coupled with complete docility. I'd always recommend 11/16 ARB, poly bushes, 1144 pads for a standard setup. What you do from then on is down to your intended driving. Eg. for track days, you'll want to upgrade the suspension and brakes further.

A
Anthony Cutler

Just a thought how have the K ers got on when registering their 1.8cc whith the DVLA.. any problems?
Interested as I have a vvc sitting in the garage for my next project.
Rob Newt

It took me 3 goes to have my engine changed to 1.8K series... sent the same info 3 times; on 2 occasions was sent unchanged log-book back with instructions to send changes with engineer's report (which I'd already done).

Finally worked on the 3rd time.

The engineer's report was written by me, BTW, as MIET.

A
Anthony Cutler

If anyone's throwing away their old fashioned 1275 A series engine and box then feel free to throw it in my direction... ;-)
James Bilsland

Regarding HGF in Midget conversions - we had a bit of a discussion about this.

I think we were struggling to find one on the register that had had one - is that right Ant?

My 1.4 dates from the 1994 I think (it's been in the MG 10 years) and hasn't had anything done to it at all.

I suppose we do relatively low miles and it's only lugging around about half what it would have been in a tin top MG in it's original life.

Just DO IT...
L McInally

One little question and so many different replies - at least we can all agree on being different!!
If I decide to stay as is ie A series 1275 - do I upgrade part by part as funds from SWMBO are released or go for it in one hit?

All I am after is better acceleration, not necessarily top end speed. The engine works well at the mo but may be drinking oil so winter works are possibly required.
Dave Price

Dave

IMHO engine mods are always better considered as a package rather than piecemeal

JB
James Bilsland

you can do things to improve acceloration without engine mods

but even with engine mods the car will not be quick but can be quite nippy

very worn engines can go very well - just before they go pop :)
Nigel At

I have been seriously tempted by the K in John's garage

Often

Not sure I can justify it though so I rationalise with the fact that my car flies up to 110 easily, has flown at 113 (runway on track day, by the way) and keeps me happy with little financial expenditure since 2000AD and returns between 45 and 55 mpg... Suits me

(Bloody type 9 boxes excepted, a Mazda six speeder would be a wonderful thing)

I do still have the Megajolt/squirt to fit one day later this year after having a head skimming for better grunt, but I actually am in favour of going up years with the K to improve the breed for they that can.
Bill 1

Actually Nigel you can make an A series roadgoing Midget go surprisingly fast (even without a turbo). It can be expensive however...
James Bilsland

James,

I said quick :)

and fast (and quick) is relative but I thibk it's about how it feels to you not figures

what it would cost to make an A go fast would be very expensive and expensive to keep going and probably not that pleasant on the road

my mate's had a few Minis and I went out as a passenger in a road going track machine that wasn't happy much below 3,000 rpm and jumped around a bit when pulling off and torque steered interestingly - nice to see the speedo needle go 'off the clock' though
Nigel At

An old saying we used to have when we were talking about Lambrettas :-

Fast, cheap, reliable - choose 2 from 3...

Probably applies to A-series too I'd have thought?
L McInally

L McInally,

I've heard basically the same thing said about NASA and a number of its projects such as the space shuttle.
David Billington

A vote here for the beefed up A series.

They give all the fun I need are way faster than legal and if properly build can be reliable.

Just a note on brakes
Speed and mass are the only considerations and they stay the same when on the public road.
So std brakes can be perfectly fine.
But when track/sporting use is considered then you get the problem of repetative braking and heat.....
Onno Könemann

Some years ago Terry Sanger took me for a lap or 2 of Castle Combe circuit in the test mini fitted with the Jack Knight twin cam 16V head and side draughts or injection bodies, can't remember which, that was awesome and we agreed that a spridget fitted so would be great. The price was out of my comfort zone though so I didn't buy it, one can dream. IIRC the JK head was similar to the KAD head but more compact and in a mini didn't require shimming the subframe up to fit under the bonnet.
David Billington

TOBY!

Finish that engine mate

:)
Bill 1

I have no experience with the K-engine at all, I put a supercharger on my A-engine. If this was a wise decision, probably not, BUT is is / was fun.

How fast I go, fast enough ...
a.o. arnold


David, at the beginning you asked, "I know it can be done BUT how far do you go?"

After all this chat, you go as far as you decide, with whatever makes you happy. And you won't know when you are happy until you get there.

I dont know how long you've owned the sprite/midget you've got, but it's my guess you enjoy it A or K. So there is no reason it seems to me that you wont enjoy it with a K.

That said, you might, perversely, miss all the tinkering around that the A can require from time to time.

As a counter to that, until you actually finish doing whatever it takes to the K if you install one, you might be kept busy on that front anyway.

Seems to me, that if you are laying in bed at night, like a kid again, thinking about buying a new toy (K engine), then my advice is, --- DO IT. Do it as soon as you can. :)

But if really all you want is a bit more power, upgrade. It must be easier and cheaper, and maybe you'd be happier that way anyway.

I asked a similar K question a while ago, and am still musing. If I had extra space, I think I would buy a 2nd spridget, and do a k on that. But I've come to the conclusion I think, that I like my Sprite with an A, because that's how it has been with me for over 34 years. I like it's character.(It's got two actually, one in the car, and a spare in the garage awaiting a rebuild).
Lawrence Slater

Bmw K100 head on a A-series .......
Keep the original cool but with DOHC and the power to go with it
Onno Könemann

Agree with Lawrence. I wouldn't now change the engine in my Sprite and I've had mine for 44 years, but if I had the space I'd like to do a K or Zetec conversion on another Spridget. Eddie's car sound awesome. I'd love to see it on a track.

bernie.
b higginson

Who was it that was doing that 18 months ago? The plot seems to have dried up this year!!
Graham.
Graham P 1330 Frogeye

Onno,
The BMW K100 head on an A series looks really spectacular, but the conversion just takes an incredibly long time to do.

Guy

If I get bored with my 1380, then the options for me would be forced induction but that would probably require a new block at something less than 1380, or the BMW K100 twin cam head. But I like tinkering. The K is great I imagine, but a good friend of mine has had regular trouble with everything but the block, but then again he can't stop modifying it.

Anyway, who wants a midget without an oil leak...

A good thing about sticking with the A series is that you can build a spare engine up in the shed, and then simply swap over in a day when it's done. A K conversion unless you work really fast, could take weeks if not months.
Tarquin

Tarq
I think you mean water leaks with the K ;)
Has Arie already decided to supercharge it
Onno Könemann

I thought he already had Onno?


Oh hang on, no he was pressurising the coolant system, silly me got things mixed up :)
Tarquin

8000 rpm out of an 1800 K Series requires forged pistons since the cast ones fail at 7500 rpm. Indeed I have known forged ones let go at 8000 rpm owing to the piston accelerations off TDC and BDC because of the poor rod length to piston deck height on the long stroke K's.

Unfortunately forged pistons are not a panacea neither because those available will wear the bores in around 30,000 miles - fine for a racer or track day car, not good for a road car.
Deborah Evans

My K conversion took:

- 4 days to install engine/box, incl removal of old and mods to 'bay
- 2 weekends to wire, plumb, etc.

I'm too impatient for it to take weeks (mind you, as many have seen, it's not the neatest conversion!).A

I inteneded to re-fit/tidy the setup in the following summer, but just kept driving it (mostly competition at that time). It's now done around 23K on its 'new' engine.

A
Anthony Cutler

It's taken me 2.5 years to carry out my conversion and still I haven't finished -

Jon White

Mmmmmmmmmmm perhaps the time to convert plus the various ways of doing it has persuaded me towards an overhaul of the A already fitted. Has anyone got a easy to follow guide of what to do, I have a Haynes manual but they can be a bit a?al at times. For instance -
Wheel change. First disconnect the battery LOL
Dave
Dave Price

Elf and safety Dave.

Always disconnect the bat 1st, wear a bright yellow luminous jacket, and of course a protective head gear. LOL.

Seriously though.

What condition is your engine, apart from using a bit of extra oil?
Lawrence Slater

I know I have a leak in the exhaust but as it is behind the heatshroud and its summer it can wait. The oil usage is not bad realy - the odd top up but nothing out of the ordinary IMO. Blackie pulls well and can sit at 70-75 on the motorway well and get about 44 MPG then - overall he gets about 35 mpg average me thinks. I just feel he, sorry, the car could do a bit better.
Thoughts Lawrence
Dave
Dave Price

Not everyone changes just the engine. I'm doing a nut and bolt re-build, expect all the nut and bolts are being replaced with a full coil over De-Dion rear end, a double wishbone front end and massive brakes too. And doing all the bodywork and swapping the A series with a VVC K series at the same time.

Ok, I've been at it about a year, but I'm on the fitting the rear suspension stage, so hopefully it'll be done this year!!

I wouldn't recommend you go this route unless you really want to. I sold my bike engined 7 to pay for this, so I need/want something that at least as capable, but with the advantage of both windows, doors and maybe even a stereo!
S Overy

on PH I was helping a young lad with his BGT and he said he used lots of oil I explained that I would hardly ever expect to top up between 6 month/6,000-mile services and this lead on to his breather pipes being clogged with oil gunk which was also helping to push more oil out of the rocker cover gasket

I almost got him to complete a 36,000-mile service over two months only a few items short

he did know about it cos he'd read my advice and I told him

I know he wished he had done it a lot sooner if only to save money on oil let alone how much better the car went

ETA: which bike engined 7 :)
Nigel At

A yellow Honda Blackbird engined MK Indy. The same one that was on that PH run from IIRC Rushden to Sywell Aerodrome when it chucked it down with rain in fact, assuming you are who I think you are Nigel.
S Overy

right yes, I remember you, hi

where that idiot salesman never turned up on the run I 'suggested' - the run got a bit wet, I was in the Midget then

I later had a word with the owner as I know him from being a Sporting Bear

would you believe that they are organising their first run since then this coming Sunday

see - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=168&t=1033560&mid=39637&nmt=Northants Run on 14/08/2011 from Dove House Motor Co

ETA: I used to have Westies, many years ago
Nigel At

Dave your engine sounds like my engine before a rebuild. I rebuilt my current engine when it was burning a bit of oil too. It didn't smoke much, just used a bit too much but was going ok. So I took it apart.

The crank looked good, mains and ends.

The
head was standard 1275, and it had previously been bored to 20 thou. Bores were good with very small wear lip.

Standard 1275 cam.

So all I did was this.

Reshelled the ends, new thrusts, new oil pump.
HIF44 SU with k and n, to replace the knackered twins.
Lcb exhaust manifold.
P burgess fast road head.
Deglazed bores, and kept the standard type pistons, with new rings.
Same cam.
Kept the Lucas 25D4 with points ignition, original coil. NGK plugs copper leads.

I'm amazed how quick it is. I have no idea of bhp as it's never been on a RR. But it flies into the red pretty easily, and purrs like a kitten on tickover. Compared to how it was prior to rebuild it's definitely faster, acceleration and top.

No doubt whatsoever I could get MUCH MUCH more out of it, and all of how to do that is well documented. But I also want a smooth easy road drive, that doesn't drink juice, so I'm happy enough.

I've got a spare 1275 sitting in the garage awaiting a rebuild.

On that I'm thinking of the next stage up P Burgess head, or maybe just keep the Austin 1300GT head already on it, but get it unleaded. It has better pistons, Cooper S I believe, and I will just re-ring them. Get crank lightened/balanced maybe. Piper hr270 Cam.

I don't compete, so the only person I have to satisfy, is me.

Standard 1275 sprites are still surprisingly nippy enough. My current slightly modified 1275, surprises people when they overtake me at 80+, and I then overtake them at 90+. But of course it can easily be thrashed by most if not all modern engnes.

How long is a piece of string?

You could put large amounts of money into your engine and still not equal a modern engine. But do you want to? Doesn't sound like that to me. I'd do the basics, and if you like the results, leave it there. If not do a bit more, as with me and my spare engine.

How about that solution? Look for a spare 1275, and play with that.


Lawrence Slater

All I've got in terms of extra brakes is greenstuff pads, everything else is in good nick and I can lock the fronts in the dry on 175 tyres.

I can get fade, but only on particular sections of road and only when driving like a loon.

My modifying path has been handling-power-handling-power etc, so rear dampers, drive for a bit, tune A series, drive for a bit, front suspension, drive for a bit, K series, next..

so not at all in one go, very much rolling modifications with keeping it off the road for as little amount of time as possible. Still took 8 months to do the K-onversion, only working on weekends. But that's because me and my dad made all the bits ourselves.

Try getting a reliable 100hp A series with 5 speed for less than 800 quid. I thought about the supercharged A but went for the K instead. I'd never go back, it's lunacy in midget form. fast, smooth, reliable, docile at town speeds and returns average of 60mpg.
Rob Armstrong

Rob, thats value for money. If I could do a k for that money I would certainly do it.

can you buy a K and a 5 speed/bellhousing conversion for less than 800 quid now?

If you can, then maybe I'll sell my spare 1275 engine and look more seriously at another spridget to k with.
Lawrence Slater

you'll struggle to buy a full conversion kit for less than 1500 quid

I bought a whole rover 214 for 370 quid, bellhousing for 200 and gearbox for 85. the rest was taken up buying things like mounts, speedo cables, head gasket kit and other bits and pieces, clutch and so on.

With mine, everything was self built apart from the above bits. A lot of effort for sure, but what a car for that much money. would have made some money back as well selling the old bits but the gearbox was mush internally and dad got the 75hp A series for his midget as a present for doing all the welding and stuff on the K.

more details : www.robsmidget.co.uk
Rob Armstrong

"but what a car for that much money"

Yup I have no doubt. If you'd like to give it a new home, I wont say no lol.


That's what I thought more than 800 quid, and even then you can't make a K out of an A.

But if the price is now more like 1500 quid, I reckon you can get a pretty good bit of extra hp out of an A for that money.







Lawrence Slater

The bits I have brought just for the conversion have cost me £826 so far.

That's the 1.8VVC engine at £355, the bellhousing at £138, a 160 bhp ECU set, 52mm TB and ally inlet manifold at £144, a V6 type 9 at £108, a 1.4 flywheel, AP pressure and friction plates at £190.

So a standard engine, on a standard inlet and ECU, but without the fancy clutch, would have only cost me £601. I do still need to get a prop made, source an exhuast manifold and sort my hydraulic clutch out, but that's all. I expect it to all come in at less than £1500. And that'll give me a 5 speed box, 160 bhp and 45+mpg, which I don't think is bad value. This does only apply if you can weld yourself though! Otherwise, factor in engine mounts and the like too.
S Overy

Lawrence - is it OK to email you for further thoughts please re upgrade or otherwise of the A series?
Dave
Dave Price

Yup sure Dave, email address as posted next to my name.
Lawrence Slater

I have had the mods mostly one after one: suspension, 5speed, brakes and so on and so on.
Ive now done some 60.000km with my 1.8K(previous miles unknow as bought from scrapyard) in the midget and had the HG replaced(1st one) this spring.
Beside many problems I had in the first 2 or 3 years due to badly done conversion its reliable now and will stay like that if I (as mentioned here before by certain individuals) dont modify it anymore.
But the flesh is so weak.... :)


The black book might help you find your way (to the darkside that is) :)




Arie de Best

This thread was discussed between 04/08/2011 and 09/08/2011

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