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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Lever arm dampers at rear - differences?

Hi

Is there any difference between the rear lever arm damper for a 1/4 elliptic spring and one for a 1/2 elliptic sprung Spridget please?

Thanks
Mike
M Wood

Mike,
Moss shows the rear shocks being the same for 1/4 and 1/2 except for 1/4 eliptic before chassis no AN5 4333.
Simon





S Holt

I thought they used different arms.
Daniel

I'm pretty sure they use different links (arms).
Bill Bretherton

Thanks all, I had a very vague memory that they had different arms. My reason for asking is that Andy Jennings mg spares have a set of rear adjustable Armstrongs for sale which were taken off a half elliptic car: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165778065111?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11051.m43.l1123&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=122ddb39a81e4ab98d3d23b1d8b7a275&bu=42986122776&osub=-1%7E1&crd=20240326100622&segname=11051 & https://www.mg-cars.org.uk/andyjennings/

The ones for quarter elliptic cars are liked by Sebring Sprite folk as well as anyone who is racing MkI or MkII Sprites who is not permitted to use a telescopic rear shock conversion.

M Wood

Adjustable valves are available for stock Armstrong shockers.
Alan Anstead

Mike,
The very early Frogeye's had a slightly different rear shockabsorber and link. These cars did not have the strenthening section above the rear axle amongst other things. Fatigue cracks apparently developed and the shock absorber mountings changed and strenghening sections added. The shock absorbers were changed from PN 2A7298/99 to AHA5311/12(the arm was shorter) The link changed from 2A7303 to AHA5313. The shockabsorber/top link mountings changed from 2A7314/5 to AHA 5305/06
The later shocks fit all Sprites and midgets so the adjustable ones will be fine providing yours is a later Frogeye.
Bob Beaumont

Bob,

Any idea how many of those early original frogeyes still exist? I can only remember seeing one at an AH weekend IIRC without the rear axle hump reinforcement and with only the single triangular panel either side of the engine bay.
David Billington

David

A short answer is I don't know! Given that 90% of cars were exported there can't be many! The first chassis number started at 501 so given that 4333 or so were made that leaves 3800 x 90% so approx 400 were sold in the UK. Given how they rot there be more than a handful left! Bob Kemp at the AHC keeps a register of Frogeyes (as well as other Sprites) so he may have a clearer idea.
Bob Beaumont

A frien has one of the very first early cars in restoration. It has a single triangular plate each side and the car was bought havigsat in a bodyshop corner for 40 years with unknown faults. We determined that it had a front left corner brand at some time which had been repaired by beating the wheel panel straight-ish and replacing the front wings and bonnet. The catch assembly was still bent but the bonnet assembly was worth more than the asking price! It turned out that the front shock arm was bent so the handling must have been interesting and probably led to the car being abandoned. the boot floor is flat.
Dominic Clancy

There is one here too, I had a good look at it some 10-20 Yeats back when the body had just finished restoration.
Paul Walbran

This thread was discussed between 15/04/2024 and 19/04/2024

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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