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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - mg midget flip front hinge

Hi
Does anyone have a decent picture of the flip front bracket fitted to a midget,I've tried to repair the one on my midget but the front sits way to high.
I must have had the front off around 10 times up to now.
any help appreciated.
Dermot.
D N Murray

I havent seen anyone do flip fronts here in many years... but there are a few in the arcives that go way back maybe 15 years plus

I want to say there was someone back in 2008 that did a flip conversion

Give me.a day or so, I may have a site buried on my phone that does a simple how to for a flip... it will take awhile to find it

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

I made my own hinges from bits of angle iron and flat plate, some Mini front shock spacers and some sawn-off 3/8" bolts.


Dave O'Neill 2

Here's the finished article


Dave O'Neill 2

Dave

Thanks... thats what I was recalling on my phone

Nice work, it looks like a well done kit you made

Another thought ... look up a sight called

(spridgetguru.com) or some variation of that... the guy that runs it, post alot of modified tech info... always without permission and copyright approval... ""allegedly""

I dont know thst as fact

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Got a flip front on my midget.
Bought from archers garage.. Hinges are fairly simple and use ARB bushes as pivots. Can dig out a picture if you like?
Tim
T Dafforn

Thanks for the comments and photos.
I bought this midget with both front and rear clamshells in fibreglass, but the front is a bit of a poor fit.
Messing about in the garage today I noticed the bonnet is touching the single carb and intake trumpet but when I alter the hinges the bonnet sits way too high.
So now I'm left with a dilemma, do I alter the bonnet to give the carb and trumpet some room or remove the single carb that was fitted back in the day.
As the car is modified to some extent I doubt it will upset anyone should I fit some sort of bulge to clear the carb.
D N Murray

I made a steel frame to support the bonnet, see image, and it used the 2 front most bumper fixings as the pivots. It fixes to strong points in the bonnet, due to its shape, and connects to bonded in aluminium brackets. I worked the weight out at about 6.5kg IIRC as mostly 1" x 1" x 16swg box section. I did this as I had seen far too many bonnets fixed to just the lower valance part and they flexed excessively.


David Billington

Thanks, that looks more like a proper fixing.
mine is only attached by four bolts to the lower valance as you mention.
I will try post a picture if I can resize the pictures.
D N Murray

I bought a Peter May Hinge a few years ago and it has held up well. However as previously mentioned it only attaches to the valance, leaving the flip front to flex when upright.

http://www.petermayengineering.co.uk/specialistProducts.htm
B

Ah,that's the hinge fitted to my car.
When you fitted your front could you see the chassis rails?
when mine is bolted up where I think it should be I can see the two rails quite clearly.
D N Murray

The lower half of the chassis rails are visible, but only if you squat down to look. However I think it depends on where you drill the mounting holes, my flip front rubs against the front upper edge of the sills which probably means that it is mouted too low.

How do you hold your front open? I have tried restaining straps and chains, but these strech and flex the fibreglass a lot. Currently I rely on a conveniently sized block of wood under the nose, but there must be a better way.
B

If it is an issue of interference between the bonnet and the car you can find versions of SU carbs, particularly the later hif series that have shorter dash pots. I think the were made for some rover v8 applications and triumph dolomite sprint.. They are easy to recognise and come up on eBay.
Cheers
Tim
T Dafforn

I think I'm going to have to fabricate a decent frame for my front.
At the moment the chassis rails are in plain view so I think maybe the carb is holding the front up a bit.
I want to keep the single carb so will endeavour to move things around and see how I go.
my flip front had restraining wires from the wheelarch to the inner wing but it meant visible screws on the panel.
Not very eye friendly.
D N Murray

D N Murray,

I think the chassis rails would be partially in view with the bonnet correctly in place as the bumper irons would need to pass below the valance and the bumper would hide the chassis rail ends if fitted.
David Billington

I refabricated some archers ones out of 4mm steel and used a 12mm shanked bolt and an R clip so the front end is now easily removable


Dave Pratt

Plerase find below a picture of my flip front hinge. I can take dimensions if you wish


DM Gibson

Some info on DIY hinge: http://www.ahsdc.org/Files/Tech_Information/Tech_Information_Bonnet_Hinge.pdf

Also see pics of retaining strap, see:
http://www.gerardsgarage.com/Garage/Tech/tilthinge/tilthingeWS.htm

Cheers
Mike
M Wood

This thread was discussed between 05/01/2016 and 16/01/2016

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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