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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Nissan Micra engine in Midget

Hi

Anyone come across this conversion of fitting a Nissan Micra CG engine to a Spridget?

https://barrattengineering.co.uk/ This company uses the midget ribcase gearbox and even shows some engines using twin SUs (later ones) and nice coloured rocker covers, as well as more modern induction.

Pity the Micra was FWD otherwise there may have been another source of Datsun gearboxes!

Cheers
Mike
M Wood

Also see: https://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/208938/midget-nissan-micra-engine-conversion
M Wood

He's been plugging this on facebook groups recently. Didn't seem to be very well received as the 'installation kit' is £1275 and you still have to source your own engine...
David Smith

I commented on the facebook messages that although the installed engine looked good and the parts in the kit look well designed and nicely made, the standard 16 valve micra engine only just exceeds the power output of a standard 1275 A series. Seems a lot of work and cash for much the same performance. Better to go for a breakfast cereal car ( Special k)
GuyW

Agree with Guy - why bother? Just been out testing the bike carb set up on the 2.0 Zetec powered Midget on a glorious spring day here up in the foothills of the Cairngorms. Utterly magnificent. I fear I need stronger brakes and a bung for my rear end.....
Oggers

Guy

Interesting point about Special K.

I noticed it had the original 948cc engine was a desirable 9CG unit (correct for the car and with better camshaft bearings that a Frogeye). A rebuild with 998cc Mini pistons and 1098cc rods could have been done for under the conversion cost and mated to a later Midget ribcase gearbox.

Did like the initial approach of making the mods reversible. And no cutting to fit a gearbox. I note in his Retrorides thread he has moved away from using a Midget gearbox and instead a modified Suzuki box.

Cheers
Mike
M Wood

There aint no substitute for cubes. As has benn pointed out, if you are going to the trouble to change the engine type then you might as well go for something with a lot more poke. Mating it to the std box is even more pointless. Plus there seemed to be distinct lack of the 1300 version for sale on eBay and finding tuning parts for them would be difficult.

I did like the look of the engine in the Midget engine bay though and also the supposed similarity to the A series.
John Payne

I still think there is merit in an electric Midget. I saw an article in the D.T. this week ref. (I think) MGBs. Some company was doing the conversion - which looked very nice - but for 80K or so, stupidly priced.

I think a conversion could be done for less than 10K plus the cost of the car, far less if DIY. I may even give it a go sometime!
Oggers

Since I was somewhat critical earlier of this conversion- although only in terms of the power gain, I am reactivating this thread with the kit desisigner, J Barratt's answer from the other thread about it. Just to round off this thread in the archive:
(I suggest any further discussion continues on the other thread, not this one, or it will get confusing!)

<<<<<<I'm James from Barratt Engineering, hopefully I can answer a few questions regarding the kit I've developed.

Regarding performance the aim of the conversion was never to set the world on fire, more to provide an alternative way of getting decent road performance and durability without changing the feel of the car. This week I had the development car on the rolling road at Stanton Motorsport and achieved 73hp at the rear wheels. The engine is a standard 1275 has over 100k miles with no service history. I am running 36mm Mikuni carbs and my own 4-1 exhaust manifold.

Rolling road result
https://imgur.com/OA9WYB7

I was advised that this will equate to around 88bhp at the flywheel allowing for a 20% loss in the drivetrain. The engine itself weights 77kg with all ancillaries so the overall improvement to the power to weight is actually rather good.

The camshafts fitted as standard are exceptionally conservative but there are plenty regrinds and billet performance camshafts on the market

http://www.catcams.com/products/camshafts/datasheet.aspx?ENGINE_id=242&CAMSETUP_id=1009&Language=english

The 5 speed conversion will be on sale as soon as all the parts are in stock, with costs looking like they will be similar to the ribcase version, An A-Series 5 speed is in development as well.>>>>>>>>>>>
GuyW

For comparison, a standard 1396 K series makes 105 bhp at the flywheel. Mine made 113 in my midget, all internals standard, 121 with aftermarket ECU. On the road cost of a built up kit is always going to be more, but mine was done for 800 quid.

On the flip side, £1200 is a chunk of cash to make an A series quicker, that'd probably get you to a reliable 90 bhp....

I applaud the engineering but it's not for me. I'm not quite sure who it's aimed at.
Rob Armstrong

This thread was discussed between 21/03/2021 and 24/06/2021

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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