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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Steering rack rhd into lhd

Hello i have a rhd mg midget 1979 and i would like to change it into lhd.
Doe anyone have experience by just simply rotate the steering rack?

Another qeustion; does a mini steeringrack fits onto my midget?
Maybe i need to make adjustment bracket for fixating the rack!

Thanx in advance

Greetz from holland
M Veenendaal

No, you'll need another rack. There's a seller on marktplaats, 99 euro.
You'll need another dashboard to, among others

Where in Holland are you? Veenendaal perhaps
Alex G Matla

Have you driven a LHD midget yet?
I find that the position of the pedals is not as nice as in the RHD midgets.
Made me want a RHD midget.
Have not regreted it since an never had any trouble in using it.

But if you want as Alex says you need more than a rack.
Rack
Dash
Wiring loom (or a lot of solder)
Onno Könemann

I'm living near Veenendaal, my surname is Veenendaal!

I'm building my own dashboard from wood!
Passenger side (left) needs some rust prevention, and then i will make the modification for lhd.
Brakeline modification is pretty easy.
Electrical, most switches are in the centre of the dash!
But yes soldering is not a problem.

I never driven a lhd midget, fast left corners are not nice to take right now!

Do you have experience with polyflex bushings?
Im missing some "directness" in the corners.
I must say my rubber bushings are a bit worn.

Thanks for the reactions ,Alex and Onno.
M Veenendaal

Vagueness in the front is not uncomon.
The single armed shock is not realy up to the job and kingpin bearings and normal bushes wear and cause a lot of trouble.

Though a simple solution could be tyre pressure.
For dutch roads 2 bar all round (rears could go to 1,8) usualy gives good results.

Are you ever in the randstad with the midget?
I (and mostlikely Alex to) would be happy to take a look at your midget (fresh eyes see new things)

Fast corners should be taken in both directions!
Midgets are road legal carts ;)
Onno Könemann

Nice to read!
No, the Randstad is not in my direction, maybe its nice meet-up.

My midget is not a kart, I've had a few mini's and they were karts!
Still thinking of buying a mini next to my midget.
The midget steers quick but the car has a lot of roll-over, its a nice cruiser.
This weekend i will change the tyre pressure.

Thanks
M Veenendaal

Sounds also that you could usefully do an upgrade to polybushes and possibly a new antiroll bar - for a 1275, a cheap quick fix is to get a 1500 one as this will give you better handling.

As you would have to do the bushes anyway, then you would see for only a few euros if it is worth the change.
rachmacb

Once you have a good midget a mini will not be as interesting!
Started out with mini's but a well sorted midget is a lot more fun.
So your's could do with some upgrades.

As rach says a good ARB and poly bushes are nice cheap upgrades.
But if the shocks are gone then the frontline kit is a good but more expensive addition.
How ever before you upgrade the basics must be in order.

The spridget weekend (this weekend) is a good way to meet owners and get some advice (though i am not there)
Other wise a meet could mostlikely be arranged
Onno Könemann

the 1275 and 1500 antiroll bars are identical in size !
David Smith

This is a 79 car so Triumph engined and rubber bumpered - I may be opening a can of worms, but personally I find they roll more and are considerably less precise than the earlier cars in standard form, clearly that can be changed with modification...

As others state, you will need a LHD rack for your conversion - turning the rack over will mean the pinion sits the wrong side of the rack, your column won't line up and when you steer right you will go left... (That should make fast left corners interesting)
James Bilsland

James, i agree.
The chrome bumpered midgets feel stiffer when you shake the car.
I don't know if the suspension is the same.

I'm going to order the polybushes and a lhd rack, maybe also a 1275 anti rollbar

Thanks for the info
M Veenendaal

M
If you order an arb get the first thicker one.
It is one of the cheapes and best handeling upgrade and the heavier 1500 can use it.
Lowering it a sensible amount with proper lower uprated springs will make it handle as good or better than a std 1275
Onno Könemann

Does anyone have experience whit mgoc-spares in the uk and shipping to holland?
I'd like to order my stuff there!

Or does anyone know how to get a good secondhand or refurbished lhd stering rack.

Thank in advance
M Veenendaal

Mgoc is fine.

Though I get my stuff from the MG workshop in monster ( www.mgworkshop.nl ) a lot of it comes from the mgoc but if you pick it up in monster you save on the shipping.
Even if you don't need anything it is a nice place to visit with nice cars too look at ( they work on everything from MMM to K midgets)
Onno Könemann

Don't know what one from the MGOC would cost, but as posted above on marktplaats refubished ones are offered for 99 euro's.
Alex G Matla

Hello Alex,
I couldn't find the advert on "marktplaats", i searched with the keyword "midget".
Mgoc is cheap but i will checkout "mg workshop" in Monster.
Thanx
M Veenendaal

Hi, don't you have Anglo parts in Veenendaal? Maybe they can help. Also advertising on this website I think is Murray Scott-Nelson.He imports cars to the UK from the USA and may have the LHD parts you need. Maybe put an add in the wanted section.

Good luck.

PS. I used to work for a company in Veenendaal.
Clive Berry

The big benifit of buying you parts from a garage and not a parts shop is that they use the stuff them self.

So they only buy the good parts from any shop.
And with a lot of substandart parts around that is handy.

They can also give you real advice and might have something secondhand you need.
Onno Könemann

I don't think a Mini rack will work if you turn right you will go left, nobody would steal it but it's hard to remember
Bob Fisher

Sorry for hijacking, does anyone have contact details for Murray Scott-Nelson? Given my steering column woes, I could be interested some US spec LHD spares.

Thanks, I'll let you have the thread back now :)
OrangeSpyderMan

OSM he's a business so google is your friend, has own website too.
David Smith

Thanks David - you're right. First answer on google with his name as a search term...

*hangs head in shame*

OSM.
OrangeSpyderMan

This thread was discussed between 29/08/2011 and 14/09/2011

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