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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Throttle Pedal Query

My 1967 Mk IV Sprite has a pendant throttle pedal and the ferrule on the outer cable is the wrong size for the socket at the carb end. It works fine but looks sloppy.

From the parts diagrams I've seen I think I might have a late (1500?) throttle pedal and cable arrangement. What is correct for my car, a pendant pedal or an organ pedal? The floor has been patched so no bolt holes visible.

More important, which is considered better for heeling and toeing? For some reason, with my size 9s, I'm fine going 4th to 3rd but nearly always get 3rd to 2nd wrong. My son, with size 11 feet doesn't have the same problem so perhaps its just me!

Sorry Lawrence - haven't looked in the archive - thought this one was unlikely to be there and didn't want to waste time as the interweb connection's being dodgy again!
Colin Mee

A '67 would have had an organ pedal.

I fitted a 1500 pedal to the racer as I preferred it.

I have vague recollections of bending it towards the brake pedal, in spite of my size 11s.
Dave O'Neill2

"Which is better for heeling and toeing?"

"How long is a piece of string?"

= It depends.

Most folks heel and toe by twisting their right foot "in", so their toe is on the brake and roll their foot out, heel (or side of the foot) on the throttle. They prefer to have the pendant pedal.
Racers are trying to get RIGHT on the edge of maximum braking, every time, so they need more finesse on the brake pedal, and they slam the throttle open to WOT as much as possible when not on the brakes, so the heel is plenty delicate enough for that.

In contrast,
Some folks heel and toe by twisting their right foot "out", so their toe is on the throttle and their heel is on the brake. It takes longer to get your foot into this position, in the heat of battle, by a fraction of a second, so it is not the preferred way for racers, but if you are pigeon toed like me it is way easier to do, AND you can put a lot more force into the brake pedal with your heel, AND you have a lot more finesse to match revs with your toe. These folks prefer to have the organ pedal, because it sticks up high enough for their toe to reach when their heel is on the brake.

Driving on the street, opposite priorities tend to apply than in racing: there is more time, the brakes are used more moderately and getting really smooth and even shifts up and down the gears is more "melodic", so I prefer to use the organ pedal type of heel / toe shifting.

Depending on how you drive, knowing that will help you to decide which type of gas pedal will suit you best!



Norm
Norm Kerr

oops, I miss spoke, I should have said, "if you are bow legged like me", instead of "pigeon toed"


twisting your right foot in, you can operate both pedals with your ankle (quick to do)

twisting your right foot out, you have to move your leg fore/aft by bending your knee to modulate the brake, and then use your ankle to blip the throttle

Norm

Norm Kerr

Organ pedal.
Original and easy to heel toe.
They only took it out as it was more expensive to make
Onno K

I hated the organ peddle...the 1500 is so much more versatile...and just feels right

The 1500 is also a direct plug and play...no mods needed of any type to install it


Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

I can't heel and toe with the organ style pedal. Using my heel on the throttle it hits too far down the pedal to move it easily. It's one of those things I have done for years to the extend it's "natural" but not on the sprite!
G Williams (Graeme)

Thanks for the comments. I think I'll stick with the pendant pedal with a few tweaks.

I generally use the ball of my foot on the brake and use the side of my foot on the throttle. This technique works fine on my daily driver and when wearing normal shoes or trainers in the Sprite. I just can't get it right yet with narrow racing boots on!

Here's how it should be done! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8By2AEsGAhU

Thanks, Colin
Colin Mee

Colin, I use the same technique.

IIRC it was the narrow racing boots that caused me to bend the throttle pedal towards the brake,
Dave O'Neill2

Just a thought but, you don't have an HIF44 fitted do you? I believe there is an issue with full throttle setting with the HIF in that the standard pedal setup has insufficient movement to cover the full range. Sometimes the organ padal is swapped with the later 1500 setup because it can be more easily bent to increase the range of movement.
G Williams (Graeme)

Graeme

I'm still on the original SUs and manifold. There doesn't seem to be any problem with pedal/cable travel and the engine responds readily enough. As mentioned at the start, the fit of the cable in the socket at the carb is sloppy but doesn't seem to hamper the action.

I think this pedal mod must have been done by the same PO that fitted the LCB exhaust and telescopic dampers as there is no paperwork for them unlike a lot of other work. Strange he/she left the 'saucepan' air filters untouched.

Incidentally - can the stub stacks as available through MGOC be used with these filters or do I have to go for K+N filters or similar? How much difference would they make to the breathing?

Colin
Colin Mee

This thread was discussed between 14/06/2013 and 26/06/2013

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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