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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Winter Preparations

Last week number one son assisted with fitting the hardtop on our midget. Every winter I also fit a bit of insulation over the front of the oil cooler, and a small section of cardboard behind the grille slats to keep engine temps up. Curious to what others might be doing?

Regards,

Larry C. '69 Midget
Larry C '69 Midget

Since our winters are relatively mild (excluding the last few days) I don't do anything other than keep it in it's normal spot in the garage when it gets snowy or icy and drive my beater 65 Ford van. Since it's maintained, I just do the regular fluid/tire pressure checks and drive it normally.
Martin Washington

Drive it. :)
Arie de Best

Just fitted 145/80 snow tyres, this also raises ground clearance by 3/4" on my car. Hard top, towing hook fixed, engine bay full of various baffles to try and reduce the salty water spraying everywhere, will probably put some weight in the boot over the driving wheels.
If anyone hasn't used modern snow tyres it has to be said that they are absolutely astonishingly effective.

I've also sometimes blocked some of the grill over, I haven't done this yet so thanks for the reminder.

Wondering if I should have fitted a sump guard to help it sledge over the snow if it gets deep, if it snows that much though I'll be suprised and probably walking.
Paul (MkI

with the adition of some cardboard in front of the rad i'm with Arie on this one
Onno Könemann

A few concrete blocks or bags of sand in the boot certainly help.

I used to use snow tyres on my chevette in the early '80s when I seemed to live in a perpetual winter snowdrift! They were very good then. I do remember that they were very narrow - I doubt if they were as wide as a 145 tyre - but very effective. The car would power through snowdrifts with its "droop snoot" styling at the front acting like a plough.
Guy Oneandahalf Sprites

In the '80s my Sprite's snow tyres looked like old fashioned Landrover tyres, they worked well enough but were rubbish in the wet and dry, these new snow tyres look like a road tyre with a block tread, my first thought was "your having me on here". The block tread though has a fine waffle like series of cuts in it which apparently deform to form a series of little wedges to grip, it seems to work. I had them on a Nova GTE once (before they were the rural boy racer machine of choice in my defence), it was transformed from a sledge to a go anywhere machine.
Paul (MkI

Hi Paul,

I must admit the ones I used were the Landrover -style pattern. These new ones sound better. What make are they? Local supplier ??

Guy
Guy Oneandahalf Sprites

Vredestein snowtrac

Several friends have driven the winter trial (classic rally) through lot's of snow and where verry positive about them.
They work fine on dry/wet/summer as well they only wear badly in the summer ;)
Onno Könemann

If the car is going to be sitting most of the winter, it's a very good idea to top off the fuel tank (to minimize condensation) and change the oil (because acids in used oil can attack bearings and such).

Fuel stabilizer is a good idea as well, although I must admit that my approach is more along the lines of Arie's... I try to get the car out every now and then through the winter and run it up to temp to purge any moisture from the oil, etc.

That said, I never take it out if there's any trace of salt on the roads.

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

Nothing,

good tyres, hood down, good hat, some nice gloves and go do an Autosolo in the snow

Awesome day was had by all.

hood still hasnt been put up ;) Real men do it topless


PeterJMoore

Hi Guy, Uniroyals, bought online last year, £27 approx each, then found the cheapest fitter as not subjecting the minilites to my manual machine. This was considerably cheaper than any of the tyre places prices.
Paul MkIMkIV

All season radials here as streets are cleared fairly quickly, last year being an exception with nearly 30" of snow on the ground. Anyone with an oil cooler us a thermostatic by-pass valve on their oil lines?

Regards,

Larry C.
Larry C '69 Midget

I cover the oil cooler with tin foil.

Trev
T Mason

Just bought a new coat. Gloves are getting a bit thin so perhaps a new pair for Christmas.
May swap the thermostat for a hotter one as engine is only getting to about 75c and the heater is not that good at that temp. I may even look at the blower to see if I can get a bit more out of that.
I agree with Peter. Go topless. Great day today bright blue sky down here and around zero all day.

Dave
D Brown

I'm on Vredestein Quatrac2 all season tires, performs very well in snaow as on warm asphalt.
Oil cooler has a thermostat valve, so no covering needed.
Grille covered with a vinyl covered cardboard winter coat.
Alex G Matla

This thread was discussed between 26/11/2010 and 29/11/2010

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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