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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Wire wheel conversion

Silly question, but ive fitted the wire wheel halfshaft and drums. Next on are the locktabs, but are the 3/8unf nuts std 3/8 nuts (9/16" Spanner) or are they larger AF specials (5/8 or 11/16 spanner). Ive fitted 9/16 af but they are crushing the locking tabs.

Any one have an original wire wheel conversion that can confirm.

Cheers

Mark
Mark Turner

AFAIK they are 9/16"

Are you saying you have fitted W/W halfshafts to a steel wheel axle? If so, they will not fully engage with the differential and your wheels will also stick out too far.

The 3/8" studs for the rear hub/drum are also shorter than standard steel wheel studs.
Dave O'Neill 2

Hi Dave

Thanks for the info. I was concerned as the 9/16 are crushing the locking tabs, but prob just poor quailty locking tabs (I was considering loctite instead!!). Ive already got the shorter studs (othewise they would foul the wheel).

The halfshaft are special longer ones to suit the longer axle. It works ok as the car is a rwa one (well a sebring sprite to be specific, but with the rwa later midget back end, see picy before conversion). I wonder how they compare to the adaptors that frogeyes used to use as the narrow axle only came out for the MkII sprite.


Cheers

Mark


Mark Turner

That'll teach me to jump to conclusions.

You're probably right about the quality of the lock tabs.

It is a while since I've had a W/W car, but I'm sure I would have remembered if they'd been an odd size.

That's an interesting rear-end with RWA style arch, Mk2 Sprite B-post and rear light and no bootlid. Quite unique, I would have thought...unless you've got a mould and have turned out a few?
Dave O'Neill 2

From memory I have found that some nuts have a larger wrenching size than others for the same given thread. However, lock tabs are a complete waste of time and I gave up using them anywhere on the car some years ago.

Your car does look very nice and interesting but still has bolt on wheels. Do you have any more photos of it?
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

Heres a few more picys




Mark Turner

And another.

I built it on a rwa heritage shell, steel rear end modified to fit the Sebring hardtop. The hardtop overlapped the boot so I got a skin and welded and lead loaded in place.

B posts were then modified to early sprite, early doors fitted and the apost scuttle are modified to suit. It used to have a silver front and is shown on the sebring site as such. I also did an article many years ago for safety fast, will have to dig it out.

Wire wheels are on as of tonight, just got to get some spinners this weekend and im all done!!

Cheers

Mark




Mark Turner

nice work - if you ever want to sell ..................
S G Macfarlane

Realy like the look of your car
You where at MG live last year iirc
Would like to build a simulair one next to my normal midget but sadly i've got to mutch projects as is
Still wondering if you could not have just taken a piece out of the boot and have it folow the top.
Would have taken a bit of extra work though!
Onno Könemann

This thread was discussed between 24/05/2011 and 26/05/2011

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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