1968 MG Midget

[SiC]

I completely get that but you can get nice ones for far less.

E.g.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175325485332
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284878609525
From a quick 30 second search

However people are buying them from the dealers so there must be some sort of market. Presumably from those that want the warm fussy feeling of buying from a dealer and aren't bothered about the extra cost.

[paulplom]

I had no skillz at all to work on my cars.

Ftfy

[LynehamHerc]

I had no skillz at all to work on my cars.

Ftfy

That is very true. I found that out when I was at BEA, my metalworking skills were shit, I couldn't even file things flat to 5thou. However, I did then find my skills with numbers were somewhat more lucrative.

[SiC]

Replaced o-rings on the dash, changed the switches into the correct factory location and removed the electric pump to fit a manual back in. Manual is a modern unit and looks shit. Locking ring is wrong and the pump button is too long with a horrible finish. Going to try sourcing a NOS or used unit. My last one went into the blue 1100.


Removed all the aftermarket wiring I could find. The cigarette lighter hole I'll probably fill with a map light or something. Fixed the broken reverse switch wiring



Finally while refitting the Speedo I noticed that it is a 1376tpm unit. This is very good news as it means I've got the longer 3.9:1 diff in the back. Not correct for my age car as it was changed at the end of the year to that. However it drops the revs a fair bit. Basically makes 60mph under 4k rpm.


More here:
https://autoshite.com/topic/47789-1968- ... nt=2565511

[paulplom]

I put one of these in the spare lighter blank in my van. Handy for your phone and sat nav.

[SiC]

The aerial on this was snapped right to the base. Decided I'd probably never refit a radio anyway, so the hole had to go.

Made a small piece to fit in. I had hoped this would fit through the hole perfectly but it didn't. So decided to use this as a backing to fill it up with weld instead.



Grind back


More grinding.


A few pin holes left, so I ran some more welds over.


Then flap disc back some more to get a flat surface.


Underneath you can see the plate that went on. Even though you can only see this by poking your head up, now was a good time to at least smoothen it out. While access is not great, it's much easier with that wing off.



While not perfect, at least you shouldn't cut your hand on it now.


Then paint to protect with my trademark paint dribble. That bit will need repainting anyway as the welds the otherside have penetrated through and burnt the paint.

[SiC]

I put one of these in the spare lighter blank in my van. Handy for your phone and sat nav.

I was thinking something similar but more discrete I could mount behind the dash somewhere.
Passenger side has a small parcel shelf, so probably would be perfect mounted onto that or the metal above.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373944080636

[paulplom]

This is the one in my van. There was a blank in place I popped it off and the wiring connector was still there as part of the harness. How much did they save not fitting one in the first place ffs.

[Hooli]

From memory my 1500 with a 3.7 diff was 3,600rpm at 70mph, so you still won't be much under 4k with a 3.9.

[SiC]

From the Midget and Sprite club:
1275 pre Dec 68 (4.2) - 15.2mph/1k rpm
1275 post Dec 68 (3.9) - 16.5mph/1k rpm
1500 (3.7) - 17.2mph/1k rpm

So 3950rpm Vs 3650rpm Vs 3500rpm.

The 1500 has a different box to the 1275. I'm unsure of ratio differences. Iirc engine has more torque (and power) and probably better off using that rather than killing the engine...

Iirc my MGB is running a quite respectable 3200rpm at 70mph with overdrive engaged. Many n/a 4cyl petrol moderns seem to run 3k at 70mph, so quite respectable given its age.