Midget K series upgrade
Discussion
I've had a '76 1500 midget for a year now, and love it. I've striped out as much weight as possible. The bumpers have gone, as have the carpets and heater. I decided to remove the windscreen and windows and door cards and wipers. It now runs with a pair of Brooklands aeroscreens and a gaffer tape interior. Nicely ratty! I don't know exactly how much weight has been saved but the car rides about an inch higher. The Peter May lowering kit and shorter front springs should take care of that, when I get round to fitting it.
I'd originally intended to keep the engine and gearbox standard, and get another quicker car for the speed thrills (a Caterham, or something like that). But now with the economy on life-support that seems a bit optimistic.
I'm looking again at the idea of a K series conversion and Type 9 gearbox. I expect it will be a standard 1.8VVC with emerald ecu and a BGH overhauled (close ratio) gearbox. The problem is I don't know what else I NEED to do. Obviously it has discs on the front, and drums on the rear. Should they be replaced? What about diffs, driveshafts, perhaps an LSD. Would I be insane to get a Dave Andrews 185bhp upgrade? What am I not thinking of?
And the real clincer - has anybody done the conversion and regretted it?
Thanks for any help, Tim
I'd originally intended to keep the engine and gearbox standard, and get another quicker car for the speed thrills (a Caterham, or something like that). But now with the economy on life-support that seems a bit optimistic.
I'm looking again at the idea of a K series conversion and Type 9 gearbox. I expect it will be a standard 1.8VVC with emerald ecu and a BGH overhauled (close ratio) gearbox. The problem is I don't know what else I NEED to do. Obviously it has discs on the front, and drums on the rear. Should they be replaced? What about diffs, driveshafts, perhaps an LSD. Would I be insane to get a Dave Andrews 185bhp upgrade? What am I not thinking of?
And the real clincer - has anybody done the conversion and regretted it?
Thanks for any help, Tim
I have a mildly modified 1500 and have broken 1 diff and 2 driveshafts in the past 2 years. This has involved heavy starts but I would suggest you would need to do something about the rear axle.
K series conversion is pretty expensive by the time you add all the bits up.
Yours should be lighter than mine (mine is about 750kg) but full race midgets are balasted up to 625kg so you could probably save even more weight with fibreglass bodywork etc. Then tune the engine to about 110bhp (quite do able) and you get a pretty good power to weight ratio without too much spending.
K series conversion is pretty expensive by the time you add all the bits up.
Yours should be lighter than mine (mine is about 750kg) but full race midgets are balasted up to 625kg so you could probably save even more weight with fibreglass bodywork etc. Then tune the engine to about 110bhp (quite do able) and you get a pretty good power to weight ratio without too much spending.
Yes, I've been doing the numbers. It's got me a bit down - actually.
Think it will be a pepped up standard engine - New cam, exhaust header, air filters and some new carb needles. Looking about on other websites that should be good for 85bhp-ish.
Might still do the 5 speed box though, since I already have one.
I really can't justify spending enough money to buy another car on fixing up this one.
Time to downgrade my aspirations I fear.
Think it will be a pepped up standard engine - New cam, exhaust header, air filters and some new carb needles. Looking about on other websites that should be good for 85bhp-ish.
Might still do the 5 speed box though, since I already have one.
I really can't justify spending enough money to buy another car on fixing up this one.
Time to downgrade my aspirations I fear.
suffolk009 said:
Yes, I've been doing the numbers. It's got me a bit down - actually.
Think it will be a pepped up standard engine - New cam, exhaust header, air filters and some new carb needles. Looking about on other websites that should be good for 85bhp-ish.
Might still do the 5 speed box though, since I already have one.
I really can't justify spending enough money to buy another car on fixing up this one.
Time to downgrade my aspirations I fear.
I would have thought that that engine work would easily give you 85bhp. With the tings you mention except the cam mine gave 75bhp at the wheels. Does your suspension kit include uprated dampers? You can have the standard ones revalved. This usualy involves painting them red which makes thm much faster!Think it will be a pepped up standard engine - New cam, exhaust header, air filters and some new carb needles. Looking about on other websites that should be good for 85bhp-ish.
Might still do the 5 speed box though, since I already have one.
I really can't justify spending enough money to buy another car on fixing up this one.
Time to downgrade my aspirations I fear.
I'm looing into doing something similar, but the consensus from people seems to be swinging towards Mazda mx5 engines. 115bhp as standard, reliable, 5 speed box (with no need to mess around with the clutch/bellhousing), unlikely to need a rebuild as there are plenty of crash damaged mx-5's.
The ford gearbox requires a new transmission tunnel anyway so in reality you may as well stick whatever you like in there. IIRC toyota conversions dont need a new transmission tunnel as the gearbox is much smaller.
Everyone hates the midget rear axle though, seems 50:50 whether its worth upgradeing the diff and driveshafts and hubs or just sticking something else in there (shortened ford escort/anglia or RX7 have been done).
Ask frontline for advice, theyre really helpfull.
On a similar note, my 1500 lifts its nose up at ~60-65mph making the steering light, would having bonnet lovres put in help, my thinking is that pressure must be coming from under the car so they'd let it out? Planning on lowering/uprating the suspension anyway which will probably help.
The ford gearbox requires a new transmission tunnel anyway so in reality you may as well stick whatever you like in there. IIRC toyota conversions dont need a new transmission tunnel as the gearbox is much smaller.
Everyone hates the midget rear axle though, seems 50:50 whether its worth upgradeing the diff and driveshafts and hubs or just sticking something else in there (shortened ford escort/anglia or RX7 have been done).
Ask frontline for advice, theyre really helpfull.
On a similar note, my 1500 lifts its nose up at ~60-65mph making the steering light, would having bonnet lovres put in help, my thinking is that pressure must be coming from under the car so they'd let it out? Planning on lowering/uprating the suspension anyway which will probably help.
thisisnotaspoon said:
On a similar note, my 1500 lifts its nose up at ~60-65mph making the steering light, would having bonnet lovres put in help, my thinking is that pressure must be coming from under the car so they'd let it out? Planning on lowering/uprating the suspension anyway which will probably help.
My 1500 doesn't lift at 100 so I'd look at the suspension. My car was certainly much more stable than the only standard suspended car I've driven.My car will pull into the red in top gear. It does make a lot of noise as it does so. Some vibration too! No stability problems though.
see www.shoestringMGracer.com if interested.
see www.shoestringMGracer.com if interested.
Mine doesnt lift at 113mph (Track day at Marham last year and before)
Mind you it has fi'glass wings and bonnet on a 1966 bodyshell with Frontline front suspension and telescopic rear shocks, so very light at the front with no lifting
And a type 9 Gearbox so it can use all its revs going forwards in fifth
Mine's a 1275 bored .020 so now she is a 1293cc A series
90bhp at flywheel with Metro head, dizzy and HIF44 carb and fast road cam
all of which is to say, if the front is lifting it is has to be a suspension fault
I haven't put my car on the scales, but it now rides about an inch and a half higher than it should do. There's more weight to come off as well. The glass front, maybe rear and doors too, will be happening in the autumn. Got a peter may lowering kit to drop the car back down that will go on soon.
Taking out all the interior (might yet go with glass seats), the weather gear, and windscreen makes a big differce. And aeroscreens and goggles are great fun.
Taking out all the interior (might yet go with glass seats), the weather gear, and windscreen makes a big differce. And aeroscreens and goggles are great fun.
Does the interior weigh that much?
I can see the seats having a bit of weight, and windows are an easy few kg, but the rest is just cardboard and vinyl, is gaffa tape really kg's lighter?
In the grand scheme of things, all the sound proofing in my car probably weighs 3kg tops, and I'd rather my ears didn't bleed with the hardtop on!
Anyone know if its posible to remove the runners from the seats to lower me by ~2", at 6ft I look a bit out of proportion sat in it and the rear view mirror creates a nice big blind spot!
I can see the seats having a bit of weight, and windows are an easy few kg, but the rest is just cardboard and vinyl, is gaffa tape really kg's lighter?
In the grand scheme of things, all the sound proofing in my car probably weighs 3kg tops, and I'd rather my ears didn't bleed with the hardtop on!
Anyone know if its posible to remove the runners from the seats to lower me by ~2", at 6ft I look a bit out of proportion sat in it and the rear view mirror creates a nice big blind spot!
thisisnotaspoon said:
Anyone know if its posible to remove the runners from the seats to lower me by ~2", at 6ft I look a bit out of proportion sat in it and the rear view mirror creates a nice big blind spot!
possible but possibilly fiddly and fixed seat position of coursebut by what you've put about your car you'd be better first doing a full and proper 36,000 mile service - see owners handbook - http://www.mgocshop.co.uk/catalog/Online_Catalogue...
standards seats are on upper and lower seat runners
the upper runner is bolted to the seat frame, the lower runner is bolted to the floor
removing the runners and you can bolt the standard seats directly to the floor, a bit fiddly to get at the rear bolts and possibly a good idea to also use something to spread the load under the seat frame
not all seat runners are still avaiable
the upper runner is bolted to the seat frame, the lower runner is bolted to the floor
removing the runners and you can bolt the standard seats directly to the floor, a bit fiddly to get at the rear bolts and possibly a good idea to also use something to spread the load under the seat frame
not all seat runners are still avaiable
na said:
standards seats are on upper and lower seat runners
the upper runner is bolted to the seat frame, the lower runner is bolted to the floor
removing the runners and you can bolt the standard seats directly to the floor, a bit fiddly to get at the rear bolts and possibly a good idea to also use something to spread the load under the seat frame
not all seat runners are still avaiable
yeah - should have said, used a big washer underneath to spread the load accordingly.the upper runner is bolted to the seat frame, the lower runner is bolted to the floor
removing the runners and you can bolt the standard seats directly to the floor, a bit fiddly to get at the rear bolts and possibly a good idea to also use something to spread the load under the seat frame
not all seat runners are still avaiable
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