British-Cars.org

Welcome to the DMR Site for British Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite General - Best way to improve handling and performance

I have a fairly sorted 73 RWA and was wondering what is the best way to improve the handling and performance without having to spend tons of money,as I am quite new to Midgets I was hoping some of you might pass your thoughts on.

Thanks for looking. Wayne.
W Williams

In the words of Colin Chapman 'add lightness'.

Taking out the spare wheel, passenger seat, carpets, radio, saw off one of your arms etc. Losing weight improves every aspect of performance and all the above is free! :-)

Malcolm
M Le Chevalier

Wayne. If you don't have an anti-roll bar fitted, fit one. This is considered as the best single thing you can do to a Midget to make it handle better. If you already have one and it's the standard thickness (9/16ths") try upgrading to a thicker and therefore stiffer one.
The engine tuning guys should be along shortly. I'm sure you'll get some great advice on here, I know I have been helped a great deal by the very knowledgeable people on this BBS.

Bernie.

Bernie.
b higginson

The biggest single thing I did to improve handling was to replace the front anti roll bar bushes with poly ones. The difference was amazing.
Nick Sayle

Wayne,

Bernie & Nick are a bit faster than me.

Also, what Malcom said. I would ad the front sway bar if not equipped as a reasonable add-on to help with handling. I also installed a poly bush kit to our Midget, and this helped tighten the handling from stock rubber bushings. Here is a link to Moss, but several other sources I'm sure.

http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=11705

Regards,

Larry C.
Larry C '69 Midget

Before I forget, was your car with a dealer in Wales 4 years ago?

Wayne, I'm not joking now, the best way to improve performance is to do regular full and proper servicing and maintainence - details in the owners Handbook (Ref:0057) - http://www.mgocshop.co.uk/catalog/Online_Catalogue_Handbooks_5.html

Next step is up to you, there's loads you can do (in no particular order and I've added improvements)

good tyres

electronic igniter (better still dissy)

here's one some forget - driver training

suspension bushes

uprated or different suspension

plugs, coil, leads

air filters/stub stacks/carb needles

rolling road tune up (only after full servicing and all things working correctly)

wheels

higher temp coolant

electric cooling fan

exhaust manifold and system

High-torque starter motor

Carbs

uprated brakes

silcone cooling hoses

Waxoyl

different gear and/or axle ratios

improved headlights and/or add lights

carry a foot pump instead of spare tyre
Nigel Atkins

How fairly sorted is it?

You could ditch the spot lights and just have Halogen main/dip on high wattage bulbs - that'd save weight.
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

me again with another less than serious suggestion! lose the extra pair of wing mirrors and chrome wheel trims! :-)
M Le Chevalier

Daniel you're a very naughty boy

and you, Malcolm

can you guess what the suggestions would be if Wayne had a R/B car
Nigel Atkins

Cheers folks,
As for the extra wing mirrors,I don't know why they are there and I don't like taking them off now the holes are drilled and a set of Minilites are going on shortly,how difficult are the poly bushes to do and should the car have a anti roll bar on already ?,please excuse my ignorance.

Wayne.
W Williams

wayne you missed my question in my previous post

And as Daniel put how sorted is >>fairly sorted<< ?

Third question how long have you had the car and how much have you driven it?
Nigel Atkins

getting rid of superfluous wing mirrors will reduce drag too!

sorry... I will leave now! you are probably better listening to Nigel!
M Le Chevalier

Wayne dont know if you can see it but (standard) ARB and drop links are just visable in photo either side of numberplate (you might need to lighten photo)

if you're getting minilites (copies?) you may also be getting new tyres, even if they're the stanard size they will be way better than (more than 6 year) old tyres

some links for you (may be more information than you want)

http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html

http://www.kouki.co.uk/utilities/visual-tyre-size-calculator

http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html

Nigel Atkins

Malcolm - you're telling us that to cut an arm off costs nothing???? Come on - if its your left arm you will have to go automatice gearbox - if its your right you can never ......................... nuff said LOL
Dave Price

Wayne the suspension upgrade to polybushes isn't hard.

Yes you will have an antiroll bar but only a thin one - the cheapest upgrade for your car is a secondhand 1500 one and I have two surplus so you can have one if you want.

Making it lighter is ok but you have to balance it with better brakes etc, so have a look at what you have and upgrade to at least goodridge hoses or equivalent.
rachmacb

Hello,
When I stated sorted I should have said it has been restored prior to my purchase,I have had it about 7 months and done about 500 miles.
To "Rachmacb" do you want to contact me re the 1500 anti roll bar,is this going to be a big improvement on the present standard one (please excuse my ignorance).And can I get the poly bushes for it for when it is offered up to the car,

Cheers.
W Williams

Standard arb was 9/16th on 1275; was the 1500 any thicker? I can't recall change to spec (tho' I've never owned a 1500).

11/16th makes a big improvement over the 9/16; still the best upgrade (£ per improvement) I ever did to BRB.


A
Anthony Cutler

I forget the dimensions, but I swapped my 1500 bar onto my 1971 1275 and bought an uprated one for the 1500. Two for the price of one and it made a very good upgrade for the 1275. With better rubber these days, the cars will handle a thicker ARB without inducing oversteer to the extent that they did on earlier cross ply tyres.

Do reinforce the ARB chassis mounts though or they will tear out.
Guy

I've just visited Frontline to have the chaps check over my '68 1275 Sprite. Over the last 18 months I've upgraded the suspension with their kit via mail order. They gave it the once over and set it up properly.
The spec on mine uses the front suspension kit using telescopic dampers, an 11/16" ARB and 9" 340lb front springs. This made a really big difference over the previous set up that had new uprated lever arms and a 9/16" ARB. Which in turn had been better than no ARB and std levers.
The rear now has Frontline dampers, which were better than the Mini gas adjustables I'd previously fitted. I've now got an RTL link controlling the axle. Having Ed and his team tweek the settings, was excellent. Coming home to Blackpool, the car was a different vehicle. I was doing two laps on some of the roundabouts.
I know the kit isn't cheap, but it makes a BIG difference, it fits, is well made and the service and backup is brilliant. (Some kit from other sources has been ill fitting expensive and poorly thought out.) Don't drive their demonstrator if you have your cheque book with you though. I'm seriously considering the option of giving back my company car.
I hadn't visited Frontline's previous workshop, but their place near Abingdon is very impressive, and the work being carried out on customer cars is stunning. (Turbo K Series anybody?)

I've no connection to Frontline, except as a happy customer. As I said, I know it's not the cheap ingenious and hand crafted option. But I'm not a craftsman engineer, just a fitter, and it works for me.

I can't decide now whether to uprate the spare 1275 I've got under my bench, or go K series. More overtime and more saving I think.

Mark


M Crossley

Hi Mark,

I share your views about Frontline.
But then I suppose I would considering my car is the Brooklands Green K-Series Midget that they are currently supercharging, which no doubt you saw during your visit.
I find the knowledge of Ed Bracklik and Tim Fenna amazing and the skills of the guys in the workshop is first class.
I suspect that you will never be satisfied until you have a K-Series under the bonnet!

Eddie.
Eddie Brown

I don't and I know I'm not alone with this opinion - cure-all medcine and snake oil salesmen come to mind

but speak as you find if you two are happy then that's fine

Personally I'd advise to buy all the kits from elsewhere and have them fitted elsewhere
Nigel Atkins

Why?

Eddie.
Eddie Brown

Eddie we can't openly discuss such things on a forum as I might be a bad customer with sour grapes

you gave your honest opinion and recommendation and so did I

I'm very glad you and Mark are happy

I had full front and rear suspension and 5 speed conversion from and installed by them, been to both locations and dealt with both of them (but more with the current owner(?)) so I do have knowledge and experience

If you're really interested let me know and we can discuss it privately off the forum
Nigel Atkins

How do I contact someone who has left a message on the thread.
Thank you
W Williams

Hi. W

Has anyone checked that whay you have is in good order?
A midget like yours should be quite nice to drive if all is in good order.
Check tyre pressures.
Bounce test the dampers
check front wheel alignment.
in what way do you think it needs improving?
is the steering too light or stiff?
does it wallow and lurch?
does it lean round corners?

the engine can be mildly upgraded for a few hundred quid.

best to see what you have and what you want to end up with BEFORE spending any money!

where are you based? I'm in wilmslow
d cusworth

hi d,

i am nr Leigh and work in Northwich,send me an email and i can pass my phone number on and we can meet up.

Cheers Wayne.
W Williams

This thread was discussed between 05/04/2011 and 07/04/2011

MG Midget and Sprite General index

This thread is from the archives. Join this live forum now