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MG Midget and Sprite General - ICE

Took the radio out of the Midget at the weekend. Apart from the fact it rattled, de-tuned itself and drained the battery, I rarely had it on with hood down. I was wondering what other owners think about in car entertainment. Radio, CD, I pod or just the sound of the engine?
P Ottewell

Can't hear it over the engine and gearbox and wind and my laughing as I drive Blackie. On the long drives I or we wear ear defs!! or ear plugs

Dave
Dave Price

Personally, just the sound of the Weber and the exhaust (and various shakes and rattles that I haven't sorted yet, and possibly never will).

One of the things I like about my midget is everything you get close to that you don't in a modern. Even just the echo you get off safety rails, which isn't the same as off a stone bridge, and don't even get me started on the tunnel near Angers, which I do in 3rd even though the limit is 90km/h...


OrangeSpyderMan

If I realy want I wear my iphone headset to listen to the radio.
Did think about fitting 2 speakers in the boot seperation plate but a PO welded in a steel sheet so I did not bother
Onno K

I bought a CD/mp3 player from Aldi on one of their regular offers for about £40 mounted 2 speakers at the front of the car and made a box with 2 speakers just behind my seats, it sounds magic and I would not be without it.

I am seriously thinking of mounting the rear speakers in the wind blocker just to look neater but I have no problem hearing it and enjoying the sounds of the 70s from all directions. Great
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

I wouldn't mind listening to a radio play on long journeys but that would take serious volume, so it's

with roof up - tappets, air filters, r/axle whine and exhaust noise

considering it has no sound proofing the car is quite quiet and reasonably rattle free

roof down it's air filters and mainly exhaust - nipping about is nice, any other music would spoil it :)
Nigel Atkins

Sounds familiar Nigel...
P Ottewell

I have the orig (presumably) radio cassette player in the Midget. I took it out while I was fiddling and probably wont bother bother replacing it. I have a smartphone for music if I want it.

Jeez -that's a point! Do these things even have a lighter soclet? I need power for my gadgets!
Ally

Ally,
I guess a radio/cassette was not original but those 1500s were more luxurious so I might be wrong but I don't think even they had a cigarette lighter and socket - I might be wrong as well established I have next to no aquaintance of 1500s :)
Nigel Atkins

"Do these things even have a lighter socket? "

Easy enough to install one.
My GAN6 Midget had one stock, but my MK2 Sprite did not.
Rick Bastedo

Hi, I have just reconditioned a parcel shelf at long last and installed a pair of 6x9 speakers.

I will be fitting a modern CD head unit in the centre behind the seats in a custom housing which is still in the cardboard mock up stage of development.

I plan on using the front part of a Renault Clio housing as this has a closeable flap which will cover the stereo front.

I have never had music in the Midget so I cannot say if it will be loud enough but I can always add an amp if needed!!

Thanks
Mark
Mark Whitmore

All you need is speakers front and back, and an amp/graphics eq/ front/rear fader.

This set up is loud enough to hear at 90 plus mph with the roof down. I'm convinced my now poor hearing, has something to do with this.



Lawrence Slater

my 1500 has a ligher socket.

The radio seems original too... but its broken!
C L Carter

wow, Prop would be proud of that ICE, treble amplified too - a real trip down memory lane as well


and that full valve

you'll inspire Prop
Nigel Atkins

Are you refering to my Goodmans very HI FI Nigel? :)

No valves in there. lol.But it certainly is an oldie. Must be at least 27/8 years old. I bought it in commet with the Goodmans speakers. Even I'm surprised it still works, but work it does. And it sounds as good as it did when new. Which before you say anything, is actually very good. :)

Not sure how I could use it with an MP3 player though. I'd need an analogue output, and I assume they are digital. So I guess it doesn't have many days left if I install a modern player/radio. But for now the 10 or so years old CD/radio does the trick.
Lawrence Slater

Lawrence neat place, nice setup

Must be nice to have a dry Midget

My legs drown when it piffes down :(

another "one day job" I keep saying

when it gets that wet I have a built in reluctance to dive under and get mud in my eye to see where it comes in

I have my CD/radio in a home made console above the gear tunnel, bcause the type 9 gearstick sits back I have no trouble changing CDs at any time

Not that I'm usually messing with taking out Clapton and putting in Dad Rocks except when I'm cruising

I lose the sound at about 95 (ish)

Two large and two smaller speakers behind the seats, normally quite good enough.
Bill1

Bill,

My cd/radio is mounted in a pod under the centre of the dash. Before I put in the type 9 g/box, I too had to change gear to change the music. Yup, that part of the sprite was always dry luckily, and now it lives in a garage. That's possibily that old eq still works.
Lawrence Slater

I fitted a small amp in mine which i plug my ipod into . The amp is hidden just below the dash so if anyone was to glance in then there is no in car entertainment on show and its more than loud enough to hear above the engine !
D Stratton

Lawrence,
What's with the 15mm plumbing next to the steering column - central heating perhaps?
Guy

"What's with the 15mm plumbing...?"

I wonder this as well.
A way to shut down water flow to the heater from inside perhaps?
Rick Bastedo

that was the full valve I meant and I bet it's ½” pipwork

Goodmans - and there was Alba and what was Woolworths called

you'll get even more volume if you put all those frequency dials up high :)

I assume you lads are talking about kph or on a race track
Nigel Atkins

Ally,

Early 1500s had a cigar lighter. Discontinued on later models.

Dave
D MATTHEWS

Yup 15mm copper tube, and a gas tap. I needed water cooling for the power that Amp kicks out. lol.

Or,

I got fed up getting hot on summers days (but wanted the cooling for the engine), and even on winter days when the temp was mild. Add to that the useless cable controlled heater control taps on the c/head that used to leak.

How often have you just put up with being either too cold or too hot, and couldn't be bothered to stop, lift the bonnet(hood), and change the heater tap? Me loads of times.

So I routed the heater pipe work inside and put a tap on it. Now I can have it full on, full off and anything in between. I'll post a pic of the inside, I'm sure someone could improve on the design. I thought of putting a shunt in so that when the heater is off inside, it still circulates in the head, but lost interest as it copes well enough as is.


It's boosted on treble coz I was listening to a really crappy self made CD recording that had so much base it was shaking the car to bits. :)
Lawrence Slater

This thread was discussed between 21/11/2011 and 22/11/2011

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