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MG Midget and Sprite General - Where does my washer bottle go?

I bought a washer bottle for my car but have no idea how it mounts. There doesn't appear to be any screw holes where I think it should go. I bought part no. 13H232 which I think is the correct one for my car.

Pic attached. Any ideas?

Greg H

if it is the round TUDOR bottle I think it goes on the bulkhead - mirror to the regulator
Mick - still wiring!!

Nothing there Mick just the bolt hole for the earth. I have this pic but it doesn't help. On my car there is that little clip thing just right of the battery bolt plate. No idea what that's for.

Greg H

Greg,
as you've decide to have your car slightly off standard then you can place it where convenient

the excellent Terry Horler book - Original Sprite & Midget The Restorer’s Guide – http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1906133336
has it showing in two pictures on page 100 as on the same side as the windscreen wiper motor, closeish to the heater box side, in line with the gap between the battery and heater box - well that's how it looks to me (UK cars)

the washer bottle holder has a sloping bottom to it so it must go on the sloping footwell roof, forgive my use of techical terms :)

ETA: you posted whilst I was typing, yes that's the place, mine is fitted further down the slope

the red car photos you use I think are of the car my mat used to own
Nigel Atkins

Nigel I'm keeping my car very orginal. Although the Weber is on there I can just unbolt it. I don't want to drill any new holes.I looked in Horler but it didn't help with how it was mounted. My car just doesn't appear have any mounting holes. Is it possible it never had a washer bottle when new? Sounds unlikley though.

That Midget is one of the nicest I've ever seen. A real concourse restoration.

Greg H

Greg,
just seen in MG Midget Gold Portfolio 1961-1979, page 76

Aus report, a print of Modern Motor Jan or Feb(?) 1968

washer bottle is in a bracket/holder(?) which is to the right of the radiator as you look at the car from the front
Nigel Atkins

Greg

The part number you list is the one for cars fitted with the vertical flow radiator. See Horler p81 - it actually mounts up front next to the rad.

The red car in your pic looks to have the early bracket but mounted in the wrong place, as it seems to be leaning forward - i.e. it doesn't have the angled bottom mount.
Dave O'Neill2

Nigel beat me to it!
Dave O'Neill2

Dave,
I'm not sure that that's not just the photo angle

is that the £14,000 car ?

ETA: Greg is that water pump original though :)
Nigel Atkins

Yes near the radiator sounds more like it. I have a vert flow radiator. I may have a little problem. I think there is meant to be a panel called a "splash shield" Moss P18 that goes on the sides of the radiator and the bottle may mount on that. I don't have it, but at least I think I know what's needed.

Thanks guys.

Nigel it was meant to be, but the orginal English parts aren't what they used to be. My car is a bit of a bitsa but then I think the Aussies cars were when new.
Greg H

Greg,
apologies to you, I b*llsed-up by being lazy and trying to do two things at once - doing one I struggle with - I Googled your part number instead of putting it in the MGOC search and the page opened in 'minimised' and I quickly saw it as having a sloping bottom so put 2 and 2 together and got 5

only contributed to thread as I have my Midget library out checking something

I put only earlier this morning that most cars are now bitsas/custom/modified

If you’re going in for concours then that rocker will have to go and did the alternators get painted, I don’t know

mind not all concours judges have all the correct facts, my mate picked up his dad’s new Mini Cooper from the works in the '60s, when he went to a show many years later and was just going to park up what was his car now the car was seen and they insisted he enter it for the concours, he just left the car with them and went to look at the show, when he came back they said he’d lost points because he’d left the boot locked and something was not as original, he told them it was original and they didn’t know what they were talking about – very direct my mate

he entered a concours a few years ago with a new BMW MINI Cooper works special and won a big cup, some polish stuff and a certificate he could use to help sell the car weeks later – he said he only won because they’d only ever seen another one or two of his model and his was the only one at that the national show – he’s the type of guy that can identify every part-hidden-in-a-bag, if you have that in Aus
Nigel Atkins

My car will never be anywhere near concourse. I don't have unlimited funds, just doing my best to keep it fairly original. I think it may have even started with a generator not the alternator. It had an alternator when I got it but I think it may have been a very early upgrade as the remnants of the wiring for the gen regulator were still partially there. I rewired it some time ago and tidied it up so it looks more original. The alternator is a very very early 15AC with the slip ring and brushes on the back unlike most alts. Fragile looking thing it is.

Greg H

Greg, If your car is an Ausie built car and not a UK import, it may not follow what is written in Terrys's book. Australian built cars have a lot of 'locally produced' components and I'm still looking for some sort of consistency.

Dave O'Niel has probably hit the nail on the head.

Your car may also have been fitted with an early alternator (15AC type with separate regulator), the regulators are almost impossible to find now.

I have 2 clients with 1969/70 Midgets that I can have a look at for you if you'd like....

Mark.
M T Boldry

Mark

If you ever find that consistency let me know! The change points in Aussie assembled cars often didn't up as they presumably had the compnents arrive in different batches so naturally and sensibly used up the earlier components rather than bin them. A bit like some of the Abingdon changes were on occasion - such as 1967 (or is it 1968) MGB's which might have either banjo or tube axle with no apparent pattern as to which it might be.
Paul Walbran

My Aussie built Midget had the washer bottle mounted on the blanking plate for the pedal box. This may not be original as my car had been rebuilt before I got it, but thought it was worth mentioning.
Andrew F

Mine is aussie built VIN:922 Registered 69 but I believe is may be late 68 build. Has vert flow radiator and 15AC alternator. The alt aligns with the Moss catalogue P60.

When I bought the car a couple of bits were missing like the washer bottle and also the splash guards. Should it definitely have the splash guards?

Mark if you could find out how your clients cars are or even get a photo sometime that'd be great.
Greg H

Greg,

I think with the splash shields, they should be fitted... I know on the Mk1 Sprites there were ONLY fitted if the car had a heater fitted, but I'm sure later cars had them fitted as standard.

I think I have some new shields somewhere....

I'll certainly have a look for details of the two 1275s I look after..

Mark.
M T Boldry

I'm totally with Mark about prodution variancies, bits were put on with what came to hand by variances of supply and stock available at the work location

I had a one owner Capri that was supplied brand new with what the person I sold it on to, a current model expert, told me was the 'wrong finish of material' dash despite the car still having its interior fit out label in the car

despite him learning how genuine the car was he just had to change the dash to the 'correct' finish to keep it show/concours "original"
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 10/12/2011 and 13/12/2011

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