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Hey - did you know if you click on the title of a thread it will take you to the first unread post since you last visited that thread?
but were afraid to ask: 
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.myself (to borrow from that great Austin Powers line).
I'm Michael and I'm the NKOTB (that's "New Kid On The Block" for you old guys out there, like me). I've made a few posts here and I would like to thank all those that have given me a warm welcome here. Sorry for so rudely jumping into the forums without making an intro however I feel that a few of you have welcomed me, so thank you!
Here's my project:
Much like many projects I have undertaken, this is my first foray into the unchartered territory of British Cars. It's probably obvious that I draw on my different experiences from other projects as I set up my Midget. Although I have no desire to make it my sole transportation (I own two other vehicles), my goal is to have a reliable car that I can enjoy when I so desire.
I spent quite a while learning and reading information from all of you before stepping in and it's been a great value to me. It's time I feel I contribute as well and hopefully you all will share with me when I start posing some offbeat questions.
I call it a project rather than that of a vehicle because the car has sat since 1986. A 33,000 mile car, this wire wheel model '79 Midget was a South Carolina car that was owned by a Chair Force guy (little military joke there) who bought it new, got out, returned to Indiana..
..and promptly died.
Not sure if it was the military or Indiana that did that to him. Or both. Hey, I still have my health, but I'm working on that..
This thing sat for 20 years in a large garage and while it is striaght and rust free, unfortunately the car became a storage facility for boxes and all kinds of junk. Worse, the thing sat with fuel in the tank and water in the radiator. I wish I had took a pic of the fuel tank when I cut it open out of curiosity and I'm still flushing the cooling system out every time I run it.
Even worse, somebody before me made an attempt to try to get the thing running and gave up. You know what that means- missing parts everywhere. Supposedly the motor had been siezed. And as I discovered, they didn't know much about torque wrenches either. The thing was also preserved quite nicely in grease and oil.
What started out as a project just to get the thing to run again, the car has been redone from the firewall forward. Cleaning all the mess up led to some detailing and then I just ended up blowing the thing all apart. I chucked the entire fuel system and replaced the tank, the line, the fuel pump and run a Pierce aluminum manifold and Weber DCV. I also installed a Pacesetter ceramic coated header.
The OPUS ignition has been replaced with a Mallory Unilite and seeing the problems that some have stated in the forums on Lucas Alternators, I set the thing up with a 63 Ampere GM Delco 10si alternator so that I could run an electric fan, have wipers that work and to be able to see at night (Yeah, those are H4 headlights ala street rod)- all at the same time (I still remember an experience with my friend and his MGB on a drive home in a thunderstorm). I also ran the wiring harness outboard for a cleaner look in the engine compartment.
Perhaps influenced by early 70's MoPars (actually I hated those [censored] cars) and my experience with Case and John Deere tractors, I painted the engine compartment in flat black and the engine in Chrysler Green. Not only is it easy to spot leaks, the thing also glows at night, too..
While I had the front end stripped off, I decided I liked the older look so I shaved off the bumper mounts, welded up the side marker lights, bumper holes, valance intakes, and I got rid of the antenna hole. The finishing is from an early 70's Midget that I stripped all the paint off of.
I'm building a grille ala 60's MG style (I guess I am one of the few that prefer the 60's MG grille over the Sprite grille)out of a quarter inch aluminum bar stock ( a sturdier idea), complete with the MG badge. I plan to hide the turn signals behind the grill and keep a clean front end look.
I'm considering going to the 60's style rear valance panel and bumperless on the back as well.
While the original hood is straight and solid, I may opt for getting a 'glass hood and running hood pins.
At this moment, I have the thing running and parts are on order for the brakes (pads, wheel bearings and wheel cylinders, drilled rotors, calipers, master cylinder and stainless braded lines) and stainless exhaust. I should be shaking it down on the road in two to three weeks.
I plan on sharing my project details with all of you in return, as I have questions from time to time that I hope you can provide me with insight, as you have already shown with me.
Thanks, Michael.
I'm Michael and I'm the NKOTB (that's "New Kid On The Block" for you old guys out there, like me). I've made a few posts here and I would like to thank all those that have given me a warm welcome here. Sorry for so rudely jumping into the forums without making an intro however I feel that a few of you have welcomed me, so thank you!
Here's my project:
Much like many projects I have undertaken, this is my first foray into the unchartered territory of British Cars. It's probably obvious that I draw on my different experiences from other projects as I set up my Midget. Although I have no desire to make it my sole transportation (I own two other vehicles), my goal is to have a reliable car that I can enjoy when I so desire.
I spent quite a while learning and reading information from all of you before stepping in and it's been a great value to me. It's time I feel I contribute as well and hopefully you all will share with me when I start posing some offbeat questions.
I call it a project rather than that of a vehicle because the car has sat since 1986. A 33,000 mile car, this wire wheel model '79 Midget was a South Carolina car that was owned by a Chair Force guy (little military joke there) who bought it new, got out, returned to Indiana..
..and promptly died.
Not sure if it was the military or Indiana that did that to him. Or both. Hey, I still have my health, but I'm working on that..
This thing sat for 20 years in a large garage and while it is striaght and rust free, unfortunately the car became a storage facility for boxes and all kinds of junk. Worse, the thing sat with fuel in the tank and water in the radiator. I wish I had took a pic of the fuel tank when I cut it open out of curiosity and I'm still flushing the cooling system out every time I run it.
Even worse, somebody before me made an attempt to try to get the thing running and gave up. You know what that means- missing parts everywhere. Supposedly the motor had been siezed. And as I discovered, they didn't know much about torque wrenches either. The thing was also preserved quite nicely in grease and oil.
What started out as a project just to get the thing to run again, the car has been redone from the firewall forward. Cleaning all the mess up led to some detailing and then I just ended up blowing the thing all apart. I chucked the entire fuel system and replaced the tank, the line, the fuel pump and run a Pierce aluminum manifold and Weber DCV. I also installed a Pacesetter ceramic coated header.
The OPUS ignition has been replaced with a Mallory Unilite and seeing the problems that some have stated in the forums on Lucas Alternators, I set the thing up with a 63 Ampere GM Delco 10si alternator so that I could run an electric fan, have wipers that work and to be able to see at night (Yeah, those are H4 headlights ala street rod)- all at the same time (I still remember an experience with my friend and his MGB on a drive home in a thunderstorm). I also ran the wiring harness outboard for a cleaner look in the engine compartment.
Perhaps influenced by early 70's MoPars (actually I hated those [censored] cars) and my experience with Case and John Deere tractors, I painted the engine compartment in flat black and the engine in Chrysler Green. Not only is it easy to spot leaks, the thing also glows at night, too..
While I had the front end stripped off, I decided I liked the older look so I shaved off the bumper mounts, welded up the side marker lights, bumper holes, valance intakes, and I got rid of the antenna hole. The finishing is from an early 70's Midget that I stripped all the paint off of.
I'm building a grille ala 60's MG style (I guess I am one of the few that prefer the 60's MG grille over the Sprite grille)out of a quarter inch aluminum bar stock ( a sturdier idea), complete with the MG badge. I plan to hide the turn signals behind the grill and keep a clean front end look.
I'm considering going to the 60's style rear valance panel and bumperless on the back as well.
While the original hood is straight and solid, I may opt for getting a 'glass hood and running hood pins.
At this moment, I have the thing running and parts are on order for the brakes (pads, wheel bearings and wheel cylinders, drilled rotors, calipers, master cylinder and stainless braded lines) and stainless exhaust. I should be shaking it down on the road in two to three weeks.
I plan on sharing my project details with all of you in return, as I have questions from time to time that I hope you can provide me with insight, as you have already shown with me.
Thanks, Michael.
