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Latest '63 Midget Up-date

Re: '63 Midget Update

Trevor Jessie said:
Be sure to put the spacers on the correct side of the radius arm. And when you find out the correct side... let me know. I'm not sure mine are correct.
Spacers? Uh-oh...I don't see any on the table with my parts....
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

There definitly should be spacers, Tony. The Moss catalogue does not show them, but if you have a VB catalogue, pp 100 item #3 in the "radius arm" box, labeled "distance piece", and their diagram shows it placed inboard of the arm!!

PS: Anyone noticed that the Pub is missing??
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

USPMES014A.gif
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

This was the diagram I used. See # 17
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

Same piece as I was referring to!!!
Top = VB
Bottom = Moss
 

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Re: '63 Midget Update

bugimike said:
There definitly should be spacers, Tony. The Moss catalogue does not show them, but if you have a VB catalogue, pp 100 item #3 in the "radius arm" box, labeled "distance piece", and their diagram shows it placed inboard of the arm!!

PS: Anyone noticed that the Pub is missing??
Thanks, Mike...so I need VB #14-830....anybody got a photo of one or the dimensions so I know what I'm looking for? The bushings in my radius arms were so worn out I probably figured they were just the remnants of them!
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

Mine was just a metal spacer to make up the difference, so you can just measure and cut one to length.
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

Trevor Jessie said:
Mine was just a metal spacer to make up the difference, so you can just measure and cut one to length.
Against the little round piece of metal near the inside of the bush or the big piece on the outside?

This little car is fighting me every step along the way!
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

Geeze! ... my memory stinks.... hold on...
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

I'll be right back...running to see if I can measure!!

Looks to be 1/2" wide...just a simple sleeve...glad this came up, if I hadn't looked I wouldn't have known mine is mounted on the wrong side (outside/tire side)!! :eeek: Well, I have a new set of radius arms, now's the time to put them in and fix it!!
grin.gif
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

Wait, mine does not have a spacer on in the body bracket end. Mine has a spacer on the axle bracket. On the inside. I remember now that there was no room/need for a spacer in the bracket as the diagram shows, but one was needed in the axle.
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

Hmmm, this is an interesting bit of info exchange here! Could there have been enough variations in bracket production that spacers were used "as needed"?? It seems to be somewhat important, because as noted in my other post, when I looked to check on my car and found the spacer outboard rather than inboard (as shown on the VB parts diagram)the radius arm also looked to be angled inboard at the body-bracket end. It my not be REALLY significant, but it IS altering susp. geometry!! :rolleyes:
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

A short peice of pipe will work well as a spacer. Mike says 1/2" long, inside it goes.

Hard to destroy when removeing arms, it usually drops on the floor.

If you spend more than 30 min getting your rear end under the car I would really be susprised.
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

Found my 2 spacers in a zip lock bag...same on my car: on the bracket side I don't need spacers as the bracket has them made into it...I need them on the axle side & based on where the bracket positions the trailing arm, it appears they go on the inside, not the tire side?

If I didn't know better, I'd think they were the same spacers that go in the wood runners under an MGB seat - but the metal is different.
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

Ahhh, the Autoist for the win. Plastic bag indeed. What happened to the old coffee cans.
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

Coffee cans promote quick rusting of almost lost parts.
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

I have a coffee can labeled "desperation nuts/bolt"

It is where I go when I can't find the original or a new replacement. It is amazing what I find in there.

Oh, and inside is where I have mine.
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

I think the top requires a spacer only with the earliest style brackets (which my car should have, but doesn't).
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

Zip-loc freezer bags with the white label area on them is what I try to use for parts saving. They are easy to mark and air-tight :wink: ! (I also have a bin full of assorted nuts, bolts, harware and misc. bits that can take hours to sort through but usually yields a workable piece when desperate!!)
grin.gif
:thumbsup:
 
Re: '63 Midget Update

I usually make several trips across the street to the True Value hardware store every weekend buying nuts / bolts / fasteners of some sort. 30 cents here, 40 cents there.
Beats searching everywhere for something that "I just know I have somewhere". Usually by the time I would find whatever it was I'd get distracted by some "honey do" list.
Faster & easier to just walk across the street, they have a very good selection of standard & metric fasteners over there :wink:

I do have a plastic bag full of left over fasteners in my tool kit of course...
 
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