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NOW WE HAVE CLUTCH ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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Woodie

Woodie

Jedi Warrior
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YAAAHOOOOO !! I drove my midget for the first time tonight. A rebleed did the trick. It sort of grinds going into first until you just pop the gas a little and then presto, we are away, allgears shift fine, no funny sounds. Boy is the steering evr direct. I have never driven a midget before, had a spitfire a few years ago, but the steering on the Midget is much much quicker. I do need new tires so that will make a difference I know. Well had her up to about 45 mph. but with no windhhield on the car, did not want to go faster. SO thanks to all you guys for your suggestions. Now back to the 400 sandpaper....... Soon to be BRG....
 
Way to go.
 
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It sort of grinds going into first until you just pop the gas a little and then presto

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First off glad you got it bled out and it's working good for you. The little grind you get into first is perfectly normal as the British were to cheap with the Spridget gearboxes to give us a first gear syncro /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Congrats.

After you push the clutch down, pull the car into second and then put it in first. That will usually stop the "little grind".
I'm sure Hap knows this, but some Spridgets (like mine) actually do have a syncro first gear....unfortunately, we get the crappy 1500 engine that comes along with it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
WEll I knew about the non-synchro clutch, but was surprised at the level of gnashing, until I gave the gas a little pop. The skill of driving one of these little cars is something developed, not bred, so I just needed to do it a few times. Now no worries. And now I will have more questions for this board over the next couple of weeks as I get past the painting and start to reassemble.
 
Recntly I became the owner of a newly restored 67 MGB GT in a trade I did with a fellow and a race I owned. Well the 1967 has the original non syncro first gear tranny, now with the race car we just rapped the throttle and crunch them in first, but that didn't seem like the way to go with a street car. Someone just a few months ago told me about the second to first trick and I was amazed and how much smoother it engages. Just goes to show you, you can never get to the point where you know everything about these cars, there's always plenty to learn.
 
The second/first dodge becomes second nature after a bit. Ya don't even need to fully engage second, just put a bit of restraint on the balk ring and then slip into first. It does depend on the condition of the second gear ring tho. And the best "rule" for the crashbox first gear street LBC's is: NEVER engage first or reverse if the car is even slightly moving. Full stop, then engage.
 
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