MG Midget

[TeamTotalWankel]

Thanks Nick!
That looks like a good option for on top of the POR15/chassisblack I've already bought as well as for injecting into the cavities I can't get at with the POR15. This thing is gonna be unrustable!

They do a cavity specific wax too

[Renrut]

Got in some midget time today. Drivers footwell this time. Sorry for the lack of photos, I have no excuse.

First I welded back in where I'd cut out previously. I didn't want to have too much of the footwell missing in one go in case it moved too much.



I've finally learned to simply chop out any rusty bits and weld to solid metal rather than try to weld to rusty stuff. The 'solid' test is my blunt chisel, if I can poke it through then its not solid enough. Anyway I digress.

Once that was in and happy I chopped out the drivers side major bodge with Mr Angry. Here is a photo with the floor section welded back in to see how much I had to gut from it:





I also took the flywheels off both the 1.4K and the 1500 so I could see what could be done regarding an adaptor plate. The bolt on plate on the 1500 makes a perfect template for the gearbox side and much easier to see about how I can get it to best fit with the 1.4K block. I've got my MDF 1.4K gearbox template too (thanks to Mr O for the suggestion!) so once I've cut that out I'll be able to have a play.

At the moment its looking like the 1500 clutch, 1.4K pressure plate, 1.4K flywheel and no need for a spigot bush as the end of the crank is a perfect size already. I've started a thread about the ins and outs of this particular bit here:

http://www.ppcmag.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10083

[Relentless Rob]

Looking tidy Will.

All that Fiat practice has paid off.

[Renrut]

I was almost tempted just to leave the Crunchie Nut Clusters packet template attached instead, it was more structurally sound than the bodge.

The fiat was nothing like as bad as this, the fiat just had big holes, this has holes that are hidden behind thick plate and pigeon sh1t.

I reckon another 2 good days work and the drivers side will be finished!

[mjslonergan]

Check your PM, I found 25...

[Renrut]

Managed to get some work done on the midget this week. Drivers footwell panel is in!

Trial fit of replacement panel. Was good but I'd put a bit much gap at the top, clearly something had gone wrong with transferring the cardboard template to steel



Then to ensure things stayed where I wanted them I tacked a bit of 1" angle iron onto the side of the footwell to hold it all straight.



Tacked the panel on then plug welded and a few seams to hold it all square. I made sure I left it a good 5 minutes or so between any serious bits of welding to ensure it stayed straight at this point.


Then I just cracked on and welded it all up


Once it was cooled off a little I set at it with the grinder to clean the welds down. Not as neat as I would have liked but its inside the wheel arch so its not a massive concern.


The lower lip still needs to be bent over to finish it off but I'll do that once I've gone over it again, I noticed some tiny pin holes in a couple of places that need rectifying.

I've got a mate coming to visit this weekend so won't get much done but he's asked if I can show him the basics of welding Now I'm nothing like a pro but he has never even wielded a torch before so I'll just give him the basics so he can get started. He's into classic jap cars so he wants to be able to do small remedial rust work to things like sills and arches. I might get him to practice on the sill section that I'm gonna cut out and replace. Or should I just be mean I give him 2 pieces of aluminium

[Renrut]

My mate turned out to be disgustingly able at welding considering he'd never even held a welding torch before! He was running reasonable looking welds on 1.0mm sheet butt joints which stood up to the bend test.

Anyway it gave me time to do a couple of odd jobs in the garage, strip out the very last bit of old brake lines, then chop out the front section of the drivers sill



This evening I spent an hour cleaning up the nasty bits with the grinder then making a repair panel for it


Hopefully I'll get some time this week to get this trimmed to fit and welded on, then its just the end plate to do and the drivers seat mounting points to do to finish this side. Slowly but surely

[Renrut]

I've been a busy bee this weekend. As well as jag LPG-ing I've done some midgeting too.

I've got the sill done now, just needs going over with a flap disc to smooth it out. It'll still need some filler but its a million miles better than before I started, it might only need a golf ball for the whole sill rather than a beach ball.

I've also patched the hole in the drivers floor where some gorilla has ripped the front seat mounting hole clear out the floor. I've put a completely solid patch on and I'll redrill the hole when I come to fit the seats. I've heard MGF seats fit well and suit the car so if anyone has some of them kicking around let me know. I was planning to keep the original seats but the foam is quite stinky. I might try stripping it out and putting them in the washing machine - what have I got to lose?

[Jaffa]

MGF seats have a longer inner rear leg. The other three mount onto raised steel plinths, but the last goes to the floor.

[Renrut]

Midget people chop that tall leg off and mount them to the floor, either with new holes or by welding adaptors onto the bottom of the seats:

http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&access=&mode=imgdis&ifile=2|97_2012071010254315260_20037810101086_1342169322.jpg

If I could adequately clean the foam of the original seats I'd keep them just with modern runners rather than the flimsy things they originally came with (saves me lots of money too).

[TeamTotalWankel]

Midget people chop that tall leg off and mount them to the floor

Poor jaffa was only offering advice, there's no need to do that to him you nasty 'Midget person'!!

[Jaffa]

Midget people chop that tall leg off and mount them to the floor

Poor jaffa was only offering advice, there's no need to do that to him you nasty 'Midget person'!!

Those migit people are always trying to make tall legged ones shorter but cutting their legs off. Makes them feel less inadequate.

[Renrut]

Midget people chop that tall leg off and mount them to the floor

Poor jaffa was only offering advice, there's no need to do that to him you nasty 'Midget person'!!

Those migit people are always trying to make tall legged ones shorter but cutting their legs off. Makes them feel less inadequate.

You're all the same you tall people, trying to keep us short people down! Are you saying you're against improving equality?

[Relentless Rob]

I'm six two so neither tall or short so I can see both side of the argument and feel this can only be settled with a tournament.

Jaffa Cakes at dawn.

[Renrut]

Thats too tall for a 6ft mineshaft ya lanky get!

Is this going to turn out like brainiac fat vs thin?