Tracey,
> 1. Shocks-My mechanic says to stay away from conversion kits and just bit
> the bullet for new ones. What is your opinion? How many of you have
> converted your lever shocks and hated it or loved it.
For a road car, your mechanic's advice is almost spot on.
The only time I have found tele conversions worthwhile is for competition rally
cars, and only then on the front. The reason being that the levers don't cope
too well with sustained high-speed bumpy surfaces. Even the worst of your
freeways doesn't qualify! If you really feel the need for tele shocks on the
front,
then the Frontline kit is good. I have these on the rally car.
There hasn't been a single rear conversion that has cut it in my experience. I
have
tried a few!!! I've always gone back to lever arms at the rear, even on the
rally
car. The problem is that the total travel is reduced, you lose droop and/or bump
travel. The former ruins handling (spin up the inside wheel, lose drive part
way
through a corner which is not nice!), the latter ruins the shock. It isn't such
an
issue on the track but then it isn't as useful on the track.
He is almost right because you don't need new ones, just rebuilt ones from
someone who knows what they are doing. Peter C. is your man - he is on this
list. You can contact him at nosimport@mailbag.com I am a satisfied customer,
using his uprated rebuilt shocks on my street legal race car.
>
> 2. Clutch Fluid Leak-Yup, I've got on...it looks as though it's coming from
> the clutch. Slave cylinder looks okay. But, when you drive the car you must
> push the clutch to the floor to get it to shift nicely. Otherwise, you
> grind those gears. By the way...nothing like being a chick and grinding
> your gears...guys give you a look like...idiot woman, can't even drive a
> standard! :) The only problem I'm having it from a dead start into first.
> Upshifting seems to cause the car no problem. So...either I need a new
> clutch, I've got a bad seal or my pedal needs adjustment or all three...is
> there some sort of test I can do before tearing into the clutch?
Do you put it into 2nd before you try to engage 1st gear? Always do that...
Do it before you engage reverse as well.
Otherwise, Try this online clutch diagnostic page -
http://reality.sgi.com/ahsdc/goblins/tech/clutch.htm
(it is a companion to the excellent Gillspeed front suspension diagnostic page
at
http://reality.sgi.com/ahsdc/goblins/tech/frontend.htm)
>
> 3. Wiring...ARRRGH! Where can you find a GOOD diagram perhaps color coded
> of the wiring for a 75 Midget?
Any of the manuals (Haynes) have the wiring diagrams.
>
> 4. Books...what do you guys suggest I buy??? Lord knows, I need the help!
The manuals are a good start. After that, it depends on whatyou want to do with
the
car. A copy of "Original Sprite and Midget" is an excellent reference for
standard cars
(what it was originally like, not how to fix it).
Practical Classics has a sprite and midget "book" - a collection of articles on
the
restoration of a sprite. I can't remember if it also has mechanicals in the
same book,
but they do also cover nearly every maintenance issue you'll ever find either
there
or in the magazines.
Last time I checked there were perhaps 50 articles on Sprite and Midgets in
Practical
Classics over the years! You might also check for articles on the Triumph
Spitfire because
your 1500cc engine is from the same family and is different to the BMC A series
motor used
in earlier Sprites and Midgets
There are some books on performance tuning as well, I'll discuss those on
request.
>
> Luckily, the motor is strong
I'm sure your mechanic wiull check compression and do a leak down test. This
will
give you a very good idea of the overall condition of the motor. Oil pressure
at idle
(20-40 psi) and at 3000 rpm (40-60psi) (when engine has been brought to normal
opeating temp) are also good indicators.
BTW, change the oil first, the PO may have substituted very heavy oil to mask
oil
pressure problems.
One last engine related thing, if it runs hot, get the radiator cleaned and
check hoses
for evidence of sludge - it makes a big difference.
>and the front end appears to be okay.
To be sure, use the front suspension diagnostic I referred to earlier.
>
> Tracey
>
Good luck and enjoy it!
Mike
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