Subject: [Spridgets] Parts sources and upgrades

From: Karl Vacek via Spridgets <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 18 May 2022 17:24:10 -0500

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Yes, I bought all the Moss stuff from LBCarCo.  Definitely appreciate =
the discount and the additional degree of separation form Moss.

=20

Looks like some of those companies only have Mini stuff, and this is one =
of the ones after Leyland left their hoofprints on BMC and put a =
Spitfire engine into the Midget.  One of those details I missed in my =
enthusiasm to buy her this car.  Probably a decent engine but it just =
doesn=E2=80=99t fit like the A-Series did.  And the emission controls, =
which I have maintained but they make it even more crammed and less easy =
to adjust.

=20

Since I have to replace chassis rubber, I=E2=80=99m interested in =
polyurethane.  However, I=E2=80=99ve been mostly maintaining my everyday =
cars for many years now and haven=E2=80=99t had much time for my =
LBC=E2=80=99s.  In looking at replacing suspension bushings on , say, my =
99 Cobra, I frequently hear complaints about Poly bushings squeaking, if =
not immediately then later, even if you use the magic silicone goo from =
Prothane, etc.  Is that typical for Spridgets too?

=20

We intend to sell this car as it=E2=80=99s extremely rust-free and =
original.  Not likely to become a race car, and I presume a future owner =
will want it to ride as new as it looks.  The car has always felt floaty =
on the road as if the shocks were too soft.  Figured it was the =
Armstrongs but now that I=E2=80=99ve taken them off to send to Peter =
Caldwell they don=E2=80=99t seem at all bad.  Tires are nearly new =
Vredesteins, as close to the stock XZX=E2=80=99s as I could find.  =
Nothing=E2=80=99s notably worn in the front suspension, shock links, =
sway bar links and mounts, etc, but as long as I=E2=80=99m in there =
I=E2=80=99m removing, blasting, and repainting the springs, spring =
seats, and A-arms because they have some rust along with lots of factory =
paint.  I will of courses rebush whatever I remove.

=20

Advice on poly vs rubber bushings, brands, secret sauce to lube things, =
etc etc?

=20

=20

Hi Karl,

=20

If you absolutely positively have to buy something from Moss buy it from =
a Moss dealer instead of from Moss directly.  Jeff Zorn at Little =
British Car Company will sell you the same Moss crap with a 15% discount =
and usually cheaper shipping.

=20

Rick

On May 17, 2022, at 2:47 PM, Ron Soave via Spridgets =
<[email-masked]> wrote:

=EF=BB=BFYes, much comes from the same place  That said, I use:

=20

British Parts Northwest

7Enterprises

Minispares UK

Rimmer Brothers=20

APT

MED engineering (UK)

Hope that helps -=20

Ron Soave

On May 17, 2022, at 12:40 PM, Karl Vacek via Spridgets =
<[email-masked]> wrote:

=EF=BB=BF

Hi

I was on this list in the mid-2000=E2=80=99s, but have been away from =
the list for at least 10 years.

=20

In 2006 my wife was fondly reminiscing about the 64 MIdget I=E2=80=99d =
bought for her in 74 when we were first married.  eBay to the rescue =
=E2=80=93 we bought her a very clean, 14,000 mile 78 Midget. that had =
been won on Wheel of Fortune. One owner till it was sold to the kid who =
flipped it to us.  Extremely rust free =E2=80=93 actually lots of =
still-shiny threads on things I=E2=80=99ve taken apart.  A treat to work =
on, other than the fact that I didn=E2=80=99t realize till we bought it =
that Leyland had dropped the BMC engine and shoehorned a Spitfire engine =
into it.  I wa always a TR guy =E2=80=93 starting with a TR3 in1965.  =
But it just doesn=E2=80=99t fit in the car well.

=20

After I=E2=80=99d renewed hydraulics, brakes, fuel system, etc. she was =
excited for a while and drove it all summer, but after a few years she =
just didn=E2=80=99t drive it much it came out less and less till in 2016 =
(I think) we just put it away.  Now, after maybe 6 years in storage, we =
brought it home, thinking that with prices up we might recoup some of =
the giant pile of dollars I put into the car.

=20

So much of the suspension rubber that I put on in 2006-7 has now split =
and deteriorated.  Back then there were choices in parts dealers (I =
haven=E2=80=99t been a Moss fan since Al Moss sold out =E2=80=93 used to =
be a great place to get real TC parts when that=E2=80=99s all they =
sold).  Now they seem to be the only game in town, and many of the bad =
new rubber came from them.  Further, they don=E2=80=99t even list some =
of it any more.  Rimmer has some stuff too, and the MGOC lists lots of =
parts, but I don=E2=80=99t know anything about them except the =
assumption that they would have good quality.

=20

Who can I trust?  Where can I get quality parts nowadays?

=20

Thanks!
Karl

=20

=20

=20

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link=3D"#0563C1" vlink=3D"#954F72"><div class=3DWordSection1><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'color:#44546A'>Yes, I bought all the =
Moss stuff from LBCarCo.=C2=A0 Definitely appreciate the discount and =
the additional degree of separation form Moss.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'color:#44546A'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'color:#44546A'>Looks like some of those =
companies only have Mini stuff, and this is one of the ones after =
Leyland left their hoofprints on BMC and put a Spitfire engine into the =
Midget.=C2=A0 One of those details I missed in my enthusiasm to buy her =
this car.=C2=A0 Probably a decent engine but it just doesn=E2=80=99t fit =
like the A-Series did.=C2=A0 And the emission controls, which I have =
maintained but they make it even more crammed and less easy to =
adjust.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'color:#44546A'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'color:#44546A'>Since I have to replace =
chassis rubber, I=E2=80=99m interested in polyurethane.=C2=A0 However, =
I=E2=80=99ve been mostly maintaining my everyday cars for many years now =
and haven=E2=80=99t had much time for my LBC=E2=80=99s.=C2=A0 In looking =
at replacing suspension bushings on , say, my 99 Cobra, I frequently =
hear complaints about Poly bushings squeaking, if not immediately then =
later, even if you use the magic silicone goo from Prothane, etc.=C2=A0 =
Is that typical for Spridgets too?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'color:#44546A'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'color:#44546A'>We intend to sell this =
car as it=E2=80=99s extremely rust-free and original.=C2=A0 Not likely =
to become a race car, and I presume a future owner will want it to ride =
as new as it looks.=C2=A0 The car has always felt floaty on the road as =
if the shocks were too soft.=C2=A0 Figured it was the Armstrongs but now =
that I=E2=80=99ve taken them off to send to Peter Caldwell they =
don=E2=80=99t seem at all bad.=C2=A0 Tires are nearly new Vredesteins, =
as close to the stock XZX=E2=80=99s as I could find.=C2=A0 =
Nothing=E2=80=99s notably worn in the front suspension, shock links, =
sway bar links and mounts, etc, but as long as I=E2=80=99m in there =
I=E2=80=99m removing, blasting, and repainting the springs, spring =
seats, and A-arms because they have some rust along with lots of factory =
paint.=C2=A0 I will of courses rebush whatever I =
remove.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'color:#44546A'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'color:#44546A'>Advice on poly vs rubber =
bushings, brands, secret sauce to lube things, etc =
etc?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'color:#44546A'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'color:#44546A'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Hi Karl,<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>If you absolutely positively have to buy something =
from Moss buy it from a Moss dealer instead of from Moss directly. =
&nbsp;Jeff Zorn at Little British Car Company will sell you the same =
Moss crap with a 15% discount and usually cheaper =
shipping.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Rick<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><br><br><o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'>On May 17, 2022, at 2:47 PM, Ron Soave =
via Spridgets &lt;[email-masked]&gt; =
wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote =
style=3D'margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>=EF=BB=BFYes, much comes from the same place =
&nbsp;That said, I use:<o:p></o:p></p><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>British Parts Northwest<o:p></o:p></p><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>7Enterprises<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Minispares UK<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Rimmer Brothers&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>APT<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>MED =
engineering (UK)<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><br>Hope =
that helps -&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>Ron =
Soave<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><br><br><o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'>On May 17, 2022, at 12:40 PM, Karl Vacek =
via Spridgets &lt;[email-masked]&gt; =
wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote =
style=3D'margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>=EF=BB=BF<span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New =
Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Hi<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>I was on this =
list in the mid-2000=E2=80=99s, but have been away from the list for at =
least 10 years.<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>In 2006 my =
wife was fondly reminiscing about the 64 MIdget I=E2=80=99d bought for =
her in 74 when we were first married.&nbsp; eBay to the rescue =E2=80=93 =
we bought her a very clean, 14,000 mile 78 Midget. that had been won on =
Wheel of Fortune. One owner till it was sold to the kid who flipped it =
to us.&nbsp; Extremely rust free =E2=80=93 actually lots of still-shiny =
threads on things I=E2=80=99ve taken apart.&nbsp; A treat to work on, =
other than the fact that I didn=E2=80=99t realize till we bought it that =
Leyland had dropped the BMC engine and shoehorned a Spitfire engine into =
it.&nbsp; I wa always a TR guy =E2=80=93 starting with a TR3 =
in1965.&nbsp; But it just doesn=E2=80=99t fit in the car =
well.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>After I=E2=80=99d renewed hydraulics, brakes, fuel =
system, etc. she was excited for a while and drove it all summer, but =
after a few years she just didn=E2=80=99t drive it much it came out less =
and less till in 2016 (I think) we just put it away.&nbsp; Now, after =
maybe 6 years in storage, we brought it home, thinking that with prices =
up we might recoup some of the giant pile of dollars I put into the =
car.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>So much of the suspension rubber that I put on in =
2006-7 has now split and deteriorated.&nbsp; Back then there were =
choices in parts dealers (I haven=E2=80=99t been a Moss fan since Al =
Moss sold out =E2=80=93 used to be a great place to get real TC parts =
when that=E2=80=99s all they sold).&nbsp; Now they seem to be the only =
game in town, and many of the bad new rubber came from them.&nbsp; =
Further, they don=E2=80=99t even list some of it any more.&nbsp; Rimmer =
has some stuff too, and the MGOC lists lots of parts, but I =
don=E2=80=99t know anything about them except the assumption that they =
would have good quality.<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>Who can I =
trust?&nbsp; Where can I get quality parts nowadays?<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Thanks!<br>Karl<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New =
Roman","serif"'>------------------------<br><br>[email-masked]<=
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style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New =
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