Milwaukee Midget

[Dean Los Angeles]

It's tough trying to steal the limelight from the flatheads and the Studebakers . . .

Ohhh . . . Ouch!!

[Rex Schimmer]

Neil,
Just to use Chris's thread a little longer. I once was part owner of a race car that David Hobbs drove. I am sure you will recognize it from the attached pictures. This was the one he won with at Road America and Sears Point. Genuine great guy and great to see doing the F1 broadcast on NBC Sports.

Rex

[Milwaukee Midget]

Neil,
Just to use Chris's thread a little longer. I once was part owner of a race car that David Hobbs drove. I am sure you will recognize it from the attached pictures. This was the one he won with at Road America and Sears Point. Genuine great guy and great to see doing the F1 broadcast on NBC Sports.

Rex

I remember the car well - Mid America - 1977.  DNF'd, as I recall, but clearly on the edge of what was around the corner for IMSA.

Geez, Rex - I was 17 at the time . . . 

[Milwaukee Midget]

FORDBOY -

Just so we have a reference here -

I ordered up a MGC tappet.  We'll check it for hardness, but it is substantially larger in diameter than the standard A-series and B-series tappets.

If it can be made to fit, the world of camshaft lobe choices opens up considerably . . .



.9365-.9375 OD - about .001 taper bottom to top.

.809 ID toward the top, but it's stepped - goes down to .798 at .439 from the top.

1.554 from the top to the inside bottom.

1.750 overall height.

It does have an oil drain hole.

59 grams - ouch . . .

[fordboy628]

FORDBOY -

Just so we have a reference here -

I ordered up a MGC tappet.  We'll check it for hardness, but it is substantially larger in diameter than the standard A-series and B-series tappets.    Excellent . . . .

If it can be made to fit, the world of camshaft lobe choices opens up considerably . . .    Not to worry, I'll MAKE it fit . . . . .



.9365-.9375 OD - about .001 taper bottom to top.  .875 OD might be a possibility via centerless grinding . . . . .

.809 ID toward the top, but it's stepped - goes down to .798 at .439 from the top.

1.554 from the top to the inside bottom.

1.750 overall height.

It does have an oil drain hole.

59 grams - ouch . . .   Some mass can be removed.   But any extra mass is on the correct side of the rocker arm.   And you thought you had big/heavy valve springs now . . . . . .

Midget,

See my added comments in your text.   BTW, I love adapting bits from various engine types into a workable complete unit.   Besides, this is one "Briddish" bit into a "Briddish" assembly.   On second thought, substitute "Pommey" for "Briddish" in that previous sentence.   The whole deal hinges on the hardness of the part, or how hard it might be able to be re-heat-treated . . . .
 
Fordboy

[fordboy628]

Major Tom,

How goes the countdown & the checklist?
 
Ground control

[Milwaukee Midget]

Major Tom,

How goes the countdown & the checklist?
 
Ground control

It's assoverteakettle - still have to get the AC on the Dodge going - or else fly Mrs. Midget out.   

[kiwi belly tank]

FORDBOY -

Just so we have a reference here -

I ordered up a MGC tappet.  We'll check it for hardness, but it is substantially larger in diameter than the standard A-series and B-series tappets.

If it can be made to fit, the world of camshaft lobe choices opens up considerably . . .



.9365-.9375 OD - about .001 taper bottom to top.

.809 ID toward the top, but it's stepped - goes down to .798 at .439 from the top.

1.554 from the top to the inside bottom.

1.750 overall height.

It does have an oil drain hole.

59 grams - ouch . . .

I wonder how many people will know what an MGC is without going to google.
  Sid.

[lsrjunkie]

I am definitely not one of those people! Enlighten me as to what an MGC is.

[Milwaukee Midget]

Enlighten me as to what an MGC is.

1967-69,  Very much an uprated MGB with a 3 liter inline six and a unique torsion bar front suspension.  Like most MG products, it fell into the gaps.  Development was started as a replacement for the big Healeys.  Combination of impending US regulations and the Jaguar acquisition, development money was choked off by upper management so the 6 cylinder B wouldn't compete directly with the XKE (the race to the bottom of the rust bucket).

They still screwed together about 10,000 of them, but lack of development ruined their reputation.

Prince Charles still owns one.

I've been looking for one for my wife for years.

[fordboy628]

Enlighten me as to what an MGC is.

1967-69,  Very much an uprated MGB with a 3 liter inline six and a unique torsion bar front suspension.  Like most MG products, it fell into the gaps.  Development was started as a replacement for the big Healeys.  Combination of impending US regulations and the Jaguar acquisition, development money was choked off by upper management so the 6 cylinder B wouldn't compete directly with the XKE (the race to the bottom of the rust bucket).

They still screwed together about 10,000 of them, but lack of development ruined their reputation.

It's essentially an MGB with a bigger/slightly better tractor engine crammed in the engine bay.         Seems like there is the off chance that the 6 cylinder tractor engine MAY have some parts with race engine potential . . . . .
 
Fordboy

[kiwi belly tank]

Enlighten me as to what an MGC is.

1967-69,  Very much an uprated MGB with a 3 liter inline six and a unique torsion bar front suspension.  Like most MG products, it fell into the gaps.  Development was started as a replacement for the big Healeys.  Combination of impending US regulations and the Jaguar acquisition, development money was choked off by upper management so the 6 cylinder B wouldn't compete directly with the XKE (the race to the bottom of the rust bucket).

They still screwed together about 10,000 of them, but lack of development ruined their reputation.

Prince Charles still owns one.

I've been looking for one for my wife for years.

I know where one is, I'll check after SW if you want & see if they want to let it go.
  Sid.

[Milwaukee Midget]

I know where one is, I'll check after SW if you want & see if they want to let it go.
  Sid.

Well, here's the problem -

A - it needs to be a GT - about half of them were
B - it needs to be buttercream yellow - about 1 in 6 were
C - it needs to be an automatic - about half were

SO - doing the math -

Let's write off 1/2 of those due to rust, accidents, etc.

5000 left

GT = 2500 left

Buttercream yellow -   = 416

Automatic -   = 208

And seeing as every other one went someplace else other than North America, we're looking for one of the ~104 that are left in the United States/Canada.  

MY only requirements of it are "GT" and "Automatic".  I can get it painted for her, but I've done a resto on a B, and if the C shows up in the wrong color, I could well be stuck putting racing on the back burner for a year.  

Essentially this one with an automatic . . .

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1969-MG-MGC-GT-RARE-RESTORED-4speed-2912cc-Inline-6-cyl-Sunroof-Leather-Interior-/370862111676?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item56591abbbc

So Sid, please don't knock yourself out on this one . . .  

[Frankie7799]

Geez MM you dont want much do ya LOL. Looing foward to meeting you, your wife, FB and seeing the Midget in person next week

[kiwi belly tank]

Well Chris, it is a GT & it is yellow & I don't know about the trans but two outa three aint bad, as the song goes.
It's up in Idaho Falls, the guy also has a Mk1 B-GT that I did some work on a while back but he's so big now he's having trouble getting in them. I did look in the C but can't remember what the shifter was.
I'll check it out after SW.
  Sid.