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 Post subject: Re: Spridgets
PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 5:05 pm 
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The dreaded double post

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Last edited by The Inspector on Mon Dec 16, 2013 5:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Spridgets
PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 5:19 pm 
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Now, GO BUY AN SCCA APPROVED ROLLBAR!!!! It stiffens the SPRIDGET up a lot as well as keeping your knob off the pavement in a roll over or a jacked up 4 X 4 from visiting if you stop and he can't. Go talk to the guys who race in SCCA G & H Prod, a COOPER cam, some headers/exhaust and better brakes/shocks will make that a sneaky little street sleeper.(Canadian CASC has a 'free' mini class with 5 speed crashboxes and 150+ H.P. 1275 engines :shock: so it's doable)
Lose the 'NADER' reflectors, swing by Radio Shack and pick up some small L.E.D. as replacements located closer to the cars corners, a drill bit and 2 minutes splicing into the light circuit will keep the Holsteins off your back, spirit if not the letter.........check for rainwater rot in the floor sides behind the seats (where the rollbar will mount) but if it's always been a SoCal car, shouldn't be a worry. Miatas are chickmobiles.

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 Post subject: Re: Spridgets
PostPosted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 11:09 am 
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Saxman, I was reading in your post on the Allison thread that you were planning to overhaul your cylinder head. While you're at it you might as well have them check it for for cracks. They tend to show up in between #2 and #3 cylinder, IIRC as well as the exhaust valve seats. You mentioned earlier in this thread you had adjusted the carbs a few times, which is sounding a bit much. A leaky head gasket can affect your idle, but another might-as-well-while it's-apart you might check, is the throttle shafts on the inboard side of the SU's. Along the plane of force of the throttle linkage the shaft can wear out of round in the carb body as well as shoulder the shaft. Moss offers new shafts and bushes(IIRC) in their master rebuild carb kit.After 40+ years of service it's no surprise. I redid one for a friend about 15 years ago and he said it had never run that steady since he owned the vehicle.

One other suggestion for driveability and peace of mind would be to consider a drop-in electronic ignition when funds allow. In the mean time carry a spare points and condenser in your road kit, just in case. I recall hearing the modern condensers don't last as well as the old ones, so you might keep a few around.They're fun little cars to tinker with and keep tweeking with little improvements that make them funner and funner as you go! :D As Cecil Kimber said, Safety Fast!

Got a photo of the engine room?

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 Post subject: Re: Spridgets
PostPosted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:57 pm 
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airnutz wrote:

One other suggestion for driveability and peace of mind would be to consider a drop-in electronic ignition when funds allow. In the mean time carry a spare points and condenser in your road kit, just in case. I recall hearing the modern condensers don't last as well as the old ones, so you might keep a few around.They're fun little cars to tinker with and keep tweeking with little improvements that make them funner and funner as you go! :D As Cecil Kimber said, Safety Fast!



I second this one. I had many a year of good service with a Pertronix Igniter that dropped into the Lucas housing. It also alleviates distributor shaft wear.
You will, however, forget how to set points<G>

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 Post subject: Re: Spridgets
PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 12:28 am 
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I did have the cylinder head taken to a machine shop and they did the valve install, too. They fixed the blanking plug issue with a permanent fix that I learned from another LBC guy. While I was at it, I put a new exhaust system in, overhauled the carbs, replaced the front shocks, and replaced all kinds of small items. The car was out of action from January 1st until last week when I drove it for the first time. Wow. It feels like I picked up at least 10 hp with the top-half rebuild. The Sprite already had a Petronix ignition as well as a screw-on oil filter adapter to make the car a bit more practical. Here's some pics:

The head gasket break:
Image
DSC_1109 by onyxsax, on Flickr

Refurbished cylinder head:
Image
DSC_1508 by onyxsax, on Flickr

Engine bay. I put the tags on the spark plug wires so I knew which one went where.
Image
DSC_1630 by onyxsax, on Flickr

Waiting for spring to arrive...if it ever comes! I added the trim rings to the wheels -- they really make the car "pop"
Image
DSC_0361 by onyxsax, on Flickr


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 Post subject: Re: Spridgets
PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:48 am 
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One more piece of advice on Carbs.

When you go to synchronize them, put in your ear plugs, and crank the idle up as far as it will go (probably 1800-2000 rpm), synch the carbs, then back the idle back to normal.
I used to get called in by friends with Datsuns (Hitachi SU's - same process) all the time. Carbs were perfect at idle but way off in the important driving rpm range.

Also, if you don't have one, get a Colourtune. It's basically a sparkplug with a window that will help you get the mixture just right by direct observation of flame color. Instructions are optimized for SU or CD carbs

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 Post subject: Re: Spridgets
PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 4:30 pm 
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Glad she's ready to go! Need a wrap for that rascal? Too late to order from this source, but a neat blast to the past....
http://www.bigdealart.com/images/SampleFiles/MGMIT.jpg



www.bigdealart.com

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He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF


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 Post subject: Re: Spridgets
PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 8:56 pm 
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The Sprite is garaged, so no wrap needed. When I bought the car, part of the selling point to my wife was that it would fit in the garage nose-to-tail with her Corolla when it snowed. When I tried to put that into practice, I came up about 18 inches short. Oops. Guess I can't return it at this point.

Next winter, I'll reorganize the garage and put the car on dollies so I can turn it perpendicular, and that should make the Corolla fit...unless I get another project to work on :twisted:


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