Took a drive in a MG midget with a 12a
08-28-03, 07:20 PM
#1
Tennis, anyone
Thread Starter
Took a drive in a MG midget with a 12a
Today i went to the dentist and as i was leaving this guy comes out and says " nice car" then tells me about
his 1972 MG midget with a 12a, and it's parked accross the street. We go over to it and he pops the hood and guess what ??? yep it's a 12a,,, street ported, with a webber 45dcoe,
header, chevy cross-flow radiator, mazda 5 speed, He hands me the keys and says " drive-it ". Sooo, i get in, start it up, and it's quite , drive it down the street and that sucker really !!! goes good. I tell him about auto-Xing at the stadium. he never heard of it. But anyway....
this car had the best feeling clutch pedal i've felt in a RX7
he told me that he "opened up the clutch master some"
it was really fun to drive it too. The perfect "sleeper" IMO.
his 1972 MG midget with a 12a, and it's parked accross the street. We go over to it and he pops the hood and guess what ??? yep it's a 12a,,, street ported, with a webber 45dcoe,
header, chevy cross-flow radiator, mazda 5 speed, He hands me the keys and says " drive-it ". Sooo, i get in, start it up, and it's quite , drive it down the street and that sucker really !!! goes good. I tell him about auto-Xing at the stadium. he never heard of it. But anyway....
this car had the best feeling clutch pedal i've felt in a RX7
he told me that he "opened up the clutch master some"
it was really fun to drive it too. The perfect "sleeper" IMO.
08-28-03, 09:30 PM
#5
Nikki-Modder Rex-Rodder
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Trying to convince some clown not to put a Holley 600 on his 12a.
Posts: 2,890
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes
on
6 Posts
Originally posted by Manntis
I want a stock-looking civic with a Renesis driving the rear wheels...
I want a stock-looking civic with a Renesis driving the rear wheels...
Trending Topics
08-28-03, 11:58 PM
#10
Rotary Freak
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: SF BayArea
Posts: 2,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I had a 59 Sprite (predecessor of the Midget) with a Judson blower and THAT was a blast to drive! Won some streetlight drags against american muscle cars. Were they surprised.
Had to replace the crappy Holley carb that came with it with a carb for a Harley 74 and some fancy welded adaptor.
B
Had to replace the crappy Holley carb that came with it with a carb for a Harley 74 and some fancy welded adaptor.
B
08-29-03, 01:07 AM
#11
Tennis, anyone
Thread Starter
No, it was an orange/red,,,(stock) colour with that black band accross the bottom of the doors, where it says 'midgit'. black top vert. even the smiths guages were all working. a bit cramped driving. I like the way it sounded, no smog bullshit either. I hate to say it, but that car would eat my GS alive, maybe not the -SE though.
08-29-03, 11:57 AM
#14
Grassroots Motorsports did a series a few years ago on installing a rotary in a Triumph Spitfire. I think they used a GSL-SE motor.
I also saw a rotary-powered Lotus elan 2+2 advertised in Hemming's a few years ago, THAT would be neat!
I also saw a rotary-powered Lotus elan 2+2 advertised in Hemming's a few years ago, THAT would be neat!
08-29-03, 03:16 PM
#16
I read your email
While we're on the subject of rotary transplants, has anyone seen this 20b powered DeLorean? Looks like the guy did an awesome job! Check it out.
08-29-03, 03:20 PM
#18
'Last Minute' Rallying
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Lincoln, England
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
the Delorean was sold on Ebay a while back.
didn't realise the MG's were still that popular in the US. They are still a fairly common sight in the UK
Mike
didn't realise the MG's were still that popular in the US. They are still a fairly common sight in the UK
Mike
Last edited by MikeLMR; 08-29-03 at 03:22 PM.
08-29-03, 04:11 PM
#19
The AUTO DOCTOR
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: South Side of ATL. Ga.
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
theres a guy here in ATL. with a 13b, holley mg.... its a monster a real sleeper....even at the track. now my plan is to take my 64 sr 4 sunbeam alpine and 1 day drop in a twin turbo 
i figure if the tiger(same body) can hold a 260 or 289 then a poor little 1.3 lt
i figure if the tiger(same body) can hold a 260 or 289 then a poor little 1.3 lt
02-26-04, 10:58 PM
#21
Never satisfied
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: San diego, CA
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Working on getting the parts right now for installing a 12a into a late-model spitfire. I have restored a few of the cars and have also done a couple engine swaps, including a 22R motor. With only the essentials, my spitfire will weigh 1500 lbs ready to go. 150 hp from a modded 12a equals a very fast car.
02-26-04, 11:37 PM
#22
killer xavier8. let me know how it works out. i'm working on a 64 spitfire right now. gonna do from top to bottom with my race ported 12a and hopefully a blower soon. gonna take a year or so, but when done she will be *****! heard a miata rear end is good. what are you gonna use?
02-27-04, 01:13 AM
#23
Never satisfied
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: San diego, CA
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am going to use the stock suspension setup with a quaife limited slip differential in the stock case. Have been talking with a guy who put an S2000 motor in his car, running stock rear suspension with only the quaife. Also a fellow spitfire with a buick motor uses this setup. I only plan to have <200 hp though, so it should suffice. If you are going blower and race port, I can understand why you want to change it out. From my point of view, 200 hp is about the max hp I would want for awhile, considering that would give me a better power to weight ratio than a Z06. Too bad I can't get as much traction as that corvette.
Have seen both rx7 and corvette rear ends with shortened half shafts installed in spitfires. Very impressive. Major engineering project when you include changing the rear end.
My plan is:
1. Purchase a running, or recently running with blown engine, spitfire with working brakes, suspension, etc. All the basic components don't have to be in perfect shape, they are easily rebuildable, but need to be in driveable form.
2. Pull triumph engine, test fit motor, make measurements(like fitting under the hood), pull hood and body, weld in engine and tranny mounts and radiator provisions, have driveshaft fabricated, install electrical, and get running and driving
I prefer this route over doing a full resto on the car first because I can assess the condition of the motor/tranny/cooling etc. first. I can then take the car apart and start doing all the necessary things like sandblast and paint the frame, all new poly bushing, shocks if needed, brake caliper rebuilds, and all that jazz. I do NOT plan on making a perfect spitfire resto with a rotary. I plan on making a clean, no frills, lightweight speed machine. I have a comfortable car with a rotary, I want a wrx killer with 13" wheels!!
Do you have any pics of your car kettlman?
Have seen both rx7 and corvette rear ends with shortened half shafts installed in spitfires. Very impressive. Major engineering project when you include changing the rear end.
My plan is:
1. Purchase a running, or recently running with blown engine, spitfire with working brakes, suspension, etc. All the basic components don't have to be in perfect shape, they are easily rebuildable, but need to be in driveable form.
2. Pull triumph engine, test fit motor, make measurements(like fitting under the hood), pull hood and body, weld in engine and tranny mounts and radiator provisions, have driveshaft fabricated, install electrical, and get running and driving
I prefer this route over doing a full resto on the car first because I can assess the condition of the motor/tranny/cooling etc. first. I can then take the car apart and start doing all the necessary things like sandblast and paint the frame, all new poly bushing, shocks if needed, brake caliper rebuilds, and all that jazz. I do NOT plan on making a perfect spitfire resto with a rotary. I plan on making a clean, no frills, lightweight speed machine. I have a comfortable car with a rotary, I want a wrx killer with 13" wheels!!
Do you have any pics of your car kettlman?
02-27-04, 01:39 AM
#24
Still Dreams of 3rd Gen
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Owensboro, Ky
Posts: 867
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This guy in my town has this primered midjet, tubbed in the back, looks like one big tire from behind, hoodless front end has a huge blower sticking out, half windsheild and no roll bar. guy's nuts.
he made one pass at the strip with it and they told him not to come back. hehe
see him driving around just about everyday in the summer.
he made one pass at the strip with it and they told him not to come back. hehe
see him driving around just about everyday in the summer.
