1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

Took a drive in a MG midget with a 12a

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-28-03 | 08:20 PM
  #1  
MarkPerez's Avatar
Thread Starter
Tennis, anyone
 
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,803
Likes: 4
From: SoCal.
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.
Old 08-28-03 | 08:51 PM
  #2  
virfighter's Avatar
Senior Member

 
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta, GA
Wow, sounds like a blast. Give me an MGB GT with a rotary and I could see myself having some fun
Old 08-28-03 | 09:58 PM
  #3  
Sterling's Avatar
Nikki-Modder Rex-Rodder
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,890
Likes: 14
From: Trying to convince some clown not to put a Holley 600 on his 12a.
I want either a Triumph GT6, or an Opel GT with a rotary, streetported, SCed, ICed, H2O injected.

Old 08-28-03 | 10:22 PM
  #4  
Manntis's Avatar
add to cart
 
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,180
Likes: 0
From: Saskatoon, SK & Montreal, PQ
I want a stock-looking civic with a Renesis driving the rear wheels...
Old 08-28-03 | 10:30 PM
  #5  
Sterling's Avatar
Nikki-Modder Rex-Rodder
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,890
Likes: 14
From: Trying to convince some clown not to put a Holley 600 on his 12a.
Originally posted by Manntis
I want a stock-looking civic with a Renesis driving the rear wheels...
Really? I would think that should be pretty neat!
Old 08-28-03 | 10:34 PM
  #6  
Manntis's Avatar
add to cart
 
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,180
Likes: 0
From: Saskatoon, SK & Montreal, PQ
...and I shall christen her Rhonda...
Old 08-28-03 | 10:43 PM
  #7  
Sterling's Avatar
Nikki-Modder Rex-Rodder
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,890
Likes: 14
From: Trying to convince some clown not to put a Holley 600 on his 12a.
I had a girlfriend named Rhonda.
Rhonda the Honda. Rev 'er up and ride her.

eh. She was a bitch.
Old 08-28-03 | 10:50 PM
  #8  
Jeff20B's Avatar
Lapping = Fapping
iTrader: (13)
 
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 15,725
Likes: 83
From: Near Seattle
What a coincidence. I was just about to head out to the garage and start shifting things around to eventually plop my REPU 4 port 13B in my MG midget.

Hey Mark, was that car blue?

Heh, Rhonda. That's pretty cool.
Old 08-28-03 | 11:19 PM
  #9  
setzep's Avatar
Rotary Freak
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,524
Likes: 0
From: MN
a nice 13b/12a in a GT6 would be pretty fun! I'm with you on that one Sterling.
Old 08-29-03 | 12:58 AM
  #10  
bliffle's Avatar
Rotary Freak
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,815
Likes: 0
From: SF BayArea
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
Old 08-29-03 | 02:07 AM
  #11  
MarkPerez's Avatar
Thread Starter
Tennis, anyone
 
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,803
Likes: 4
From: SoCal.
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.
Old 08-29-03 | 08:16 AM
  #12  
jimmdog's Avatar
Senior Member

 
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 330
Likes: 0
From: Chix Beach, Va.
Any one ever seen or heard of a MGB with a rotary ? I want to put a 12a in my 73 B this winter.
Old 08-29-03 | 08:38 AM
  #13  
XLR8's Avatar
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
iTrader: (52)
 
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 3,902
Likes: 10
From: NJ
Midget with a bridgeported 12a........Now that would be fun
Old 08-29-03 | 12:57 PM
  #14  
Wankelguy's Avatar
My FSP Fiesta eats Jettas
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 3
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!
Old 08-29-03 | 01:14 PM
  #15  
Jeff20B's Avatar
Lapping = Fapping
iTrader: (13)
 
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 15,725
Likes: 83
From: Near Seattle
Here's a page on RotaryMG's car. http://www.geocities.com/sykumash/Rotary-MG_Home.html
Old 08-29-03 | 04:16 PM
  #16  
inittab's Avatar
I read your email
 
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,624
Likes: 1
From: NW New Jersey
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.


Old 08-29-03 | 04:19 PM
  #17  
inittab's Avatar
I read your email
 
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,624
Likes: 1
From: NW New Jersey
double post *sigh*

Last edited by inittab; 08-29-03 at 04:23 PM.
Old 08-29-03 | 04:20 PM
  #18  
MikeLMR's Avatar
'Last Minute' Rallying
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 0
From: Lincoln, England
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

Last edited by MikeLMR; 08-29-03 at 04:22 PM.
Old 08-29-03 | 05:11 PM
  #19  
BadAssRX-7's Avatar
The AUTO DOCTOR
 
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 0
From: South Side of ATL. Ga.
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
Old 08-29-03 | 11:08 PM
  #20  
RacerX7fb's Avatar
paradox
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,296
Likes: 2
From: SoCal
Rotary powered Bugeyed Sprites are badass
Old 02-26-04 | 11:58 PM
  #21  
Xavier8's Avatar
Never satisfied

 
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
From: San diego, CA
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.
Old 02-27-04 | 12:37 AM
  #22  
kettlman's Avatar
THE ONE. THE ONLY!
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,776
Likes: 2
From: wa
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?
Old 02-27-04 | 02:13 AM
  #23  
Xavier8's Avatar
Never satisfied

 
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
From: San diego, CA
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?
Old 02-27-04 | 02:39 AM
  #24  
jorx81@aol.com's Avatar
Still Dreams of 3rd Gen
iTrader: (6)
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 867
Likes: 0
From: Owensboro, Ky
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.
Old 02-27-04 | 04:27 AM
  #25  
Cody's Avatar
SKELETOR!
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,077
Likes: 0
From: Prescott Valley, AZ
Ahh...

Soon my WIDEBODY 71 MGB will be rotary powered as well!



Quick Reply: Took a drive in a MG midget with a 12a



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:06 PM.