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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Pros/Cons with 7,5 inch clutch

Hi,

I'm currently stocking up on the parts i need to do a ford five-speed conversion and now i have everything i need except a flywheel and clutch.

And now my question is this, since modifying my old flywheel would be kind of expensive since i'm having a hard time finding someone to undertake this work here in sweden where i live, so i though of buying a modified one with clutch i wonder if there's any disadvantages on going with the bigger alternative 7,5inch clutch compared to 6,5 or the old ford clutch?

Will be using my car for fast road by the way.
And if anyone might have a modified flywheel for sale preferably without ring gear do send me a PM.


//REGARDS Alex
__________________
ASW Sorby

A bigger clutch cover and plate is heavier than a smaller one and that's the disadvantage. The advantage is that because it's bigger its' stronger and will take more punishment.

You haven't said if you are on a tight budget or not BUT if you have the cash you might want to consider a lightened steel flywheel from Peter May Eng that is drilled and balanced for the 7.5" cover and if you buy the cover from him he'll balance it as well.

Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

Alex,

The 6.5" clutch to suit the 5 speed is illusive, it has been mentioned on the BBS as existing but to my knowledge no one has given the application. As far as I know the 6.5" clutch to suit the 5 speed 23 spline input shaft is a custom and therefore more expensive than a standard item.

IIRC a suitable 7.5" plate can be found used on various Ford applications and the Hillman Hunter IIRC.

For applications a look here might be useful http://www2.qha.com/catalogues/QH08.pdf and search for 25.4x23 and 190mm OD, you get things like the 1.6 Capri, Sierra etc.
David Billington

and PM makes a very nice job of it. Heres mine lightened & drilled for a 7.5 clutch.


Brad 1380

& just because it looks so nice, heres one with the clutch fitted & an anodised ali back plate.
I should have noted the clutch part number as i will need a new one on for the other engine in build.


Brad 1380

All-right, thanks for the input!
Am not on a to tight budget but wouldn't want the expenses to be going through the roof. I Googeld for Peter May's and found that the prices weren't to bad compared to what I thought they would be compared to the parts I've looked on before
ASW Sorby

Hi Alex,

I've also got the Peter may 7.5" clutch with lightened and balanced flywheel on my 1430. I think it's a very good setup, precise and light action. As good (or better) than any modern car!

But...I heard some bad stories about his release bearing...mine has the MiniMania bearing. You can find info on this board by searching the archive!

Cheers,

Eddy
Eddy Veuger

Brad

I have one of those clutches sitting on my bench - I'll see if i can find a number on it...

Eddy - never had any problem with my PM release bearing? Lots of hard racing use...

JB
James Bilsland

James,
that would be great if you could,

thanks
Brad
Brad 1380

All right guys what do you think about

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290468762424&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#shId

I bought it mainly for the flywheel hoping i could find another clutch to fit it since i don't think i'd like to use that clutch on a road car, any objections? ;) if i wouldn't find any i'll put it on the shelf until it's time to do some major racing upgrades on my old morris minor 1000.

And regarding the release bearing, i will go with a bearing from an older model of saab 900, since that would be my cheapest option and maybe also the more tolerant one. I've read some adds and websites on this upgrade, could post them here if anyone would be interested?
ASW Sorby

That was cheap!
Brad 1380

Brad,

Sorry no numbers on my clutch :(

JB
James B

Thanks for looking James.
Brad 1380

And i just now realised why the flywheel i bid on ended so cheap!! :S'

I didn't think of it at the time because the headline says "midget" but later on in the text is says that i came from a marina based engine, and if the case is that it's a marina flywheel (knock on wood that it's not) it would first of all not fit on my crank and also be to big for the bellhousing, boy do i feel stupid... :S
ASW Sorby

Almost certainly it won't be for a Marina crank - I would lay money that the Marina block would have had a Midget crank in it...

It is however not recommended for road use - AP racing clutches using scintered plates are seriously 'on/off' and are good for breaking Midget boxes - you may not break a Ford box quite so easily but you will struggle to pull away smoothly from the lights and your engine thrust washers will suffer very accelerated wear...

James
James B

that's what i hope for but can't be certain until i unpack the thing :)

and regarding the clutch, just as i wrote further up, i don't think i'll be using it. If it's not possible to fit another pressure plate to it and use the cover etc? If i just would have to exchange the scintered one in bronze to a regular one that wouldn't be to expensive or is there more to it?
ASW Sorby

uhm, well it's me again since I'm having a hard time finding reliable sources in my native language i'm relying on spridgetforums :P

sent an email to the seller, asking if he knew what crank the flywheel was fitted to before i sold it and got the answer that he bought a used 1275 engine with the racing clutch and flywheel, and had to machine the recess of his other midget flywheel by 3.0mm to get over the crank output.

He didn't say what engine he took the other flywheel from, but to me the info he supplied me with it sounds like he fitted an 1100cc flywheel to 1275cc or am i wrong? A marina flywheel couldn't possibly have a smaller recess than the smaller flywheel fitted to 1275 spridgets?

This is just speculation, but any input would be appreciated
ASW Sorby

OK, I may be proved wrong

The Marina crank has a square end which the crank bolts onto rather than the tapered end of a Midget crank

It is possible that the race engine used a stroked Marina crank (offset ground big end journals) to get to 1425cc - when I have done the conversion in the past I machined the Marina crank end so that it fitted the flywheel - but machining the flywheel to fit the crank is probably the easier approach...

Hope I'm wrong... :(

JB
James B

Damn, been browsing the web and concluded the same thing,
but who knows i might be lucky.

If not maybe i could swap flywheel with someone who desires to go to 1425cc, just need to find someone up for it with a modified flywheel to my cars standard, but finding someone maybe easier said than done :)
ASW Sorby

This thread was discussed between 02/09/2010 and 08/09/2010

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.