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My first foray into British cars

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  • #1

    My first foray into British cars

    Subtitle: Lucas Electrics, why Brits drink warm beer.

    I’ve always appreciated the looks of the small, 2 seater roadsters. Spitfires, MG, Healey and the sort. I remember me and my cousins piling into my uncles Fiat as kids and ripping around Brooklyn. Good times. As an adult, I’ve had a pair of Miata’s and an RX-7, so I get the concept of it’s more fun to drive a slow car fast. Fast forward to last weekend, and this followed me home. It’s a 1971 MG Midget. Brakes are non existent, soft top and frame are missing, paint is good from 20 feet at 20mph, I’m sure there’s bondo, but for the most part it’s solid and runs.
    IMG_6631.jpg
    Flock of Hawks | '13 Tacoma | '69 Falcon (currently getting reassembled!)
    I've spent most of my money on women, beer, cars and motorcycles. The rest of it I just wasted.
    Tags: None
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    • #2
      And as for the subtitle in this thread, only the headlights and right side blinkers work. No brake lights, taillights, left turn signals, cigarette lighter…. You get the point.

      Interior is worn out and dirty, crack in the dash pad, speaker is on by one bolt, antenna is broken, wheels have surface rust, the plexiglass window on the hard top is foggy, and all the rubber trim is degrading.

      Step one, get her in the garage and get the top off.
      70577790529__5769FE88-B788-4584-A176-170D2D862F52.jpg
      70578716314__854149B9-F4C5-4E51-BC28-BADDFFBCBF98.jpg
      Flock of Hawks | '13 Tacoma | '69 Falcon (currently getting reassembled!)
      I've spent most of my money on women, beer, cars and motorcycles. The rest of it I just wasted.
        👍 3

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        • #3
          Step 2, go online and order a Chiltons manual and a Moss Motors catalog.

          Step 3, start diagnosing the lights. Battery was weak, turns out the cables weren’t clamped tight. Add a tender and let it charge. Realize the trunk light actually does work, so don’t leave it open or it’ll drain the battery overnight. Put the tender back on the battery.
          Flock of Hawks | '13 Tacoma | '69 Falcon (currently getting reassembled!)
          I've spent most of my money on women, beer, cars and motorcycles. The rest of it I just wasted.
            👍 2

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            • #4
              There are a few spots of minor rust that will need to be addressed, worst is the leading edge of the hood. Paint looks to be a factory color, Damask Red, which I can order online.

              I’m not looking to do a full restoration, just want to make it clean and safe, reasonably reliable, and use it on nice days.
              Flock of Hawks | '13 Tacoma | '69 Falcon (currently getting reassembled!)
              I've spent most of my money on women, beer, cars and motorcycles. The rest of it I just wasted.
                👍 1

                Comment

                • #5
                  Oh, and should the motor ever give up the ghost, I’ll take a page out of SuperFastMatt’s playbook and drop a CBR600F2 motor in it.

                  One thing I realized is that the Hawk I traded for the Midget had more horsepower!
                  Last edited by 69Falcon; 05-17-2023, 08:10 AM.
                  Flock of Hawks | '13 Tacoma | '69 Falcon (currently getting reassembled!)
                  I've spent most of my money on women, beer, cars and motorcycles. The rest of it I just wasted.
                    👍 3

                    Comment

                    • #6
                      Originally Posted by 69Falcon
                      Oh, and should the motor ever give up the ghost, I’ll take a page out of SuperFastMatt’s playbook and drop a CBR600F2 motor in it.

                      One thing I realized is that the Hawk I traded for the Midget had more horsepower!


                      Love superfastMatt - that dude has some great ideas.
                        👍 1

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                        • #7
                          Sign me up. Like the plan and want to do similar someday.
                            👍 2

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                            • #8
                              Originally Posted by 69Falcon
                              Oh, and should the motor ever give up the ghost, I’ll take a page out of SuperFastMatt’s playbook and drop a CBR600F2 motor in it.

                              One thing I realized is that the Hawk I traded for the Midget had more horsepower!
                              That wasn't a slow hawk.

                              God damn I wish I still lived up there. We would have a blast with this project. But we will be up soon.

                              Excited to see thos come along and excited for you, I know how long you have been looking for something to fill this project slot.

                              It looks really cool.
                              Don't spend money and buy, spend time and learn.

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                                • #9
                                  my first caR was a used nineteen fifty-seven MGA. lots of lucas problems. i remember squeezing on my back under the rear end far enough to hit the electric fuel pump a few times to get it working again. that car was the beginning of my carb work .[keep those SU dashpots oiled] my next car in nineteen sixty-six was a used nineteensixty-four alfa romeo sixteen hundred spider with great bosch electrics.

                                  an older car is so much easier to work on, and the steering may be more precise.
                                  Last edited by squirrelman; 05-18-2023, 05:29 PM.
                                  "It's only getting worse."


                                  MY rides: '97 VFR750, '90 Red Hawk, '88 Blue/Black Hawk, '86 RWB VFR700 (3), '86 Yamaha Radian, '90 VTR250, '89 VTR250 (2), '73 CB125, '66 Yamaha YL-1

                                  Sold: '86 FJ1200, '92 ZX-7, '90 Radian, '73 CB750, '89 all-white Hawk, '88 blue Hawk, '86 FZ600, '86 Yam Fazer 700 , '89 VTR250, '87 VFR700F2, '86 VFR700F.
                                    👍 2

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                                    • #10
                                      Originally Posted by squirrelman
                                      [keep those SU dashpots oiled]
                                      I have much to learn about the car, especially those carbs. Sounds like I may need to pick your brain.
                                      Last edited by 69Falcon; 05-18-2023, 07:12 AM.
                                      Flock of Hawks | '13 Tacoma | '69 Falcon (currently getting reassembled!)
                                      I've spent most of my money on women, beer, cars and motorcycles. The rest of it I just wasted.

                                        Comment

                                        • #11
                                          Originally Posted by 69Falcon
                                          Subtitle: Lucas Electrics, why Brits drink warm beer.

                                          I’ve always appreciated the looks of the small, 2 seater roadsters. Spitfires, MG, Healey and the sort. I remember me and my cousins piling into my uncles Fiat as kids and ripping around Brooklyn. Good times. As an adult, I’ve had a pair of Miata’s and an RX-7, so I get the concept of it’s more fun to drive a slow car fast. Fast forward to last weekend, and this followed me home. It’s a 1971 MG Midget. Brakes are non existent, soft top and frame are missing, paint is good from 20 feet at 20mph, I’m sure there’s bondo, but for the most part it’s solid and runs.
                                          IMG_6631.jpg
                                          I would like to firmly state I only drink ice cold Tuborg Good luck with the project
                                            👍 1

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                                            • #12
                                              Originally Posted by 69Falcon

                                              I have much to learn about the car, especially those carbs. Sounds like I may need to pick your brain.
                                              im pleased to offer any help you might need, but find the relevant websites, chuck, they know the most obscure info on british cars in depth just like we know hawks.
                                              "It's only getting worse."


                                              MY rides: '97 VFR750, '90 Red Hawk, '88 Blue/Black Hawk, '86 RWB VFR700 (3), '86 Yamaha Radian, '90 VTR250, '89 VTR250 (2), '73 CB125, '66 Yamaha YL-1

                                              Sold: '86 FJ1200, '92 ZX-7, '90 Radian, '73 CB750, '89 all-white Hawk, '88 blue Hawk, '86 FZ600, '86 Yam Fazer 700 , '89 VTR250, '87 VFR700F2, '86 VFR700F.
                                                👍 1

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                                                • #13
                                                  I always liked the MG Midget. I like hard tops that come off too. It looks pretty good in the pictures.

                                                  One of my 64 cars owned was my first British car. It was a 1962 Sunbeam Alpine (not a Tiger but looked like one). Smallest motor was had just a 3 main bearing crank. The motor ran but was really bad. The center thrust bearing fell into the pan so when you pushed in the clutch the crank moved and hit the block slightly and only 5lb oil pressure revved up. Found a 1965 Alpine with 1725 5 main bearing motor in a wrecking yard. Rebuilt it at .040 over. It really ran so good. 110mph indicated in 4th. I was really lucky the car electrics, upholstery, paint, gauges and soft top was all good. This was 1974 and I had about 500.00 in it after rebuilding the motor. Sold it about 6 months later.
                                                  Bill,
                                                  89 Red Hawk, 2021 Rebel 1100 (bike 41) Some Past/sold in reverse order:,FZ09,97 Magna #1&2 , 97 VFR750F, 87 VFR400R, 88 Hawk, 86 SRX 600, 77 RD400, 79 CB650, 04 VFR, 88 Blue Hawk, 89 Red Hawk, Yamaha SRX600, Harley 1200C, Yamaha RD400, Harley 883R, Yamaha 750 triple, Vlx600, Honda 450, Honda 400, CB550F, Kawasaki H1, BMW R69US, Yamaha R5C 350, Honda 160, Bridgestone 175, 1950 Harley 74 w/sidecar, 65 Harley 250 Sprint, 1948 Harley and my 1st bike-1941 Harley 74 knucklehead my dad gave in1963.
                                                    👍 1

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                                                    • #14
                                                      ^^^ just after high school i usta bomb around in my moms sunbeam alpine, and i remember alota understeer.
                                                      "It's only getting worse."


                                                      MY rides: '97 VFR750, '90 Red Hawk, '88 Blue/Black Hawk, '86 RWB VFR700 (3), '86 Yamaha Radian, '90 VTR250, '89 VTR250 (2), '73 CB125, '66 Yamaha YL-1

                                                      Sold: '86 FJ1200, '92 ZX-7, '90 Radian, '73 CB750, '89 all-white Hawk, '88 blue Hawk, '86 FZ600, '86 Yam Fazer 700 , '89 VTR250, '87 VFR700F2, '86 VFR700F.

                                                        Comment

                                                        • #15
                                                          This thing has the weirdest looking front shocks I have EVER seen. At the top of the spindle is this lever arm, that then rotates a shaft in this contraption! Second pic is of the passenger side to more easily see it.
                                                          IMG_6665.jpg
                                                          IMG_6667.jpg

                                                          At any rate, I’d jacked it up and got the wheel off to try bleeding the brakes. Can somebody please tell me why a British car that is supposed to be metric uses 11/16” lug nuts on a 4x4” bolt pattern, and I’m too tired to go downstairs and dig through my SAE wrenches to find one that will fit the brake bleeder, because that isn’t metric either! That’s it, I’m going to sleep. G’night all!
                                                          Flock of Hawks | '13 Tacoma | '69 Falcon (currently getting reassembled!)
                                                          I've spent most of my money on women, beer, cars and motorcycles. The rest of it I just wasted.

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