advice on gold dust....midet engine, please.

Post by sb » Wed Jul 28, 2004 8:50 pm

ive located a 1966 midget engine thats been raced and not used for three years, aparently its clean. plus rear axle and prop shaft.

Dont have a clue really cos i've owned my minor for a mere 8 months and still learning.

Thought i'd take a chance and buy them, i know engine is gold dust, but what should i pay for the parts?

say in ehither bad condition/ fair and good????

thanks, scott.

Post by **rayofleamington** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 10:06 pm

Engine:
bad condidtion - merely scrap value but some ppl think £100
Good condidtion anything from £100 to many hundreds

Post by **ericwork** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:19 am

well I agree with Ray these engines are usually around £100 upwards. However I too have recently bought a 10cc (1098) midget engine and gearbox, which I only paid £40 for. I saw it on a MG Midget web site. I guess I was fortunate in that the seller was building a 66 car for racing when he managed to get a racing 1275 engine and box, so rather lost interest in the 1098. I have pulled them apart and to my joy they look like they had only just been referbished. The main bearings were still grey with only a slight polished look, the bores are good too with no sign of wear, (+10 thou). So I guess I am very lucky. Why not try an offer of £40 and take it from there.
Eric.

Post by **Kevin** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 11:11 am

Well I paid £100 for my 1275 Midget engine with known smokey valve guides but I was unable to hear it running but its turned out to be a reasonable engine but a bit rattly so I will rebuild it in the winter.
If you cant hear the engine running with luck it should keep the price down, but do you know what size it is as the 1275 is worth more than the 1098, the propshaft is no good to you but the diff might be if its a 3.9 as this will lower crusing revs but will lower performance.

engine thats been raced and not used for three years

Now the big question is how much has it been raced, but if the price is reasonable and you are prepared for a rebuild you might be lucky.
Let us know what the owner says about condition,size & price and we should be able to advise futher.

Post by **rayofleamington** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 12:41 pm

but will lower performance

that depends on your view of performance. It will reduce the acceleration but increase economy and be less noisy at motoprway speeds.

Post by sb » Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:04 pm

thanks for the replies. spoke to the bloke.

Hes a bike fan with several unfinished bike projects and a few years ago tried his hand at a midget restoration. Had one and bought tw0 from a daihatsu garage, that raced midgets on the side, these parts are from the raced one. he can's give me the number for the garage because he bought them as it closed.

Admits he knows little about the parts and did'nt try to blag it!
However, informed me that his rebuild was involved in an accident and after the repair the box went and as such the following insurance wrangle sees the car still at the garage. 3 years. (ironically he asked about morris box)

Apparently a bloke looked at the parts and took the steering colunm/rack and mentioned the engine was a 1275. It does have a close cut cear box
and it came with webber twin carbs althought they were taken by the previous owner. not sure about the diff either. obviously the close cut box is no good for his stranded midget.

Is this a sell or a typical restoration story? anyway i offered him £35 for the engine/box and would not be afraid to knock him down a bit me.
he ok with the price though.

any advice please cheers, scott.

Post by **salty_monk** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 12:28 pm

£35 for an engine & box sound good to me..!!
Not exactly a lot of dough to gamble!

Post by **Kevin** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 12:31 pm

Is this a sell or a typical restoration story? anyway i offered him £35 for the engine/box and would not be afraid to knock him down a bit me.
he ok with the price though.

At that price even if the engine wants a total rebuild its a bargain, and he will chuck the gearbox in as well, I think your birthday has come early

Post by sb » Fri Jul 30, 2004 11:40 pm

Thanks, it would seem good buy then! even so, on inspection how would i confirm its a 1275, Ie any external markings, size or should i look inside and then how would i tell?

Cheers, scott.

Post by **Kevin** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 8:13 am

As you look at the engine to the right hand side half way down ner the front there is an identifying plate it should read 1275 on you rcurrent engine there will be one with 1100 if you have a 1098cc engine. also the back left hand side of the head where the heater valve connects the mounting will be at an angle of around 45 degrees your 1098 one will be parallel with the back of the head, also the timing cover will have a breather pipe coming from it which in the minor needs to be altered to clear the fan, have a look at your own engine and the differences will be obvious.

Post by sb » Sun Aug 08, 2004 11:08 pm

I picked up that engine and gear box today. Bit tatty outside but looked clean inside. a coulpe of bit missing bits, carb/valve to heater, cos previously a racer and interestingly no reverse gear. Not sure what to do about that. However, £40 and some work to come.

Thanks to all, especially Kevin.

Cheers, scott.