Author Topic: Milwaukee Midget  (Read 3255546 times)

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Offline Stan Back

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4965 on: April 21, 2015, 08:44:08 PM »
All I got from it is that it takes only a little touch of yellow paint to cause handling problems.
Past (Only) Member of the San Berdoo Roadsters -- "California's Most-Exclusive Roadster Club" -- 19 Years of Bonneville and/or El Mirage Street Roadster Records

Offline Stainless1

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4966 on: April 22, 2015, 11:08:44 AM »
I don't know Stan, it didn't look like there were any safe colors for mini's.  I think I saw all the primary colors crash it that one... of course yellow seemed to play a part in a lot of them...
 :cheers:
Stainless
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Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4967 on: April 22, 2015, 11:13:08 AM »
I thought it looked like an HO scale drive to work in Milwaukee on any given day, but with less carnage.
"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline wisdonm

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4968 on: April 22, 2015, 11:17:02 AM »
You're right Chris, except, where were the upside down SUVs and 18 wheelers?
Stand on it....brakes only slow you down.

Has a checkered past.

Offline fordboy628

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4969 on: April 23, 2015, 07:06:04 AM »
Should we start a thread on the CG/CP of minis?  :? :?
Or just heist this one!  :evil:

I think a small "heist" is appropriate, since it's not my thread anyway . . . . . . . .

Certainly the CG is way ahead of the CP on a Mini, with the front engine and FWD.   How this changes dynamically, I confess I have no idea.

What is interesting to me though, is what happens to the side windows in Nick Swift's historic Mini at about 1:35/1:40 in the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V64dJ271XwM

I think that the pressure in the cockpit increases with road speed, probably not a good idea.    What do you think Woody?

All I got from it is that it takes only a little touch of yellow paint to cause handling problems.

Maybe it's lead based yellow paint and the lead affects the CG!!!   :roll:

Or it could just be that lemons is yellow . . . . . . . . :evil:

 :cheers:
Fordboy
Science, NOT Magic . . . .

I used to be a people person.  But people changed that relationship.

"There is nothing permanent except change."    Heraclitus

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."     Albert Einstein

Offline fordboy628

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4970 on: April 23, 2015, 07:07:30 AM »
midget,

Sorry about the hi-jack.

 :dhorse:
Fordboy
Science, NOT Magic . . . .

I used to be a people person.  But people changed that relationship.

"There is nothing permanent except change."    Heraclitus

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."     Albert Einstein

Offline WOODY@DDLLC

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4971 on: April 23, 2015, 09:05:58 AM »
No he's not, Chris!  :-( Pressure differentials drive all fluid flows! Low on the outside and same on the inside would make it bulge. Higher inside would be good at El Mirage - help keep the dust out!  :cheers:

Of course what it is doing at one spot is not what it is doing in another area!?!?  :-o So many leaks and so little time ................... :|
All models are wrong, but some are useful! G.E. Box (1967) www.designdreams.biz

Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4972 on: April 23, 2015, 09:32:18 AM »
So many leaks and so little time ................... :|

The last few runs I made, I was more concerned about pointing the car straight than making sure the window was up, but realizing Swift's using Lexan makes me glad I did cut a few pressure holes in the driver's side rear window and went with Hartwell latches on the roll-ups.

Mine are riveted and epoxied into place.

"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline fordboy628

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4973 on: April 28, 2015, 07:03:30 PM »
midget,

MGB cranks will be at my place tomorrow afternoon.    Will be working on measurements & sketches for the rover tomorrow as well.    Set up to measure bore diameters too.

 :cheers:
Fordboy
Science, NOT Magic . . . .

I used to be a people person.  But people changed that relationship.

"There is nothing permanent except change."    Heraclitus

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."     Albert Einstein

Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4974 on: April 28, 2015, 11:09:20 PM »
Great, Mark.

My schedule is getting tight - I'm planning on stopping by your place tomorrow after work, if that's okay.

Also, I need to grab your Helicoil kit - 7/16 14, if you have it.

So the plan Friday is to head up to Plymouth, Michigan and drop by Rody machining and chat with Greg.  I talked to him on the phone today - he's good with the stop-n-drop.

He's the guy who built my last crank, and I'll want him to build the short-stroke for the twin cam.  He hasn't seen a modern Rover/MG crank before, and as we're looking to mount up the new engine to the Spridget transmission, we'll be looking to create a flange to mate up to the MG flywheel, and likely set it up for Honda rod bearings.

I'm also dropping off a couple of MGB cranks for one of Fordboy's customers, so Greg can perform his wizardry on them. 

So this is the first serious financial commitment to this phase of the project since acquiring the engine, and if I want to run in 2016, (I do) I need to get cracking.

After I'm done at Greg's, it's off to Wilmington for the weekend to meet up with Gregg (2 'g's).  I've been meaning to attend a meet at Wilmington since they opened, and this should be a big one. 

Weather report looks dynamite - low chance of that stuff we don't talk about, and highs in the high 60's, low 70's.

Also, I got a call from my former home town paper, the Cedar Rapids Gazette today.  I did about an hour interview, and I suggested he call Tom Donney up in Fort Dodge, Iowa to fill out the article on small bore production stuff on the salt.  I'll let you know when it posts up.

I also talked to Tom today, he's bringing Bertil Sollenskog's SAAB to Wilmington.  Gerald Davenport's bringing the Crosley out again, and I see Burton Brown's entered the Z car, so I'll have my fill of small bore, short wheelbase production based cars to last me until August.

157 entries - It's going to be busy.

I'll post up some pics on the "official" thread, when that gets set up.
"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline fordboy628

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4975 on: April 29, 2015, 07:46:51 AM »
Great, Mark.

My schedule is getting tight - I'm planning on stopping by your place tomorrow after work, if that's okay.     Wednesday night?

Also, I need to grab your Helicoil kit - 7/16 14, if you have it.      I'll double check and dig it out for you.

So the plan Friday is to head up to Plymouth, Michigan and drop by Rody machining and chat with Greg.  I talked to him on the phone today - he's good with the stop-n-drop.

He's the guy who built my last crank, and I'll want him to build the short-stroke for the twin cam.  He hasn't seen a modern Rover/MG crank before, and as we're looking to mount up the new engine to the Spridget transmission, we'll be looking to create a flange (nah, it's going to be a 1/2" thick adaptor plate) to mate up to the MG flywheel, and likely set it up for Honda rod bearings.

I'm also dropping off a couple of MGB cranks for one of Fordboy's customers, so Greg can perform his wizardry on them. 

So this is the first serious financial commitment to this phase of the project since acquiring the engine, and if I want to run in 2016, (I do) I need to get cracking.

After I'm done at Greg's, it's off to Wilmington for the weekend to meet up with Gregg (2 'g's).  I've been meaning to attend a meet at Wilmington since they opened, and this should be a big one. 

Weather report looks dynamite - low chance of that stuff we don't talk about, and highs in the high 60's, low 70's.

Also, I got a call from my former home town paper, the Cedar Rapids Gazette today.  I did about an hour interview, and I suggested he call Tom Donney up in Fort Dodge, Iowa to fill out the article on small bore production stuff on the salt.  I'll let you know when it posts up.

I also talked to Tom today, he's bringing Bertil Sollenskog's SAAB to Wilmington.  Gerald Davenport's bringing the Crosley out again, and I see Burton Brown's entered the Z car, so I'll have my fill of small bore, short wheelbase production based cars to last me until August.

157 entries - It's going to be busy.

I'll post up some pics on the "official" thread, when that gets set up.

Call this morning.    Will have everything ready to go.

 :cheers:
Fordboy
Science, NOT Magic . . . .

I used to be a people person.  But people changed that relationship.

"There is nothing permanent except change."    Heraclitus

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."     Albert Einstein

Offline fordboy628

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4976 on: April 30, 2015, 08:35:05 AM »
Sconnie Nation Heli-Coil Care package





midget,

Here is everything you need to repair the stripped thread.   Some instructions for you, and others who have never installed a Heli-coil:

1)   Read the kit instructions . . . . .

2)   Use a lubricant for drilling and tapping.    Tap Magic for Aluminum works well, as does CRC 5-56, or WD-40 in a pinch.   DO NOT DRILL OR TAP DRY.

3)   Use the ground v-block to support the drill bit at 90 degrees to the surface.   This is essential for an effective repair.

4)   Support the tap with the v-block as well, same idea, 90 degrees to the surface.

5)   The tap in the kit is a general purpose plug tap with 3 tapered threads.   You will not be able to "bottom" tap using it.    If you need to bottom tap, you get to buy a special
      Heli-coil bottom tap or buy another std Heli-coil plug tap and carefully grind it into a bottom tap.   Do not anneal the tap while grinding it down.   Deburr it after grinding.

6)   While tapping, reverse the tap to "break the chips", often.    Disregard at your own peril . . . . .

7)   The inserts supplied are the std length.   The insert should be as long as possible for the best thread engagement.   Inserts are made in various lengths, and for this
      situation, you want thread diameter x 2, so 7/16ths diameter requires 7/8ths length.  Unsurprisingly, 7/8ths length inserts are available . . . .

8]   BEFORE inserting the repair coil, measure the depth of the hole.   On a bottom tapped hole, the insert length will be hole shoulder depth - 1/8th inch.    Top of the
      insert "tail" needs to be 1/32nd to 1/16th below the block surface.   Insert coils can be CAREFULLY shortened with a cutoff wheel if need necessary.    Carefully deburr.

9)   Breaking off and removing the "drive tang" in a blind hole is a pain in the a$$.   And just for added fun, the stainless steel inserts are NOT magnetic . . . . . .

10) Just in case the insert is too long and projects above the surface, you MIGHT get lucky and be able to "unwind" it out.    If not, just grab it with a needle nose vise-grip
      and pull it out.    Start over with a new insert, shortened a bit more . . . .

11) Yeah, the plastic insert installation tools are crappy and weak.   You need to be careful.   I don't know if the old steel installation tools are still available.    I just make
      a steel installation tool out of a grade 5 SHCS or bolt if I need one.  (SHCS = socket head cap screw, allen bolt)   A hack saw and a file will work on a grade 5 bolt.

Anybody else who has installed a lot of Heli-Coils, feel free to add your tips.

 :cheers:
Fordboy
Science, NOT Magic . . . .

I used to be a people person.  But people changed that relationship.

"There is nothing permanent except change."    Heraclitus

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."     Albert Einstein

Offline Graham in Aus

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4977 on: April 30, 2015, 09:12:13 AM »
Hey!  :-o

I don't come on here for a couple of weeks and you drift off into Mini's!



That's me  (85) at Brands Hatch in 1991, that video clip was just in my 'era' !

This one Donington lifting a wheel...



Goggles got it right though, eventually the cost of the constant bodywork rebuilds  :-P :-P was too much!!  :-D






Offline fordboy628

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4978 on: April 30, 2015, 09:19:37 AM »
Hi Graham,

Ahh yes, Minis . . . .

The racecar that corners best while emulating the stance of a urinating male dog . . . . .   :roll:

 :dhorse:

 :cheers:
Fordboy
Science, NOT Magic . . . .

I used to be a people person.  But people changed that relationship.

"There is nothing permanent except change."    Heraclitus

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."     Albert Einstein

Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: Milwaukee Midget
« Reply #4979 on: April 30, 2015, 09:21:47 AM »
Graham, you daredevil!

Leading the pack, and lifting a leg like a bulldog peeing on a fire hydrant.

Having never owned one, I can unequivocally say they're the coolest damned car on the planet.

Closest I ever got was a '78 Ford Fiesta.  Stunningly quick and thrifty.

Mark, thanks for the tool loan.  Inserts are arriving from McMaster-Carr today, and I should be able to get this back to you next week.
"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll: