Milwaukee Midget

[Milwaukee Midget]

You are more disciplined than I am, I would have blown it up trying for the last 9/10th's.

BR

I needed to remind myself - it's only a number.

And broken motors produce even less power.

This is not directed toward any of you who have been following this - you know the struggle - you know the drill.

But here's the conversation Kate is fearing -

Unwashed Bonneville Spectator - "What is it?"

Me - "It's a 1971 MG Midget."

UBS - "My uncle used to have an MGB Midget."

Me - "Uh huh."

UBS - "How many horsepower?"

Me - "99.1"

UBS - "Wow - It doesn't even make 100 horsepower?"

. . . a minor altercation ensues . . .

BLM Ranger - "Mr. Conrad, you have the right to remain silent . . ."


 

[Ron Gibson]

 

Ron

[wheelrdealer]

Last I checked they don't give records for HP, just for speed. You also dropped the car some so it will all add up.  My money is on the record coming back to Beerhaven!

BR

[Koncretekid]

Have hope! I made 9 changes to my bike last year, some to the motor, but found no more hp.  Got to the Salt Flats and 9 more mph!  The low hanging fruit is gone, but with a few more hp, better aero, and determination, you should get you there.
Tom

[Milwaukee Midget]

Tom, you are so right.  It's the complete package that races, not just the engine.

This year, it will be all but plowing salt - the front is slammed and air bagged - I use a 2x4 on the frame to adjust the height, so the lowest point is 3 1/2 inches off of the ground.  I also locked off upward movement to the front suspension to keep the nose down. 

Last year, Pork Pie sent me a series of photos of the car accelerating, and the faster it went the higher the nose went.  I think I've got good control on that this year, which will only help with the aero profile.

I don't have the front brakes dragging this year - because there are no front brakes - and I also installed a set of lowering blocks on the rear springs.

In short, I'm doing everything the rules allow - or at least don't prohibit - to get this thing to the goal.

As to the record - sure would be nice.  But I've stated before - going back 2 years - that this will be

"the fastest damned stock bodied, naturally aspirated, five-port, one liter Midget ever to hit the salt."

Period. 

[Tman]

Cool progress Chris!

[Milwaukee Midget]

Okay – been slammed at work, but we’re a little better than 3 weeks out, and it looks like the Midget will be pulled together in a timely basis.

I’ll confess - last week I was worried.  Wednesday didn’t go well – the Grenade was leaking around a seal that I thought was right, but I had no previous experience with the new timing belt set-up.  So when I screwed it together – and once again, I didn’t even think to question it – I thought it was right.  If I continue to learn in this manner, eventually, I’m going to blow something up. 

My long-time friend, Dumb Luck, has continued down this path with me.  He’s the kind of friend you can never count on, but I’m always grateful when he shows up.

The friend I CAN count on, Mark, was once again, exactly the professional one wants when you’re dialing in an engine.  When we finally procured the seals and got the engine up and running, his direction sent us right where we needed to be.  In a short period of time, we had exhausted out tests, quickly found our direction and came away with an excellent tune.  A huge “Thank You’ to Fordboy.



Tom at T&T should also be commended.  His specialty is big Ponchos, but he was a quick study on the A-series, and his insight probably saved us some time without compromising the results.

The engine is still at the shop – I’ll be picking it up this week.



With both the car and the engine removed from the garage, I took the weekend and cleared away a lot of clutter in both the garage and the basement, which will make reassembling the car much smoother.

I also went through the trailer suspension, which just looked tatty.  Last year, I had replaced the tires and bearings, but I skipped the suspension.  We got lucky, but driving through Wyoming last year, I got to thinking how I would deal with a trailer break-down.  I convinced myself that it would not be an issue – I had all my tools with me.

Well, after spending a number of hours yesterday doing preventative maintenance, I realized that I needed an impact wrench to completely take apart everything.  That’s a tool I don’t carry in my travels, so I’m glad I did it in the backyard, rather than the parking lot of Little America.




The new springs picked me up about 1 ½ inches of extra fender clearance, so I’m thinking the trailer will be less prone to bottoming than in the past.


 

Dirty, sweaty work – but best done at home, close to a shower.

The other good news is that the Midget is back from the paint shop.  I did a touch of body work, blocked it, and dropped it off with instructions to prime it, block it, prime it and shoot it.  And while it has a little orange peel in it, the grinder marks on the previous job disappeared, along with a couple of paint sags.  It’s certainly not concourse, but it’s a race car I don’t have to be ashamed of or make excuses for.  I’m happy with it.





Last year is the lower curve - this year, the upper.  That's the way it's supposed to be, right? 



Other than the tedium of assembly, I’ve got an appointment with the alignment shop and an exhaust pipe to have whipped up, but all-in-all, 3 weeks out, we’re in good shape.

 
 

[Stan Back]

I don't know if it's the camera, the whatsmacallit, or the whatever.  But, is the color new?  I LOVED the old color.  Hope it's just the transmission -- not the geary one.

[manta22]

Chris;

The Midget is looking great! Remind me to tell you a story about a lime green 911 that I once owned.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[Milwaukee Midget]

I don't know if it's the camera, the whatsmacallit, or the whatever.  But, is the color new?  I LOVED the old color.  Hope it's just the transmission -- not the geary one.

Stan, it's the same color - and it's funny you - above anyone else - should mention it.

I was toying back and forth between orange, white, and a metallic green wrap.

But Kate said I have too much invested in the color - and in a way, it has become somewhat of a "brand" for the car.

So I listened to the advertising professional.

I know you're retired, but there ARE people out there who value the creative instincts of advertising professionals - so all is not lost! 

[Milwaukee Midget]

Got a good start on the mandatory trim piece reapplication required in a production class. 

I pull out these chrome pieces, and I sez to myself, "You know, you can get shiny, new pieces through Moss Motors, and then the car will look as nice as the paint job."

And then I sez to myself, "If it's going so damned slow that people are pointing out the corrosion on the driver's side headlight bezel, then I have more important things to worry about."

So a tube of Flitz later . . .

Slowly, slowly catchee monkey.

[4-barrel Mike]

Slowly, slowly catchee monkey.

Chris, my friend, sumimasen, demo....as taught to me, hmmm, 35-ish years ago, in Japan, by a nice young Japanese lady with a fresh Masters in English (thesis: Japanese in American film immediately prior to WWII) from Oberlin, it should be "srohwry, srohwry, catchee monkee".  It might have been my first trip to Nikko, check Wikipedia: three wise monkeys, snow monkey;  internal links following.

 

Mike

[38flattie]

Chris, I've been swamped at work, so I'm trying to get caught up here on the board! NICE job on the dyno!

See you on the salt!

[Koncretekid]

Got a good start on the mandatory trim piece reapplication required in a production class. 

I pull out these chrome pieces, and I sez to myself, "You know, you can get shiny, new pieces through Moss Motors, and then the car will look as nice as the paint job."

And then I sez to myself, "If it's going so damned slow that people are pointing out the corrosion on the driver's side headlight bezel, then I have more important things to worry about."

So a tube of Flitz later . . .

Slowly, slowly catchee monkey.

If the chrome pieces are too bad, you could just sandblast and paint or powder coat them.  A lot cheaper than new or re-chromed.  Who uses chrome these days?
Tom

[wheelrdealer]

pits in chrome is like a scare on your hand...that's experience!

My chrome trim has experience!


BR