Milwaukee Midget

[Milwaukee Midget]

Looking into that right now.

IO,THANKS AGAIN!

I converted the PDF's to JPG's to facilitate ease of reading online.

4.22 by Chris Conrad, on Flickr

5.0 by Chris Conrad, on Flickr

4.55 by Chris Conrad, on Flickr

[Milwaukee Midget]

The upshot is clear that this effort is in need of shorter overall "gearing" to likely exceed the existing record.  Or, as was previously suggested--just wring it out in 3rd!
At some point in the discussion I believe someone said an overdrive ratio was available in the trans--can this be an underdrive?  A 4th gear ratio of 1.18 rather than 1.0 would produce about the same situation as the speculated 5.0:1 rear end ratio.

A few years back, 4 Barrel Mike and I talked about a Ford T-9, but given that Fordboy already built the adapter to fit the Spridget gearbox - and I had the crank hub built to accept it - we're locked into the BMC tranny. A "minus one" tooth arrangement isn't in the cards.

I have a pair of 175 - 60R13s with an "H" speed rating, making them legal with SCTA to 150. Uninflated, they're 21" in diameter. If I can find somebody to shave them, I should be able to maintain that diameter once inflated. I've also got a pair of 13" wheels which will accept a 360 degree weld-up.

I'll also need to remove the lowering blocks under the rear axle.

[bob]

nate jones did mine , nice job . good guy . way reasonable .   they were 165/70 -10  h rated .  Yokohamas  . for vintage mini coopers .  ended up with 18- 1/2  dia.  perfect for what I needed.

[Milwaukee Midget]

Thanks for that, Bob.

Does anyone here in the Midwest know of some place closer? I'm not averse to shipping them, but I'd prefer to deal within a day's drive, if possible.

I remember IMSA used to have the BF Goodrich Racing series years ago. All those tires were shaved, but it was always a mystery to me who was doing the work.

[Interested Observer]

Further, per Fordboy's wondering..   4.55 and 21"

[jacksoni]

I think you need closer to a 20" tire. Goodyear and Hoosier have formula type road race slicks (bias ply) close to that but $ and may be too wide. How much space do you have in the wheel wells?

[Milwaukee Midget]

I need to choose my variables and focus.

Jack, I did the Formula Vee and Formula Ford route - it's been a while back, but I recall it being a dead end.

I was talking to a buddy of mine on Sunday who's into drag racing. When I told him I was concerned about being able to pull 4.22 gears, he looked at me like I had three heads.

[Milwaukee Midget]

Thanks again IO!

4.55 21tire by Chris Conrad, on Flickr

[Stan Back]

I guess Tire Slippage is a variable that's hard to control.  Especially with variable salt conditions that change from day to day and hour to hour.

A whole different animal, our Street Roadster's speeds echoed the Isky Dream Wheel to less than 1 per cent.  I knew the speed at over 200 to 1 or 2 MPH of what the tach read.  We were done shifting before the 1 and there wasn't much to do rather than look at the tach and watch for rabbits crossing the track (never).

(Please note -- El Mirage was a lot different story.)

[jacksoni]

If you look at the Hoosier and Goodyear tires for midgets and mini stocks and Formula SAE, asphalt tires there are some that I think are smaller than the FV and fords that might work. About an inch smaller than the stock ones you have which nominally would be 21.3 dia which you can reduce some by shaving as you mentioned. I'll send  a link if you want.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

http://www.natejonestire.com/

[Interested Observer]

Another couple thoughts:
1)  What manner of transmission(s) were normally fitted to the K?  Any non-sidewinders?
2)  How about going larger diameter tires?  See attached.

[fordboy628]

Another couple thoughts:
1)  What manner of transmission(s) were normally fitted to the K?  Any non-sidewinders?
2)  How about going larger diameter tires?  See attached.

Thanks again IO!   

Per #1 above:   There are longitudinal transmissions available for the K, in the UK.   But since those cars were not imported into North America, they are tough to obtain.   Plus, the adaption is already done for the original BMC rib case gearbox.   Might have made different choices @ an earlier point, but decision is "fixed" for now.   All the graphs though, do point out the benefit of closer, more progressive spacing between the gear ratios.  Something like a 1.20/1 or a 1.18/1 or even a 1.15/1 third would be better.   What the car SHOULD have, is a close ratio 5 speed, ratios to be determined.  Not in the cards for now though.   A close ratio SCCA type, straight cut, dog ring 4 speed; in the ribbed case, might be the best compromise.  Ratios are from Hewland, so can be changed.  Something like 1.7/1  1st; 1.39/1  2nd; 1.18/1  3rd; 1/1  4th would work pretty well with a serious push start.

Per #2 above:   The midget has some smaller tires already.   But the graph shows that there are plenty of other possibilities, larger included.

Thanks again for the data help.
 
F/B

[desotoman]

MM and Fordboy,

Good work and congratulations on the results.

Would it help if you took the motor to 11,000 in 3rd Gear, eliminating some of the RPM drop when going into 4th gear? Which might help in making some decisions on tire diameter and gears.  At 11,000 RPM with your stroke, your piston speed is only at 4006. Any thoughts on this approach as I am sure you have good parts in the motor?

Tom G.

[Stainless1]

Well y'all have just about bench raced that thing till it needs an overhaul.... You have more power available at higher RPM.... So take it to the great white with a smaller set of tires as spares and see what it does...
I'm sticking with my 133.6 HP at 11.5K... run it down the track and figure out what you need to do... I say wring it out in 1, 2, and 3rd and set the record, shift to 4th if there is any track left... the front part of the track is where you get speed. 
Let's go racing boys...