10 step guide to MG Midget engine and gearbox removal

Capturing the journey of a MG Midget 1275 RWA from restoration project to participation in the 2022 MG Car Club speed series. This is MG Midget, the birth of a Racecar exploring the highs and lows of classic car restoration and bringing the car upto specification for sprinting, hill climbs and trackdays
In this episode we take the engine and gearbox out in a handy 10 step guide

[@MrCanadianbacon73]

I’m going to have to replace my clutch and this should be interesting

[@MakeDoAndMend1]

I fitted a supercharger to my 1098cc A series Engine in my Morris Minor. Before then i owned a MG Midget many years ago. 11.7 to 1 compression. 1275cc fast road race prepared engine. 4.5inch rampipes etc. Roller Rockers, pil cooler and thermostat. Adjustable oil pressure etc etc. Americana head etc. George

[@mgmidget-thebirthofaraceca4349]

Thanks for watching

[@pinchflat]

I just broke my Trans Last night. Your series here will be most helpful. Thank you for taking the time to document this process for everyone to have access to.

[@mgmidget-thebirthofaraceca4349]

Glad to be of help. thanks for watching

[@lorennerol]

Hmmm. KZbin seems to have deleted my comment. I'll try again without the link. I have enjoyed watching your videos over the last couple weeks. After a long, strange, multiyear restoration, I finally got to race my 1959 Sprite last year, so we both enjoyed rookie race seasons in 2022. One thing worth noting about pulling the engine and gearbox: There is a spring loaded brass anti-rattle device in the neck of the remote housing that should be removed immediately after removing the shifter. If they are not removed they are likely to fall into the transmission, requiring gearbox disassembly to retrieve. They are parts 108 and 109 in the Moss diagram of the transmission (I originally included a link to it, but I think KZbin didn't like that). Great video series. Thank you for making them. Wish I had the time/energy to do something similar. Look forward to more. Best of luck in your second race season!

[@mgmidget-thebirthofaraceca4349]

Great tip. Thanks for watching

[@stephenhenion8304]

Good to see you back at your MG. . You've got a strong little race car!! Good luck from across the pond... I've rallied up to Lime Rock off and on since the 1980s in my Sprites and Mini Cooper S...

[@mgmidget-thebirthofaraceca4349]

Cheers Stephen. loads to look forward to this year. keep watching

[@emma.j.nation]

Another handy tip when refitting is to attach the driver’s side engine mount to the body and the passenger side to the engine - makes it a little easier to line things up and it’s apparently how they did it at Abingdon, too.

[@mgmidget-thebirthofaraceca4349]

Great tip! thanks for watching

[@pinchflat]

Drivers side British or US? Left or righr?

[@nopenope7350]

Life saver. Thank you!

[@mgmidget-thebirthofaraceca4349]

You're welcome!

[@unigateman]

Im doing the same thing today.. what about the propshaft removal from the box ?

[@mgmidget-thebirthofaraceca4349]

the prop just drops out of the back of the box as its a slide fit. make sure you drop the gearbox oil first though or itll all spill out when the prop comes out over your floor!! thanks for watching

[@unigateman]

@@mgmidget-thebirthofaraceca4349 Yes thanks. its proving difficult I'm pulling the box like crazy

[@mgmidget-thebirthofaraceca4349]

Gearbox is 4 bolts - 2 into tunnel, 2 under floor, remove speedo and reverse wires, remove gearstick , propshaft should simply slide off and then the whole lots can come forwards. good luck with the removal

[@pappysgarage71MGMidget]

I look forward to getting to putting the engine in my restoration. I finally got it on the rotisserie. The floor looked reasonable from the inside albeit with a few patches welded in. Flipped it over and its a different story. the underside is clearly not the floor panels. Flat sheets of metal welded over the whole thing. Looks like I need to replace the whole floor, inner sills and a posts! I think I'll be re-running your videos a few times over the next year or so! I see you and others have chosen to replace the floor in 2 sections and seam weld to the mid section rather than replacing the whole floor in one go. I'm going to brace the car but my door gaps are already way off as the PO messed up so I'm tempted to start with a complete new floor and build from there. Do you think that's a recipe for further disaster or worth considering?

[@mgmidget-thebirthofaraceca4349]

A whole floor is always an option. I only did in 2 parts as it was less work and held more strength in the chassis . Some of the central welds are harder to get to aswell

[@roselh1]

May I ask the source of your rocker cover and catch can? I like the vent in the back of the cover and the short hose run to the can! Thanks so much.

[@mgmidget-thebirthofaraceca4349]

The tank is from a popular online auction site and is modified to take a 1 inch outlet and the rocker cover is a std cover that I’ve cut a hole in and glued the hose outlet to the back of. It’s works well