Offy Midget Mods: Footwell Focus

Following on from the casting and machining of the bell housing and the stretching of the chassis, Ivan has been figuring out how to make the Offy as user friendly as possible. This video follows him in the workshop as he figures out how to fit the clutch and how to maximise the foot room for the pedals, by modifying the bell housing.
It also includes a little mention of the recent article about him in Secrets of Speed, thanks to Kevin automotiveamer...
Plus ends with a nostalgic trip to Silverstone to join Tim and test the Century Oils Capri.

[@garypoulton7311]

I want to see a film of Johns face when he sees what you have done to the bell housing

[@ronmcgregor9324]

Inspirational Ivan...showing how it is done. Absolutely brilliant with his 60s archbishop.jokes as he slides in the gearbox.. Suzie aptly leaves it in tge edit and letting it slide.

[@glynluff2595]

Now a roller accelerator pedal using a miniature bearing under your foot would give you throttle control. I made one years ago for a special and it was amazingly smooth. Keep being flash with your young bird coz you make us old boys smile!! Well done Sue!!

[@jonnyb2532]

Ivan you are an inspiration to this old bugger who is building up a Lotus 26 R replica). Susie is a great influence on the channel, she has made it more fun.

[@1234567marks]

Or another way of putting it would be , Ivan isn’t just alive, he’s really living!👍, and so he should be, great channel, addictive stuff 🙂.

[@daviddjerassi]

IVAN your a Bloody inspiration to every driver out there track or road there isn't another driver your age in your league anywhere ,Please thank the Ladies for all the hours of filming you made my day Engineer and Driver love it thank you all.

[@ThomasMulhall]

I came for a lesson in machining....and I stayed for the bishop joke and bits of ally still in Ivan's hair. You're an inspiration to many, and really a national treasure. Bless you.

[@gryfandjane]

Episodes like this one make me think back to all the silly little issues that have ruined otherwise pleasant days in my garage while working on my MG... stuck bolts, wrong parts, missing parts, etc... The way Ivan and John can improvise on the fly amazes me, solving seemingly thorny problems with simple solutions that are dead clever. Love it! You gents are an inspiration.

[@johna1160]

Ivan once again proving necessity is the mother of brilliant engineering.

[@jesscourt9068]

When i watch these videos, i find my brain working overtime, thinking of solutions and problem solving. I could imagine being there sticking in my "ten penneth" and getting the solutions fabricated and working. I am but a mere boy in awe of the maestros on here, but the sense of achievement we all feel at the end of these excellent productions is just one reason we all watch......thank you Susie...and of course Ivan and John.

[@AntonHoward-mx9sb]

That was some smart thinking to mark the release arm shaft centre like that. Ivan's just a legend.

[@retromechanicalengineer]

Ivan and Suzie, the machine shop duo. I think John will approve. Ivan wasn't hanging around in the Capri, he clearly still has the magic. Best wishes, Dean.

[@Mick-d9p]

I have to say I've been laid up for 3 months feeling a bit sorry for myself following a motorbike accident; watching your videos has made me get of my a••e and do a bit in the garage. You really are an inspiration Mr Dutton. 🤓👍

[@calibracodriver]

Just fantastic. Ivor with John and Susan keeping you both safe and sound thanks again I enjoy this channel.👍

[@nigelsears7191]

as always thank you to every one involved , time is unfortunately passing us all by , but we must remain thankful we are still hear and celebrate our departed friends and colleagues by there memory and carrying on ourselves

[@byjingobob]

What you call "shed bodge" I call practical engineering! Great to see the progress and method of overcoming issues.

[@georgejohnson1498]

Fifty years ago on the farm my brother and used to do mods on kit, and there were no holds barred except it had to work and not break! My brother was the welder-man and I was the machinist. One our best achievements was to make a removable drive for a swather to pick up the swath of ryegrass so as to thrash the seeds in the same way as for wheat or barley using the combine harvester. But obviously as the swath of ryegrass was cut twenty four hours earlier, you take the cutter-bar off the header and substitute the swather. Not only did it work perfectly, but everything was bolted to existing mounting points so the combine could be put back to a cutter-bar machine for cutting wheat and barley directly. I am not sure what my old man expected from our efforts, or even if he believed we could make it work. But it worked well for several seasons picking up ryegrass and clover for both commercial seed production and for pre-basic seeds for the NSDO [National Seed Development Organisation at Cambridge]. It's use ended when the combine was wrecked in a crash, and the new replacement had a properly made commercial swather attachment. The only thing that was completely lacking was any guards, as would have been needed for a commercial design to comply with Health and Safety, but arguably if you got close enough for it to be risky, you were likely already falling into the combine head in any case! Halcyon days, and fortunately the Health and Safety inspector never visited during the ryegrass seed harvest! Love your vids, Suzy and Ivan! Thank you. Best wishes from George

[@nigelsears7191]

that is a super simple and great way to get your clutch pivot point

[@MikeAarset]

That was a brilliant idea of figuring out how to do the clutch throwout lever

[@SeanSaunders-c7q]

Brilliant video Ivan and Susie, looking forward to seeing it done 👍

[@mikemccarthy1398]

Getting better each time...every man needs a Suzy😙. I hope you cleaned that Mill Ivan 😮

[@jagvette1]

In the past I used to use an old broom handle black tape to align clutches, glad to see the art hasn't died.

[@lancerbiker5263]

Yet another job well done. That Susie is a true gem.

[@v12mike30]

Pivot the brake pedal on the RH end of the clutch shaft, then mount the master cylinder backwards above it. The brake and clutch pedals will have the same swing and the master cylinder will be reasonably out of the way. Or maybe a vertical brake master above and forward of the pivot.

[@AndyScutt]

Another great job Ivan and Susie ❤

[@davidblake1663]

Thanks Suzie. Oh, and Ivan.

[@larryreece1403]

Ivan is such an inspiration for my old ass! I always learn something when I watch your videos

[@johndumarney1630]

You two made my evening, thanks.

[@amilton2128]

“I’m not just alive in a rocking chair watching the telly” Vroom! Vroom! -> Silverstone! A must watch for all those younger blokes trying to build a Special.

[@mickattwood4059]

Bloody brilliant 👏👏 thankyou 🙏

[@dukie1616]

Good on you Ivan getting out there racing and enjoying yourself. Really looking forward to this new build. Keep up the great work👏

[@Biokemist-o3k]

Brilliant!!!!...Another Banger my friend!!!!

[@EdSmith-wb6lx]

Ivan i am 83 and still tinkering i used to race bangers at Newton Abbot in the sixty's but not up to your standard, you keep me going with your vlogs, glad to see you still got the romance going for Suzie. she is a great lady look after her, I think John will be surprised when he sees bell housing mods looks like you got it right and it will work well. just dont let your feet swell, Ed 40 S of Vegas

[@martinplayford6786]

Great video as usual Ivan. Thanks Suzie x

[@YAPPSTUDIO]

Ivan many kindest thanks for your mention of Secrets Magazine. You have definitely made the hobby more fun and interesting. . .you still have my head spinning by installing a starter to a diffy .. .how about an article on it? My best Charlie Yapp, editor

[@michaelsnelling2918]

thanks Ivan & Susie instructive and entertaining!

[@flatbrokefrank6482]

Great content as always Ivan - Stay Safe!

[@matthewhodder3029]

Not just alive, but in the actual car. A classic Ivan quote

[@raykaufman7156]

This is getting REALLY interesting.

[@alanharding8762]

Top quality stuff,its the only way to go.

[@carlt570]

Masterclass !

[@gazzafloss]

Ivan, it appears there's not going to be a lot of that Bell Housing metal left by the time the starter motor cut out is done, we hope John approves. "Forever Young" comes to mind seeing Ivan in the Capri.

[@jamestregler1584]

Accolades well deserved ! 🏁

[@stevenfarrall3942]

Put oilite bearings on that cross shaft through the bell housing. You will not regret it and - I know you will appreciate this - oilite bearings are surpisingly cheap.

[@nigelroberson8911]

Just imagine Ivan and Adrian Newey together designing a F1 car.

[@oldschool1993]

Put a straight edge across your frame rails and scribe a line on the bellhousing so you can find vertical in the mill.

[@mboykin6047]

Moving the clutch shaft from below to above the throw out bearing changes the direction of the throw when you push the pedal, wouldn’t it? That will require some jimcrackery with the linkage to make it work

[@gatti5002]

stay strong !

[@jamest.5001]

Id like to build a engine from scratch., Cast a crankcase from aluminum. Possibly weld two Subaru heads together to make a 4 cylinder 4valve head. With a wide bore spacing. Possibly 4.800" 5.500" or something , the subaru has a large space between cylinders. Possibly 5" +/- , this should allow a 4.625" possibly a 4.750" bore , coupled with a 2.250" stroke, a 2.8" stroke maximum. Weld a crank and heat treatment it. From plates of 4140. Make it with counter weights on every rod throw. And bore the rod and main journals hollow. With about 3" mains and 2.250" with 3/16" oil passages feeding from main to rod journals leaving about 1/4"of steel between the bearing surface and oil passage and pasage and lightening hole slightly off center. The hole being about 1.375"-1.5" on the rods 1.625-1.750" on the mains and put a 4.5-5" wide counter weight across from each god journal. Of .500"-.625" steel plate. That narrows to just .375" wider than the rod journal and crosding the main journal that area just about .250"-.375" wider, to strengthen the crank and allow a decent filet. And possibly add a balance shaft. Cast in flanges for roller bearings anyways. Using a gear drive from the crank shaft and oil pump driven off it as well. Possibly giving it a gear drive . Maybe a chain drive. A possible cross plane crank, have a firing intravel thenat fires 1,2,_,3,4,_,1,2,_,3,4,_,1 it should sound like a subaru. Or give it a traditional flat plane crank and firing. With a minster cam , about 260° at .050" lift. And around.520" lift. With 10:1 compression, and a possible bit of boost.. (1-1.5 bar.) With a 6 speed trans and 4.56 gear and 25" tire. it should see 9500 easily. Run in its range possibly 3500-9500 of usable power, idle around 1000-1200 RPM. Drop the clutch around 2500 rpm.. with 6 bolt girdled mains . Sorry for the rambling, have an awesome day🎉!!✌️

[@kathysarmcandy1992]

genious

[@raykaufman7156]

I'd bet $1 a motorcycle rear brake pedal would fit on that clutch shaft

[@johnrussell5245]

Unfortunately, Ivan, I won't be able to drive the Offy Midget for you-my feet are size 12s.

[@ianhorabin9763]

Brilliant way of centering the clutch shaft,but if the clutch lever points down won't that lift the bearings off the clutch & not press against the plates..Ian

[@hotrodchris805]

Pedal goes forward. Shaft rotates with the bottom rotating toward the engine. Levers on shaft move toward engine and operates the clutch. Works because the shaft is above engine centerline, not below.

[@ianhorabin9763]

@@hotrodchris805 you're right,I was thinking the pedal was at the top not facing dwn..can't wait to see Ivan test it out..👍

[@mikeursell3038]

Have you just milled away your clutch shaft location points 😢

[@kathysarmcandy1992]

see if he were transported back to the teens.....

[@russellwhite7407]

👍🇦🇺

[@erichlausch9886]

🏎🏎🏎🏎🏎 👍👍👍👍👍 😁

[@geoffreypiltz271]

Can you still spend a shilling?

[@peterh1386]

Thrice nightly if Ivan's anything like me... 🤣

[@billspence1799]

A penny is easier

[@colinunderdown1758]

No.!!

[@duncankerr8258]

Bit of hair would help get it in😂

[@garymoss5475]

Not on this channel please!