Spridget Tech Talk (MG Midget & Austin-Healey Sprite)
What do you think of this as a project......An MG Midget lowered and the body sectioned 6 inches !!!!!!!!!!!
I know I know you think the engine would stick through........not if it's a Wankel engine. And section it as much as possible with maybe a little bump in the hood.
Here's what I think it would look like .
Regular Midget
you dont have to channel it to get that low. Just use springs and spacers. You;ll have alot more room. Its already hard enough to get your legs under the steering wheel. Also, can you chanel a unibody car?
In the words of Arte Johnson............................veery interesting........but schtupid!!!
Instead of channelling. A idea I had years and years ago. Was to add a foot or so in length between fender and body. In other words make car longer. Reason I was thinking this was a 240z motor was in my head. Maurice
Oh I would take the dash out , just a padded bar across to hold the steering . I would put what gauges I had to have in the console part coming up to the bar. You know kind of in the middle. I am going to put a smaller steering wheel on.
Yes you can section a uni body car , why not, didn't say it would be easy. But how crazy would it look and I like to make people scratch their head. I bet it would really turns some heads. I bet it would drive right under a semi traitor easy.
Will
Your sketch shows both sectioning and channeling of the stock car. Channeling just means droping the car down over the frame; pretty much just raising the floor. This would not be too hard, especially if you started with a car that needed rockers in the first place. Just move the floor up when doing the rockers and bring the corresponding frame members up at the same time. Not sure how fun the results would be since you will end upwith a compromised driving potition and a very low car that will have trouble with speed bumps!
As to the sectioning that you have in the drawing, it is a lot of work if you take metal out of the compound curve areas.
I am always interested in metal work on cars, so look forward to seeing this get going.
Pete
Ok my bad, I meant sectioning . I sectioned this picture moving panels at right angles. There would be a part at the rear quarter that would be dropped below the pan, you could consider that channeling. I have kind of worked it out in my head. The hardest part would be around the doors, Mainly the angle of the door jam, guess I could take it off the bottom of the door and move the bottom hinge up. The firewall could be interesting. This guys Fiat gave me the idea. I'm not going that crazy , what is that powered by a lawnmower engine I guess.
Will
Sorry Matt , your over 200 miles from me as the crow flies. Thanks for offering to help though. Hope to be coming threw there before long going to Orlando.
The lower body reminds me of a Lotus Europa or Lotus Seven. Liek Jeremy, and given the unibody nature of the interior structure, I'm also wondering if it could be done (safely and without spending gobs of money). New seats would be needed and a removable steering wheel would be desirable, I think.
In a convertible uni body all the strength is in the pan , tunnel and sub structure. None of that would be cut, all the work is done on the upper body. Believe me the whole thing would probably be stronger. I like to add bracing to sub structure to make it stronger and I would do that first. The more I think of it , I don't think it would be that big of a deal.
Will
Nope ! Seat , gear shift and steering stays on the same plain that it is now , the body just comes down. What the challenge will be is not making a already uncomfortable car even more uncomfortable . Look at the picture the seat sticks up higher out of the car. Lowering the suspension 2 inches and the body 4 to 6 inches and cutting the windshield down should make a very noticeable difference in the car and leaving people wondering what the ...................
Will
This car may be so low that you could just step into and I could just weld the door shut, that would really make it strong.
Personally, I don't see the attraction. These cars are already so small, and low to the ground, why make it smaller and lower?
Now, if it means getting chicks that look like that to ride with me, I'd consider it.
ok, sectioning it I think would be better than chanelling it. But it would be dificult and you know what your getting into. Just make sure you buy 2 midgets. You'll need the extra metal. You can section the door through the middle, but youd have to cut the bottom again vertically and add a section from a donor door to line things back up. I like your idea of lowering it and sectioning it. My previous post was to suggest an easier way to lower it. Have fun with this project and keep us updated.
No way do I need two cars, taking out not putting in. First thing I would do to the body after the engine is in place would be lower the cowl and inter fender wells and work out from there. The engine would determine the amount I could take out and I would have to decide if I want to take that much. Then I have to decide if I want doors or just do away with them. I think it would look more impressive if the doors opened but easier if I did away with them.
What do you think Doors or no Doors !
Will
Id like to see some of your other work. Where in the "deep south"?
Well then stop asking for advice if your gonna shoot down everyone elses' thoughts on it. Sounds like you have the whole thing planned out. Get after it and let us see some pix as you progress.
