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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - car lift

I am old.... so I am looking for a car lift that fits the small spritget in my small garage. I am now jacking it up and use axle stands. The scissor lifts that I saw are to wide. There is only 102 cm between the rear wheels.

Flip
Flip Brühl

My neighbour recently bought a hydraulic version of car ramps and it works well for him. Currently he has it under the back end of his Morgan so it is at a much better working height. I think you drive on to them and then can jack the car,a lift under each wheel, up to height and they can then be locked in position for safety. I'll get the details and post.
David Billington

I've just bought an SJR one from here

http://www.sjrgarageequipment.co.uk/

not sure if they'll deliver out of the UK?

It's pretty good. 4 Poster, ram in the ramp and cable lifting.

Rob Armstrong

here it is without anything on. It's a Model 3S and is just wide enough to get my car trailer underneath between the posts


Rob Armstrong

Here it is loaded up. They do narrower ones that will fit in a single garage.


Rob Armstrong

I was impressed with this lift that I saw at a classic car show a couple of years ago. I don't know if he would ship one out to the Netherlands though....

https://carlift-ramp-mr1.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLzCLiXxlCU&feature=youtu.be


He even shows it being used with a Spridget

Jim
J Smith

Flip,

I think this was the one my neighbour bought https://www.cjautos.eu/product_p/cr012.htm . They do have quite a few other products as well https://www.cjautos.eu/category_s/46.htm .
David Billington

I have a Clarke strong arm hydraulic car lift its ok for most jobs but the center bit can get in the way sometimes


mark heyworth

Space for me was an issue so i got the low profile adjustable 2 post lift as you can see on the sjr website. Headroom is limited but i just slide under on a stool. I set it up for the midget but have had cars from austin 7 to jeep cherokee on there. With the midget, i can lift about 4 feet (1200mm). It makes jobs like oil changes or even brake adjustments so much easier. I would not be without it now.
S BREEZE

I have an Autec that I have had for about ten years. It was made in the Netherlands.
Alan Anstead

Got one in my garage. Love it! 2 cars in the space of 1!!

Go to Garageliving.com and check out the car lift details.

Might be someone in Europe who handles them.

Clive
Clive from Canada

Flip, I have the same problem! I got tired of jacking up one end, placing jack stands, then trying to get the jack under the other end which is now lower to repeat the process. But, I don't have theroom or the height for a lift, so got these hydraulic ramps from QuickJack

https://www.quickjacklift.co.uk/

Its great for me, enough room to roll under and work without getting grease on my nose and able to move my arms around. And, when done, they can be stored in a corner.


Jack Orkin

Some interesting info on lifts for small cars on an Austin Seven forum thread: http://www.austinsevenfriends.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=272&page=3

Cheers
Mike
M Wood

Can you set an autostop for height, Rob?
Nick and Cherry Scoop

No, I don't think so....


However, it has a (very loud) buzzer (connected to a boingy spring switch thing) on it to make you aware that you're going to lower it onto your toes. It should be the work of a (few) moments to either move it to a height, or add another one so it buzzed at you at a set height.

I could quite easily crash into the top of the garage with mine....
Rob Armstrong

I have found the lift Jim Smith refers very useful.

Mike designed it when he decided to restore his Midget in his small garage. Mine has been used for a MG1300, MGB, MG F1 Magna and of course the Midget. One useful feature when removing the gearbox is after all the disconnections etc, fix the engine to a hoist and then lower the ramp to allow thecar to roll back and withdraw the engine / gearbox as a unit.

I have done away with the white guide poles and painted a white line on the RH ramp which I align the edge of the tyre with.

The photo is taken on Mike's drive when I went to initially view it. At one stage the phot was on the website.



Doug Plumb

Rob, what is the width between the posts on your 3S model? I assume it will plug in to a standard 13 amp socket. Is that a Rover P6 on the lift?
Mike Howlett

It's about 2.2m. between posts.

It needs a 16A power supply, and a C type RCD

Good spot, it's what's left of a P6V8. Currently undergoing extensive welding after being patched almost to death.
Rob Armstrong

Jack.
great looking car!
You, Flip and I share the same problem :(
Like the jacks, small, portable, easy to store and don't seem to get in the way when you're scrambling underneath.
Over here they're 12v and run from the vehicle's battery or 'portable battery starter'.
Have you got yours lined up under the sills?
Jeremy MkIII

Thanks Rob. At 2.2 metres between posts my 2002 wide-body Z3 will fit then as its only 1.74m! Its a very tempting lift. Like you I don't have the height to get the car right up so I could stand, but anything beats grovelling on the floor with your nose pressed up to the underside.

I love the Rover P6. I've never owned one, but think it is so stylish and way ahead of its time.
Mike Howlett

Second the love for the Rover P6V8.
It's on the list since driving my Dad's as a youth.
Remember once he came round a blind bend to find a Wartburg stopped in the middle of the road. No where to go, he hit it hard. The Wartburg crumpled from the rear bumper to the rear window, the Rover stopping just short of the back seat.
Wartburg needed a trailer. We drove home in the Rover, the front was a bit if a mess but it was entirely drivable and even the radiator was untouched. Remarkable car and a great engine.
Jeremy MkIII

Jeremy, on this side, they come in two versions, 12v and 110v (our household current). With the 12v, you can take it to the track and use to make suspension adjustments or change tires, etc. Surprised they don't make a version for household current there, as they do have a UK site.
And, yes, they come with two heights of rubber blocks so you can use one, a taller one, or both for even taller. Since there is no "frame", the blocks go under the sill, which seems to be sturdy enough to lift the car with. BTW, you have to get the smallest of the 3 versions they make to fit the Midget!



Jack Orkin

Cheers Jack, it seems there's only the 12v version here but that's not a hardship.
Thanks for the tip about needing the smallest model :)
That model costs £1122 ($1564), does that compare with the US price.
I like its compactness and it leaves the underneath (apart from the sills) free to work on, which is were most of the work seems to be at the moment!
Jeremy MkIII

Thank you for all the alternatives! The Quick Jack looks very promising: Light, simple, but not cheap and only 50 cm height. I asked the Germans for a price with 220V AC power unit. On their site it is € 1030. I wonder if that is with or without tax. On the Austin seven forum is a small blue scissor lift witch I have seen before. It has a EL.PRO.M motor made in Parma. It is Italian but I cannot find the brand.

Flip
Flip Brühl

Jeremy, the US site shows list price as $1125 and the UK site shows L935 (can't find the GBP sign on my keyboard!) not 1122. Still more than US, but closer!
Note that shipping is included.

The quickjack doesn't take the place of a true lift, but for people like me that don't have the room or the height, its a great alternative.
Jack Orkin

I used to have access to a lift that was very like this one.

http://www.automotechservices.co.uk/products/as-09011-portable-tilting-lift/

Simple and lightweight. Hand cranked, or use a drill as the advert says.

It worked very well, but I never went under without using strategically placed axle stands as well. Didn't want to trust the locking system.

Can't remember what my mate paid for it, but I remember it being a bit of a bargain at the time.

This one is listed at £300.
Greybeard

Jack, the £935 is before tax at 20% unfortunately. Free shipping is good but you'd hope for that at over £1000.

Greybeard, that looks an interesting alternative but is its lowest setting of 150mm or 6" enough? IIRC our cars have about 5" ground clearance?
Jeremy MkIII

Good point Jeremy. The similar one I used to get to use seemed a little flatter, but I can't be certain - I never measured it. I didn't have a midget at the time; I used it mainly under moderns although it would just about go under a GT6.

I expect there are other variations on the theme available that might be a bit lower but I haven't looked far.
Greybeard

this one looks good but nobody (even the seller!) can tell me the dimensions of the blue platform. I should be smaller than 138x102x13 cm

Flip


Flip Brühl

I think this is the same - and gives the dimensions?

https://static.webshopapp.com/shops/051517/files/021921159/tm-mobile-carriage-bridge-2800kg.jpg


https://www.toolmania.nl/en/tm-mobile-carriage-bridge-2800kg.html

Jim
J Smith

Thank you Jim. That is way to big for a sprite! It may be the reason the seller gave me the dimensions of another car lift.
A smaller lift of this type is what I am looking for.

Flip
Flip Brühl

Flip, a friend has one of those lifts for working on his MGB. It's fine but not very portable. He was hoping to move it in and out of his garage (when the weather allowed) but it is not an easy manoeuvre. He has considered adding wheels/rollers to make it easier to move.
If you can position it more or less permanently and have plenty of room around it, it's a good buy but if space is at a premium not as good as access to parts of the underneath is restricted because of the full width 'X' construction.
That's one of the reasons I like Jack's Quickjack - easy to move and access is only restricted to the sills.
Jeremy MkIII

A little on the expensive side but....
www.holden.co.uk/displayProductEZCarLift
Clive Berry

This thread was discussed between 12/03/2018 and 21/03/2018

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