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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Fast road 1500 engine

Hi All,

Ive just picked up a spare 1500 engine cheap (plus gearbox) to replace the one in our midget.

The engines obviously stood and I wouldn't dream of using it without a full rebuild so i was wondering if someone can give me some advice for "basic" tuning?

Id like to get abit more power and make the most of the 1500's torque.

What oversize pistons are available, forged or cast? What cam's are available? I presume i should get myself a triumph spitfire parts catalog.

What modifications can be done to the crank?

Ive got a thermostatic oil cooler ready and a rocker oil feed pipe.

If someone give me the basic requirements of where i need to start that would be great.

What kind of figures have been achieved out of a "usable" 1500?
D Tetley

95 bhp at the wheels in mine before I fitted the twin Dellorto. The head was originally done by Osseli but I would go to Peter Burgess now. My advice came from the old Triumph-Tune catalogue which I may be able to scan for you. There is a fair bit of work you can do yourself to help with reliability (see photo) and you get a nice engine with lots of torque, enough to easily do three fiqure speeds especially with an overdrive fitted!

Cheers Carl


C Bintcliffe

I can confirm what Carl said in that there is some excellent advice in the Triumphtune catalogue as a first stop for understanding the 1500's pros and cons but also lots of good practical info here:

http://www.totallytriumph.net/spitfire/engine_building.shtml

A good supplier of bits and advice for Triumph engines is Rimmer Bros:

http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/

As a reliable and easily maintained road car I would be thinking about:
K&N filters
4-2-1 big bore exhaust
well modified gas flowed head
fast road cam
tuned ignition system
tuning session on a rolling road
+uprated oil system to cope with it all
That lot should get you in the region of 90-100bhp. How far you go after that is down to tweeks and little changes here and there or maybe some induction changes like Webers/Dellortos or EFi.

The 5 speed gbox conversion is also a fantastic mod being more relaxed and quieter at speed taking advantage of all that tourque for cruising.

Carl, what did you use to get that finish on the rods? They're very well done mate :o)
Bob T

This thread was discussed between 16/08/2008 and 18/08/2008

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