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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Maestro Crank

Hi All, Has anybody ever modified a crank from an A series Maestro. There seem to be numerous machining challenges and the crank has no archimedean screw for oil removal. Thanks for any info. Simon
s page

wasn't the maestro FWD?
if so than i would not try it!
Onno Könemann

IIRC the Maestro was FWD but not in the same way that the mini was, it had a crank like the inline engines rather than the transverse units used in the mini. IIRC the gearbox was VW based.
David Billington

Simon,
There is a Maestro engine in a sprite very near to me. IIRC he said it was quite a lot of work but nothing too serious, but then he does have access to some good engineering facilities at his work.
I can find out more info if you are really interested in doing it.

Ian
Ian Webb '73 GAN5

The Maestro crank is bolt on flywheel as opposed to a taper fit like the Mini engine. As Simon says it does not have an oil seal scroll like the midget engine.

I do have a Maestro A+ block in my race car - we replaced the rear main cap with those from an old Midget block and fitted the half moon oil seal on the rear main, then had the block line bored at Gosnay's. The crank was from a 1275 Midget...

Using the crank on a Midget seems like un-needed grief however, surely Marina/Ital cranks aren't that rare...? :o)
J A Bilsland

JLH Minors. They sell a Maestro block conversion that has a rear seal that actually work. YES! It works!
rob multi-sheds thomas

And..
I thought that the point of using a Maestro crank was that the size of the journals means that they can be re-ground to increase the stroke for capacity - 1480? IIRC

Guy
Guy Weller

No you only get 84mm out of an offground Maestro/Ital/Marina crank - that's 1426cc with 73.5mm pistons.

My point is that you may as well use the Marina/Ital crank as its an (almost) straight swap and a Midget Flywheel can be used with only a small amount of machining.. :)
James Bilsland

For completeness 1480 requires a 86mm crank (which is a new grind from a billet) - if you use 74mm pistons you get 1496cc :). I know that some of the rallycrossers back at the end of the 80's were running near on 1600cc A series engines, but they didn't last long....
James Bilsland

Got that wrong...

74x 87mm is 1496
74x 86mm is 1480
73.5 x 86mm is 1460

All are expensive to acheive....
James Bilsland

Hi Guys, So the answer seems to be no. Thanks for your help. Simon
s page

Simon

You know where you can always get a crank from ;o)
Dave O'Neill 2

This thread was discussed between 11/11/2009 and 14/11/2009

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.