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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - MG Midget 1500 mk4 - Ride Height

Can you please advise ? I have 1979 Model midget currently subject to extensive refurbishment and upgrade.

Looking ahead, when all this is complete, I propose bringing it over to Spain via Brittany Ferries.

Being concerned about ground clearance when boarding boats I need to establish the ride height. To the best of my knowledge the car has standard springs etc.. What is the normal manufacturers ride height/ground clearance please.
Robert C. Sceats

Been on a dozen ferry's over the years with my lowered 1966 midget.
Never had anny ground clearance problems.
So no need to worry with a car as high as a std rubber bumper
Onno K

when new the R/B ground clearance was given as 5" in most road tests I've read (5.5" in one I read)

ride height (IIRC) is measured from centre of wheel hub to underside of wheel arch lip and can vary on all four and on different cars, sorry I can't remember figures for this

the figures will also depend on how tired the springs are

but I'd go on Onno advice and not worry about it
Nigel Atkins

How tired the springs are ... and how springy the tires are.
Geoff_MGB

Grounding on cars on and off ferry ramps also relates to departure and approach angles, as well as ground clearance. Midgets have short wheel bases, and short front and rear overhangs, so reasonably acute departure and approach angles. In contrast Skoda Octavia when fully loaded can encounter grounding problems on some small ferries.

Worth noting that large ferries can have less steep ramp any holes on to the car decks, and off on to slipways, compared to smaller ferries. From experience on many Scottish, N Irish and Irish ferries.

Cheers
Mike
M Wood

This thread was discussed between 21/12/2014 and 25/12/2014

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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