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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - My car's mileage

I bought my car in 1997 as the “second” owner. It was a AH sprite from April 59, extensively used for 20 years as a daily driver, then the car was laid up for a major brake restauration, the owner died. So the project was stopped and it stayed in a garage box for 18 years, as a lot of (incomplete) parts. What I bought was a rusty box where the chicken had lived for several years. I always thought that it had driven 75.000 miles. I did a compete rebuild. The rocker shaft was very worn, as was the lay gear shaft; the carburettor spindle shafts were almost gone, lever float was very worn, pedal rubbers where non-existent. The pistons were less worn, as was the crankshaft and the gears. I thought it had done 75.000 miles.
Since the rebuild is has done 70.000 miles. Al the above mentioned parts are almost without wear. Only the distribution has some wear. Off cause I use better oil than in 1959 and my maintenance is regular and more secure. But now I begin to think that the car had 175.000 or 275.000 miles when I bought it. How can I see or have a guided guess how much is must have been?

Flip
Flip Brühl

Certain things do not tie up here but let's say there was sludge in the cylinder head area that reduced oil flow to the rocker shaft but in the sixties rocker shafts did wear quite a bit so 75,000 miles could be a reasonable mileage for a worn shaft.

Most people say they never change gearbox and diff oil and my local garage serviced my Impreza a few years ago and said to me they had saved me some money as there is no need to change the gearbox and diff oils!!!!!!!!!!!!

Therfore I have no surprise you have a worn lay shaft.

Yes the pedal rubbers would have gone after 75,000 miles and is not an issue.

The bits I cannot understand the wear on are the carb spindle shafts and the float level shaft. On my old 1966 mini both these items were in good condition at around 75,000 miles.

Therefore I only question the carb wear on tha car.
Eddie Cairns

I replaced the rocker shaft on my car at the 50000 mile mark. Of course it was a 1500 engine and they are famous apparently for oiling problems at the top of the engine.

When I did the rebuild, replaced the pedal rubbers at that time. Still usable but looked ratty in a new interior etc.

Clare
C Ravenwood

50000 miles from a clutch rubber! Wow!

I took the car for it's MOT yesterday. I got one advisory: no clutch pedal rubber. Yeah, I know, I took it off because it was knackered after one year/3000 odd miles!

Or maybe I have an abrasive left shoe and clutch like a weirdo?!

Malc.

Malcolm Le Chevalier

20 years x 12,000 miles per year = 240,000 miles. I would believe 275,000 but not 75,000.

Also, 75,000 miles in 20 years = 3750 miles per year. I could believe that with a cherished car nowadays but not when the car was a current model.

Rob
MG Moneypit

"Used extensively as a daily driver" for 20 years . Would seem to me to be most likely 175,000 which is 8,750 a year. Probably pretty average for that description of use.

Of course another explanation could be a speedometer change at some point.
GuyW

Thank you,
I have saved most worn parts. Here is a Photo of two:
It could be that the axe has not seen any oil, but the lever float (what kind of metal is it?) only sees gasoline. The new one is messing.

Flip

Flip Brühl

Brass Flip
The islanders have no clue what messing is.
And 175000 does not seem strange for 20 years of use.
Mine has done 70000 in the 8 years I have driven it.
Only cost me one set of FWB's ;)
O K

You could cut it in half & count the rings. Ooops, wait a minute, that's for a tree isn't it? Sorry!
s1

I have 280,000 on the 1971, which I bought new. There were two speedometers that locked up when the car was new and that were replaced under warranty. Over the years, various broken speedo cables on trips have added miles that are not accounted for.

There is really no way to determine how many miles the car has driven.

I have never had rocker shaft wear problems, mine is still original. A well cared for Ribcase will last 70,000 miles before requiring rebuild. Timing chains get noisy by 70,000 miles.
Glenn Mallory

This thread was discussed between 30/01/2017 and 01/02/2017

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