bstark

Adrian - Jon and Graeme at 7 Indulgence provide a VERY good service and know x-flows very well. They also made me a nice lowered floor . They're easy to get to from the M20 and not far from Brands. Website here Bob Stark Supersprinter

Mine did this, assumed it was electrical but turned out to need a de-coke ... Bob Stark Supersprinter

I've got a 4-speed in mine and it doesn't seem to slow me down much on track . 1st gear could do with being higher, otherwise the ratios are fine and the xflow is torquey enough to only use 3rd and 4th on most circuits. The change isn't exactly knife through butter, but going up the box I can change as fast as I can move my hand (backed up by a vbox readout showing very little loss in acceleration time) - it just take some effort. Going from 3rd to 2nd isn't as slick. Bottom line is I bought the car thinking the 4-speed may be a disadvantage (it just doesn't sound impressive) but I very quickly got used to it and have never felt any urge to change it. If you've driven the car and like it, don't give it a second thought. Bob Stark Supersprinter

Pete, Oily - thanks for the info Bob Stark Supersprinter

I'd third that . Grip (and worn standard parts) is the issue rather than power (at this level anyway) with the Ital. I've got a Jigsaw CW&P and Quiafe ATB in mine and so far very impressed with the quality of both. Bob Stark Supersprinter

Pete - as a xflow owner who has plenty of experience of the gradual creep down in performance, and how lovely the car feels after a service (which generally includes the phrase "balanced carbs") I'll give you a for making me think this sounds straightforward and quick to do at home. Bob Stark Supersprinter

Bugger - I come back from work, go for a walk and find I've been gazumped in my own thread 😬 Cskip, Jorgen, you both have mail! Bob Stark Supersprinter

Brilliant info guys I can feel a winter project coming on 😬 Bob Stark Supersprinter

Alex, I'm very interested in your observations / improvements as I'm thinking about going down this route (see other thread) Bob Stark Supersprinter

Thanks for the replies Roger - I probably should have worded it slightly better - I would like a bit more performance without changing the engine or making it less fun / tractable on the road. A fatter torque curve / broader and extended power band are what I am imagining. Your description of feeling like it has a bigger engine with the same max power is what I had hoped for. The question is just how much "bigger" will it feel ? Jon - what cam are you running?

I'm thinking about getting a Megajolt ignition setup fitted to my Xflow and just wanted to check if my assumptions of the benefits are correct. The engine is a Steve Parker Racing 1700 with 130-ish BHP running twin 40's and a 234 cam. By all accounts the head is pretty good and its always felt a much stronger engine than folklore about Supersprints would have you believe. With the Aldon Ignitor setup its pretty tractable and will pull from 2000rpm or so in top happily enough, with sensible power from a little over 3000rpm and real go from 4000 - 6000rpm when it starts to tail off. The engine will rev happily to 7000rpm if you let it (I have the limiter set to 6300rpm) but 5800 - 6000rpm is where it feels natural to change up currently. I occasionally sprint the car and would like a bit more power without changing the engine or making it less fun / tractable on the road. My assumptions are: - the power band will increase - I will get peak power from 5800-ish through to 7000ish (I understand the ignition timing on xflows tends to give you two powerband options with the Aldon and I am on the more road-oriented one) - the engine will idle happier at lower revs and be better behaved in traffic etc. (it's not terrible now, but that's idling at 1300rpm). Anyone done this conversion / can advise? Bob Stark Supersprinter

BTTT Bob Stark Supersprinter

On behalf of my parents - my Mum bought it 15 years ago or so as she could finally afford a sports car as a second car. It's hardly had any use in the last few years though, just the occasional trip out plus MOT and servicing and she has decided she would rather see it enjoyed by someone else than just sit in the garage. I know the car very well and it is exceptionally sound for a Midget - the body is in excellent order, the Gold Seal engine only has 10,000 miles or so on it and is very smooth, and the gearbox is nearly new. The interior is all in very good nick apart from a repaired split in the drivers' seat base which we never bothered replacing as its still very comfy and you don't see it when you're sitting on it. Car is a very bright "blaze" red (think dark orange). The full ad is on Pistonheads here. If you would like any more info then please do ask me via Blatchat or go straight to my parents. The car is in Kent and my Mum is looking for £3950 (to be honest, if she believes the car is going to a good home I know she would take a bit less). If you know anyone who is looking for a good MG Midget then this is well worth their time looking at. Bob Stark Supersprinter

In blue, top down, trundling through Maidstone with several people aboard. Foreign plates. Not something you see every day - just a shame it was on the one way system next to the Medway and not actually in it! Bob Stark Supersprinter

Got the first one off straight away then discovered it had knackered the socket 🙆🏻so need to get a stronger (impact?) one and try again... Bob Stark Supersprinter

I'm hoping to do it nice and cheaply (maybe hammer on an old socket?) but wasn't sure if there was a tried and tested method Bob Stark Supersprinter

My mother-in-law needs new tyres on her Clio and, long story short, doesn't have the key for the locking wheel nuts. As the car came with a set of dodgy 15" alloys (doesn't really suit a 60-something and not big enough for a modern yoof) we're doing a swap for some OEM steels from a scrappy (makes the tyres cheaper), but said scrappy won't spend their time removing the locking nuts. So it's down to muggins. The nuts are 17mm by the looks of it, and have an X shape cut into them to receive a key. Any good tricks for removing them using basic tools (no welding equipment etc.)? I really need to do this by tomorrow night . Bob Stark Supersprinter

Simon, I can't recommend 7 Indulgence (Meopham way - not far from Brands Hatch) highly enough. Used to use Redline (in Caterham) who are also extremely good, but not so flexible on things like picking up and dropping off / one-off mods etc, in my experience. Bob Stark Supersprinter

...in scorching heat, must have been mid-thirties in the shade. Older yellow and aluminium Seven with clams and a remarkably quiet exhaust driving along the Arno river . It was hot enough walking so must have been bloody hot in the cockpit Bob Stark Supersprinter

Seriously - bin them 🙅🏻‍♂️ The ones on Wendy's Midget were like that when we got it - and one completely delaminated on her on a dual carriageway 😳. thankfully without incident other than it being a bit of a shock to here, and the tyre fitter when he saw the state of it. New budgets all round Bob Stark Supersprinter

YHM Bob Stark Supersprinter

Skydragon - if you'd like I can email you a trace line from a run at Lydden Hill that was as close that I've come to being perfect (apart from missing a gear that cost me a second, looking at the trace ). My car's a similar power to yours and running on similar tyres so the trace would give you some idea of the relative acceleration and deceleration you would expect on a sprint. You can clearly see gearchanges (and the missed gear), trail braking and minor oversteer correction on corner exits just from the speed line. Bob Stark Supersprinter

Skydragon - if you are new to sprinting, and the course, then firstly I wouldn't be too hard on yourself. I've never been to Harewood but it doesn't look very forgiving, compared to a circuit such as Brands (a very good place to start going fast) or even Lydden (plenty of hard things to hit). When I look at your third video you look to be coming off the throttle too early, braking too gently, then trying to carry as much speed as possible into the corner, whilst missing your lines (the pair of these giving your understeer) and giving yourself lots of work to do on the exit, hence the oversteer. That probably sounds quite critical, BUT - you're learning! This means there is plenty of room for improvement and the advice above all sounds sensible to me. Just bear in mind these are very experienced, committed guys on track so you need to build up to it. With sprinting, as someone said above, the lines are crucial - IMHO you will gain more time and understanding if you concentrate on learning the lines carfeully and improve by building up to braking later while keeping to the same lines until you know you can't really get away with braking any earlier - then start working on how much speed you can carry through the corner. Keep the exits smooth and try and get on the throttle as early as possible on the exit without breaking traction. After that you will improve by feel. Two things that may help: - If there's a Circuit Guide available, read it lots and lots. They are normally excellent primers for how to approach each corner. - If you can beg, borrow or buy a Racelogic V-Box or similar datalogger you will see very quickly on screen how early and gently you are braking, if you are on and off the throttle in corners etc. and exactly how much speed you are carrying. Simon's video was awesome to watch - he obviously knows the lines and his car very well and has a lot of skill, as well as a quick car. The bit to take from this is the lines and learning your car - don't try to emulate the speed just yet! (your car and tyres won't let you) Good luck - and enjoy it! Bob Stark Supersprinter

My old standard 4-2-1 rear exit on my x-flow was between 101-103dB depending who tested it... 😳 I swallowed hard and got a repackable Powerspeed side exit - MUCH quieter exhaust (94dB from memory), it spits flames better 😬 and the balance of sound is now massively torwards the (much more tuneful) twin 40's . If I'd known I would have changed over much sooner... Bob Stark Supersprinter

If the oil light is coming on in corners the first thing I would do is check the oil levels (and that the dipstick is the correct length). The CC bafled sump was fine in mine until I started sprinting. 7-Indulgence made me up a "big wing" sump, baffled within an inch of its life and, touch wood, no problems so far (including Goodwood with soft R888's). Bob Stark Supersprinter