Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Bought this today. 1978 mg midget

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1275 or 1500?

1500 stoked to have a little project

How rusty or mechanically worn is it ;)

The first performance upgrade I recommend is replacing the heavy bumpers either end.

Check out Peter May in Worcester handy for upgrades (ok to near standard) suspension. I would also recommend a decent modern more powerful alternator, to run an electric rad fan and replace the heater matrix with a modern one to get some heat in to the cabin.

Oh and when bored read this http://sandsmuseum.com/cars/elise/thecar/engine/kingk.html and think about fitting the 1.1 carb engine as it is an easy 60bhp and lightweight engine compared to the 1500. You can get one for less than 300 or be silly and get the vvc mgf engine.

New battery in today and turning over but no fire. Needs fresh fuel next and check plugs I think. Been standing for 10 years in a garage. Removing bumper is a good idea.

Not trying to teach you to suck eggs.

Try again with easy start to see if there is spark. But without fresh fuel who knows the issue.

Then the joy of points and a condesor....and coil.

Jesus thats nice! you thinking of buying?

So anyone have experience of the w211 e320 e class?

Yes. Which year? Petrol or diesel?

No but I did look at buying one a couple of years ago.
The early ones have some ridiculous brake by wire setup called SBC that can fail leaving you with no brakes. The pump needs to be replaced at a fairly high cost.
That's about all I remember beyond the high risk of general Mercedes Benz unreliability.

I like it. Which I struggle usually to say about EVs.

Probably won't make it to the UK market though. Sigh.

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What is it? First impression was of an angular Austin Allegro / Maestro with bigger wheels

Funky cat any one?

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/rivian-shocks-hot-electric-crossover-r2-unveiling

Reminds me of a Golf Country. I like it

The R2 (slightly larger boxier shaped one) has been confirmed for UK / EU released in 2027 so you never know.

I think it looks ace.

Cute

Did anyone go to rustival today?

T4 Transporter died on me today. Battery light came on on dash on the motorway. Then it wouldn’t start, so bumped it. Then it died again before I could get it anywhere to help.

I don’t think there’s a problem with the leisure battery draining anything. My best guess is that the alternator isn’t charging the battery up while driving, so I think I’m going to need a new alternator. Currently ~150 miles from home in Cornwall and need to find someone to fix it. Any ideas for what to tell a mobile mechanic in the am - bring a replacement alternator?

Battery light is fault in the charging circuit.
Is it diesel or petrol. Diesel don't need power to run so I'm guessing petrol. As the engine died after a bump. I'm also guessing that the split charge relay for the leisure battery is not set up to power the main battery in an emergency. It should be. As there will be an occasion where the main battery has gone flat.

At a guess you do not have any ideas, is the belt even attached to the alternator? Would you know where the alternator is to look?

If you don't know, best get recovered to a garage that you trust to do the work.

Hopefully I'm not coming across as a cunt, tho alternators do die, not usually while running, they fail on start up.

You’re not! Thank you, all v helpful. You’re right I’m pretty clueless.

It is diesel. Belt is on the alternator and it looks undamaged. I’ll get a mobile mechanic to look and then get it towed home if necessary, but would really prefer to avoid that.

The leisure battery is also flat so I think it has tried to charge the main battery. Or there is a fault with the dual battery system.

Diesel don't need power to run so I'm guessing petrol

This is only true if it doesn't have an electric fuel pump, electronic fuel injection or an electric fuel cutoff solenoid. A T4 is modern enough I'd expect one to have some or all of those.

the leisure battery is not set up to power the main battery in an emergency. It should be.

They usually aren't, because you can just use a jump lead in an emergency. Having it happen automatically whenever the main battery is low would just mean two flat batteries.

Been having some shit running in the MX5 so did some data logging with the laptop plugged into the ECU and discovered the TPS is giving false readings to the ECU.

It was randomly running really rich and stalling. The log shows that I'm driving along and the TPS will spike to 65-75% and it'll chuck fuel in but I'm not actually opening the throttle so there's no more air and it'll drop to 8 AFR and run rough until the TPS sorts itself out.

Now I need to work out if it's the ground or the TPS itself because I've got Prescott Hill Climb coming up soon and need it running right for that.

Also got some brakes to fit

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Now resolved! Thank you!

The 2.5 tdi I have has an electric fuel pump.

New battery and it worked, but still not charging, so new alternator and now all resolved. Fixed by the roadside by a great guy (at a no doubt reasonable, but also unexpected and large) and now back on the road.