Midas Gold

Midas · Post by **Midas** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:37 pm

Having just passed the MOT today I can now honestly say that my little car is powered by MJLJ.

The Midas was designed to replace the Mini Marcos, mine is a Mk3 Convertible and was built on a 1986 donor (Austin Metro) in 1996. I am just the third owner, it was originally built as a 998cc but the second owner uprated the suspension/brakes to MG Metro spec and spent a large wedge having a 1330cc engine built professionally by Adrian Dodds.

The engine is based on an A+ block, overbored running Cooper 'S' pistons, Kent Megadyne 266 cam and a very ported head based around MG valves. It's breathing in through a 1 3/4" SU HIF on a Minispares manifold and out through a medium bore maniflow LCB and Midas stainless system.

Adrian rates this engine as an 80hp unit which feels realistic and shouldn't chew the gearbox up.

Anyway, some pics..

Rich

DannyP · Post by **DannyP** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 12:11 pm

Very nice, I especially like your dizzy plug and VR mount. Somebody likes aluminium, don't they?

Midas · Post by **Midas** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:51 pm

DannyP wrote:Very nice, I especially like your dizzy plug and VR mount. Somebody likes aluminium, don't they?

Thank you, it was a case of whatever was on the shelf in the right size. To be honest I'd rather work brass over aluminium any day. I'm particularly happy with the VR mount, it's right out of the way and you only need to unplug the wire to change the alternator belt.

Rich

NITROPIXIE · Post by **NITROPIXIE** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 7:13 pm

Thats a real nice setup you have there and glad to hear you've got it on the road to enjoy it. Out of interest did you have the engine professionally setup as my engine is oh so very similar and i haven't fully sorted the ignition map out yet and have guessed at the needle as a BDR for the timebeing. Would like to know yours.

Any chance you can put your trigger wheel and Vr sensormount pic in here http://www.autosportlabs.org/viewtopic.php?t=2434

Ryan

Midas · Post by **Midas** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:02 pm

Hi Ryan,

I'm currently using the 1380 Midas map that Graham posted on here http://www.autosportlabs.org/viewtopic.php?t=2396, this in turn had been adapted from Ken555's map that he used in his GTM. Carb-wise it is running what Adrian set it up with and I couldn't honestly tell you which needle or whether the profile is standard. What I do know is that the engine revs cleanly throughout and it's really flexible on the road.

When funds permit I'll be having the car set up on a rolling road (got two locally that know the A-series well) and I'll upload the map to here.

Rich

Midas · Post by **Midas** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:21 pm

Ryan, I'll have a look at the needle tomorrow and let you know what's in there and whether it looks like it's been filed.

I've just pulled the original spec sheet for the engine but there's no mention of which needle was going in.

Rich

NITROPIXIE · Post by **NITROPIXIE** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:15 am

Thanks very much Rich, your a star

Ryan

Midas · Post by **Midas** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 4:51 pm

Ryan,

I've just pulled the needle on the Midas, it's a BA-. The third character has been scrubbed out for some reason and all you can see is the lower part of a vertical character which could be a 'T' or similar.

There's no evidence of flats being filed into the needle so it's either standard or a very neat job.

Rich

DannyP · Post by **DannyP** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 4:59 pm

Midas, I set mine up the same way re: the alternator/fan belt. It works very well, haven't needed to touch it.

NITROPIXIE · Post by **NITROPIXIE** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 5:51 pm

Oh dear thats not good but thanks for looking anyway.

If i mounted my VR sensor again i think i would do it similarly to the way you have. Looks good and solid for sure.