Four on the floor and ready to start!
Four tires on the ground is more like it. I finally got the other two tires replaced and now the Midget is sitting pretty. The stark reality is that she has been sitting covered for almost twenty years… There are lots of rust places to attend to but all that will wait for the engine to be started.
Today I pulled the spark plugs and sprayed Stabil Fogging Spray inside to help lubricate the cylinders. The plugs are black from apparently running very rich when last run. There was no rust present so that was a good sign.
I removed the old battery or rather the lump that used to be a battery. I remember when I put that battery in I was thinking that it would be hard to get it out again. So true! I had to get my son to come help me. We removed the hood and I got on top of the engine and pulled with a battery carrier while Jesse pried the battery away from the drip rail. The battery carrier made it possible to remove as after it was pried away from the drip rail, it came out easily. Yeah, right!! But it came out!! I cleaned out the chewed nuts from the area then hosed it out. It has not rusted through in the battery box so that is a good thing. 
After removing the battery from my Opel Rallye, I hooked it up in the Midget. I got headlights, dash brake light and the yellow light on the right side. No noise from the starter. I tried to short the solenoid and got lots of sparks….. LOTS of sparks. I did hear it move at first. Move in toward the flywheel not actually turn the engine. I tried it some more and heard the clunking of the solenoid. Then I turned off the key and was doing other things. I came back to the Midget and was taking the battery out when I touched the positive lead and it burnt my finger! When I removed the negative lead, it sparked. Something is shorting the battery. Since Lucas, Prince of Darkness, is responsible for the electricals of British Leyland, I expect problems! Why do people in England like warm beer? Because Lucas makes their refrigerators, too! Meanwhile when I went to pick up the battery, the whole battery was very hot. Something, probably the starter, was shorting it out. So the electricals are going to be a pain as expected. I just need to get a wrench on the crankshaft to turn the engine over. Next project…
My list:
1. Passenger door lock is stuck. Door won’t open.
2. Remove starter to have verified that it works.
3. Flush gas line with carb cleaner.
4. Drain gas tank.
5. Turn engine over with wrench from below.
6. Windshield has a bullseye in the driver’s view so that needs to be replaced. MG Parts has it for $122 and gasket for $26. Not bad! Lots of other things but these are major ones.
As the sun was setting, I covered the Midget and planned for the next attack!
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