Montana Bob -
If this is indeed you, your previous participation on (and departure
from) this list is, shall we say, legendary.
To answer your question, No. Not all foreign cars are metric. The
English did not adopt the metric system until after MG ended production,
therefore for all intents and purposes >>none<< of the bolts on a
Spridget are metric. There is one exception that I know of offhand, the
idle speed locknut on the Midget 1500 with the 150CD Zenith-Stromberg
carb, but there may be others.
Technically, the bolts on a Spridget aren't SAE either. The thread
pitch, shank diameter, and head size are the same, but the thread shape
differs.
However, that makes no difference in terms of the wrenches, you shoulda
used an SAE wrench. Looks like you owe the fella a couple of valve
cover bolts.
Chris K.
Montana Bob wrote:
>
> Hello,
> I am new to this list. I was on for a while a few years back, but left for
> personal reasons. I udmit I don't know much about these cars. Anyway, I am
> thinking of buying a used Midget here in Montana. I checked out a car
> yesterday, and when I tried to remove the valve cover to inspect the valve
> train, I stripped the head of the 2 bolts. I was using a metric open end
> wrench, and the owner is charging me for the bolts, as he says the bolts are
> not metric. All the bolts on foreign cars are metric, aren't they? Are
> Midget bolts different?
>
> Thanks,
> MB
|