[Mg-mmm] J2 parts needed

[Bob Grunau]

Hi Chris,
I didn't see an answer to this question, so here goes.
Sorry I don't have any J2 carb pistons or dashpots surplus. HOWEVER, looking
at a PA dashpot and broken piston I said "that looks like TC". So I dug out
some TC dashpots and pistons and noted an extreme similarity except for the
size of the lower piston diameter in the carb throat which has the needle
attached. I then moved over to 1 1/8" Sprite/MG Midget carbs and lo and
behold, the Sprite carb piston and domed cover are essentially the same as
J2 and will fit.

Difference are only in the weight of the piston which is heavier in the J2
since the top sleeve is not bored out for an oil damper rod assembly. As far
as I can see, pour some lead into the Sprite upper rod and make the weights
the same and the pistons and covers will work on a J2.

The J2 piston cover has the number 142E cast inside on the top. So does the
Sprite cover.
Piston weight of a J2 carb piston is 239 grams.
Piston weight for the Sprite piston is 207 grams. So just fill the Sprite
piston with lead?

Interesting the carb float bowls, floats and float bowl covers will also
work OK.
J2 float bowl number is 1355A.
Similar Sprite is AUC8403-2 for the correct same as J2 angled float bowl.
Floats and float bowl covers from the Sprite can be used on either original
J2 bowls or Sprite bowls.

Main difference is the Sprite float bowl has a slightly larger hole in the
attachment to the carb body so may need to use a Sprite float bowl banjo
bolt and seal washers. Banjo bolt threads are 7/16" BSF on MMM, TC/TD, MGA
and Sprite carbs.

If you strip a carb body banjo bolt thread, easy to install a 7/16" BSF
Helicoil to repair the thread.

So there you are, obviously not of interest to the concours crowd because of
minor differences in numbers , but the parts fit and can help to keep an MG
MMM car on the road. This may be old news to many MMM owners but it came as
a pleasant revelation to me to see that modern carb parts would work on a
J2.

Trust this is of interest and use to the J2 restorer and hope we see him at
Concord NH.

He has been working on the car 56 years, must be a record.  Next longest J2
restoration is my friend Brian Hingston who has been working on his J2 since
about 1965. Followed by my J2 work in slow progress since about 1980. What
is it they used to sing in the Fifties  "We Shall Overcome"".
Bob Grunau.

Guys,

	I'm trying to help a 90 year old gentleman finish up the restoration
of a J2 he has owned since 1949!  He started the restoration in 1953 and is
nearly finished.  I know that if he had just started a year earlier he would
be finished by now but he really hopes to be able to get it to GoF in
Concord NH in June but needs a pair of original dashpot pistons or a
complete matched set of dashpots & pistons.

	Anyone out there have a good set they are willing to part with???

Cheers,
Chris Nowlan