I'll take a crack at this one. Whatever I get wrong will be promptly
corrected.
I think wire wheels vs. Steel wheel is more the compatibility issue. The
vast majority (I think all) 1/4 elliptic cars had steel wheels. I've seen a
couple with wires but I think they were converted.
The hubs and halfshafts are different for wire vs. steel. As far as I know
it makes no difference if the car they came off of was 1/4 or 1/2 elliptic.
The axle casing is different, but not much. The differential isn't
different at all in that you can interchange them, but there are a bunch of
ratios available from 5.xx (some sort of Morris truck, very rare and too
low for any normal use.) through 4.22 (Bugeyes and all other spridgets
through 67 or so.) 3.9 (Midgets through 77) and 3.7 (Midgets 78-79) I think
you need the whole pumpkin for interchangeability, I remember a note
somewhere in a parts catalog regarding an early and later differential
carrier. The rear brakes are also different on 1/4 elliptic cars (I think
this actually has more to do with the concurrent shift to front discs.)
They are interchangeable as whole units, backing plates, wheel cylinders
and drums etc. You need the correct handbrake actuator rods for the type of
brakes also.
Phil Vanner
Mk1 Midget
-----Original Message-----
From: David Christman [SMTP:dpc@ai.mit.edu]
Sent: Friday, December 11, 1998 10:20 AM
To: spridgets@autox.team.net
Subject: interchangeability of rear end parts
Early cars had 1/4 eliptic springs and later cars had
1/2 elliptic springs. I presume that the cases are different.
Which parts (diff, shafts, hups, etc) can be interchanged?
thnks.
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