Installing the Driveshaft
A-Series MG Midget (and Austin-Healey Sprite)
by David Lieb
The first time that you are faced with the task of re-installing the driveshaft on one of these, you may well swear that it is impossible. Since the bellypan completely covers the underside of the car from just behind the bell-housing to just ahead of the differential, there is no way to get your hands into the necessary area. The later 1500 Midgets added a hole just under the front universal joint to facilitate this operation as well as to allow you to greas the front u-joint without removing the driveshaft, but that doesn't help you much either. When you try to insert the driveshaft, you find that the nose droops a little too far to get it into the back of the transmission. The answer is actually quite low-tech. Simply wrap the front u-joint with some tape or else wedge some newspaper into it so that the nose does not droop as much. Once you are back on the road, the tape or paper will work its way out in the first couple miles.
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