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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Weber 45

Hi I am on the look out for a Weber 45 set up for my Midget to go with an engine rebuild. I have heard I need a long manifold and probably a linkage that goes under . I don’t really want to modify the mudguard to fit one but could do at a push . Should I go for new or second hand and anything I should look for or consider especially second hand ? If anyone has a set up lying around that want to let go let me know. Ta
Mike Fairclough

I’ll have a look, see what I’ve got.
Dave O'Neill 2

Mike

Here are a couple of photos of the 45DCOE set-up for my 1275 Sprite. I'm no expert, I acquired this from a friend who, I believe, had it installed and set up by Aldon.

The manifold is by Maniflow, the previous owner blocked the vacuum take-off.

The throttle linkage is mounted on the underside. I'm pretty sure it is an 'off the shelf' kit.

I also have a K&N filter but the mouths of the intake trumpets end close to the outer lid of the filter casing which seems to restrict the air flow so I fitted the mesh covers to prevent it injesting anything that I happen to have left in the wing edge slot!

I hope it's useful.

Colin





C Mee

Those wire mesh caps are themselves restrictive and do not filter anything smaller than grit. Probably best avoided as they defeat the airflow benefit of the DCOE 45.

For the original poster, unless you are after absolute high-end power, consider an SU HIF44 as an alternate solution. The DCOE does look good though!
Karl Thompson

Karl. I realise the mesh caps must be restrictive but they are a compromise.

A couple of years ago, with SUs in place, it swallowed a spring washer which didn't do the engine's insides any good. I'm getting forgetful and have occasionally left items in the slot so I prefer to be cautious.

The mesh caps come off for track use when maximum throttle is required. Other times, especially given the state of roads round here, the meshes are in place to keep out those bits of grit.

C
C Mee

Cheers Dave much appreciated . Thanks Colin we did chat at Loton Park last year about your car and thanks for the info and your experience with filters etc something I need to consider interesting you have the under linkage too which is what I have been told. Yes Karl I did consider the HIF44 but I will be going for maximum power and to match the modified head I have as I will be hillclimbing and sprinting the car.
Mike Fairclough

An alternative and neater linkage is the Mangoletsi one which bolts on top of the Weber with the workings down the side. Used to be available from Burtons but not checked if they still do them.

Trev
T Mason

As Trev mentions the Mangoletsi is a neat looking upgrade fitted to a recent purchase.

Tim Lynam

Don't buy a set for/from a mini, the manifold angle is wrong and the trumpets will foul the bonnet.

My completely unqualified view is that they are not useful things except for a full race car. I eventually ditched mine and went back to SUs for driveability, even for hillclimb/sprint then your torque curve is going to be more important than the flat out power.

They do look good though :) If I'd have had the money at the time then the Weber Alpha setup would have been nice and if regs allow. I believe you can also now get stealth fuel injection setups that fit inside the Weber body.
AdrianR

Adrian, As someone used to SU’s for many years would be interested to hear positive and negative views of the Webber/Mangoletsi set up?
Tim Lynam

That set up looks very neat Tim with the linkage. Had a quick look and not sure if they are still made. I suppose it depends what I get hold of first in the way of a second hand carb or if I go all new . It’s not a cheap option to put on a Weber but a decent set of SUs are getting expensive too now , I have lots off SU’s but they’re all in need of some work really. Take your point Adrian but everyone seems to be using Webers in the modified cars category which is where I sit .
Mike Fairclough

Mine is (was, hasn't moved much last few years) a road car, it came to me with a 45 DCOE Weber and in spite of tuning by a specialist was never tractable needing you to blip throttle and rev it up to get going smoothly from a standing start.

It did hum along quite well once moving but somebody with a historic race car made me a good offer for the sidedraft setup so I swapped back to a pair of SUs and the difference was very noticeable, it would just pull away and accelerate smoothly with a progressive throttle response and without any marked difference in acceleration or road performance.

Don't take any of this as representative, I didn't compete with the car or log any actual performance figures so just my recollection from 20+ years ago.

Dave B might be along shortly, I believe he has a Dellorto on his Frogeye and actual hillclimb experience so much more qualified to comment.
AdrianR

I've been watching the thread but not sure I could contribute much as Mike is after HP for competition where a 45 is the way to go as I understand it. I've run 40 DHLA since the late 1980s courtesy of rusty Alfa Romeos where they cost an average of £7.50 each for the 6 I have so I had some impetus to use them. I can't comment on commercial manifolds as I've made my own, see images for 1st and last. The 1st one ended up in the US and is in the archive somewhere. The jetting from the Alfas seemed to suit the 1098 I fitted it to initially and I found it more tractable than the SUs it replaced but that's my experience. The last manifold was for my 1420cc and was mainly a daily driver but used for some hillclimbs so drivability over outright power was important, the set-up is known but won't achieve the output of a 45 or 48 with separate runners.





David Billington

Yep, I'd go for a 45 with the longest manifold you can fit in there.
Webers are misunderstood a lot, with owners spending hours and hours trying to get rid of low speed stumbles. Weber carbs (45s) don't have vac. advance ports so compared to say a straight swap over from SUs with vac advance, the Weberized car suffers badly from lack of low speed and light throttle spark advance.
To run Weber carbs successfully on the road you need heaps of initial ignition timing like sometimes up around 18-20 at idle to get a result---then the dist. needs mods to stop overadvancing up in the revs.
William Revit

Makes sense Willy. I have at least one dizzy with no vac advance in my collection of bits, I don't know if anything else had been done to it and it did not cross my mind then to investigate.

Mike, if you go for a long manifold you will likely end up modifying the inner wing as you will want stub stacks/trumpets and a decent air filter box.

Mine had a section cut and folded down then boxed, can't find a good pic but here is one halfway through its last refurb to give you an idea.



AdrianR

Thanks for all the input on this , looks like a Weber 45 with maniflow inlet and low profile linkage set up is the way to go . I do have a Cooper S 23D distributor with no vac to go in. Just need to shop around now ! Not adverse to doing a bit of modification to the inner wing if necessary like you have shown Adrian.
Mike Fairclough

Mike there's usually a guy selling Webers and associated bits at Race Retro. Where are you in the West Midlands? Race Retro's at Stoneleigh, just south of Coventry 21 - 23 Feb.

C
C Mee

Been looking for a pic of the weber (actually dellorto) on my old midget -can't find it yet but will. I had it mounted up on a self made manifol;d with adjustable rubber hose runners and ended up with the outer face of the carb mounted level and attached to the lower inner edge of the guard, so quite long--This was where it performed best after lots of experimenting--now, to find the pic.
willy
William Revit

I’m 1/2 hr from Stoneleigh Colin and that’s exactly what I thought I would do. I am hoped there will be a few stands with them but I have never been.
Mike Fairclough

I had not realised it was a sprint/track car when I made my comments. Yes, DCOEs are best for very top end. Also nice to see the Mangoletsi linkage. My HIF44 manifold is from them.
Karl Thompson

Mike: Apologies if you made a special visit to Stoneleigh today, the Weber guy wasn't there this year!

Colin
C Mee

No problem Colin, I decided not to go as I have actually found a 45 but it’s on a mini maniflow manifold that I don’t if it will fit yet as I have got the engine out. How was the show this year ?
Mike Fairclough

This thread was discussed between 01/02/2026 and 21/02/2026

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