Discussion
There are quite a few to choose from depending on your preferences, from the earlier A series engined cars up to the 1500 Triumph powered rubber bumper cars. Generally speaking, the earlier the car - the more it will cost.
Boredpilot is a Midget expert, I suggest you post this on the MG forum.
Boredpilot is a Midget expert, I suggest you post this on the MG forum.
I had a '69 car,a nd it was great. But very unreliable. Mostly derived from the fuel pump, which i'm sure by now can be replaced.
Work out which one you want: the early 997cc are very different from the 1500cc.
be warned: a lot of people on here will suggest you buy a Spitfire, the others an MG.
Loads of tuning parts, great summer car (very cold/windy/poor heater for winter).
Mine was one of the last three built before they went over to Rostyle wheels and black sill colours. Hence is was a 1275 engine, split rear bumpers at the rear but full chrome at the front and wire wheels.
Oh: look out for the Austin healey Sprite. Same car, but without the chrome strips. It means you cna say "I drive a Healey"
Work out which one you want: the early 997cc are very different from the 1500cc.
be warned: a lot of people on here will suggest you buy a Spitfire, the others an MG.
Loads of tuning parts, great summer car (very cold/windy/poor heater for winter).
Mine was one of the last three built before they went over to Rostyle wheels and black sill colours. Hence is was a 1275 engine, split rear bumpers at the rear but full chrome at the front and wire wheels.
Oh: look out for the Austin healey Sprite. Same car, but without the chrome strips. It means you cna say "I drive a Healey"
Look around for a non-rusty chrome bumper car. Get a late enough model to get 12 V negative ground if ICE is a big deal to you.
Try to drive a few, before you settle on one to buy. Try to drive both the smaller and larger engine.
If the fuel pump is like the one on the B, the 12V negative ground one has a diode in it that reduces point wear IIRC so is more reliable. Moss offers a solid-state pump (sort of like a points conversion to breakerless ignition) that looks and clicks like original, but does not have points.
Did I mention to look for rust and run like hell if you detect it!
Try to drive a few, before you settle on one to buy. Try to drive both the smaller and larger engine.
If the fuel pump is like the one on the B, the 12V negative ground one has a diode in it that reduces point wear IIRC so is more reliable. Moss offers a solid-state pump (sort of like a points conversion to breakerless ignition) that looks and clicks like original, but does not have points.
Did I mention to look for rust and run like hell if you detect it!
The fuel pump is not really that bad. Doesn't fail very often and can usually be got going again. Just carry a spare set of points and some small fine-nosed pliers.
You could put a camshaft-driven mechanical pump off a Marina or something on if you wanted to, but I prefer the electrical one. You get better starting because you don't have to turn the engine over to fill the float bowls, and the increase in rate of clicking is a useful indicator of how soon you're about to run out of petrol. And when you do run out of petrol, you don't flatten the battery getting the air out of the system.
You could put a camshaft-driven mechanical pump off a Marina or something on if you wanted to, but I prefer the electrical one. You get better starting because you don't have to turn the engine over to fill the float bowls, and the increase in rate of clicking is a useful indicator of how soon you're about to run out of petrol. And when you do run out of petrol, you don't flatten the battery getting the air out of the system.
Get a Triumph Spitfire. Much easier to maintain, much roomier cockpit, better ride, better performance and much more comfortable. And they're infinitely better looking, of course. That's why the Spitfire outsold the Sprite/Midget for every year but one (and that was only because of strikes).
Do not be misled by badly informed, narrow-minded (mostly MG-owning) prats who will keep whining about rear transverse leaf springs and dodgy roadholding. The early (pre MkIV) Spitfires did have rear suspension that didn't react well to mid-bend lift-off, but that was fixed very effectively after 1971. Earlier Spits can easily and cheaply be retrofitted with the later bits.
Go on, get A Spitfire. You know you want to!
Do not be misled by badly informed, narrow-minded (mostly MG-owning) prats who will keep whining about rear transverse leaf springs and dodgy roadholding. The early (pre MkIV) Spitfires did have rear suspension that didn't react well to mid-bend lift-off, but that was fixed very effectively after 1971. Earlier Spits can easily and cheaply be retrofitted with the later bits.
Go on, get A Spitfire. You know you want to!
I like the RWA GANV (?) 72 cars personally.
Engine wise the 1275 is much more tunable than the 1500. I compete mine and there are so many modifications you can make. Some of the K series midgets are making mega power these days. Mine makes decent power off the A-series with a webber.
There are a million and one spares avaliable - I think you can just about buy everything for them from MGOC. But lots of people eg Moss also do parts and kit.
Joining MGOC or MG Car Club might help - the mags have loads and loads of ads of midgets for sale in them.
Engine wise the 1275 is much more tunable than the 1500. I compete mine and there are so many modifications you can make. Some of the K series midgets are making mega power these days. Mine makes decent power off the A-series with a webber.
There are a million and one spares avaliable - I think you can just about buy everything for them from MGOC. But lots of people eg Moss also do parts and kit.
Joining MGOC or MG Car Club might help - the mags have loads and loads of ads of midgets for sale in them.
Suggest you join the MG Owners Club, or at least get a copy of their book "buying an MG". Alternatively get a copy of MG MIDGET & SPRITE - A GUIDE TO PURCHASE AND RESTORATION by Lindsey Porter.
Another option is to find out where you local MGOC meet is go along and have a discussion with them. Most people are happy to talk about what to look out for. If you need any assistance looking for your local club let me know.
Mark
Another option is to find out where you local MGOC meet is go along and have a discussion with them. Most people are happy to talk about what to look out for. If you need any assistance looking for your local club let me know.
Mark
LA - you did move the seat back didn't you?
'Cos I am quite comfortable in my 1500, at 5'11" and 17 stone of 'wrestlers muscle'.
A mate also had one, and and he is 6'4"-ish, though admittedly he adopted a very knees-around-ears driving style (he was used to it - his previous car was a Mini)
I would also say the biggest problem to look for is rust - there are a lot of tarted up cars out there... was once asked to look ata Midget for a mate and (partly due to the sellers initial attitude) tore the superficially decent looking car apart - seller dropped price from £2000 to £800 in about 15 minutes
As already mentioned - boonet front edge, bottom of A-post. Also:
-Chassis legs where meet front bulkhead
-Bottom of front wings and corresponding area on footwells
-Inner sills/edge of floor
-Floor and box section where front of leaf spring mounts
-Rear arches extending to rear of sills
-Seem along tops of rear wings
-boot floor corners
Did I mention that they rust?
Also the front suspension periodically needs rebuilding due to play developing in a crap design (couple of hundred quid max).
While a late A-series is probably best, I think the 1500 is underated. Now running a Pete Burgess built engine that has coverd 40k miles, producing 85bhp@wheels without a problem (despite a few 7k rpm missed gear moments).
But if you do tune the 1500 - and I guess an A-series as well? - prepare to break rear axle components... I am on 2nd diff and 3rd halfshaft...
Advantage of the 1500 is that some came with the longest gearing (3.7 diff), and same mate as above fitted the Spitfire o/d box, making it fairly relaxed at speed (if you like that kind of thing). Now, fitting a 5-speed conversion is probably more sensible, if not quite as 'characterful'.
Shame the 1500 big rubber bumpers are so heavy and ugly.
Mine is sat in the garage awaiting a few bits and bobs finishing, then may well be for sale due to family commitments. But same commitments mean don't know when I will get it done
'Cos I am quite comfortable in my 1500, at 5'11" and 17 stone of 'wrestlers muscle'.
A mate also had one, and and he is 6'4"-ish, though admittedly he adopted a very knees-around-ears driving style (he was used to it - his previous car was a Mini)
I would also say the biggest problem to look for is rust - there are a lot of tarted up cars out there... was once asked to look ata Midget for a mate and (partly due to the sellers initial attitude) tore the superficially decent looking car apart - seller dropped price from £2000 to £800 in about 15 minutes
As already mentioned - boonet front edge, bottom of A-post. Also:
-Chassis legs where meet front bulkhead
-Bottom of front wings and corresponding area on footwells
-Inner sills/edge of floor
-Floor and box section where front of leaf spring mounts
-Rear arches extending to rear of sills
-Seem along tops of rear wings
-boot floor corners
Did I mention that they rust?
Also the front suspension periodically needs rebuilding due to play developing in a crap design (couple of hundred quid max).
While a late A-series is probably best, I think the 1500 is underated. Now running a Pete Burgess built engine that has coverd 40k miles, producing 85bhp@wheels without a problem (despite a few 7k rpm missed gear moments).
But if you do tune the 1500 - and I guess an A-series as well? - prepare to break rear axle components... I am on 2nd diff and 3rd halfshaft...
Advantage of the 1500 is that some came with the longest gearing (3.7 diff), and same mate as above fitted the Spitfire o/d box, making it fairly relaxed at speed (if you like that kind of thing). Now, fitting a 5-speed conversion is probably more sensible, if not quite as 'characterful'.
Shame the 1500 big rubber bumpers are so heavy and ugly.
Mine is sat in the garage awaiting a few bits and bobs finishing, then may well be for sale due to family commitments. But same commitments mean don't know when I will get it done
Yes the body's are expensive to re-do but you can buy new shells (at great expense) and they are easy to work on yourself - especially if you buy a flip front or lift off bonnet.
I am 5'10 ish and my legs are a touch long for the midget but it's comfortable enough to drive on a long journey - unlike the early E-Types.
Agree with the breaking half shafts - but you can buy expensive hardened ones. LSD is useful in tuned car. I think if you tune the gearbox is a real weak point also
>> Edited by Coco H on Wednesday 8th June 09:01
I am 5'10 ish and my legs are a touch long for the midget but it's comfortable enough to drive on a long journey - unlike the early E-Types.
Agree with the breaking half shafts - but you can buy expensive hardened ones. LSD is useful in tuned car. I think if you tune the gearbox is a real weak point also
>> Edited by Coco H on Wednesday 8th June 09:01
LA - Thanks for taking my comment the right way despite me forgetting the smiley 
Some stuff is cheap, some stuff it surprisingly expensive.
The 1500 'box is quite strong, but gather that the A-series one is more delicate.
I bought my car a bit rough, uprated the mechanicals, then later went for bare metal respray and many new panels (enough that perhaps a shell would have been a better idea in hindsight) and I preferred actually really driving the car when it was a bit scratched dented and scabby - perhaps that's just me...
I would recommend fitting the Frontline front suspension conversion though, and an uprated front a/r bar.
And maybe poly bushes. And... and...
Some stuff is cheap, some stuff it surprisingly expensive.
The 1500 'box is quite strong, but gather that the A-series one is more delicate.
I bought my car a bit rough, uprated the mechanicals, then later went for bare metal respray and many new panels (enough that perhaps a shell would have been a better idea in hindsight) and I preferred actually really driving the car when it was a bit scratched dented and scabby - perhaps that's just me...
I would recommend fitting the Frontline front suspension conversion though, and an uprated front a/r bar.
And maybe poly bushes. And... and...
los angeles said:
When finally I had the money I discovered to my intense disappointment I could barely get in to the driver's seat, and if I did, I could not get out again. I'm six feet tall. The showroom staff hid their laughter behind cupped hands watching me trying again and again to make it work, tears of frustration in my eyes.
(...)
And I will never fit inside it.
Thank you for effectively promoting the Triumph Spitfire.
My mate is about 6'4 and he fits fine in his Spitfire.
Hi Charlie 
Don't know if you'd be interested but a friend of mine is selling her MG Midget....it's a restoration job though
1972 RWA
1275cc
All parts are there
If you want some more info or pics then let me know
Cheers
Mike
same reply as I put in the MG section
>> Edited by holbayhead on Friday 10th June 09:31
Don't know if you'd be interested but a friend of mine is selling her MG Midget....it's a restoration job though
1972 RWA
1275cc
All parts are there
If you want some more info or pics then let me know
Cheers
Mike
same reply as I put in the MG section
>> Edited by holbayhead on Friday 10th June 09:31
Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff