MG Midget help required please!
Discussion
Been tasked with advertising and disposing of a MG Midget that one of my missus' friends was left by her father in his will. All I know is that it is garaged, its circa 1977 and she seems to think it was bought as a project. I need to go and look at it,inspect it, and try and put a price on it to advertise it.Anything I should be looking for in particular? Where are the weak spots.? Don't know if it runs.Certainly hasn't been started for at least 6 months. Any help apprieciated.
As above - contact MG Owners Club in Cambridgeshire and ask for the secretary of the local club near the car (they may even know it!).
If you have to do it yourself, apart from all the things you'd expect to find on a car that's been laid up for a bit, the main things with midgets are sills / floor pans / castle sections which rust like you wouldn't believe. Midgets are also more fiddly/expensive to weld up than a B.
Engines are generally pretty bullet proof, but not if it's been sat for a while. Bushes and seals in the hydraulics (especially the clutch release bearing and master cylinder) have a knack of going.
Assuming the hood is up, but if it isn't then the rear window may have become permanently creased, and if the hood was put away damp or allowed to become wet then it may also perish / develop bad mould.
There's loads more, but they're more or less the same issues that affect any car that's not been driven for a while.
If you have to do it yourself, apart from all the things you'd expect to find on a car that's been laid up for a bit, the main things with midgets are sills / floor pans / castle sections which rust like you wouldn't believe. Midgets are also more fiddly/expensive to weld up than a B.
Engines are generally pretty bullet proof, but not if it's been sat for a while. Bushes and seals in the hydraulics (especially the clutch release bearing and master cylinder) have a knack of going.
Assuming the hood is up, but if it isn't then the rear window may have become permanently creased, and if the hood was put away damp or allowed to become wet then it may also perish / develop bad mould.
There's loads more, but they're more or less the same issues that affect any car that's not been driven for a while.
If it is a '77 (or so) it will be a 1500. The least valuable Midget, especially if in need of extensive bodywork.
Probably the easiest way to sell it would be an auction -either on line or a "real" one. This provides you with a value rather than trying to guess one and saves all the hastle of having to meet people and show them round it etc.
Good luck.
Probably the easiest way to sell it would be an auction -either on line or a "real" one. This provides you with a value rather than trying to guess one and saves all the hastle of having to meet people and show them round it etc.
Good luck.
scorcher said:
I need to go and look at it,inspect it, and try and put a price on it to advertise it.Anything I should be looking for in particular? Where are the weak spots.? Don't know if it runs.Certainly hasn't been started for at least 6 months. Any help apprieciated.
Perhaps get some pictures up on here so we can see the condition? Looking around it would seem that if its tatty and a non runner a few hundred would be a bonus.If its full of rot anything would be a bonus. Might try and talk to the previous owner and see if they can remember/know anything about the condition they sold it in.No history with it, just a key and logbook.I don't think she's worried how much it sells for,just wants it out the way as its of no interest to her.I'll take some fresh fue and some jump leads and see if it will fire at all.Not planning on getting my hands too dirty.
ETA I'll take some pics as the car is about 25 miles away from me. Don't want to be running around too much unless someone is coming to view.
free places to advertise? Not E-baying it!
Here
Car and classic
classic cars for sale
?
ETA I'll take some pics as the car is about 25 miles away from me. Don't want to be running around too much unless someone is coming to view.
free places to advertise? Not E-baying it!
Here
Car and classic
classic cars for sale
?
Edited by scorcher on Monday 31st January 11:22
scorcher said:
free places to advertise? Not E-baying it!
Here
Car and classic
classic cars for sale
?
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/list.asp?s=64Here
Car and classic
classic cars for sale
?
http://www.classic-car-mart.co.uk/
http://www.great-cars.co.uk/classifieds.html
http://www.classiccarbase.com/CarForSale.aspx
http://www.classiccarweekly.co.uk/Contact-Us
Went and had a look at it.Pleasantly surprised at its bodywork condition.Not so good...Four flatish tyres,no battery,brakes semi seized on. Managed to get it out the garage.Tried jumping it to no avail.Then found the trusty imobilisor toggle switch
Got a spark but no fuel. Filled the carbs with fuel and it fired up for a couple of minutes before dying. Seems to have a fuel problem as its not pumping it up to the carbs.Couple of pics.
Anybody want to hazard a guess at what its worth.I'm thinking about £750 (No Mot/non runner/no history )
Got a spark but no fuel. Filled the carbs with fuel and it fired up for a couple of minutes before dying. Seems to have a fuel problem as its not pumping it up to the carbs.Couple of pics.Anybody want to hazard a guess at what its worth.I'm thinking about £750 (No Mot/non runner/no history )
I don't know the type, but it looks not too bad, and that 70s butterscotch colour is rather fetching, in a Sainsbury's Instant Whip sort of way, so I'm surprised if it is worth as little as 750. It could become a prized classic for a young enthusiast who is able to do some work on it. I hope that it finds a happy home.
That looks from those photos that it might be a reasonable car - of course the photos might be flattering and it might be as rusty as possible in unseen places
I've no idea of value
It depends on how much of a friend your wife's freind is to you as you could put in a bit of recommisioning work and increase it's value or sell as is and leave it to the purchaser
The mohair hood, walnut dash and red piped seats certainly suggest an old person as the previous owner and the possibility (only a possibility) by those photos that it might have been restored to a reasonable standard - don't get your hopes up it might still be a fur coat no knickers job i.e. all done for show rather than structure
There could be a little or a lot to do to recommision it as you've already found with the fuel problem
Starting with a new good quailty battery, freeing off brakes and clutch(?), getting it to run, if the tyres have been flat for a long time they could all be shot (they all should be changed if over 5 years old anyway regardless of tread left, incliding the spare) and so on, and on and on . . .
the car sitting unused especially garaged (unless it's sufficiently heated and dehumidified) has also done it few favours
Put up another thread in MG forum with photos for value and more advice - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&a...
If you want the RISK and COST (in time, labour and patience) of recommisioning it I suggest for advice you join - http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgb...
but don't think things will necessarily be cheap and easy to sort (they might be but probably not) remember this if you sell the car and then see it sold for a lot more later, that's the risk and cost your buyer took on
I've no idea of value
It depends on how much of a friend your wife's freind is to you as you could put in a bit of recommisioning work and increase it's value or sell as is and leave it to the purchaser
The mohair hood, walnut dash and red piped seats certainly suggest an old person as the previous owner and the possibility (only a possibility) by those photos that it might have been restored to a reasonable standard - don't get your hopes up it might still be a fur coat no knickers job i.e. all done for show rather than structure
There could be a little or a lot to do to recommision it as you've already found with the fuel problem
Starting with a new good quailty battery, freeing off brakes and clutch(?), getting it to run, if the tyres have been flat for a long time they could all be shot (they all should be changed if over 5 years old anyway regardless of tread left, incliding the spare) and so on, and on and on . . .
the car sitting unused especially garaged (unless it's sufficiently heated and dehumidified) has also done it few favours
Put up another thread in MG forum with photos for value and more advice - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&a...
If you want the RISK and COST (in time, labour and patience) of recommisioning it I suggest for advice you join - http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgb...
but don't think things will necessarily be cheap and easy to sort (they might be but probably not) remember this if you sell the car and then see it sold for a lot more later, that's the risk and cost your buyer took on
na said:
That looks from those photos that it might be a reasonable car - of course the photos might be flattering and it might be as rusty as possible in unseen places
I've no idea of value
It depends on how much of a friend your wife's freind is to you as you could put in a bit of recommisioning work and increase it's value or sell as is and leave it to the purchaser
The mohair hood, walnut dash and red piped seats certainly suggest an old person as the previous owner and the possibility (only a possibility) by those photos that it might have been restored to a reasonable standard - don't get your hopes up it might still be a fur coat no knickers job i.e. all done for show rather than structure
There could be a little or a lot to do to recommision it as you've already found with the fuel problem
Starting with a new good quailty battery, freeing off brakes and clutch(?), getting it to run, if the tyres have been flat for a long time they could all be shot (they all should be changed if over 5 years old anyway regardless of tread left, incliding the spare) and so on, and on and on . . .
the car sitting unused especially garaged (unless it's sufficiently heated and dehumidified) has also done it few favours
Put up another thread in MG forum with photos for value and more advice - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&a...
If you want the RISK and COST (in time, labour and patience) of recommisioning it I suggest for advice you join - http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgb...
but don't think things will necessarily be cheap and easy to sort (they might be but probably not) remember this if you sell the car and then see it sold for a lot more later, that's the risk and cost your buyer took on
The car is of no interest to me in any way shape or form and I have zero interest in messing about with it and getting it going properly again.And if someone could spend a few hundred on her and sell at I nice profit thats all well and good to me.The car is situated about 25 miles from where I live so I will soon get fed up of going down and showing prospective buyers it let alone going down to mess about with it. Everywhere I could see looked and felt solid but as for the rest of it,it needs a keener eye than mine.I've no idea of value
It depends on how much of a friend your wife's freind is to you as you could put in a bit of recommisioning work and increase it's value or sell as is and leave it to the purchaser
The mohair hood, walnut dash and red piped seats certainly suggest an old person as the previous owner and the possibility (only a possibility) by those photos that it might have been restored to a reasonable standard - don't get your hopes up it might still be a fur coat no knickers job i.e. all done for show rather than structure
There could be a little or a lot to do to recommision it as you've already found with the fuel problem
Starting with a new good quailty battery, freeing off brakes and clutch(?), getting it to run, if the tyres have been flat for a long time they could all be shot (they all should be changed if over 5 years old anyway regardless of tread left, incliding the spare) and so on, and on and on . . .
the car sitting unused especially garaged (unless it's sufficiently heated and dehumidified) has also done it few favours
Put up another thread in MG forum with photos for value and more advice - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&a...
If you want the RISK and COST (in time, labour and patience) of recommisioning it I suggest for advice you join - http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgb...
but don't think things will necessarily be cheap and easy to sort (they might be but probably not) remember this if you sell the car and then see it sold for a lot more later, that's the risk and cost your buyer took on
I've stuck it in the classifieds at £995/offers
scorcher said:
The car is of no interest to me in any way shape or form and I have zero interest in messing about with it and getting it going properly again.And if someone could spend a few hundred on her and sell at I nice profit thats all well and good to me.The car is situated about 25 miles from where I live so I will soon get fed up of going down and showing prospective buyers it let alone going down to mess about with it. Everywhere I could see looked and felt solid but as for the rest of it,it needs a keener eye than mine.
I've stuck it in the classifieds at £995/offers
Fair enough - I'll put a thread up on BBS so that you might get at least those that know about Midgets contact you, selling a car can be a miserable business especially when the car doesn't belong to you - I hope your wife and her friend appreciate what your doing, if not get thenm to answer the phone calls they'll soon appreciate you more I've stuck it in the classifieds at £995/offers
BBS???? Thanks for your help! She does appreciate it , but would like to see it gone so she can get on with clearing the house etc and get that on the market aswell.Unfortunately I seem to be the only one with any spare time on my hands at the moment so my missus keeps volunteering me for jobs.Bless her!!!!
No problem, it's done, BBS Midget and Sprite forums
As I have a lot of time on my hands I'm almost tempted by it but I'm the worst buyer (far too impulsive) and worst seller in the world (far, far too honest for car sales)
If it was nearer I'd nip and look at it - but it aint
Any photos of the engine bay and underneath (even from just putting camera under car as it stands) if both areas are in good condition then they would help to speed enquiries - the PH advert at least allows updates on text and photos
As I have a lot of time on my hands I'm almost tempted by it but I'm the worst buyer (far too impulsive) and worst seller in the world (far, far too honest for car sales)
If it was nearer I'd nip and look at it - but it aint
Any photos of the engine bay and underneath (even from just putting camera under car as it stands) if both areas are in good condition then they would help to speed enquiries - the PH advert at least allows updates on text and photos
Sold the car today through CarandClassic. Got £750 for it which I thought was reasonable (more than I would of give for it!)seeing as I've seen running examples with Tax/and MOT from about £1295.Theres also a few on ebay attracting bids at £3-400.The girl I sold it for is happy as its going to someone who has taken it on for a project for their own pleasure.Also means I haven't got to waste 3 hours travelling back and forth showing it to people.Thanks for your suggestions everyone.
Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff