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MG Midget and Sprite General - Advice on buying a Midget

Hi MG Midget Owners and Enthusiasts!

Recently, at a local car show, my wife and I saw an MG Midget and thought that this was a brilliant car. I am very eager to "restore" a car and thought that this would be a get project and something we could both do.

I would like advice on how/where to find a Midget that requires work but not a full overall and what type of prices I should be looking at?

Also, are there things to avoid so I don't buy a "dud"?

Thanks in advance and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Stephen
Stephen Twynam

Well, it kind of depends - do you prefer doing bodywork or mechanical work! Seriously, if you can find a Midget with good bodywork, that's the better option, as the rest can be sorted, but, there's not much solution for a rusting hulk ...!

Where in Cambs are you? (To the nearest town if you want!). There's always the MGBhive and another place down towards Norwich who sell, and that's sometimes a great place to start - lots of cars in one place, as opposed to driving around the countryside to look at just one. You're welcome to come and drive mine before you buy - to see if it's REALLY what you want ...! I live not far outside of Wisbech.

The best places of advice are the clubs (MGCC/MGOC/MASC), and usually people in them will not only know where there are cars for sale, but will often come and look at them with you. Another option, especially at the moment, would be to consider going to MGLive, where you can see all sorts of MGs - to give you the full range - and also see them racing/auto-testing etc - as well as the concours/Pride of Ownership events - that would show you what they can be!

Hope this helps - and - give me a shout if you want to either come here - or meet - and have a drive. I might even do some work on her before hand :)
rachmacb

Hi there,

Thanks very much for the email. Erm... I'd probably prefer to have a more sound engine so it runs but would probably prefer mechanical work to bodywork although my brother-in-law is a wizz with welding and bodywork and my father-in-law has all the tools so providing it wasn't too extensive, this would be ok. As you say though, the mechanical fixing would probably be easier.

I live in Huntingdon so a test drive may be on the cards but I wouldn't be free until the weekend after next...

Thanks for all the advice and I shall check out the clubs (websites I assume) and the MGBhive.

Thanks a lot.
Stephen Twynam

Why not go for a Sprite at least that way your have an original & not a blatant copy.

Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

I know others may disagree but if you talk to the people who designed the car you will find out that the Midget and MK11 Sprite were designed by those nice MG people at Abingdon. As you will see it looks like a small MGB. :) can of worms springs to mind!
Bob Turbo Midget England

Why not go for a Sprite at least that way your have an original & not a blatant copy.
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

LOL - does it matter - so long as he finds what he wants :P!!!!!!

The weekend after next is MGLive, and I'll be mostly up in Silverstone probably, but, any time that next week would be good.

MASC meet at Pidley, so, that would be a good place to start - MGCC is the Anglia centre, and their next Auto-test is over near Swaffham, and the MGOC has it's headquarters in Swavessey - so, we're dead lucky really around here :)

Give me a shout nearer the time when you're free, and we'll fix something up - at least then, you'll have the feel of it and know if you like it or not. If you don't - well, there's several others in the MG stable - and they all have their own personal foibles!
rachmacb

Rach.....I like the sound of a 'Pidley meeting'! LOL

David
David Wigley (MK2 Sprite)

LOL yeah - it's cool eh? My mate is a vicar called Hurst, and he wants to retire to the parishes of Pidley and Old Hurst - reckons he can "retire" to his study and get pissed happily :)

Love Cambridgeshire names - another friend of mine tried to convince me for years there was really a place called "Two Titties"!!!!
rachmacb

Stephen
do you know what spridget you want?
early or late?
chrome or rubber bumper?
948,1098,1275 or 1500CC engine?

my personal preference is the midget mkII (though i have added a 1380CC engine)the most beautiful and practical.

Onno Könemann

>Why not go for a Sprite at least that way your have an original & not a blatant copy.<

Although how a car that was always made on the MG production line at Abingdon qualifies as an 'Austin Healey' is beyond me... ;o)
James B

Touche' :^)
Bryan Durham

hmmmm - someone comes here and asks a perfectly reasonable and sensible question - and the thread gets hijacked to a fight between Sprites and Midgets - I sure hope he's certain he wants a small car, and doesn't go out and buy something totally different coz it's not worth the hassle ...!!!!

Here's some hints - he wants a RESTORATION project - presumably not at some over-inflated price (which, currently, Austin Healey's are!) and he wants ADVICE - not a fight!

Lots of people drive Midgets AND Sprites - without caring a jolt where/when/why they were made - just coz they like them.

Lecture over, but, come on, this isn't really a great impression to give to someone is it now?

Rach ... wonders if this is why little men are so ...?!
rachmacb

I guess that touched a raw nerve amongst the octagon badge brigade.
To answer the initial question, go for one with solid body work, everything else is easy. My preferance would be a chrome bumpered 1275 one without the bumpers.
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

LOL - you didn't even READ the posts by the guy - coz if you had, you'd have read that he didn't mind it in bad bodywork condition as he can weld it - so long as the engine is good!

This actually just goes to prove my point that it's more important to argue than to help it seems at times.

I don't give a monkey's toss what anyone drives - so long as they DO drive it, and, more importantly ENJOY IT! I expect others to take the same attitude to me and my choice of car ...!
rachmacb

Stephen,
A deteriorating body (car) is not that difficult to deal with in the early stages - but it would mean the car being off the road for some while rather than a "running restoration" project. Structural body rusting (as opposed to cosmetic surface damage, stone chips, scratches etc) is very predictable in Spridgets with bad bits appearing more or less in this sequence:

Bottom of A post in front of doors
Seam between sill and the front of the lower part of rear wing - and just above this seam.
Bottom of rear wing behind the wheel arch.
Outer sills - often towards the rear of the sill first, but can be anywhere along the sill; rusting from the inside so tapping the sill usually reveals weaknesses by the change in tone.
Inner edge of sills/ joint to floors/ front floor section.
Rear heel board - the main cross section that supports the rear spring hangers rusts on both the inside and the outside particularly towards the outer end and around the spring supports
Rear bump stops
Lip of the rear wheel arches
Join between rear valance and boot floor
Lower leading edge of the footwells/ rear of front wheel arches.
Front vallance

Other areas do rust as well but are generally not structural (bottom of doors). Check in this sequence. If the early items are sound then the ones later on the list are likely to be OK - but watch out for cars that have had the worst bits repaired and the later problems have then come to the head of the queue! All is repairable given time (lots of it!) but also be aware that if you find structural rusting it is ALWAYS worse than it at first appears!

Guy
Guy Weller

Calm down Rach I guess your countryman was trying to have a bit of fun, surely wasn't serious was he?

Stephen there are a few issues with what you have asked

I believe if you enjoy working on a car and you want to do a restoration then go ahead.

However it will cost you more money than the car will be worth and you will need a full spectrum of skills from bodywork painting to all things mechanical. On top of that you will neeed an awful lot of time.

On the other hand if you simply want to maintain a good car for the next few years then be prepared to find a good car (They are plentiful) and pay the right price. A £1000 car will not be a great example, although sometimes people ask £3000 for what is essentially a £1000 car.

Lot of stuff I know but first you need to decide where you are.

All that said to answer your very first post I think a chrome bumpered Spridget that is a tidy car but wants bits and bods doing to it can be purchased for £3000 whereas a rubber bumpered Midget can be purchased for as little as £1750 for a good example with minor bits at fault.
Bob Turbo Midget England

'twas no joke that the Scots law of Riot has fewer people in it than the English counterpart - two Scots in a room are destined to have a fight, if there is no Englishman there to gang up on :)

I just think that, it would be easier in life if there were less arguments ...
rachmacb

Arguments? I read it all as harmless banter.

Given the original was designed by Geoff Healey; the upgrade from the (cute/ugly/???) front was done by Healey and rear by MG. All versions productionised by MG and made alongside the big Healeys. Tub and panels made by pressed steel. BMC controlled its early life; Leyland its latter days.

Most examples have been more or less cared-for in last 30 to 50 years, with filler, non-standard engines, varying standards of replacement panels, welding and spraying... I think the badge on it is the least of anyone's worries!

I thought Guy's list of places of likely rust was a good one and Bob's posting on cost of body restoraton exceeding value also pertinent.

I think I'd be after a good body and poor mechanics... but then bodywork isn't my forte...

A
Anthony Cutler

There's a couple of really nice ones on classic cars at the moment, and, even a few ok ones on ebay - again, it depends on when you would want to buy (don't forget, the week following a beautiful weekend is probably NOT the cheapest time!)

Nope - but - it's not just this thread I was refering too :)
rachmacb

rach were NOT attcking you because your a scott, its because your a, gir"1500 midget owner...LOL HAHAHA

Sorry I couldnt resist putting my finger in the pot.

My point of view.. Buy the best for the money you want to spend and dont buy the 1st car that comes along, so many times others have done alot of restro burned out and sell for the same price as a rust heap...I dont even recommend buying if you dont have $3000 to spend, if you buy a rust heap for $1000 its gonna cost ya every bit an extra $5000 to make it into a $2000 dollar car. just my opinion

Prop
Prop

ir"1500 midget owner...LOL HA <<< you forgot to add - which actually moves!!!!!!!

At least when I offered him to drive in my car, he won't have to wait 'til he's too old to be able to get in Prop :P! :)
rachmacb

Bob,
i'm used to it, especially near a full moon, i married a quine after all.
I still wouldn't buy one that needed heaps of welding, once you start cutting rust out it soon becomes a nightmare, better to buy one that is solid or solid-ish.


Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

LOL - cute!
rachmacb

I have to agree with you brad, In my opinion, Id recommend spending a few extra dollars and buys a good car, cause if you get to cuttiing and welding even doing it your self your going to most likely drop some serious cash along the way so might as well start with the best car you can find

hey rach,

Hopefully (a chance) A possiability... I may have the car running on monday... but i wouldnt put cash on it at the casino...but I am worrking on it as i type, okay eatting my lunch but then Ill be back on it.

Prop
Prop

Hey Prop - hope lunch is over now!!!!

Can't you just get a sandwich on the boot - it's the COOL picnic ;)
rachmacb

Stephen. Prop has it spot on. Buy the best car you can afford, don't buy the first one you see until you've seen some others (you may go back to the first one if it turns out to be the best) and if possible take someone with you who knows what they're looking at.
I prefer the A series engined cars, having worked on both them and the 1500 Triumph engined ones, but that's just my preference. A good 1500 will be just as enjoyable to own and drive as an A series car if that's the way you decide to go.
Anyway, welcome to the best forum for these great little cars and be prepared to fall in love. Good hunting.

bernie.
b higginson

Dont !!! buy an MGA instead :)



Gordon
g c pugh

This thread was discussed between 24/05/2010 and 28/05/2010

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