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MG Midget and Sprite General - Cheap RWA

This is a bargin! If i had a garage to put it in while I do it up I'd swap this for my 1500 straight away.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160709780534?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

C L Carter

hmmm; for £1200 I'd want a bit of MOT or at least a recent failure cert.
David Smith

Its currently £750

Do you think it will go for £1200?

I think you'd have to go look at it to check out the MOT status - but as long as the body work is sound (as he describes) then anything else can be sorted pretty cheaply, right?

C


C L Carter

On the LH rear view you see the door sticking out at the botom.
For me that makes the alarm bells go and think that has had a sill badly replaced.
There is some overspray on one of the frontwheels so recently sprayed (to hide what?)

Ahh well I'm just paranoid when it comes to buying cars
Onno K

could be just door fitment as boot lid

not run for a time could mean lots of work with or without MOT

you'd have to see the car - a photo can tell a thousand lies

or it could be a genuine car sale
Nigel Atkins

even 1200 is cheap until you try to get it back ion the road, I can feel the pain in the wallet from here...
P Ottewell

Nigel
It can not be a poorly fitted door.
That would stick out top and bottom.
This is a poorly fitted sill & rear wing repair.

When I was searching for a midget I have seen several irl and on pictures and it always presented like this
Onno K

This car brings a question to my mind, did it come originally with that dash?

We've had a discussion over here on this side of the water about replacing the 'pillow' dash with this earlier style from the 60's and what it would take to fit it and I had assumed you folks over there also had the same changes to your dash when we had ours.

This car brings up the question - did they ever have to incorporate the 'safety features' over there? Was it saved for later when the rubber bumpers came along?

I've got a 74 RWA Midget tub here and a 67 dash I plan to use it it. I'll use the telescoping steering column but make generous use of the angle grinder before fitting it. The ignition will be dash mounted (as it should be).
Rick Bastedo

On our previous race Midget we swapped out the latter dashboard with the rectangular switches to an earlier toggle switch dash simply so that my gloved fingers could flick the switches quicker in a more definite manner.

They were straight swaps (apart from the switches obviously).

A.
Andrew McGee

Rick,
In the UK they kept that style of dash right through to end of production in 1979. The only small change was what Andrew refers to - from toggle to rectangular switch bases. But the overall dashboard shape remained the same. We never got the "pillow" dash style that you have - thank goodness! Not even on the 1500's.

Guy
Guy

Lucky for you -
Well that's one of the modifications I'm doing to the RWA car that Peter and I are building up from a shell.

Turns out it's making the car more as originally intended!!

If anyone wants to suggest other modifications I'd be very happy to hear them.
It will (at this point) be getting an 1100 motor out of my '63 Midget and a Datsun 4 speed so it will have full syncro for easier shifting. I don't think I'd like to teach a kid to drive with a smooth case.
It will be all set up with the Datsun transmission adapter that way when I find a good 5 speed at the right price it will fit right in.

I'm looking for a late 70's donor for things like suspension and diff.

I have a great set of Jellybean mags to go on the car (Ansen Sprint aluminum wheels), and may go with a fiberglass front tilt bonnet. I've seen these as the type that fits the square body and also the ones that fit the Bugeye - either one would be fine - or maybe a speedwell will present itself - who knows?
Rick Bastedo

I have been to see it today and if it was anyone from here I would advise them not to buy it if they dont like welding! I rest my case, the most valuable part of the car is the 1275 engine,£800 is about a good price.
R.
Rob Newt

Thanks Rob, saved me a trip!
Dave O'Neill2

Onno,
you could well be right
Nigel Atkins

Onno your correct in everything you have said!
Outer sills fitted over correded inner sills + fiberglass repairs!!
lots of patches all over the car not repaired very well.
I think i have said enough on this one, nice guy just trying to get as much for his car as possible, I kept my cash and bid him farewell and the best of luck.
Rob Newt

Chris, I just read the ad !
"It is offered for sale elsewhere at £1200 so that would be the BIN price for those who might ask"
David Smith

well done Onno

I thought as the door gap sloped from top to bottom it 'might' be alignment but not enough photos to be sure and even if there were you'd still need to view as Rob has

this a perfect lesson for potential buyers

these poorly focused low res photos don't give too much info - unless you've a good experienced eye like Onno :)
Nigel Atkins

Well, ever the contrarian, I have to say, that I'd have it,-- if I had space for it. :)

What can you expect for 38 years old. Mine was only 11 years old and in FAR worse shape when I got it, than this RWA is now. Too much fuss is made of how difficult it is to replace sills and rot.

Yep will cost time and money. But I like RWAs, and I also like owning something that I have brought back from the dead. Not that this one is dead, far from it. Maybe not one for the low skilled diy occasional spanner merchant, but nothing that would faze a battle hardened longterm spridget owner I wouldn't think. Well not me anyway.

What would I do to it? Spray it a decent colour to begin with LOL.

Speaking of which, Onno highlighted the overspray on one of the frontwheels, wondering what that was hiding. I would imagine a dented or rusted front wing. Not a big deal at all. Either make it straight and cut out the rust, or change it.

After Robs report, I'd be taking issue with this too, in order to knock the price down. --- The seller says, "the under side all welded and has ---" .

From what Rob says, the chap might be nice, but not immune to porkies. :).

But I reckon it's a buyer. I wish I were closer, I'd take a look.

Lawrence Slater

For around $1200 usa dollars give or take a few, it sure looks good to me....here something like that would easily sell for around $4000

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Here's my RWA car, will this qualify for "brought back from the dead"???

Even though it has no rust, none, zero, nada, completely rust free as delivered to me from sunny Southern California? Basically we just need to gather the parts and paint the tub and bolt everything on and go...

:-)

Oh, and I am looking for parts.
I'd take a non running 1500 car for it's suspension and differential if I could get it. Also need the triple wiper set up as this RWA needs that type windshield wiper.

Still needed...

Dual brake master
Clutch master
Axles
Differential
Front Suspension
All brake hardware
Anti-Sway bar and hardware
ETC...

LOTS of this could be pulled from a 1500 donor car.

Rick Bastedo

Hey rick

Contact me off board

Prop46 (at) gmail (dot) com

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Email sent just waiting for a reply...
Rick Bastedo

doya think that was a wise think to do :)
Nigel Atkins

Heh - we all know he's basically harmless.
Besides I'm currently sort of bored recovering from surgery on both wrists.
:-)

Found this car not far from me, about 40 miles away.
It would be a great donor if I could get it very very cheaply.
Not sure but it seems they might feel they have a "treasure" out there under that tarp...

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/2785792353.html

Rick Bastedo

Rick,
as I put on the other thread:

I think Prop's great :thumbsup:

(can't believe he's only 47 tho') :)

as for your donor, with those grey leather seats and those wheels perhaps it is more than a donor

or they may indicate it is just a donor

always intertesting to discover



. . . for those just looking on, a real PITA for those who go to these cars with sellers who just look at magazine values
Nigel Atkins

Interesting wheels on that discovery of yours Rick.
Lawrence Slater

It may be either, only way to know is to go and take a look.
I have no easy way to get it home at the moment anyway, so I'm letting it sit.
Also I think if I give the owner some time to think about it and hopefully not get any serious offers they will be happier to let it go.
The seats look to me like weathered original equipment, probably soggy and / or rodent infested.
Who knows though, and yes they do have interesting wheels - hard to tell if they are the correct wheels for the car or if they are forced to fit.
Lots of Datsun 13 inch wheels around here for sale, and they do not have the proper hole spacing, you can force them on but it's not safe.
Also it was put out in the back yard and covered with a tarp for some reason, and it's usually not a good thing.
Rick Bastedo

yes there a thread going on now about force fit wheels

I don't think 1500s ever had grey seats even in USA (but I could be wrong again) let alone leather
Nigel Atkins

My tan seats out of a similar brown 1500 looked like that picture due to weathering.
I also think they are mistaken about the "leather" - I've heard people many times mistake vinyl for leather.
Rick Bastedo

They certainly look like beige vinyl to me.

It's amazing how many people think Midgets and '70s MGBs have leather seats!
Dave O'Neill2

Sorry about that rick... I just got your email... I found it in a spam file

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

This thread was discussed between 06/01/2012 and 09/01/2012

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