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MG Midget and Sprite General - Help to buy a midget! Please.

Hi Guys! im a new to this so please be kind. Anyway i live in the isle of man so its impossible for me to go look at mg midgets in england. Can anyone help me by going to look at a car if its near to where you live? obviously im willing to pay! Any suggestions welcome.
oh this will be my 1st mg and am bursting with excitment.
thanks steve
s j knox

More than happy to do that for you Steve

I live in north Lincolnshire and my email address is
rjwelchmidgetataol.com
Replace at with @
Bob Turbo Midget England

That was quick! thanks for the help offered!
s j knox

Steve, sorry that would be outside my level of competence but as at some stage you must also try the cars I can offer my usual general advice

you can certainly get books to research your subject and the first I'd recommend you get, to learn about what you want to buy, is an owners Handbook

My advice to new or potential owners -

Buy an owners Handbook as it tells you so much you need to know as to own, drive, service and maintain your car - http://www.mgocshop.co.uk/catalog/Online_Catalogue_Handbooks_5.html

Look at and test drive as many good examples as you can including some well out of your buying budget to see how good the cars should be and that you may need to increase your budget

It usually works out less expensive to buy a good but higher priced example than a poor lower priced example

If you buy one then;
always have the battery in good condition and all battery connections and leads clean, secure and protected, same for all electrical wiring and connections

As soon as possible do a full and proper 36,000 miles service only miss out items that you have 100% proof have already been done very recently, including;
g/box and back axle oils
brake and clutch fluids
coolant
dissy cap, rotor arm and leads (buy good quality ones) - http://www.distributordoctor.com/rotor_arms.html
fan belt

For a coolant change drain the whole system - engine block, rad and heater matrix if you can get any of these out to give them a good shake at the same time as flushing and back flushing then all the better - the sequence is flush, back flush, flush, clean, flush, back flush and flush again until the water runs clear, refill with the correct coolant mixture but bear in mind in tap water isn’t always the best water to use

Also change the rubber coolant hoses to silicone when you get the chance as new rubber ones tend to be poor quality now- http://www.classicsiliconehoses.com/

Be aware that brand new parts can sometimes be faulty, especially electrical bits (see just above) so don’t discount them when problem solving just because they are new, buy good quality parts

Check the age of your tyres if they are 6 years old or more replace ASAP regardless of tread depth, this will improve the braking, steering, ride, handling and possibly noise and safety of the car greatly

Use the car regularly - to get used to it, sort out any wrinkles and prevent the problems that occur with lack of use, and to enjoy it

Every few weeks check your horn, wipers and all switches work and heater valve turns on and off (all no problem if you use the car regularly)

Follow regular checks, servicing and maintenance as per owners Handbook

Drive in all weathers, the Midget hood should be very watertight if fitted correctly and the heater is more than adequate, if working correctly, for the small cabin

Do not do any cosmetic or improvement work for at least 12 months of regular use, unless you need to replace parts or components, as you may need to use the money elsewhere on the car

Also very useful, you can get suppliers catalogues for free to get you started to see where things go but in my personal opinion they’re not as good as a paper copy like - http://www.mgocshop.co.uk/catalog/Online_Catalogue_Parts_Lists_3.html

Cheers, enjoy your car when you get it
Nigel Atkins

thanks for the help nigel! need as much advice as i can,i have about £3000 to spend do you think thats enough?
thanks.
s j knox

Hi Steve

WOW - such fantastic enthusiasm - so cool :) I remember when I went to pick up my first Midget, after years and years of dreaming and hoping .... :)

HOWEVER, and I'm not being a wet blanket here - NEVER EVER tell people how much you are willing to spend, and be careful about going somewhere and asking people that you don't know or trust for advice - whilst I would never badmouth anyone on here, that doesn't mean to say that the world hasn't got some pooeys out there.

Think seriously about what model you want - and, for this, I mean - have an idea of what you want it for - how many miles you'll use it for - will you do club events - do you want to do shows/autotests/etc etc - then you can really narrow down which way you want to go in your purchase.

The most important thing is the BODY - with a good body, you can do most of the mechanics yourself - however, for £3k, you should be able to get something that looks nice and runs sweetly.

Bit of a wild shot, but, can you make it to Burghley in Lincs on 12 June for Midget50 - that way you'll see hundreds of midgets, all different, and you'll get a wider idea. If not there, then what about MGLive on 24-26 June at Silverstone?

How competent are you at welding/mechanics/etc - this will guide you into what you will compromise on, and, be a better idea of the car you ultimately want to buy.

Please, please, please don't rush out and buy something - or get guided into something - and then regret it and end up losing money and heart - a Midget is for life, not just for summer :)
rachmacb

Terry Horler has a brand new book out and it's a buyers guide to Midgets and Sprites

The Essential Buyers Guide - MG & Austin Healey Midget & Sprite (All models 1958-1979)

Written by Terry Horler and published by Veloce ISBN 978-845843-54-0 RRP £9.99p

www.veloce.co.uk
Gary & Gaps

Steve,

first thing have you ever driven one or sat in one with the hood up (on a very rainy day of course) ?

I don't want to shatter your dream but the classic I wanted 20 years ago I got 5 years ago and found it wasn't really the car for me - hence my second Spridget now

£3,000 - depends on what you're after and what's avaiable at the time and what you want to do with your car and how you are going to use it

many including myself use classics as dailies there's no reason why they can't be very reliable (see my previous post) so my advice is always biased towards cars that will be used regularly thoroughout the whole year

keep some money back for servicing, maintenance, repairs and the unexpected

some people get luck and get say a £4,000 car for say £3,000 because they're in the right place at the right time

that's certainly never me! I'm dreadful at buying cars I can be very impulsive or get bored or frustrated with looking and buy one I shouldn't have or paid far too much for it

don't do either of thoses - there are loads of Spridgets around but not so many of them are as good,or anywhere near, as good as the owner or seller thinks

bodywork/rust is always the main issue with most British classic cars so sound bodywork first

watch out for what I call furcoat-no-knickers cars look lovely but hiding loads of problems

little used cars can turn out to be expensive in time and money to get fully running and reliable again

The likes of Bob will know what's what but you need to set out your requirements and bear in mind no one has x-ray eyes
Nigel Atkins

whilst I was typing post as usual others were posting - more good advice from rach and Gary

based on Terry Horler's other book I'd say without even seeing his new one that you should buy it and the owners Handbook as both will be an excellent investment and save you possibly hundreds or even thousands of pounds in the near future

certainly do your reasearch elsewhere as well but bear in mind there could be many errors especially on t'net and even more so in general classic (and car) magazine articles
Nigel Atkins

Hi Steve I'm no expert but with your budget it will probably not buy you the best of the most popular sprite/midgets ie frogeyes/mk2/3/5 sprites and midgets but it would probably buy you a respectable later 1500 car with the rubber bumpers as these are not quite so sought after,just my thoughts


gordon
g c pugh

Hey thanks guys! I nearly bought one last week which looked great and advert said top condition! anyway i got a pre inspection done by a local garage and it was the best £90 ive ever spent; told me it was shocking and not to touch it. Was hoping to get rwa 1275, dont want a mint one just a solid one i can put my mark on. its really hard to find any garage or person to look for me! Has anyone seen one advertised locally which would be worth a look?
Oh and thanks for the great advice, taking it all in. Your all welcome to the isle of man anytime!
s j knox

a tip I have just thought of (I'm a very slow thinker) - the amount of money spent on the car doesn't reflect its value - I know that for certain

another an MOT just means the car passed a minimum standard to one person's judgement at that particular time on that particular day, MOT doesn't mean the car is in good condition, fully and properly serviced or effecient - things wear and brake and malfunction all the time so a test once a year will miss most

so at this level of car (and any level IMO) it's all about the overall condition of the car
Nigel Atkins

You should see some of the cars over here! we have no mot's and some of the cars driving around are way past the scrap yard! Just looked at your car nigel and shes great looking. I'd love to go to midget50 but work is full time over summer so no chance.
s j knox

Hi again, I don't have any experience of these people but they always seem to have very nice looking 1500's

http://www.randsclassics.co.uk/showroom/


gordon
g c pugh

>>Just looked at your car nigel and shes great looking<<

thank you but that made me laugh because I've got to get a respray very, very, soon

the person that done the original spray was very poor and because the car is permanently outside the paint is literally falling off

provides a good lesson though - the photo is an old one and is low res - a picture can tell a 1000 lies
Nigel Atkins

Hi c g pugh! yeah ive been in contact with those boys, they did my pre inspection on the car i nearly bought. They have offered me the green 1500 that says reserved on their web site? could you guys have a look and tell me what you think? i thought it was too nice for my first mg!
s j knox

Whilst I agree with Gordon, buying a good 1275 RWA will be difficult, it can be just about posible. However this will not be the case if you buy it from a dealer, a bargain private sale will be the only way and without the correct advice can be a nightmare. I thought I was pretty competent but Rach obviously doesn't agree. Never mind I offered best of Luck Steve.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

hey rob if i see one in your area i'll defo e-mail you if thats still ok! there is one for sale on pistonheads at the moment but im not sure about it. thanks.
s j knox

Hi Steve that's really what I mean't, the 1500 is probably the easiest to live with as it's your first MG and you can get a really tidy 1500 on which to cut your teeth or an older model in poorer condition which will start costing you money sooner


Gordon
g c pugh

Steve, I missed some of the comments on the posts here so no disrespect to anyone

there are a lot of robbing sh*ts out there, some with cars to sell and no conscious or morals

there are also people that just like to help

distinguishing between the two is not always as easy as it seems

and there’s also "no good deed goes unpunished" (Judge Judy) – meaning one person helps another but gets blamed if something then goes wrong

If you want a good but not show condition 1500 I could ask someone if they know of one, they may or may not, you could then ask someone else to inspect it before YOU decide if you want it – all three of us of course could be conning you – or I could be making nothing out of it and merely pointing you to one possible source

But as I asked before - have you ever driven one or even sat in one with the hood up (on a very rainy day of course) to know if it’s the car for you ?

Re the PH (green?) one no one can tell just by looking at an advert you have inspect the car then drive it to see if it’s worth considering

You could look at dozens of cars that’s why you need to decided what you want and what you can afford (keeping some money back as I put before)

You’ll get more 1500 than RWA for £3,000 and certainly the RWA would have to be a luckier private sale
Nigel Atkins

thanks nigel! i've kind of realised that the price of midgets doesn't reflect condition, but how owners see them and the money and time they have spent working on them. Nice to be getting help and advice; hopefully in time i'll be able to help someone else!
I understand what you say about people maybe getting blamed for a perchase gone wrong, obviously i would just want an objective opinion from someone who knows the cars well.

I dont want a showroom car just somthing that has a sound body and engine, paint, interiors and fixings are easy changed but i dont want to spend hours rebilding enginges and welding; when i could be flying around the TT track.

cheers.

s j knox

Can't offer much help as I'm too far away, but the thought if flying around the TT circuit in a midget is just awesome!!

Paul
Paul Barnes

with a copy of the owners Handbook you'll be able to help many straight away, except for the steering column on a 72-74 before anyone else says it:)

I think these guys done a report 2 owners previous to me on a car I bought, the previous, previous owner left reports on that car and two others he'd looked at, all three reports seemed reasonable and knowledgeable

http://www.classicassessments.com/index.htm

I’ve no idea of there charges but you wouldn’t want them charging all over the country looking at many cars that’s for sure

Buying from a good specialist classic MG dealer and that’s already done

As I said if you’re interested in a 1500 I ask someone I don’t think he does many c/b ?

There are a couple of people on here that sell Spridgets, Bob has also offered his services

I’ll also ask a mate (I have two now) if I see him at the weekend if you want ?
Nigel Atkins

Hi again Steve, if it's just a "sports car" you want then your budget would buy a very nice "bullet proof" Mk1 MX5, almost a classic now in it's own right, doesn't leak, starts first time, every time etc,etc


Gordon
g c pugh

Well i really want a rwa 1275 but maybe thats out of my budget! I've had mx5's and MR2's i even owned a triumph spitfire 6 years ago (total nightmare! taken 6 years to get over it). I also have to factor in transpotation and shipping cost which has really stretched my budget! I wonder if anyone could look at www.randsclassics.co.uk they have offered me a green 1500 which looks very nice!

I dont mind a 1500 at all, but would like it de- bumpered or chrome bumpered. this is getting compicated and my wife now thinks im obsessed. shes probably right!
s j knox

<<< my wife now thinks im obsessed. shes probably right >>>

yep: goes with the territory!
David Cox

It is NOT out of your budget - but you MIGHT have to compromise on either bodywork or mechanicals as it probably won't be perfect. These are the most popular ones AT THE MOMENT - this will almost certainly change as people's fancies change.

If you want it tax exempt - make sure you check the date it was manufactured, as they straddle the tax exemption date.

I am not going to start my usual moan about changing rubber to chrome - but there are rather alot of NICE bumperless conversions - and some ruddy awful ones.

IF you want a RWA - then wait and buy that one - as you will probably not be happy with anything else, and, you'll just waste your money.

There are also many other options that you can do with the bumper BUT, do to it properly, then it does cost alot of money - although you do end up with a car that will weigh less than a standard RWA ...! Don't be fooled into thinking that it's just a quick taking off the bumpers - there's MILLIONS of threads in the archives if you want to follow that though, and here isn't the place!

Your wife is probably correct .... :)

I am not pouring cold water on your dream - I can see how enthusiastic you are, and do not wish you to lose the dream through a bad purchase or incorrect timing. As with any convertable, the ideal time to purchase one, unless you're very very lucky, is in autumn/winter - so your budget might stretch a little further then.
rachmacb

Hi both of these are on the MGCC Abingdon works site not sure if sold yet. Sorry not good on links!
1972 MG Midget

MG Midget 1275, Teal Blue, 1972, tax exempt. MOT until April 2011. Strong engine and sweet gearbox. Very good body and interior. Hood cover and tonneau. New battery just fitted. £3250.

Tel: 01367 870245
Location: Oxfordshire
Email: peter.gerring@googlemail.com

1973 Midget III RWA

Damask Red 1293cc with 12month MOT. My daily driver for the last two years, the car is very solid and has been well maintained and improved by Mamba Motorsport. Rebuilt in '97, it has covered approx 20,000 miles since. Minilites, new tyres, good usable condition throughout. House move forces sale. A hardtop, rostyle wheels and some spares are available seperately. £3000 or sensible offers

Tel: 01235 522229.
Location: Abingdon.

Ref: CFS028
Keith
K A Smith

hey thank k. a. smith! i've just e-mailed them to see if there still for sale. Lovely white 1500 on there to.
s j knox

Go for the A series cars!
Not the 1500.
Several rational arguments:
Aseries cars have a bigger value potential
When you remove the rubber bumpers you will end up paying the purchase difference if you do the conversion right.
A converted RB car wil never be as valuable as a A series car.
A series parts are dirt cheap due to them being used in the mini.

Now the non rational ones:
A series engines are so fun!!!!!

And buy a MKII midget with the detachable top they look better hood up and down!
Onno Könemann

thanks for the advice Onno! advice from all over the world, im glad i came on here!
s j knox

The Damask one looks right up your street, although one can never tell with a bored out engine whether it might be nearing its last legs. Should shift though! I'm sure the white 1500 converted to chrome has been on that for sale page for about 2 years. Whether its because its a 1500 conversion, its no longer for sale or simply because its in Scotland and no ones ventured that far north I don't know.
Mike Authers, the dealer, is near Abingdon and I'm sure for a price he would be willing to look over the damask one for you. Find him on www.mgmidgets.com
Don't be put off by people telling you what not to do. These cars are easy to fix if the body's in good nick. I know nothing and I manage!
Matt1275 Bucks

thanks mat1275! if they have been on there a few years i feel a right idiot cos i e-mailed them. never mind!
s j knox

LOL Onno - NOTHING you have said about parts is rational!!!

However, I do totally agree with you on a couple of other points - but NOT that they are more fun!!!!!

Either of those 1275s look nice cars - and, there are plenty of people in the MGCC who will probably know them as they are in the AWC centre, so you should be able to get an unbiased opinion about them.
rachmacb

Rach read again
I never said they where more fun!

Though that you assume I did says enough ;)

Just for reference i have attached a pic of how midgets should look when in use

Onno Könemann

HAHAHA Onno - true - but, it was a tad ambiguous ...!!!

Too late - coz he'll have already seen how a 1500 should look when in use in my profile :P!!!!!
rachmacb

Anyone live near oswestry?
s j knox

SJ, my advice is to buy some good books on Midgets. Horler's is a very good one, probably one of the very best around. I have my own opinion on it but it's a great start.

Check out some of the free parts cataglogues too. They show exploded diagrams and it may help you identify what's missing or correct part should be there on the car.

Be wary of mint cars for low money and wrecks for high money. Lots of those out there and a mint Midget is not to be had for pennies but they are still affordable cars.

I'd be more concerned with condition of the body for sure and if it's at all possible, take someone with you who knows the cars. You see it as you would like it to be, all shiny, the top down and wind in your hair, admiring girls and jealous guys looking at you. Your friend sees it for what it really is, a clapped out refugee from the scrapyard!

Pre inspection is recommended as well. Can save lots of cash down the road.

Look at as many as you can and remember, a picture can hide a thousand faults.

Best thing of all? Staying on this site as there's lots of folks who can help you out in a jam.

Good luck with your search!!

Clive Reddin

thanks for the advice clive. I have a couple of people from mg clubs willing to look at cars for me, which is a big help.
s j knox

Hi guys, well the hunt for a midget is going on. Stan from the mid wales mg club viewed a car for me yesterday 1976 1500 chrome bumper; which looks promising! Very sound car although its had a home restoration and paint job which is poor. It may need new rear wings, bonnet and boot in the future but is good for the next few years. Its a good price as they want a quick sale.
s j knox

This thread was discussed between 19/05/2011 and 24/05/2011

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