MG Midgets

[ascarracinguk]

hi guys. im looking to buy my first car, and didnt want a fiesta or any of that new rubbish on the market...i was looking at an mg midget, 72, chrome bumper, round wheel arch, wire wheels. anyone know if theyre any good, what things to look out for ie rot, rust, mechanical side of stuff...and what the roofs are like?

cheers

adam

[Bluebottle]

I can't speak for the MG because i've never had one or driven one but if you're looking to use it all year round it's worth buying a hard top for it. Soft tops almost invariably leak and are a whole lot of no fun in the winter. If you can't get a hard top at least make sure you can actually see out of the rear window! Having said that, some hoods are better than others.

[redshoes]

Body wise, check the sills and floor pan very carefully. Being a monocoque and without a roof the sills are a major part of the structural strength of the car, once they go the whole car will literally start to fold in half. Check the shut lines on the doors, then get someone to sit in the car and do the same. If you have trouble opening or closing the door when someone is sat in the driver's seat then walk away. Rear corners is another favourite place to rot - water gets in the boot and collects in the corners.

Mechanically, definitely go for an A-series one over the later 1500cc Triumph engine. One plus point of BL/BMC badge engineering is that a lot of mechanical and electrical parts are used in many other cars so are still easy to obtain. If you local parts factor can't get it then there are a number of specialist suppliers who can. If you are mechanically inclined it's mostly fairly easy to work on.

Obviously due to the age of the car check if the engine has been converted to run unleaded or if you'll need to use a lead replacement additive every time you fill up.

I've never driven one with a hard top but will confirm what Bluebottle said about the soft top leaking. It's a very simple design which means it can be taken up or down in a matter of seconds. Three stud fasteners on each side at the rear and 2 clips over the windscreen, and fold back. If you do get a hard top it can be fitted without having to un-bolt and remove the soft top. Good news is that the heater is great so your legs will be warm even if the rest of you isn't.

If you're used to a small hatchback you might find driven one a bit different. It's a very low driving position in a small car so in traffic you can feel a very vulnerable. Expect lots of wind and road noise and a tiring drive if going a long distance on motorways. Then again on A and B roads they are an absolute blast to drive.

[Tim Falce]

I wouldn't call new stuff rubbish in the same paragraph as talking about a 70s MG.
Don't forget the MG is British and comes with all the bad traits of British manufacturing in the 60s 70s and 80s. They are prone to rust and will leak oil form anywhere oil is kept and places it isn't.
On the plus side, parts are cheap and plentiful, you could build a complete car out of brand new parts. You can do everything yourself providing you are a bit mechanically minded and they are reasonably reliable as there isn't all the modern electrics to go wrong.
Try going on to some MG web sites, MGCC and MG cars spring to mind, and maybe see if there are any specialised forums you can seek advice on.
The biggest plus will be very cheap insurance even if you don't have any bonus built up.

[ascarracinguk]

cheers guys..tis what i thought, jus bought a book on what to look out for when buying thses off the mgcc site...

[John Turner]

So have you bought one, yet? If so what's it like? Any pics?