One of the things I've never liked about the term "Spridget" is that it tries to homolgate the Sprite & the Midget into the same car - they're not!

Not entirely sure I agree - we might actually get serious around here.

FWIW prior to my dismantling, everything was a lovely shade of oil - and it seemed to have come that way from the factory

I must agree Tony I have several Diffs at Home. Two From Midgets (Both Natural in Color) and two From Sprites (Both have black Paint on em.)

Hi Scott, how's everything going?

So when you say "natural color" do you mean rust brown?
That's the color of mine, and I'd consider that to be "natural".

I do not know about the color of diffs. Honestly, I do not care, but I could see where there should be two separate concours guides (I thought there was). However, to say that they are "two different cars" may be a bit much. The differences in any given model year are superficial at best.

I would suggest that many differences certainly do exist but they tend to be more by model year than badge type, and certainly more with appearance details such as Tony describes as well as trim (chrome bits etc.) than mechanicals, kinda like the differences between Buicks and Oldsmobiles (perish the thought! )

Buick and Olds made completely different engines!

The Midget and Sprite were mechanically identical.

Excellent point Donn.

OK, I know you are right, but you know what I meant, maybe I should have said Chevy and Olds (but even that is not a perfect analogy)! What I was referring to was "badge engineering"!

But, I think Donn is saying that the Badge Engineering was really just that. More in line with Fords/Mercs of the 70's/80's.

That's the analogy I was looking for Trevor!!!
(What can I say, I'm just not that familiar with the "big" stuff!! )

Camaros & Firebirds?

I've seen some that were pretty hard to tell apart.

I know, after awhile, one mullet looks pretty much the same as another

A Chevy engine is not a Pontiac engine, and don't try to tell an American car nut that it is. The only ones you left out now are Cadillac and GMC (which is identical to Chevy).

But when it comes to a Morris, Austin, MG differential, gearbox or engine, they're all the same. Gosh, even the Triumph spitfire engine is the same as a Midget engine.

Almost all BMC/British Leyland vehicles were "badge engineered". GM does it all the time,the Opel/vauxhall/Saturn Aura is an example.

Stuart.