Thanks Trevor, it IS a very good question.
I have a roller that had a ford kent in it but never ran for me. I am replacing the crossflow and iron 4spd with a 4age, t50 and narrowed rx7 disc axle. The last 1/4 elliptic sprite I drove rode horribly on the bumpy roads around here and I think my 69 midget rides and handles much more to my liking. Both are in comparable condition including shocks and tires. I especially did not like the snap oversteer.. (and did not like it in the first bugeye I drove in 1969, though it was a revelation in other ways compared the the big healey I owned at the time)
Oddly enough I find myself with a big healey and an early sprite 40 odd years later. Go figure.
A friend suggested a swap to later rear layout while I was at it and told me it was a fairly easy swap. I looked things over as well as I could for two cars sitting on the ground and it looked like it could be anything from a fairly easy swap if the front of the 1/2 elliptic springs would attach to the same front spring mounts to a total nightmare if not.
patrick