• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

'73 MG Midget

Share this page

S

Seik

Freshman Member
Offline
Hello,
First post here. I've been looking to get an MG Midget for a while now, and I've mostly been checking eBay. I'm not sure if that is a good indicator of price however.

I have the chance to get a '73 MG Midget with no undercarriage rust, just 3 small rust bubbles below the A pillar. The car does make a noise in 1st and reverse gear and the owner thinks it may be the straight cut gears. Would the noise be a difficult thing to diagnose and cure? He began a little restoration work. He's asking $2500. Does that sound about right?

I've never restored a car before, but I would love to try. Would the MG Midget be a good first choice? I've heard it's fairly straightforward and I've always wanted the satisfaction of restoring a classic British auto.
 
You need to check to see if it has been previously painted. Those three rust bubbles may be a bunch of cancerous rust peaking out from behind a botched paint job/body work. It is difficult to say weather it is worth the money, but I would focus more on making sure the body is solid (mechanicals are much easier to sort out).
Yes first gear is noisey and unsyncronized.
Where in IL are you? There may be a member close by that could offer you a second opinion.
 
Sounds like a good platform. But be careful it could lead you on a lifelong journey of fun and satisfaction and some frustration from time to time...just to keep things interesting!
 
And welcome to the board! Lots of good folks here to help you out if you decide to take a little walk on the dark side!
 
It's dark 'cause all the lighting components are Lucas!

Welcome and good luck!
 
Just my 2 cents, but I paid $600.00 for a RUNNING '77 midget with no rust anywhere in it. It sat in a yard in Yuma, AZ for 9 years. As of now, I'm into my restore around $4,500, not including the price of the car. And I've still got the suspension, brakes and interior to do.

Personally, I'd have a hard time paying $2500 for a car that needs to be completly restored. Also, being from the upper midwest myself, I've found that for every spot of rust you see, there are a hundred hidden rust spots.

Only my opinon though... Welcome to the forum!
 
I don't think my family has ever paid more than $500 to $700 for a Midget. We've bought and sold several over quite a number of years. The one I drive daily right now we paid $500 for (also a 1973 Midget). It had an electrical problem that made the engine not run. I diagnosed it to a shorting brake light switch and for $500 bucks I had a running car.
If you bookmark this website and aren't afraid to ask a question when you get stumped then the MG will be a fine car for your first project.
Good luck! and welcome to the forum!

JACK
 
[ QUOTE ]
You need to check to see if it has been previously painted. Those three rust bubbles may be a bunch of cancerous rust peaking out from behind a botched paint job/body work. It is difficult to say weather it is worth the money, but I would focus more on making sure the body is solid (mechanicals are much easier to sort out).
Yes first gear is noisey and unsyncronized.
Where in IL are you? There may be a member close by that could offer you a second opinion.

[/ QUOTE ]

First I'd like to thank everyone for all their wonderful replies and hello's.

The car has been repainted, but the seller said it was to prevent rust. He also said the underside was undercoated. He says it has little if any rust underneath.

The price is also a little high because he said he's rebuilt the front and rear brakes, rebuilt both carbs. ,adj. the valves, put on a new top and dash cover. New windshield wipers. Set the timing, replaced the choke cable. It sounds like I could get one much cheaper with less work done.

My biggest fear is I'd be buying it sight unseen. I think I'm going to ask him more questions about the bubbling paint. How do those paint bubbles look?

Here's a pic of the car and paint bubbles.
5f_12_sb.jpg


86_12_sb.jpg
 
that is rust under there, not just bubling paint. however, not a total loss, but needs to be repaired. but like others have said, with midgets, there is no such thing as a rust free midget, unless they just finished the body work and painted it last week. since the first day I got on this forum, I'm begining to dread the H3LL that awaits me when my midget gets to cali, cause even though on the outside I don't see rust. just about every other componet has it, so I have every reason to think mine will be quite an undertaking. however I welcome it with open arms, cause I'm either to eager to know better, or stupid to know better, one or the other, probably explains why I'm a marine. I like that color though, its not one you see every day. hope you go through with it.
 
The front grill and bumper are wrong for that car. I would suspect that it has been wrecked in the front as well based on how that front fender is sitting. The repairs you list are only a couple of hundred dollars. I suspect that the car had slight accident damage and a subtantial amount of rust. Then it was "fixed" by using bondo over rust with little proper metal replacement. If I had to buy it sight unseen, I'd go no higher than $1200. BUt would offer $1000.
 
Back
Top