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I need some tips or advice as to how to sell my 78 Midget 1500. I just towed the Midget from Virginia to northeast Ohio after the head gasket blew going through the mountains. Being unemployed and now without a car (my midget was my daily driver and ran great until now) I cant afford nor have the time / tools any longer to fix the Midget and need to focus on getting a regular car for the winters here and my 1 year old daughter. The car is rust free and looks great. It has fresh paint, new interior, new tires, and everything external of the engine is new. I have a file of receipts that added up to over $3300 of new parts I put on the car since I bought it this time last year. I know I cant get anywhere near the money for the car with it not running but honestly I want to get it into someones hands that knows these cars and will get it back on the road and take care of it. Im thinking asking $1000 for it. Where should I post to sell it?
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Head Gasket Blew = Gotta sell the Midget
- Thread starter Midget78
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lbc_newbie
Jedi Warrior
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Sweendog, so sorry to hear of your troubles. Is there any way you could host an O.S.H.I.T? Maybe some guys in the area can pitch in and get you on the road again. What is the extent of the damage? It might be more affordable for you to get this corrected with some help, than to go out and find something else and start all over again. If you do decide to sell, I would start with the local MG clubs. They usually have a newsletter with classifieds. Best of luck to you, Sweendog...hope you can figure this out and hang in there with us.
tony barnhill
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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Hate to tell you but time of year & non-running car, $1,000 at most.
boxfullofyertoys
Senior Member
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Don't sell it! (at least, not yet!)
Luckily a head gasket is an easy job on these cars. A gasket set will put you back $60 tops, and I'm sure you can find a local auto parts store that will loan you the tools for a day or so. As long as you don't have to get the head worked on because it's warped you'll be good to go in a day's time and for less than a c-note. If your head is warped, you'll have to take it to a shop to get it cut. It cost me about $220 when I did it (that included a cleaning, magnaflux, valve job, cut square, and new expansion plugs).
If you really have to sell it, you'd probably be better off paying for the repair and then selling it. The additional money you'd get for a running car would be well above the cost of the repair.
Just my $0.02...
If I lived closer I'd be over there in a heartbeat, sorry I can't help! If you decide to go through with the fix and need some advice just shout out. I had to replace the HG twice on my car this summer (didn't realize the head was as warped as it was), so I'm an expert at getting them swapped out
Luckily a head gasket is an easy job on these cars. A gasket set will put you back $60 tops, and I'm sure you can find a local auto parts store that will loan you the tools for a day or so. As long as you don't have to get the head worked on because it's warped you'll be good to go in a day's time and for less than a c-note. If your head is warped, you'll have to take it to a shop to get it cut. It cost me about $220 when I did it (that included a cleaning, magnaflux, valve job, cut square, and new expansion plugs).
If you really have to sell it, you'd probably be better off paying for the repair and then selling it. The additional money you'd get for a running car would be well above the cost of the repair.
Just my $0.02...
If I lived closer I'd be over there in a heartbeat, sorry I can't help! If you decide to go through with the fix and need some advice just shout out. I had to replace the HG twice on my car this summer (didn't realize the head was as warped as it was), so I'm an expert at getting them swapped out
I dont want to mess with it for the fact that Im pretty sure there will be more to it then just changing the head gasket. With the way my luck is the head will need something most likely and the hole will just get deeper. Nothing ever goes easy on these cars. I was getting ready to sell the car anyways because of family issues and transportation then sure as ever this happenes which hurts the selling price and makes it harder to deal with. But nothing comes easy for me. I do know whomever gets it back on its feet will have very little to deal with elsewhere and this car will be a runner for quite a while cause everything else has been addressed over the past year.
bthompson
Jedi Warrior
Offline
Don't give up hope yet...there's a half-dozen of us right here on the forum within spitting distance of Fort Mill. I'm <span style="font-style: italic">really</span> close, but unfortunately have no head gasket experience, or any tools to speak of, so I wouldn't be much help other than moral support. :laugh:
G
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Here's what to do for a quick fix:
Drain all coolant and fush GOOD till nothing but clear water come out.
Go to a pharmacy and get a quart of sodium silicate, you can get it online also. This is the same stuff as the "clunker bomb" so a local dealership may have some in stock you can get really cheap or free. Some consider this a "permanant" repair, other don't, however; I've seen and heard of this stuff working for YEARS without having to change out the gasket.
What it will fix:
Water/steam comming out of the exhast, compression blowing into colling system and out of radiator cap.
What it WON'T fix:
Gasket blow between cylinders, oil in coolant.
Best way to figure what to do or not is pull the tank cap off or the fill plug, make sure engine is full of water when cold(I'd pull t-stat to allow for easier fill). Crank car and rev. If water shoots out like a geyser(sic?) or the motor runs real hot withing a few mintures, use the juice. If not, it won't help.
Sit on the car for now if you don't feel like messing with it. It's too cheap and easy to fix. A head gasket is around $12. like boxfull said, $100 or less and a day's time and you're good to go. Don't let the economy take your car.
Sounds like it's not a matter of you can't afford to fix it; YOU CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO !!!!
Spend $100 and make another $1000 AT LEAST !!!!
Pull it down, have it checked for warpage and a quick visual for cracks (I wouldn't have the valves taken out as I don't believe these engines are known for cracks in the ports but someone here will know for sure, no need for an "extra" valve job), mill if nessisary and put it back together. You wouldn't have done a valve job before so don't do one now. if it ran good, leave everything else alone.
.......if I told you I'd give you a $1000 for a day of your time, would you do it ?!?!?!?!?
I know you're bummed out and this is just "another" of many things comming at you unexpectedly. DON'T GIVE UP !!!! YOU CAN HANDLE THIS !!!!
Drain all coolant and fush GOOD till nothing but clear water come out.
Go to a pharmacy and get a quart of sodium silicate, you can get it online also. This is the same stuff as the "clunker bomb" so a local dealership may have some in stock you can get really cheap or free. Some consider this a "permanant" repair, other don't, however; I've seen and heard of this stuff working for YEARS without having to change out the gasket.
What it will fix:
Water/steam comming out of the exhast, compression blowing into colling system and out of radiator cap.
What it WON'T fix:
Gasket blow between cylinders, oil in coolant.
Best way to figure what to do or not is pull the tank cap off or the fill plug, make sure engine is full of water when cold(I'd pull t-stat to allow for easier fill). Crank car and rev. If water shoots out like a geyser(sic?) or the motor runs real hot withing a few mintures, use the juice. If not, it won't help.
Sit on the car for now if you don't feel like messing with it. It's too cheap and easy to fix. A head gasket is around $12. like boxfull said, $100 or less and a day's time and you're good to go. Don't let the economy take your car.
Sounds like it's not a matter of you can't afford to fix it; YOU CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO !!!!
Spend $100 and make another $1000 AT LEAST !!!!
Pull it down, have it checked for warpage and a quick visual for cracks (I wouldn't have the valves taken out as I don't believe these engines are known for cracks in the ports but someone here will know for sure, no need for an "extra" valve job), mill if nessisary and put it back together. You wouldn't have done a valve job before so don't do one now. if it ran good, leave everything else alone.
.......if I told you I'd give you a $1000 for a day of your time, would you do it ?!?!?!?!?
I know you're bummed out and this is just "another" of many things comming at you unexpectedly. DON'T GIVE UP !!!! YOU CAN HANDLE THIS !!!!
The car is up here in Ohio now tucked in my storage garage. I looked at it late last night for a quick second and for sure I have soemthing else going on on top of the gasket. I have oil thrown on the top of the engine and under the hood which cant be good. Im gonna do some more investigation today if I can so whatever I do I can have an honest diagnosis. Thanks for everyones feedback and input.
G
Guest
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Let's back up a second, why do you think the gasket is blown? What is it doing/ not doing etc..?
boxfullofyertoys
Senior Member
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I think we're going to need photos!
mightymidget
Jedi Knight
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Bring the car back to South Carolina it will be fine. Its just homesick