I got a Midget !

[smeghead009]

A Friend of my Moms told me he had just picked up a nice MGA and he decided to abandon his project Midget, then he asked if i wanted it ! raise your hand if you would pass up a free 1961 MG Midget ? anyone ... i didnt think so. now ive got a large project (so to speak) on my hands i figured ill get most of my parts from Moss, without to much trouble. any hints, suggestion for a newbie undertaking his first restoration ?

 

[tony barnhill]

Books - lots of books...club: join...plan: develop one & stick to it....find good suppliers for used parts also (like www.theAutoist.com - shameful self-representation)...you'll love that little car!

 

[Kim de B]

And find your local MG club and join up! It's good to find people who know what they're doing nearby, if you can!

Good luck! And post some photos when you get a chance.

 

[MGTF1250Dave]

Aloha and congratulations! I concur with Tony and Kim. A local club can be a great resource for you. Hopefully, atleast one member will have an assembled Midget for reference, particularly if your projected is in boxes and large pieces. Club members can also be helpful in finding local services for any machine work, etc. A good reputable source for used parts is a must, because not everything is available from the restoration catalog guys. Good luck with your Midget.

Safety Fast,
Dave

 

[smeghead009]

ive had her for a couple of days and ive been going ocer it and i think its a little beyond my skill and budget, what the going price for a 1961 Midget in some rough shape it runs but the brakes clutch dont work there isnt very much rust on the body or frame but the floor panels and the bottom of the truck have some holes, the guy i got it from had covered the body in the brownish goop that i guess stoped the rusting

 

[Guest]

$200 for a parts car

 

[Guest]

Hopefully you have a clear title also.

 

[JTB]

If it's beyond your budget then that is the most logical move. Nothing worse than getting hooked into project and spending insane amount of money for the value gained. Frequently it's cheaper to buy someone else's restoration that has been used a few years. Tony can give you the best advice here as he has done so many.

Now as to "beyond skill level" is a different story. I was just cocky and ignorant when I started and spent too much money having other people do things that I could have done, had I had the BBS resources available today, I would have spent much less and had better car (i.e. someone re-did the suspension for me and did a half-a _ _ job and charged me quite a bit) if I had done virtually all of it myself. It is a heck of a committment, however, so you really have to want it enough to stick to it for a long time. I am truly not a mechanic but get a tremendous satisfaction from the knowledge gained (guess it's that "Mother, I'd rather do it myself" attitude that starts early on with a lot of us) and being able to say "I did that".

All that said you can save yourself a lot of time and money by walking away from a bad project vs spending a bit of money to get a good doable one.

 

[tony barnhill]

chuck - $200? Midget parts cars aren't even worth that!

I'm in process of culling all my Midget parts cars & crushing them - there's just no market in used Mifget parts! I'm down from a dozen to 6 & by the time I crank my business back up after my trip, I'll not own 1 Midget parts car!

 

[Guest]

I learn something every day

 

[chris roop]

If you need NEW parts, I sell Moss parts at 20% off of list and 10% off of sale prices (another shameless self-promotion).
And Tony, I wouldn't crush that stuff. There are more NA parts on Midgets than Bs, ie the gas tanks.

 

[tony barnhill]

Oh, I'm pulling parts - but they still don't sell...heck, I've got a bunch of Midget tanks - never sold a one!

 

[Guest]

that's cause there ain't many midget armies

 

[tony barnhill]

Oh, chuck, you're hot!

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Where you guys going later?

(Sorry, couldn't resist!)