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Midget body tub

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sreinh3115

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I'm planning on completing a restoration of my '70 Midget that I've owned for 16 years. Rather than cutting out a bunch of rotted panels, I picked up a very solid body ('70 or '71)in '04 that had most of the new panels welded in already. The only exception being the drivers side rear fender half and the door cowl panels on both sides. I proceeded to clean it up and coat it with POR 15.
Now I've got an opportunity to pick up another body tub from the southwest that that has everything all ready to go with the exception of a hole in the drivers side floor. It's from a '65.
I may be losing my mind but I'm seriously considering switching to that tub. Any thoughts, pitfalls, etc. that anybody could offer up, would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
'66 has the better looking , Non Padded Dash.
 
Welcome aboard.

What are your end goals with this project?

1. To restore the car that you have had for 16yrs
2. To have a mark II or III
3. To be fully original (1275 vs 1098)
4. Which subtle body style do you prefer
5. What has the most parts that do not need to be purchased
6. what is your planned budget and timeline

The 65 probably has some rust that you are not noticing, and the 70 with the por 15 will probably rust back.

From what you have described, being a sentimental hag and liking the 1275, I would lean to the MKIII if it was me.
 
Where are you in Ohio? I did a DS A-Post Repair over winter on Bugsy my '68. Not all that hard to do but not nearly as easy as replacing a floor that you cannot see once carpet goes in. Still need to do PS and RS Rear Fender. This coming winter's project. I personally perfer the earlier non padded dash but a matter of personal choice. Oh yeah another future project, I've got a replacement padded dash to install, got to find a few hobbits or wee folk to get their hands up underneath the dash to loosen up those 5 nuts. I don't even want to think about that project.
 
I agree with Jim,
The downside is all the bits that wouldn’t look right from a 70’s in a 65. There are so many things so very different that you would be pulling your hair out trying to figure out what to do? Do I use the 70’s wiring?? With 70’s gauges, switches etc. or?? So many of the other electrical bits are different. They all work the same (98% anyway). Wiper motor, square style as in the 65 or round like the 70’s. Master cylinder is very different, including the hole in the tub. All of the items are doable from one body to another but at what cost?
Does that help?
Dug
 
Thanks for the responses so far. I’ll try to answer all of the questions at once. First of all, I live southwest of Cleveland in Medina County.
As far as my current tub goes. It does have mostly new panels welded in. And very nicely done for the most part. The problem is the inner A posts. The guy welded them a little too far outside so that when the A post covers are put in place they are significantly out of line with the doors. As a result, I’ll have to do some cutting. In addition, the car has many small dents that I’ll have to deal with.
The ‘65 tub has the rust issue in the floor (that I know about) and not much else. It is also mostly intact and is only going for $250. Part of me says to save my money and keep going on the current project but another part of me thinks that I’d be a fool to pass it up.
Therein lies my dilemma.
 
If your current tub is a "known quantity", I'd stick with that. You've got one minor issue to sort out... but a seemingly OK tub could be hiding any number of equally problematic surprises for you to discover.

My $0.04 (inflation due to rising gas prices)
 
I'm guessing edge of doors is rubbing on A-Post. Had that same issue when I replaced DS- A-Post when I put the outer skin on. Take an adjustable box wrench, monkey wrench and adjust it down to the size of the outer skin. Work it up and down and you can relocate that entire A Post Skin and probably get it to fit. If all else fails the BFH works well.
 
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