Should it be a Midget or a Sprite?

[G_Dub]

I’m new to this board, and so here’s my LBC story:

Four or five years ago I bought a ’68 Sprite, with a good drive train, a lot of new parts and a very rusty body. After looking it over carefully, I came to the conclusion that the body was beyond practical salvaging, and I decided to watch for a better body tub.

A couple of weeks ago I bought a fairly solid 1970 Midget, with a recently rebuilt engine and restorable wire wheels. The rear valance is kind of a mess, but the rear valance of the Sprite is solid and could be transplanted.

Now my choice is – do I build it as a ’68 Sprite or a ’70 Midget? I’m leaning toward the Sprite because I personally prefer less body trim, but with certain modifications.

My wife’s requirement is seats with headrests, so either way, it gets Midget seats. I would keep the Sprite seats if I go that way, in case someone wanted to go back.

Here are the changes I am aware of know I would need to make to the Midget body to make it a Sprite:

- Rear valance and taillight mount transplant, for the single rear bumper and smaller all-red taillights
- The Sprite cowl would need to be transplanted, for the dual windshield wipers and older style hood hinges
- The quarter panels would need to have the sidelight holes filled
- The wings would need the sidelight holes filled, and the turn signal mounts moved up an inch
- The rocker panel trim and badge holes would need to be filled

Any other big things I am missing? Any other considerations I should be aware of?

Thanks all – I can tell there is a lot of experience to draw from on this forum.

 

[jaegzie]

The bonnet i believe is different also. Holes for the emblem

 

[Trevor Jessie]

I'd just make it a customised Sprite. Remove what you don't want and use what ever style bumper/grill you like (or go bumperless).

 

[davester]

I'd make it a sprite for sure (because I like the name, the grille, the lack of trim, etc, but some of the minor details I'd probably ignore (or perhaps not...all those extra lights and stuff do clutter up the clean design).

 

[ArkleyOkie]

Split the difference and make it a '69 Sprite. Then you can have headrests and still be stock.

 

[G_Dub]

"Split the difference and make it a '69 Sprite" - LOL! I like that.

Dave - that's the way I look at it, too - just my opinion, though. And bumperless may be the way to go.

GW

 

[Hap Waldrop]

I made one of race cars a Sprite because the new grille was cheaper for the Sprite

 

[Guest]

Midget, to me, is an ugly word (even though I own one).

When I say, " I have to go home and work on the Miget", " the Midget has been acting up lately", or " I took the Midget out last night and threw it around a bit",.............I always get funny looks from bystanders.

I say sprite simply for socio/polictcal reasons, but in reality, you truely are building a "Spridget"......which sounds like some kind of device or plant growth.

 

[CraigZ]

Midget...sounds more macho :banana:

I told a friend that last weekend I cut up a Midget with a sawz-all. He looked at me like I was Charles Manson or something

 

[JPSmit]

Midget...sounds more macho :banana:

I told a friend that last weekend I cut up a Midget with a sawz-all. He looked at me like I was Charles Manson or something

You are sick. Certaily you're going to get more mileage out of inviting a young woman at a bar to see you Austin Healey rather than your Midget.

Another option is doing it as an Austin Sprite:

From Wikipedia:
Cutting costs, BL declined to renew its association with Donald Healey, so the final 1,022 Sprites built in 1971 were simply "Austin Sprites."

you will for sure be the only one at the car shows

 

[regularman]

Midget, to me, is an ugly word (even though I own one).

When I say, " I have to go home and work on the Miget", " the Midget has been acting up lately", or " I took the Midget out last night and threw it around a bit",.............I always get funny looks from bystanders.

I get them too when I wear my tee shirt :wink:

 

[Bone]

It's a Bitsa, a bit of this and a bit of that.

 

[bill_young]

Make it a true "Spridget" with the Healey badging on one end and Midget stuff on the other. Sort of like Jim Danielson did on his Boars Head Sprite which is a box Sprite with a Bugeye front and a round arch on one rear quarter and a square arch on the other.

 

[G_Dub]

Although a Macho Midget sounds pretty appealing, and I certainly like the confusion factor of a car that changes its identity depending on whether it’s coming or going, I think I’m convinced to go with Sprite.

Now I’ll see whether I can fit enough parts together to make it go!

GW

 

[Roger]

I'd go with Sprite. Why? Because the origin of the species was the Frogeye Sprite. Subsequent MG nomenclature was purely badge engineering to widen the market appeal, but there's really no MG DNA in a Spridget.

(Says he, ducking!)