Tony's Midget?

[Hap Waldrop]

I know we all followed Tony's progress on his Midget, I built a set of carbs for it, and I know he was very close to finishing it. I wondered if any of you knew if Tony did finish the Midget and get to drive it, I would like to think he did, and I would have loved to been a fly on the windshield, just to see the smile on his face.

 

[JPSmit]

Wish I had good news - this is what he said last week on the MG board

<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"I made sure the engine was free & pushed it into a back corner of my garage & told it "after my '68 MGC roadster" which is after my '71 MGB GT comes off the QuikLift which if after I finish my '63 Midget & in between in my V8 MGB & my Corvette! You get the picture...</span>.."</span>

There is a picture on the Autoist (Museum page) of the Midget parked with some other red MGs - probably pushed there. That being said, if anyone, Tony would have had MG time with a smile on his face - he certainly had enough options

Sadly, a little further on the page the answer to the "are they for sale?" question isn't especially funny anymore - except of course it's pure Tony.

 

[billspit]

Sadly, a little further on the page the answer to the "are they for sale?" question isn't especially funny anymore - except of course it's pure Tony.

I had not visited Tony's site until yesterday. When I got to that part, I just had to sign off for the night.

 

[Rik]

Tony and I installed the engine/tranny/driveshaft in the Midget last year and that I know of, he never started it. He had so many projects going and was constantly doing a little on each. Tony did an excellant presentation on MG's to our local Brit car club several months ago. It's hard to imagine not having Tony here with us. He sure will be missed by everyone.
Rik

 

[DrEntropy]

I'd found Tony's site a few years before I came to the forum, tried repeatedly to contact him by email with no replies. I figger'd it was due to the odd nature of my mail addy and didn't pursue it with much verve. When I saw him here on BCF the light went on and it was: "Hey, that's th' whacko in 'bama with all the MG's!"

I signed up.

Little did I suspect there would be the bond which followed (not only with Tony, either!). We were always planning to get together at some point, phone conversations were a hoot, the forum was like a second home with him around. We'd talked idly of all meeting up at Jack's to swat flies 'n swap lies... now it ain't to be.

As for the rest of you lot, I don't wanna hear any 'stuff' about no seatbelts, keep yer heads on a pivot when driving, wash behind yer ears and always be nice to yer mum.

Motor Gently! :wink:

 

[Guest]

"Hey, that's th' whacko in 'bama with all the MG's!"

:lol:

Did you ever tell him that?

 

[DrEntropy]

Oh yeah. We whacko's recognize one-another kinda easy. And we could jibe back-n-forth with eachother with no problem.

...I hope I don't get struck by lightnin' now or somefin'... :wink:

 

[AngliaGT]

What? .... are you saying we're not normal people?

- Doug

 

[DrEntropy]

ummm... I'm only speakin' for meself here, BUT... I've actually read th' posts here and th' conclusion is rather less-than favorable in the support of many here bein' "normal" Doug.

 

[scoutll]

I actually found this place through Tony and the Autoist web site. I had the only Midget that I knew of within many miles, and was looking on the web for a information and possibly used parts source. I never really was one for forums ect before this, and Tony's site looked perfect. I emailed, and got an answer to my questions right away. I permanently bookmarked his site and also signed up on his owners, if you need help ect list... Still the only guy in North Dakota I think.... Anyway, Tony was the main reason I started coming to and signed up at BCF and some other sites.

 

[billspit]

I have no idea where he got it from, but I liked Tony's Avatar.

 

[DrEntropy]

The Boss mashed it on him.

 

[regularman]

This is the last message exchanged by Tony and I, I think he got it finished if its the same one y'all are talking about.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]11/20/09 | 01:44 PM regularman: Trip to Corninth MS.
Hey Tony, I will be passing your way on December 1st on my way to Corinth and would love to see some of your toys if you will be around that day. Would most likely be afternoon when I ge there because I40 is closed due to a rock slide and I have to go around that.


11/20/09 | 01:48 PM tony barnhill: Trip to Corninth MS.
Should be here....US 64 is also closed by landslide in TN...I had to drop down into Georgia to get around it.


11/20/09 | 05:28 PM regularman: Trip to Corninth MS.
Hmmn, now I wonder if that is on my route???? Best I can remember I catch hwy72 just outside of chatannoga and follow it all the way to corinth. I got one of those magellan things but it don't know about closed roads.


11/21/09 | 08:07 PM tony barnhill: Trip to Corninth MS.
yep, 72 outside chat to corinth...goes within 2 miles of my houise.


<span style="font-weight: bold">11/21/09 | 08:19 PM regularman: Trip to Corninth MS.
OK then. I will message you and get your phone number when the day gets closer. I would love to see your cars. That 61 without the motor was perfect from what I could tell.


11/21/09 | 08:22 PM tony barnhill: Trip to Corninth MS.
k....what color was the '61?


11/21/09 | 08:34 PM regularman: Trip to Corninth MS.
It was a red 61 midget mark1


11/21/09 | 08:37 PM tony barnhill: Trip to Corninth MS.
Hmmmm....I have a red '63 I'm restoring.


11/21/09 | 09:12 PM regularman: Trip to Corninth MS.
Maybe it was a 63. Its the one you got in at lake of the Ozarks for the picture


11/21/09 | 10:06 PM tony barnhill: Trip to Corninth MS.
Yep - '63....its perfect! </span>


11/22/09 | 08:56 AM regularman: Trip to Corninth MS.
I will give you a shout next weekend or something and try and get things squared away. I am off to West Virginia to visit relatives this morning and returning tomorrow. (Lots of time wasted that I could be playing with my cars and stuff)


11/30/09 | 11:16 AM regularman: Trip to Corninth MS.
I will be leaving out for Corinth tomorrow but it looks like it would be around 5pm before I get to your area and maybe dark. It would be better for me to stop in Thursday when I am leaving out for home from Corinth. If I leave corinth at 8am I can be at your place around 10-11 oclock on Thursday. What is your phone number and I will put the numbers in my cell phone and gvie you a ring.


11/30/09 | 02:39 PM tony barnhill: Trip to Corninth MS.
call my cell: 256-656-xxxx

have a safe trip

tony


12/01/09 | 08:39 PM regularman: Trip to Corninth MS.
OK, I made it just now into Corinth. 535 miles, whew. All safe and sound though. I will call you Thursday AM before I leave here. Last time I saw and old pole shed that appeared to have some old british cars under it. Was dark this time. I will look for them on the way out. Kim


12/01/09 | 09:04 PM tony barnhill: Trip to Corninth MS.
Bummer.....The VA just notified me this week that I have to be in Birmingham by 8:30 for some tests....don't think I'll make it back until late afternoon.


12/01/09 | 11:06 PM regularman: Trip to Corninth MS.
Ah, dang. Well, maybe next time. I might stop in and see some of that space stuff in Huntsville for a while then. Hey, I got a story to tell you when I get a chance about this waitress I had in Madison,AL. Like something out of a movie.


12/01/09 | 11:12 PM tony barnhill: Trip to Corninth MS.
How often are you ovr this way?


12/02/09 | 06:19 PM regularman: Trip to Corninth MS.
Originally Posted By: tony barnhill
How often are you ovr this way?
Not often, its just when they need me to help out on something at the corinth mill or when we get something new that corinth already has and they want me to learn about it. This is the second time. There will probably be another but I am not sure when that will be.


12/04/09 | 10:35 AM regularman: Trip to Corninth MS.
Just reading one of my reciepts, I must have been very close to you. I filled up at the Victory gas station in Gurly, AL on Hwy72. I thought it was in paint fork because that is what it showed on the GPS thing.


12/04/09 | 04:11 PM tony barnhill: Trip to Corninth MS.
Less than 2 miles! Wish I'd been in town...all the tests at the VA came out OK.


12/04/09 | 06:49 PM regularman: Trip to Corninth MS.
Originally Posted By: tony barnhill
Less than 2 miles! Wish I'd been in town...all the tests at the VA came out OK.
Well, thats what is important. Glad to hear that. I have no idea when I will be that way again, but if/when I do I will try and look you up. [/QUOTE]

 

[Hap Waldrop]

I resurected this post, as a freind and myself went to Tony's yesterday to get Tony's MGB GT race car project, it's my garage now and it will go racing in some form in the future to honor Tony and his passion for these cars.

While I was there I took a long look at Tony's 63 Midget, it is almost finished, mere hours would be all it would take, new parts glaore, the new engine and my SU carbs in place. This is going to make someone a very nice Midget. The family plans on having a auction in October, I could only wish one of you guys ends up with the Midget.

 

[drooartz]

I thought long and hard about it, Hap. It's a special little car for sure. Just no room in the inn here.

 

[theleisure]

There's a thread about how to, if you are interested, purchase items from Tonys family on the top of the list on the spridgets forum. I contacted mickey and bought back a set of wheels that I sold to Tony last year. I also asked about buying a hardtop for my car (a '66) and he had one but it's on a car now and the family wants to keep that car together. If anybodys interested I highly recommend that you contact Mickey, he's very nice and everything went very smoothly.

Sean

 

[toysrrus]

I resurected this post, as a freind and myself wnet to tony's yeasterday to get Tony's MGB GT race car project, it's my garage now and it will go racing in some form in the future to honor Tony and his passion for these cars.

Howdy Hap;

I hope and know that you and Fred will have a blast, blasting around some track somewhere in the "GT".

Best Wishes,

Russ

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Thanks Russ, still recovering from 700+ miles in 14 hours. You would have been amused at me cracking the whip on Freddy to get him going so we wouldn't lose too much down time on the trip, but I have to admit it was hard to hurry looking at all those cars in one place, about a dozen plus projects under 1 roof, MGBs, Midgets, MGAs (coupe and roadsters), Magnette, MG 1100, a TD (which the family is keeping) a MGC GT. The little red Midget really got Fred tore up. We thought of you on the return trip and thought about how you would have loved to see all those cars as well, we joked about having to mop drool up, which I'm sure we left a little drool on the floor as well Tony had a amazing man cave and quite the collection, it was quite the honor just to be there.

 

[AngliaGT]

I think that I'd need a few minutes alone in there,
just to get myself in the proper mindset.

- Doug

 

[toysrrus]

Hap;

Did You or Fred by any chance take some pics of the cars?

I surely would have an interest in the Midget or MGA (Prefer the MGA). How many "Triumph Tractors" are there?

Does "MG" make "Triumphs"?

Regards, Russ