1967 MG Midget 1275

Lot details
Registration No: SPD416F
Chassis No: GAN455581
Mot Expiry: Feb 2012

By the '60s, the MG Car Company had long since been absorbed into the giant British Motor Corporation (BMC). In an effort to fully capitalise on the many respected names in its care, the company embarked upon a programme of 'badge engineering', and the new MG Midget was essentially a MKII Austin-Healey Sprite in a slightly different suit of clothes. This year was the model's 50th anniversary. In christening its new small sports car 'Midget', BMC revived a name made famous by a range of pre-war MGs. Certainly the Midgets, old and new, shared the same basic concept - ie they were two-seaters clothed in a simple, relatively light body and equipped with front-mounted engines driving the rear wheels. Moreover, they had suspension and brake components etc common to other cars, making them easy to replace or repair and cheap to service. The new Midget started life powered by a 948cc A-Series engine fed by a pair of SU carburettors. The doors lacked external handles or locks and the side windows comprised sliding perspex screens. Braking was by drums all round. Matters had greatly improved by the time the MKIII version appeared in 1966, not least in the engine compartment where the motor's capacity had been increased via 1098cc to 1275cc. Semi-elliptic rear springs had replaced the original quarter elliptic ones inherited from the Frog Eye Sprite and front drum brakes had been replaced with discs. Wind-up windows had been fitted, together with a superior hood.

The right-hand drive MKIII example on sale left the production line in 1967 and sports British Racing Green bodywork matched to a Black vinyl interior. It is reportedly equipped with a modified cylinder head, camshaft and LCB exhaust manifold and rides on knock-on wire wheels. The vendor regards the 1275cc engine as "very good", the bodywork, paintwork and four-speed gearbox as "good" and the original interior trim as "quite good". 'SPD 416F' is taxed until the end of April 2012 and MOT'd until February 27. In terms of fun per pound, good Midgets are hard to beat and, with readily available and affordable spare parts, offer the perfect entree to classic car ownership.