A slightly (ahem) rusty Midget, is this a good forum for it?

[york33]

Evening all! Introductions first, been on PH TVR forums for a while and am just hunting for a good spot to talk Midgets! Any Midget people round here or is there a better forum out there?

At the minute I'm just planning my attack, having owned it at least 5 years, I've been planning (read as ignoring and leaving neglected) it for a long time! Where to start repairing/replacing the bodywork? I'm thinking the floor, followed by the sills, followed by inner rear wheel arches, then the rest of it which could loosely be called cosmetic

Of course it would be a damn sight easier to flog it on ebay, but that's just not cricket

cheers
Dave

[na]

Dave a good forum for you is - http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgb...

I'm onto driving my Midget (and a little servicing and maintenace) so my usual advice for potential and new owner owners of driveable cars would be a bit premature on your project

Saw a mates Spridget this afternoon (his usual daily drive which he took off the road to replace a half rear panel with lead to inner/outer sill and A post and contemplating putting on a one piece bonnet all to be ready for Midget-50 - http://www.midget50.com/

You might also find this soon to be re-released book useful - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1906133336/ref=...

and I recommend all owners have a copy of the correct owners Handbook - http://www.mgocshop.co.uk/catalog/Online_Catalogue...

[york33]

Hello Nigel, thankyou for the reply and the links, much appreciated, I shall take a look at that forum.

I'd just bought a random manual off Amazon for the Midget "MG Midget and Austin-Healey Sprite Restoration Manual (Haynes Resto Series)", something to read on the loo whilst pondering what I should be doing! Not sure if it's any good as yet.

Just uploaded a photo for your amusement

[perdu]

nice car

no bullst I've seen many far worse, including mine when I got it

The link Nigel has provided you with contains almost the entire world population of single track-minded Spridget owners around

They are from all or most of the car clubs too, and as enthusiasts will do all they can to help guide and support you as you get stuck in

(mind you, we aint such a bad bunch in here either, just that they are really single minded)



This is my baby, yours should be better

I reached the desired "plateau" and left her at that (in 2001)

[na]

None of the resto books are of any use to me as that type of stuff is beyond me

I was going to be cruel and say you could at least use the pages of the book you’ve bought to patch some holes but perdu is presenting us Spridgets owners as being nicer than that so I wont, oh, too late

I’d guess the book you’ve got will be OK as Lindsay Porter’s name is also on the MG Midget & Austin Healey Sprite service guide and owner's manual which would be useful (along with the actual owners Handbook) towards the end of your project

The Original Sprite and Midget book is very, very informative on the production of the car and is a lovely book to look and perhaps visualise your car from (I can’t visualise anything until it hits me in the face)

From your photo I’d guess the car as from late ’60s or early ‘70s – but I could well be wrong

Let us know how you get on

[perdu]

na said:

None of the resto books are of any use to me as that type of stuff is beyond me

I was going to be cruel and say you could at least use the pages of the book you’ve bought to patch some holes but perdu is presenting us Spridgets owners as being nicer than that so I wont, oh, too late

I’d guess the book you’ve got will be OK as Lindsay Porter’s name is also on the MG Midget & Austin Healey Sprite service guide and owner's manual which would be useful (along with the actual owners Handbook) towards the end of your project

The Original Sprite and Midget book is very, very informative on the production of the car and is a lovely book to look and perhaps visualise your car from (I can’t visualise anything until it hits me in the face)

From your photo I’d guess the car as from late ’60s or early ‘70s – but I could well be wrong

Let us know how you get on

In fact Nigel that book is far better than the small one I had when I set out to rebuild mine back in 89

I used the "Practical Classics On Midget/Sprite Restoration" book almost exclusively (ISBN 0948 207 48 5) and all it is a booklet comprising the restoration(s) they did in the magazine around 1985

I bought, and taught myself how to use it, a Clarke migwelder, a bunch of Ashley Hinton panels and bunged a few shillings into the electrickery meter to get started.

And we know you are being a phoney cynic

[na]

perdu said:

And we know you are being a phoney cynic

unfortunately only sometimes

[york33]

I don't think there'll be enough pages in the book for all the holes, War and Peace might suit The more I prod the more I find......on the plus side, the front wings and bonnet are spot on (probably only been on the car a year or two when I got it), they've been safely squirelled away in the dry as I've seen they're pricey!

Chassis rails are mostly good, as is most of the front end, bar a few bits on the arches which need fettling. Floor is trash, an awful previous replacement, sills gone, some of the footwells, rear inner arches and lower outer, some of boot floor, rear valance, spring seats I think. Something looks odd to me with the doors and/or scuttle, where they meet looks funny as if a wrong part has been used?!

I like a challenge, I can weld well structurally, not sure how the thinner sheet metal will go, but hey ho, I've got an angle grinder and practice makes perfect

I see what you both mean about the other forum, just having a dig through the (extensive) archives as we speak. Photos are really welcome to find, helps visualise how things should look.

I'll keep an eye out for the other book, at the rate I'm progressing I still won't have started by its release date on 1st June.

[york33]

I meant to say, good guess on the date from that first photo! 1972 (just tax free), GAN5 square arch.

[na]

york33 said:

Something looks odd to me with the doors and/or scuttle, where they meet looks funny as if a wrong part has been used?!

put a photo up showing this and someone might know (or go out with a torch to look at their car)

I know these's a few parts catalogues free (Moss, MGOC, etc.) but I commend to you the original factory paper version with no need for t'internt, broadband, battery run computer type devices and spare pages for hole filling

Plenty of clear drawings showing what oder things fix (rare to find a mistake, unlike some books and drawings) - (Ref:0016) http://www.mgocshop.co.uk/catalog/Online_Catalogue...

[perdu]

Just like young Nigel I would advise getting the MOSS and MGOC catalogues

Simply showing the shapes of the parts in relationship to each other helped me immensely when I was a rookie Midget rebuilder

I really do think you will be OK

Keep us up to date here and (we'll be there too) get in touch at MGE and you will soon be (as me dear old dad used to say) away with the mixer

ANY help you need will be there as soon as! TBH a half hour delay over there is almost unbelievable...

[Jed-S]

york33 - thanks for posting up the pictures. It makes me feel better knowing that I'm not alone trying to turn a pile of rust into a car. Mine doesn't look so bad until you start flaking of the underseal etc and then you find that there is little (if any) metal underneath.

One other thing - what is it with these TVR owners who also have Midgets?

Jed

[na]

Jed-S said:

One other thing - what is it with these TVR owners who also have Midgets?

We recognise fun sports cars

(current Midget and former Spridget, Griff and V8S owner)

[york33]

Catalogues and manual now ordered! I've got the original parts manual for the TVR (Wedge) and it too is a really good reference with lots of exploded diagrams, if the Midget ones are anything like that it'll be welcome! Certainly for things like the rear arches, where a lot of the inner is missing and I've no idea what it should look like!

It's good to hear I'm not the only one with a TVR and a Midget! Never driven/ridden in a Midget yet, it's always been broken, but they've always looked like good fun. Jed - I too would now recommend the archives 'over there', there's a load of encouraging pictures of rusty bits getting fixed

I've said hello over there now too!

[na]

Only one mistake in the drawings in the Midget (factory) Parts Catalogue that I've noticed but can't remember what, washer in wrong order or something

If you lived nearer you could have a drive of my Midget and find out how small inside and out compared to the Wedge

[Jed-S]

york33 said:

Never driven/ridden in a Midget yet, it's always been broken, but they've always looked like good fun.

Likewise. Fancied a K Midget for ages and tried a race Midget for size at Race Retro and then one week later I'd purchased an ebay wreck. Still hunting for a panel that isn't rotten or holed and the only candidate looks to be the transmission tunnel.

Been lurking on the mgcars.org forum but been silent so far. That'll change when I get beyond the strip down phase no doubt.

Jed

[na]

So it is you Jed, over there now over here

Early days for you yet yet but as I've already posted the offer to someone esle on t'other side - if you want my opinion and experience of a certain K conversion specialist just contact me

If you prefer not to I wont be offended

[PowerOfTheBlues]

Just thought I'd revive this one.

Dave (OP), what's the update on this project? I am currently starting to cut away my old floor as I've ordered a replacement.

I was just wondering how you went about said surgery?

I too have the workshop manual and resto manual to the right of the loo. One seems to be in a better 'place' to take information in rather than with cold greasy, cut fingers in the garage.


- Richard