1974 MG Midget MkIII - 23,000 miles

In the same ownership since 1984 and well-known in MG circles having featured in a number of MG and Midget books and magazines, this Midget is in genuine time-warp condition being extraordinarily original and in need of only gentle detail valeting to bring it up to nigh-on concours condition.

Still finished in its original colour of Damask Red, it sits on OE steel wheels and retains the same charmingly period black vinyl interior that it left the factory with. 

The owner is, by his own admission, fastidious and this is borne out by the car’s MOT history: The Midget has had a decade’s-worth of inspections without raising a single comment from the MOT testers.

4th April Note: we have just added the Heritage Certificate, plus photos from a number of magazines and books that this car has featured in.

The bodywork is as original as the rest of the car, never having seen either the attention of a welder’s torch or a paint gun in its life. Carefully cleaned and maintained over the intervening decades, the original paintwork still gleams and the fit-and-finish of the panels is exactly as it was when it left the factory back in 1974. 

The application of Ziebart professional rust-proofing in 1976 undoubtedly helped maintain it in the condition you see here, and the car still has the original invoice and warranty certificate for the work that was done all those years ago.

The chromework is still excellent, and the underside has been neatly undersealed to protect it from the ravages of time and road salt. In fact, the whole car is a fitting testament to just how durable and long-lived the Midget can be when it’s looked after properly and stored appropriately.

Garaged since at least 1984, even the hood is still the original - and the plastic windows are still transparent! It also has a tonneau cover and bag.

The car sits on original equipment steel wheels shod that are shod with matching Pirelli P4 tyres, all of which have good tread. Regular readers will know that we prize matching tyres very highly indeed having concluded they are an infallible indicator of an understanding and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to invest the appropriate amount of time and money in maintaining their car. They are, in other words, just the sort of people from whom you want to buy a classic car.

We would strongly encourage you to come and inspect the car in person. It’s so wonderfully original that it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a slice of MG history and is not one to be missed.

What can we say about the interior other than it is a) all original, and b) in fabulous condition? While we don’t mind restored interiors at all - and can even be persuaded of the benefits of an interior that has been mildly and judiciously upgraded if it’s been done with care - nothing beats the feel and patina of a completely original interior, does it?

So, the seats are still as firm and supportive as they’ve ever been, and are free of rips, tears and other damage. The carpets are still in fine fettle, as are the door cards and dashboard. 

All the gauges work, but the original twin-spindle Radiomobile radio and centre-mounted mono speaker are regrettably mute at the moment. There are some signs of wear such as the worn silver paint on the dash-mounted MG badge, but the patina is so gentle as to be a benefit rather than a drawback. 

It really is utterly delightful.

As you will have predicted by now, this Midget has been religiously maintained over the years without regard to cost. The owner has alternated its annual services, doing it himself one year and then handing it over to a specialist the next. This regime is a wonderful way to look after a much-loved family friend, having the benefit of an expert eye every other year while also retaining the advantages of a home-service by a knowledgeable owner who knows the car more intimately than any hired hand ever could.

The car starts on the button, and drives as well as it looks. Tellingly, the biggest problem we can identify on the whole car is a mildly (and honestly) mucky engine bay… 

Please do feel free to come along and take a look for yourselves; we promise you won’t be disappointed.

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever (there is not a single advisory in the past ten years, for example!) and confirms the car’s low mileage. The car comes with a large number of expired MOT certificates and tax discs plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the servicing and maintenance work that has been done to it over the years.

It also comes with its two original sets of keys, plus the instruction manual for the Radiomobile radio, a 1970s stamped service history book and delightful MG Car Club concours judging sheets (Best in Class, of course). It obviously has a V5 registration document in the owner’s name.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained and serviced to the very highest standard.

Cars like this come up once-in-a-lifetime, if then. Pampered since new, it has been meticulously looked after by the same owner since 1984. The odometer read around 13,000 miles when he bought it and he’s only added another 10,000-odd miles in the 35 years he’s owned it.

And this particular car is a stunning vindication of the original design and has been rightly recognised as a reference-quality example in numerous books and magazines over the years. Being only reluctantly offered for sale, this is a rare chance to buy an original, completely unmolested example of the archetypical British sports car.

And, despite the quality of the car, the price of MG Midgets is still at a very reasonable level. This means we think this car will sell for between £12,000 and £15,000, at which point it offers stunning value and genuine investment potential; the market prizes originality and traceability above all else, and cars like this are insulated to a certain extent from the vagaries of the market and the sort of depreciation that can affect even the very best restored examples.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.