1973 MG Midget

Modified at huge expense and with more than the usual diligence, this is one man’s interpretation of how a fast road MG Midget should look. But, and this is important, he didn’t take the usual route towards achieving his dream.

Despite being a long-time classic car enthusiast and a trained mechanical engineer he had never built an engine. This wasn’t a situation he was prepared to leave un-remedied, so he bought a 1275cc A-Series engine and stripped it down. He then built it up using the very best components - but was shrewd enough to engage the services of folk like MG legend Peter Burgess to assist him. The result was a beautifully built engine that produced a staggering 110bhp at the flywheel.

But, he now had a exquisitely fettled A-Series engine sitting there doing nothing - so he did the only sensible thing he could under the circumstances and bought a fully restored MG Midget, after which he set about a rolling refurbishment/programme of improvement. And, never one to mess about or do anything in a half-hearted fashion, he did the job properly.

So, the engine now feeds its power to the rear axle via a Ford Type 9 five-speed gearbox. Adjustable Frontline suspension, Minilite-style alloy wheels, and Yokohama tyres glue it to the road, and four-pot calipers enable it to stop on a sixpence. The driver sits in Mazda MX-5 seats, steers via a Mota-Lita steering wheel, and looks out over a Peter May Sebring-style one-piece bonnet.

It is, in other words, pretty much the ideal fast-road Midget and the owner has spent far too much time and money on securing the very best equipment, parts and skills available to create the ultimate road car.

With well over £10,000 invested in it, he accepts that he is unlikely to break even, much less show a profit. Still, his loss might be your gain…

The base car, a solid rust-free round-arch 1275cc Midget from 1973, was stripped down and fitted with a Peter May Sebring-style glassfibre clamshell bonnet, which looks sensational and captures the mood of the car brilliantly.

Front-hinged for easy access to the engine and front suspension, the owner had it fitted with vents on the side and the top, plus internal stiffeners. These were shrewd modifications that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are practical.

Understanding the difficulties inherent in painting fiberglass, he engaged the services of C.M. Coachworks. They clearly know their stuff as the whole car – including that tricky to paint clamshell bonnet – looks amazing; not every car can successfully pull off the de-bumpered, café racer look in such a vivid colour but this little MG carries it off to perfection. Of course, stick-on racing roundels and number plates help but the real star of the show is the paintwork, which is excellent.

The (limited) chromework is in good shape, as are the badges, glass and lights. The soft-top fits well and is in a good condition bar the odd small area of wear. (Not that you’ll be using it much, obviously.)

That the car is free of rust, dents and other major defects goes without saying. There will be, of course, the odd stonechip and minor blemish but, as you can see from the photos, it is in a very, very good condition and would have no problems with walking off with a couple of prizes at your local car show.

The anthracite Minilite-style 5” x 13” alloy wheels were brand new in 2015, as were the wheel nuts. They are in fabulous condition bar the odd small patch of peeling lacquer, and are shod with matching tyres, all of which have good tread.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

Problems? None really; other than a small mark on the boot lid, all you need to do is to get in and drive and start to create your own patina.

A Mazda MX-5 Mk1 donated its adjustable reclining seats, which fit beautifully and look like they were fitted in there from new. But, they’re much more comfortable and supportive than anything MG fitted in period, so we can excuse the slight wear on the bolster of the driver’s seat, can’t we? Besides, getting it sorted would be cheap and easy.

Further modifications are a tiny gearstick and knob poking out of the transmission tunnel connected, as we mentioned, to a Ford Type 9 five-speed gearbox. This is an accepted modification and one that makes a huge difference to the car’s drivability and everyday useability.

New carpets help lift the look of the interior, as does the tiny black leather Mota-Lita steering wheel, clean and damage-free door cards, and rubber mats.

A Frontline rear roll bar, which is diagonally braced and fitted with a harness bar, has been fitted for extra safety. And cool points, obviously.

The boot is clean and carries the spare wheel and a set of jump leads. Just in case.

The Midget’s restoration and rebirth ensured that almost all, if not all, of its major mechanical components were either replaced or refurbished. The work is too comprehensive to list here, so please take the time to leaf through the old invoices, bills and photo gallery to gain a full insight into the almost obsessive level of care and attention to detail that went into the build.

In brief though, the mechanical work on the engine comprised of being bored out to 1380cc, and then rebuilt to Fast Road Spec. While the owner did the bulk of the work himself, the cylinder head and tuning was carried out by Peter Burgess. The result was 110bhp at the flywheel.

The engine is fitted with the following components:

• The cylinder head was rebuilt by Peter Burgess to fast road specification, work that included modified inlet and exhaust valves, bronze valve guides, lead-free exhaust valve inserts, 1.401” EN52 inlet valves, and 1/156” 21/4N exhaust valves with competition valve springs.

• The block was fitted with 73.5 AEP Power Max pistons, ARP racing conrods, a Swiftune SW5-07 billet camshaft, a duplex kit, a Minispares 1.5 ratio roller tip rocker assembly, and a lightened flywheel.

• A Weber 45 DCOE carb was fitted, along with a 123 Tune ignition system, a Facet Silver Top fuel pump, a Malpassi Filter King Regulator kit, a Mocal oil cooler and thermostat, and a Maniflow LCB manifold and stage II, two-inch, two-box exhaust system.

The rest of the mechanical specification includes:

• Reconditioned 5 speed Type 9 gearbox, long first gear

• Frontline front and rear damper conversion kit. Frontline is, as enthusiasts will know, THE place to go for MG parts. The suspension now comprises adjustable front and rear dampers, a Panhard rod kit, lowered rear springs, thicker, 11/16 anti-roll bars front and rear, plus new mounts.

• KAD four-pot calipers, Brembo discs and Mintex 1144 pads, plus a brake servo and stainless steel brake hoses.

This is just a brief summary of the work; please see the attached invoices and bills for the full story. The engine bay itself is very clean and tidy and beautifully finished, as is the underside.

Needless to say, the owner tells us that it is running beautifully and goes very well.

The online MOT history shows nothing of note and appears to confirm that the car’s mileage is accurate.

However, the Midget doesn’t have a current MOT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please contact us to arrange an appointment.

This is an extraordinarily rare opportunity to buy a bespoke, retro-modified MG Midget that has been built by a proper engineer using the experience and skills of some of the UK’s finest specialists.

Its mechanical specification is a dream list of desirable, and not inexpensive, components, too. He estimates his investment to be in excess of £10,000 but we think he’s probably in denial…

It is looking fabulous and running even better, and if you’ve ever fancied running a fast road MG Midget – and if you’re under six foot then the chances are you have – then this is the car for you.

In a softening market, it’ll probably only sell for peanuts, too. It’s got a low reserve and we don’t think that it will sell for much more than the amount the owner says he has invested in it; our estimate of £6,000 to £10,000 is a staggeringly small sum to pay considering the work and love and years of experience that have gone into creating it.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen in Teddington; 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.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings of any auction, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles we have for sale. While we use our trade experience to assess every car that comes through our hands (and between us we have bought hundreds of classic cars over the years for our personal use…) we are fallible, and our assessment of a car may contrast with that you might form yourself.

This is why we offer a far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange a professional inspection on their behalf of, each vehicle prior to bidding than any traditional car auction, and we will never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this by coming to see it in person.

That said, we do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or those formed as a result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.