project 1968 MG Midget - Bodywork repair and welding

[SiC]

Paid and picked up today by @Inspector Morose. Awaiting delivery tomorrow by @worldofceri.

Been a bit of a shit year, so a little Xmas present to myself with some inheritance I received this year. Rather quite excited!!

Had some issues with the V5 earlier today where it was still on the owner before the sellers name. Got a receipt and the seller seemed pretty genuine. 

Bought sight unseen, apart from some poor pictures on an eBay auction. So also a bit nervous. Has been regularly MOT'd with no real bad advisories or failure till 2018 though.

The eBay auction is still about if you look for it. Not the price I paid as it didn't hit reserve, but wasn't massively more. No pictures apart from that and this from a March 1996 Practical Classics

Hilariously* I think this car actually is now suffering from the issues warned about in this article. 

Will need some welding to both back rear arches, nearside (bolt on) wing and a-pillar. The pillar is the biggest concern as these can be rust traps that rot out from the hinge. Underside looks good from the photos though. 

I'm promising myself not to poke to begin with and just drive the bugger. 

More tomorrow.

[D.E]

Am a bit jealous! Friendly car and a friendly price.

[EML]

Hope your going to call the spridget Paul......

runs for cover

[stuboy]

pauline...

[HMC]

Lovely! Bit of nostalgia for me as it was the first classic car mag I bought, aged 15

[Inspector Morose]

It’s fine! Safely tucked away at the secret secure base overnight until Ceri delivers it tomorrow while I’m off for my booster jab.

It looks a bit a bit rougher than it is on the surface but a cursory peek underneath reveals a solid base. Rear quarters are in need of attention as does the N/S lower front wing, the pillar seems to have cracked the rather thick paint/primer filler from when it was restored in the past. 

The seller had another, rougher Midget that he was going to concentrate on - that one was a local car with an Ashley front and fastback hardtop. Oh and the most impressive collection of vintage road bikes I’d seen in quite the while!

Have some recent pics.

[SiC]

17 minutes ago, Inspector Morose said:

It looks a bit a bit rougher than it is on the surface

Uh oh! Getting nervous now on what I've bought!

Currently feeling like this:

[billy_bunter]

It will be fine   Nothing that your growing arsenal of skills cannot fix .

 

[SiC]

Thankfully repair panels are cheap and easily got hold of

 

[High Jetter]

That's proper. Worth a bit of TLC.

[barrett]

Hard top = thumbs up

Blue wheels = thumbs down

I hate convertibles, and sports cars, but I'd probably drive a Sprite with a hard top. Looking forward to seeing more.

[Shandylegs]

If you haven’t already ordered the panels, I have a Ashley Hinton NS wing repair panel that I didn’t end up using. Yours if it will be of any use?

[Merryck]

8 hours ago, SiC said:

Thankfully repair panels are cheap and easily got hold of

 

Where are these from? I'll need to be getting some for mine soon! If you need any bits give me a shout, I've got a 1965 Midget and boxes of parts.

[Missy Charm]

10 hours ago, EML said:

Hope your going to call the spridget Paul......

runs for cover

Carol, surely...

[SiC]

10 hours ago, barrett said:

Hard top = thumbs up

Blue wheels = thumbs down

I hate convertibles, and sports cars, but I'd probably drive a Sprite with a hard top. Looking forward to seeing more.

The Ashley GT tops completely change the look again and makes them look more of a coupé. Not to my taste but I think popular with those that race these.

I love the steel wheels but not completely convinced on them being blue. Maybe white maybe look better? 

Spridgets are supposed to be great fun to drive. I'm hoping so as that's why I bought it! Light tune brings it to 60s Mini Cooper S power levels but having RWD fun, with similar wheelbase and stature to one. But a fraction of the price.

I've come to the conclusion that sports cars are really my thing. Don't know why but I think its the ambition they have of being focused on driving entertainment rather than transporting practicality.

 

9 hours ago, Shandylegs said:

If you haven’t already ordered the panels, I have a Ashley Hinton NS wing repair panel that I didn’t end up using. Yours if it will be of any use?

I've been looking at the AH panels. They appear better value and the reports of better accuracy too. Definitely potentially interested!

 

2 hours ago, Merryck said:

Where are these from? I'll need to be getting some for mine soon! If you need any bits give me a shout, I've got a 1965 Midget and boxes of parts.

That was from Moss. Not the cheapest (by a long shot) but there is a branch local to me in Bristol and super handy to grab stuff same day as I need it. Also gives a chance to inspect stuff for quality before handing over cash, especially useful given the quality of some aftermarket parts these days. Apart from that they're friendly and have a long return period. So apart from big orders, a lot of the stuff I get is from them. 

Depending what I find receipt wise, the first thing I might do is replace the calipers, pads+discs, shoes, cylinders, flexis and brake master. All in its about £300 for that lot and not worth messing about with older stuff on single line brake systems. Having an engine cutout or fail is stressful, but having a brake pedal sink to the floor when jabbed hard is potentially painful!

[bigstraight6]

Love it! I have to admit I like the blue wheels. 

[Angrydicky]

I do too, it’s unusual to see one without (yawn) chrome wires.

[barefoot]

11 hours ago, barrett said:

Blue wheels = thumbs down

 

1 hour ago, SiC said:

I love the steel wheels but not completely convinced on them being blue. Maybe white maybe look better? 

 

1 hour ago, bigstraight6 said:

Love it! I have to admit I like the blue wheels. 

What you really want are blue steel wheels with white rims.

[timolloyd]

Or blue tyres on wires?

[SiC]

1 hour ago, Angrydicky said:

I do too, it’s unusual to see one without (yawn) chrome wires.

There was a reasonably priced wire wheel one that went a few weeks previously. I was very tempted but the wire wheels for me are a deal breaker. While they (imo) look the part, I know they are a right pain to look after. A lot of work to clean, balance, splines go/clonk and additional unsprung mass. I have every intention of hooning this - so wire wheels would just annoy me. Wire wheels became a deal breaker.

I like the early Rostyles (I like the later rostyle but have them already on my BGT), but the steel wheels look especially nice on the big bumper cars imo.

[SiC]

In bound! Will be a few hours, traffic dependent. 

 

[Merryck]

53 minutes ago, SiC said:

There was a reasonably priced wire wheel one that went a few weeks previously. I was very tempted but the wire wheels for me are a deal breaker. While they (imo) look the part, I know they are a right pain to look after. A lot of work to clean, balance, splines go/clonk and additional unsprung mass. I have every intention of hooning this - so wire wheels would just annoy me. Wire wheels became a deal breaker.

I like the early Rostyles (I like the later rostyle but have them already on my BGT), but the steel wheels look especially nice on the big bumper cars imo.

I’ve got wire wheels on mine, all the chrome work had gone completely when I got it and I was quoted an ungodly sum to get it sorted, so I cleaned the wheels up with a wire brush, put some rust curing stuff on and painted them black.

I’d love to have some period correct steel/alloy wheels, but haven’t been able to find any that’ll fit with a centre lock hub and don’t have the money to get any made up!

[SiC]

4 minutes ago, Merryck said:

I’d love to have some period correct steel/alloy wheels, but haven’t been able to find any that’ll fit with a centre lock hub and don’t have the money to get any made up!

You can always change the hubs to studs. Rear axle case on wire wheel is shorter so you'd probably need a replacement with half shafts. But there is plenty around as everyone sells theirs when converting to wire wheels. Longer studs and a spacer might take up the difference too though?

[Anglevan]

Good luck with this, my mate has a few of these and I have been welding his latest project, a 79 that I converted to chrome for him. Very easy to work on, those door pillars were a piece of the preverbial to fit. And cheap too. Nothing was difficult to weld up on it.  If you need any bits let me know I can ask if he can help.

 

[bezzabsa]

don't think i'd even fit in that!!!!!

[Tigerfox]

Its getting like a BL dealership at your place !

[SiC]

Arrived and in storage. Will do a video update later. Gives a better view close up and it running.


Not quite as good a car as I hoped though.

[HMC]

Looks nicely tucked away.

As a counterpoint to the wheel debate- I’d go for silver steel Wheels teamed with white/ yellow riveted character reflective number plates for that of the moment 69/70 vibe; plus an AA yellow square (67-) rather that that earlier one for extra nerd points.

[PhilA]

Now I know what it reminds me of.

Does the car have Heart and Soul?

 

 

[stuboy]

2 hours ago, PhilA said:

Now I know what it reminds me of.

Does the car have Heart and Soul?

 

 

t'pau?