MG Midget V8 AWD or The Age of a New Dawn

Attending last October’s Classic Car Show I decided to take a look around some of the other stands at the NEC and came upon the Sprite and Midget Club. Immediately my attention was drawn to a very nicely presented MG Midget on display, a truly striking example of the ever popular diminutive sports car but finished in a bright Metallic Blue paintwork. However, a closer inspection revealed that this was no ordinary Midget and that a quite extraordinary amount of work had been done to the little car’s bodywork. The increased track, wide wheels and huge bonnet bulge, were all indications that this car had been extensively modified. However, the full complexity of those modifications is not really clear until you take a close look under the bonnet. As soon as you gaze into the engine bay you discover that it comfortably houses a Rover V8 engine, this immediately prompts the obvious question, how on earth can all that engine fit under the bonnet of an MG Midget? As you consider that puzzle and scrutinise the engine bay at closer quarters you soon begin to realise that this particular car is a sensational departure from the Abingdon built original. That mighty Rover V8 engine is surrounded by sturdy tubular steel chassis members which also support the double wishbone front suspension complete with coil over shockers. All this extra kit on display confirms that this particular Spridget is a wide departure from standard. I was so impressed with the complexity of the engineering involved and the quality of the workmanship on this little roadster that I persuaded the owner, designer and builder Stuart Gunn to let me photograph the car for Enjoying MG.

It’s a Midget but what’s beneath that bonnet bulge

On the road
Stuart readily agreed and offered to take me for a drive to Bosworth Water Park near Nuneaton where we could try to capture the nature of his creation with a selection of digital photos. Travelling in the V8 Midget on the open road reveals far more than any of the images can portray, this little car is totally unlike any other example I have ever ridden in or driven. In some ways its ride is slightly reminiscent of the original Lotus Elan but it is by no means as delicate, this car is completely solid and without a squeak or a rattle, overall it is very tight with a build quality second to none. However the rigidity and firmness of the body is perfectly complemented by the ride which remains extremely smooth and comfortable.

V8 is a tight fit in an MG Midget engine bay

I was really impressed by the behaviour of the little car on the road. As Stuart sped along the twisty country lanes it always remained completely predictable, poor road surfaces did not deflect it and the suspension seemed to absorb every irregularity and pot-hole without complaint. The little Midget was particularly good at holding its line through a bend or a roundabout without being upset at all by the frequently encountered uneven road surfaces. Sitting in the excellently supportive MGF passenger seat and held firmly by the full race harness I could not quite get used to this ultra smooth Midget. From the cockpit it still remains a Midget in so many aspects because Stuart has retained most of its original fittings and interior trim. However, forward progress was incredibly swift and always accompanied by a soundtrack that was pure MG RV8. Despite all this the little car still preserves its original character, it’s cheeky, fun, impertinent and quick just like any other Midget, although in the case of this particular Midget, that should read ‘seriously quick’. Performance figures are not yet available as the V8 was barely run in, as soon as it is Stuart intends to have everything set up on a rolling road. However, it can’t be far out from the smoothness of the performance and the excellent fuel consumption. Aerodynamics will probably restrict the top speed and a front spoiler is being contemplated to assist high-speed stability.

V8 engines and MGs
Readers of Enjoying MG are no strangers to the V8 MGB concept but a V8 Midget, that’s decidedly ‘something else’. A great many of the big V8 engined specials and even some production kit cars display a crudeness that immediately gives them away as being no more than unrefined engine conversions, which are often further betrayed by a lack of development in other vital areas. Powerful cars with poor handling and crude engineering do little to inspire confidence. However, Stuart’s V8 Midget produces the opposite effect, all the work on the car has been so well executed that you feel this is not a modified special but more like the first example from the production line of a top quality manufacturer.

All of this leaves lots of unanswered questions, what on earth possessed Stuart to embark on such a project? His previous cars give something of clue from the 1964 Morris Oxford with raised back end and special Custom Chrome side exhaust system to a LHD Ford Gran Torino V8 made familiar by the old TV cop series Starsky and Hutch. Stuart is no stranger to customising or to driving with V8 power a few years ago he worked in conjunction with a friend to build a V8 powered Cobra style kit car.

Although the battery has migrated to the boot Stuart has retained the Midget heater albeit fitted the other way around

Stuart acquired the Midget from his sister and initially he modded it along conventional lines, boring out the A series engine to 1380cc plus the usual suspension mods, uprated shockers and anti-roll bars etc. Finally the Midget boasted a full trailing arm suspension set up at the rear. Despite all this Stuart was still left thinking that he wanted to develop the car even further and he eventually decided to opt for V8 power.

How was it done?
Once Stuart had made up his mind to build a V8 MG Midget he then had to address the problem of making sure that the wide V8 engine would fit into a space designed for the skinny A series. The answer was to dispense with the original engine bay, most of the centre tunnel and the front inner wings. In fact much of the inner bodywork in front of the scuttle was replaced or re-designed, including many of the Midget’s load bearing inner front panels. In simple terms the original monocoque was changed for a bespoke integral tubular chassis that would provide a cradle for the engine and a suitable location for the new tubular front suspension and independent rear suspension.

Neat bonnet bulge

Twin exhausts provide a clue and 16V badge provokes thought although it’s not inappropriate but when the engine starts the sound of the V8 is unmistakeable

Rear spoiler and MGF filler cap are neatly executed

Front wing arch extension shape inspired by MG SV

Interior is Club grey trim panels, MGF seats and original Midget instruments with a supplementary rev counter

Stuart at the wheel of his Midget FWD V8

Four wheel drive
Then Stuart had to consider the optimum means of transmission for the V8 and having acquired a Ford Sierra 4WD as donor for the Type Nine five speed gearbox it then occurred to him that he could employ the complete 4WD set up as well. To mate the gearbox to the V8 engine Stuart made a pattern in perspex and then used this to have a steel adaptor plate made up specially to bolt between the engine and gearbox.

To accommodate all these extra components the Midget body lost most of its original front section from the scuttle forward, while the centre tunnel had to be widened. In addition fixing points had to be fabricated for the front axle plus diff, and also the rear suspension and diff needed a complete new set of location points. Ultimately Stuart arrived at what can best be described as an inner tubular chassis to take the modified Sierra drive train and also the Rover V8 power unit. Once built the modified Midget body was lowered onto the chassis and the whole lot welded together to produce a combined chassis and body of incredible strength, which explains the complete lack of squeaks or rattles from the Midget on the road. The advantages of adopting so much of the Sierra drive train were considerable, the independent rear end, disc brakes on all four wheels and of course the four wheel drive which on such a light car with such a big step up in power becomes an almost essential safety requirement. Another advantage was developing a race car style suspension system that was now fully adjustable for castor and camber. Stuart is still experimenting with set up of the Midget to get it just right.

Bodywork
The project was not yet complete, as it was still necessary to modify the body around all of these new components. The bonnet had to be fitted with a power bulge big enough to clear the air intake. Those wide wheel arch extensions on all four wings are particularly striking and Stuart took his inspiration for them from Peter Stevens’ similar treatment on MG SV supercar. After trying to find wing extensions off the shelf, it became clear that these items would have to be tailored exactly to suit the car. Stuart used flatted rolled tube to get the edges exactly right and then made card templates and fabricated the arch extensions in steel, the result is extremely professional.

Final product
Stuart works full time in body repair and his skills in this area are outstanding, however it is the design, fabrication and engineering of this little Spridget that truly impresses. This is not just a simple engine transplant job but a total re-engineering, making a completely new car in a familiar classic shape. It’s not until you actually ride in this Midget that you can appreciate just how much work has gone into it and how much can be achieved by one man with sufficient vision, expertise and determination.

Richard Ladds

Stuart would like to express his thanks to:
The Sprite & Midget Club
Dave Ellis, RV8 specialist for the engine work and development
Tel 024 76352888
Graham and Nigel of Custom Chrome Tel 024 76387808
His mum for her patience
Jiy Robinson for the paintwork and extra pair of hands
Friends and family for their support and encouragement