Remarkable MG Midget

Evolved from the MK 1 or Frogeye Sprite the MG Midget has introduced several generations to the joys of sports car driving at an affordable price. In my view the MG Midget is the most underrated classic sports car on the market, while many armchair experts and motoring pundits dismiss the little roadster either because it’s a small car with a small engine or much more likely, they have never actually driven one.

Whereas anyone who has experienced the abilities of a well sorted Midget at first hand will know just how competent, quick and rewarding to drive they can be, the sharp handling in combination with rapid pick-up make it an excellent cross country car. The Midget’s enduring success in club racing and auto tests is a further testament to the significance of the model.

When I went to visit Mark Tossell last November my goal was to photograph his supercharged MGA. However, when he ushered me through his stylish double garage to reveal the MGA I was equally smitten by the wonderful MG Midget parked by its side. It was very difficult to drag myself away from the Midget as I was captivated by its sparkling paintwork, show standard of presentation plus the subtle exterior and interior changes, I therefore resolved to give the stunning little sports car a feature all to itself.

Removing the bumpers smoothes out the profile of the MG Midget, no exterior mirrors to spoil the clean lines

Mark has owned quite a few MGs but had always wanted an early Midget as he particularly admired the clean lines and styling but decided that the removable side screens and detachable hood of the MK1 were just too much trouble and also too similar to the MGA’s weather gear. He considered the evolution of the model and concluded that in terms of development the 1275cc powered 1968 Midget would give the ideal specification with its predictable handling, free revving engine, positive gear change, wind up windows and easy to use fully folding hood. When the chance came to buy an interesting example he could not resist the opportunity. As Mark says, it was an honest one-owner Midget remarkably original and unrestored, although some sill rectification work had been done to the car these repairs had been well executed.

Rear end de-seamed with stick on number plate, rear-facing spot light and flip up Le Mans filler cap

Chrome spinners on Minilite style alloys

Remarkable MG Midget

Mark wanted the best possible door and panel fit so he had his local bodywork specialist take a close look at the car, examine the panel gaps and sort out the paintwork. They certainly made a thorough job that has resulted in the particularly neat alignment of the panels and doors. He also stripped and sprayed the engine bay and then in pursuit of a cleaner look to the body, removed the front and rear bumpers. The original thin chrome side trims were also dispensed with to simplify the Midget’s profile.

Mark is a perfectionist, so to get the right de-seamed look to the front and rear valances, he utilised the front bumper bracket mounting holes to hold the spot and fog lights. This left him without a mounting point for the registration plate, so he replaced it with a plate mounted directly onto the front valence. At the rear the number plate became a stick on item illuminated by a single chrome dome shaped map/number plate light. A rear-facing 60s style spotlight replaced the reversing lights that were removed to retain the 60s racecar look, and both of the rear bumper mounting holes were filled and smoothed over. Simply removing the bumpers can give racy but an unfinished look to the seaming and the close attention to detail makes the customised stripped down look complete. In addition to de-seaming the Midget’s rear end is neatly complemented by a Le Mans style alloy flip top fuel cap.

In my view the pièce de résistance on the paintwork is the use of a thick black stripe that runs along the centre of the body. Stripes don’t always look the part on a classic car but this one is a very well executed embellishment with thin black outlines on either side, the professionalism of the finish gives a very acceptable result. The black stripe is in sharp contrast to the white paint and seems to draw the eye over the smoothed out contours of the bumperless body and it also enhances the bright work, particularly the Midget’s distinctive chrome central bonnet moulding.

Bucket seats give good support and comfortable location

Stripe emphasizes the rake of the bonnet

The smoothed out and bumper free body has a functional racecar look beloved of Italian exotica of the 1950s and 60s. Conversely the smoothed look also brings the appearance of this little roadster up to date into this age of integrated bumpers, the only downside is the loss of protection from careless parkers.

The Midget sits on centre lock 14J Minilite replica wheels which are shod with Yokahoma 165/65 R14 tyres and set off the car’s lines perfectly. The springs are lowered at the back with telescopic shocks on the rear suspension and the axle is located with a panhard rod. At the front the springs are also lowered and the Midget is fitted with a Frontline telescopic kit.

The 1380 A-series engine was a bargain from eBay, won when Mark found himself working at home on a weekday and was able to scoop the engine and gearbox at the last minute. After obtaining the engine Mark had it completely stripped, balanced and rebuilt when it was discovered that it had an original BMC special tuning cam. The head was polished and prepared to stage II specification. The engine was also fitted with free flow manifold and exhaust system. The Webber carburettor that had originally been on the MGA was fitted and jetted to suit. All too often Webber fed A-series units can be rather like race cars, running roughly or with a lumpy tick over and needing lots of revs, however Mark’s car is a revelation, it’s so well set up that it pulls very smoothly with abundant torque.

As Mark says, this little Midget is a bit of a hooligan, always raring to go and it seems to be just longing for the chance to be opened up. On occasion the Midget has surprised boy racers in their hot hatchbacks who assumed that it was just another old car. When given its head it really packs a surprise with remarkably rapid pick up and sure-footed traction. The only thing it lacks is a five-speed gearbox to get the best from all the available power.

Mark wanted to retain a classic look to the Midget and yet give it his own distinctive treatment. As with the MGA he stuck to period style modifications and the black bucket seats add a distinctive touch to the interior along with the full harness seat belts which look very business like and hold you firmly.

Traditional style in traditional setting

Immaculate engine bay features polished alloy rocker box and Webber carb

Profile shows lowered suspension

However the harness belts are a bit of a fiddle to put on and could prove rather annoying if you used the car for short trips, although they are very easy to release. Weighed against the hassle of getting them on the extra security in the event of an accident would probably be well worth all the trouble. The dash itself remains standard and the cockpit is finished off with an attractive and purposeful black leather covered Moto-Lita steering wheel and neat turned alloy gearknob. All of these cockpit changes work together to make for a very comfortable place to be.

However, I must admit that despite having owned three Midgets in my youth with the passing years my waistline has expanded, consequently I now find it much harder to fit inside that simple but functional cockpit. However, it is also the case that the standard fit seats have grown thicker over the evolution of the model and in particular the final form of the 1500 Midget is quite a challenge for me these days. Fortunately, once seated inside Mark’s Midget the special bucket seats have reasonably shallow backrests to allow enough access behind the wheel, yet they remain comfortable and provide excellent support.

It was an overcast day when we took the Midget for a run but the little white car sparkled in the gloom and provided such a delightful drive that you could not help smiling.

This car represents Mark’s own personal take on the MG Midget and reflects his meticulous attention to detail and superb presentation. This Midget has been developed to bring out the very best of the model’s attributes, not only is it great to look at but also wonderful to drive. He explained that the Midget was built for long distance touring and as a weekend runabout to act as a practical alternative to his MGA.

However although not intended as a show car all this close attention to detail has resulted in the little roadster winning ‘Best Midget in Show’ at Silverstone’s MG Live 2009 and ‘Best in Show’ on last year’s Brunel Run.

Mark would like to thank Anthony Pitman for the paint and panel fit and his friend Paul Turner for all his help and advice.