Mg Midget Cars

MG J-type Midget (J1, J2, J3, J4)

2011-02-14T01:04:00.000-08:00

Mg Midget Cars

MG J-type Midget (J1, J2, J3, J4)

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Mg Midget Cars

MG J-type Midget (J1, J2, J3, J4)

The MG Midget Cars is a small two seat sports car produced by MG division of the British Motor Corporation from 1961 to 1979. It re-used a famous pre-war name used on MG M-type, MG D-type, MG J-type and so on.

J1

The J1 was the four seat car in the range. The engine was the 847 cc unit previously seen in the C-type with twin SU carburetors giving 36 bhp. The car cost 220 in open and 225 in Salonette form.

J2

The J2 was the commonest car in the range and was a road going 2 seater. Early cars had cycle wings but these were replaced in 1933 by the full length type that was typical of all sports MGs up to the 1950's TF. The top speed of a standard car was 65 mph but a specially prepared one tested by The Autocar magazine reached 82 mph. The car cost 199.

There were a few serious failings of the J2, most seriously that it only had a two bearing crank shaft which will break if over-revved. The overhead camshaft drive is by a vertical shaft through bevel gears, a shaft which also forms the armature of the dynamo. Any oil leak from the cambox seal goes into the dynamo brushgear and likely a fire.

Another problem was that it was not fitted with hydraulic brakes, but had Bowden cables to each drum. These require no more pedal force than any other non-power-assisted drum brake, provided that they're well maintained and aren't sloppy or stretchy. The drums themselves are small and even in period it was a common modification to replaced them with larger drums from later models.

The non-syncromesh gearbox takes some getting used to, as for any car of this period, but with its short gear stick it becomes second nature to double de-clutch and rare to grind the gears.

J3

The J3 was a racing version with the engine capacity reduced to 746 cc by shortening the stroke from 83 to 73 mm and fitted with a Powerplus supercharger. The smaller engine capacity was to allow the car to compete in 750 cc class racing events. Larger brakes from the L-type were fitted.

J4

The J4 was a pure racing version with light weight body work and the J3 engine but using more boost from the supercharger to obtain 72 bhp.

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Related : Mg Midget

Related : MG J-type Midget (J1, J2, J3, J4) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Mg Midget Cars

MG Midget Cars Models MG J-type Midget Parts 1

2010-12-04T03:05:00.000-08:00

MG Midget Cars

MG Midget J-type Parts 1

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MG Midget Cars

MG Midget Cars MG J-type

MG Midget Cars Parts 1

The MG J-type was produced by the MG Car company from 1932 to 1934. This 2 door sports car used an updated version of the overhead camshaft, crossflow engine, used in the 1928 Morris Minor and Wolseley 10 and previously fitted in the MG M-type Midget of 1929 to 1932, driving the rear wheels through a four speed non-synchromesh gearbox. The chassis was from the D-Type with suspension by half elliptic springs and Hartford friction shock absorbers all round with rigid front and rear axles. The car had a wheelbase of 86 inches (2184 mm) and a track of 42 inches (1067 mm). Most cars were open two seaters but a closed salonette version of the J1 was also made and some chassis were supplied to external coachbuilders. The open cars can be distinguished from the M type by having cut away tops to the doors.

The MG Midget is a small two seat sports car produced by MG division of the British Motor Corporation from 1961 to 1979. It re-used a famous pre-war name used on MG M-type, MG D-type, MG J-type and so on.

Related : MG Midget Mk1 ~ The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)

Used MG Midget Cars Models MG F-type Midget Cars Parts 2

2010-11-27T20:29:00.000-08:00

Used MG Midget Cars Models MG F-type Midget Cars Parts 2

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MG Midget Cars

MG Midget Cars MG F-type

MG Midget Cars Parts 1

The MG F-type Magna was a six cylinder engined car produced by the MG Car company from October 1931 to 1932. It was also known as the 12/70.

F

The original F was restricted by only having 8 inch (200 mm) brake drums which with its 4 seat bodies was not really adequate. Many F1 cars have subsequently been fitted with the larger F2 brakes.

The four seat tourer cost 250 and the Foursome coupe cost 289.

F2

Introduced in late 1932 the F2 was the open 2 seater car in the range. It also got much needed enhanced braking by fitting larger 12 inch (300 mm) drums all round. The body with straight topped doors came from the J-Type Midget.

F3

The F3, also introduced in 1932, used the same brakes as the F2 but had the 4 seater tourer and Foursome Coupe bodies fitted. The engine cooling was improved by changing the cooling water flow.

The MG Midget is a small two seat sports car produced by MG division of the British Motor Corporation from 1961 to 1979. It re-used a famous pre-war name used on MG M-type, MG D-type, MG J-type and so on.

Used MG Midget Cars Models MG F-type Midget Cars Parts 1

2010-11-22T00:46:00.000-08:00

Used MG Midget Cars Models MG F-type Midget Cars Parts 1

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MG Midget Cars

MG Midget Cars MG F-type

MG Midget Cars Parts 1

The MG F-type Magna was a six cylinder engined car produced by the MG Car company from October 1931 to 1932. It was also known as the 12/70.

Looking for a car to fill the gap between the MG M-Type Midget and the 18/80, MG Cars turned to another of the engines that had become available from William Morris's acquisition of Wolseley. This was the 1271 cc 6 cylinder version of the overhead camshaft engine used in the 1929 MG M-type Midget and previously seen in the 1930 Wolseley Hornet and had dummy side covers to disguise its origins. Fitted with 1 in (25 mm) twin SU carburettors it produced 37.2 bhp (27.7 kW) at 4100 rpm at first, later increased to 47 bhp (35 kW) by revising the valve timing. Drive was to the rear wheels through a four speed non-synchromesh gearbox of ENV manufacture. The chassis was a 10-inch (250 mm) longer version of the one from the MG D-type with suspension by half elliptic springs and Hartford friction shock absorbers all round with rigid front and rear axles. Wire wheels with 4.00 x 19 tyres and centre lock fixing were used. The MG Midget cars had a wheelbase of 94 in (2,388 mm) and a track of 42 in (1,067 mm).

With its sloping radiator and long bonnet the MG F-type is an attractive car capable of reaching 70 mph (110 km/h). 188 of the cars were supplied in chassis form to outside coachbuilders such as Abbey, Jarvis, Stiles and Windover.

The MG Midget is a small two seat sports car produced by MG division of the British Motor Corporation from 1961 to 1979. It re-used a famous pre-war name used on MG M-type, MG D-type, MG J-type and so on.

Used MG Midget Cars Models MG D-type Midget Cars Parts 1

2010-11-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

Used MG Midget Cars Models MG D-type Midget Cars Parts 1

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MG Midget Cars

MG Midget Cars MG D-type

MG Midget Cars Parts 1

The MG Midget Cars is a small two seat sports car produced by MG division of the British Motor Corporation from 1961 to 1979. It re-used a famous pre-war name used on MG Midget M-type, MG Midget D-type, MG Midget J-type and so on.

The MG D-type Midget Cars was produced by the MG Car company in 1931 and 1932. It used the engine from the MG M-type Midget in the chassis from the MG C-type Midget and was only available as a four seater. Of the 250 MG cars produced, 208 were open tourers, 37 were salonettes and five went to external coachbuilders.

The MG Midget Cars used the MG Midget M-type 847 cc engine that was derived from the overhead camshaft engine from the 1928 Morris Minor Cars and Wolseley Cars 10 with a single SU carburettor producing 27 bhp (20 kW) at 4500 rpm. Drive was to the rear wheels through a three speed non-synchromesh gearbox with a four speed gearbox was an option on later MG Midget cars. The chassis came from the MG C-type Midget and took the form of a ladder frame with tubular cross members and passed under the rear axle. The suspension used half elliptic springs and Hartford friction shock absorbers with rigid front and rear axles and centre lock wire wheels, the brakes were cable operated with eight inch (203 mm) drums. At 84 inches (2134 mm), 86 inches (2184 mm) after the first 100 MG cars, the wheelbase was longer than the MG Midget C-Type to cater for the larger body, but the track remained the same at 42 inches (1067 mm).

In spite of its looks the MG Midget Cars was not very fast, 60 mph (97 km/h) being just possible in the tourer, the body being really too much for the small engine. The MG Midget Cars are quite rare today, many having been converted into MG Midget C-Type replicas. At the same time as the MG Midget D-Type was being made MG Cars was also offering the 6 cylinder 1271 cc MG Midget F-Type and externally the two are virtually identical. The extra power of the MG Midget F-Type made it a much better MG Midget Cars and it proved a bigger seller.

The MG Midget Cars MkI (1961-1964)

Used MG Midget Cars Models MG C-type Parts 1

2010-11-10T11:02:00.000-08:00

Used MG Midget Cars Models MG C-type Parts 1

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MG Midget Cars

MG Midget Cars C-Type

MG Midget Cars Parts 1

The MG Midget C-type was produced by the MG Car company from 1931 to 1932. It was designed for competition use and based on the MG Midget M-Type. A special car, EX120 had been developed from the MG Midget M-Type for George Eyston to make an attempt on the 750 cc class 24 hour record at Autodrome de Montlh?ry in France. The attempt was successful and a series of replica cars were made which became the MG Midget C-type.

The MG Midget is a small two seat sports car produced by MG division of the British Motor Corporation from 1961 to 1979. It re-used a famous pre-war name used on MG M-type, MG D-type, MG J-type and so on.

The MG Midget Car used a tuned short stroke (73 mm) version of the bevel gear driven overhead camshaft engine from the 1928 Morris Minor Cars and Wolseley 10 with a single SU carburettor and a new crankshaft producing 44 bhp (33 kW) at 6400 rpm. It could from 1932 be had with the crossflow head to be seen later on the MG Midget J-type and a Powerplus supercharger version was also available with 52.4 bhp (39.1 kW) at 6500 rpm. Drive was to the rear wheels through a four speed non-synchromesh gearbox. The chassis was new and took the form of a ladder frame with tubular cross members and passed under the rear axle. The suspension used half elliptic springs and Hartford friction shock absorbers with rigid front and rear axles and centre lock wire wheels. The MG Midget Car had a wheelbase of 81 inches (2057 mm) and a track of 42 inches (1067 mm).

The body, which had no doors, was metal over an ash frame and had a pointed tail which held the spare wheel and cycle type front wings. Later MG Midget Cars had a more conventional rear with a slab type fuel tank. The exhaust pipe was routed outside the MG Midget Car and finished with a spectacular fishtail. The record breaking MG Midget Cars had a streamlined cowl over the radiator but this was not usually fitted to later MG Midget Cars as it could cause overheating unless high speeds were maintained.

The standard MG Midget Car initially cost ?295 or ?345 for the supercharged version rising to ?490 and ?575 by the end of production.

As well as the Montlh?ry record, MG Midget C-type were used in many other competition events including a works team of fourteen cars entered in the 1931 Double Twelve event at Brooklands where they took the first five places.

The MG Midget Cars MkI (1961-1964)
The Early Days of MG Midget Cars

MG M-type Midget Cars Parts 2

2010-10-21T05:29:00.001-07:00

MG M-type Midget Cars

The MG Midget is a small two seat sports car produced by MG division of the British Motor Corporation from 1961 to 1979. It re-used a famous pre-war name used on MG M-type, MG D-type, MG J-type and so on.

Early bodies were fabric covered using a wood frame, this changed to all metal in 1931. Most cars had bodies made by Carbodies of Coventry and fitted by MG in either open two seat or closed two door "Sportsmans" coup? versions but some chassis were supplied to external coachbuilders such as Jarvis. The factory even made a van version as a service vehicle. The car could reach 65 mph (105 km/h) and return 40 miles per gallon. The open version cost ?175 at launch, soon rising to ?185, and the coup? cost ?245. The 1932 supercharged car cost ?250.

The M-type had considerable sporting success both privately and with official teams winning gold medals in the 1929 Land's End Trial and class wins in the 1930 "Double Twelve" race at Brooklands. An entry was also made in the 1930 Le Mans 24 hour but neither of the two cars finished.

MG M-type Midget Cars Parts 1

2010-09-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

MG M-type Midget Cars

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The MG M-type was produced by the MG Car company from April 1929 to 1932. It was sometimes referred to as the 8/33. Launched at the 1928 London Motor Show when the sales of the larger MG saloons was faultering because of the economic climate, the small car brought MG ownership to a new sector of the market and probably saved the company. Early cars were made in the Cowley factory, but from 1930 production had transferred to Abingdon.

This 2 door sports car used an updated version of the four-cylinder bevel-gear driven overhead camshaft engine used in the 1928 Morris Minor and Wolseley 10 with a single SU carburettor giving 20 bhp (15 kW) at 4000 rpm. Drive was to the rear wheels through a three speed non-synchromesh gearbox. The chassis was based on the one used in the 1928 Morris Minor with lowered suspension using half elliptic springs and Hartford friction shock absorbers with rigid front and rear axles and bolt on wire wheels. The car had a wheelbase of 78 inches (1980 mm) and a track of 42 inches (1067 mm).

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1930 brought a series of improvements to the car. The Morris rod brake system, with the handbrake working on the transmission, was replaced a cable system with cross shaft coupled to the handbrake and the transmission brake deleted. Engine output was increased to 27 bhp (20 kW) by improving the camshaft and a four speed gearbox was offered as an option. The doors became front hinged. A supercharged version could be ordered from 1932 raising the top speed to 80 mph (130 km/h).

The British Motor Corporation (BMC) Part 4

2010-06-28T23:27:00.000-07:00

The British Motor Corporation (BMC) Part 4

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The mid-sized Farinas were launched in 1958 with the Wolseley 15/60. Other members of the group included the Riley 4/68, Austin A55 Cambridge Mk II, MG Magnette Mk III, and Morris Oxford V. Later, the design was licensed in Argentina and produced as the Di Tella 1500/Traveller/Argenta. The mid-size cars used the B-Series straight-4 engine.

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Most of these cars lasted until 1961, though the Di Tellas remained until 1965. They were replaced with a new Farina body style and most were renamed. These were the Austin A60 Cambridge, MG Magnette Mk. IV, Morris Oxford VI, Riley 4/72, and Wolseley 16/60. These mostly remained in production until 1968, with no rear wheel drive replacement produced.

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Farina also designed a large car. Launched in 1959 as the Austin A99 Westminster, Vanden Plas Princess 3-Litre, and Wolseley 6/99, it used the large C-Series straight-6 engine. The large Farinas were updated in 1961 as the Austin A110 Westminster, Vanden Plas Princess 3-Litre Mk. II, and Wolseley 6/110. These remained in production until 1968.

The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)
The MG Midget MkII (1964-1966)
The MG Midget Mk III(1966-1974)
The MG Midget 1500 (1974-1980)

The British Motor Corporation (BMC) Part 3

2010-06-23T23:21:00.000-07:00

The British Motor Corporation (BMC) Part 3

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In 1958, BMC hired Battista Farina to redesign its entire car line. This resulted in the creation of three "Farina" saloons, each of which was badge-engineered to fit the various BMC car lines.

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The compact Farina model bowed in 1958 with the Austin A40 Farina. This is considered by many to be the first mass produced hatchback car: a small estate version was produced with a horizontally split tailgate, its size and configuration would today be considered that of a small hatchback. A Mark II A40 Farina appeared in 1961 and was produced through 1967. These small cars used the A-Series engine.

The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)
The MG Midget MkII (1964-1966)
The MG Midget Mk III(1966-1974)
The MG Midget 1500 (1974-1980)

The British Motor Corporation (BMC) Part 2

2010-06-18T23:13:00.000-07:00

The British Motor Corporation (BMC) Part 2

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BMC's headquarters were at the Austin plant at Longbridge, near Birmingham and Austin was the dominant partner in the group mainly because of the chairman. The use of Morris engine designs was dropped within 3 years and all new car designs were coded ADO from "Austin Drawing Office". The Longbridge plant was up to date, having been thoroughly modernised in 1951, and compared very favourably with Nuffield's 16 different and often old fashioned factories scattered over the English Midlands. Austin's management systems however, especially cost control and marketing were not as good as Nuffield's and as the market changed from a shortage of cars to competition this was to tell. The biggest selling car, the Mini, was famously analysed by Ford Motor Company who concluded that BMC must be losing £30 on every one sold. The result was that although volumes held up well throughout the BMC era, market share fell as did profitability and hence investment in new models, triggering the 1966 government sponsored merger with Jaguar to form British Motor Holdings (BMH), and three years later leading to the merger of BMH with Leyland Motor Corporation.

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At the time of the mergers, there was a well established dealership network for each of the marques. Among the car-buying British public there was a tendency of loyalty to a particular marque and marques appealed to different market segments. This meant that marques competed against each other in some areas, though some marques had a larger range than others. The Riley and Wolseley models were selling in very small numbers. Styling was also getting distinctly old fashioned and this caused Leonard Lord, in an unusual move for him, to call upon the services of an external stylist.

The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)
The MG Midget MkII (1964-1966)
The MG Midget Mk III(1966-1974)
The MG Midget 1500 (1974-1980)

The British Motor Corporation (BMC) Part 1

2010-06-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

The British Motor Corporation (BMC) Part 1

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The British Motor Corporation (BMC) was a UK vehicle company, formed by the merger of the Austin Motor Company and the Nuffield Organisation (parent of the Morris car company, MG, Riley and Wolseley) in 1952. Basically, it was the predecessor of British Leyland.

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BMC was the largest British car company of its day, with (in 1952) 39 percent of British output, producing a wide range of cars under brand names including Austin, Morris, MG, Austin Healey, Wolseley as well as commercial vehicles and agricultural tractors. The first chairman was Lord Nuffield (William Morris) but he was replaced in August 1952 by Austin's Leonard Lord who continued in that role until his 65th birthday in 1961 but handing over, in theory at least, the managing director responsibilities to his deputy George Harriman in 1956.

The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)
The MG Midget MkII (1964-1966)
The MG Midget Mk III(1966-1974)
The MG Midget 1500 (1974-1980)

The MG Midget in The Future

2010-06-08T22:50:00.000-07:00

The MG Midget in The Future

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A brand new Midget was announced in January 2003, to be based on the Tata Aria concept cars (Rover used another Tata as the basis of their Rover CityRover). The concept never made it into production and Tata Motors made it clear that they did not wish to share platforms if the MG Rover Group was bought up by another company.

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A small business in Cheshire also had similar ideas on the MG Midget Cars in 2007 but were withdrawn from bidding for the rights after lack of financial aid.

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Apparently the Smart Roadster was to be used as the basis for a new MG under Project Kimber however this has not come to fruition. The Smart went out of production in 2005.

The MG Midget UK 50th anniversary celebration

2010-06-03T22:28:00.000-07:00

The MG Midget UK 50th anniversary celebration

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On 24 May 2008, the Official UK Golden Anniversary of the introduction of the Austin Healey Sprite, "Spridget 50 - The Big Party" was held at the British Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon, Warwickshire. Up to 1000 Sprites, Midgets and derivatives were in attendance - a record number. The event was jointly organised and promoted by the UK's Midget and Sprite Club, Healey Drivers Club, MG Owners Club, Austin Healey Club and MG Cars Club - the first time an event of this size has been supported by all of the marque-representing clubs.

The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)
The MG Midget MkII (1964-1966)
The MG Midget Mk III(1966-1974)
The MG Midget 1500 (1974-1980)

The MG Midget in Today The End Part

2010-05-28T21:56:00.000-07:00

The MG Midget in Today The End Part

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The Spridgets are also popular in the U.S. and elsewhere for vintage racing. All Sprites and earlier model Midgets are powered by the very common A-Series engine which is very tunable for higher output.

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Today, many MG Midgets are being restored helped by the availability of parts with many being re-manufactured. 'British Motor Heritage', which owns many of the original press tools, makes body panels and complete body shells. In the UK, among other suppliers, 'Moss Europe' and 'MG World UK' supply many other parts both new and used.

The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)
The MG Midget MkII (1964-1966)
The MG Midget Mk III(1966-1974)
The MG Midget 1500 (1974-1980)

The MG Midget in Today Part 1

2010-05-23T21:27:00.000-07:00

The MG Midget in Today Part 1

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The car developed by Donald Healey that started as an Austin Healey Sprite, and which spawned the late-model MG Midget, has more recently been given the generic name Spridget. It really was a Healey, not an MG, but the generic name does not reflect this.

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From the late 1980s on, Spridgets became popular cars for inclusion in club racing in the UK, because they were readily available and the lack of development by the original manufacturer made them easy targets for performance tuning.

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The UK still has a race series dedicated to the MG Midget which is run by the MG Car Club. The MG Midget Challenge is a national race series for MG Midgets and Austin Healey Sprites (built 1956-1979). The championship is run at all major UK circuits, with the occasional visit to Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. It is a serious, professional but very friendly championship and has been running since 1977.

The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)
The MG Midget MkII (1964-1966)
The MG Midget Mk III(1966-1974)
The MG Midget 1500 (1974-1980)

The MG Midget 1500 (1974-1980)

2010-05-19T15:02:00.000-07:00

The MG Midget 1500 (1974-1980)

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In 1974 a new and, as it turned out, final version of the Midget arrived. It was known as the MG Midget 1500 Cars although it was officially still the Mark III. This car was equipped with the 1493cc, four-cylinder, pushrod, OHV engine from its rival the Spitfire, which also provided the transmission. As with many large groups, rationalisation was now the name of the game for British Leyland. Furthermore, it was becoming increasingly difficult to make the A-series engine meet the required exhaust emission standards and still develop enough power, whereas this was easier with the larger-capacity Triumph unit. The bigger engine, capable of producing 66bhp, improved the Midgets performance significantly, making a top speed in excess of 100mph easily attainable.

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Along with the new engine and transmission came what many saw as less desirable changes. One of these was the introduction of the "rubber-bumpers" which were designed to meet US crash test legislations. These added considerably to the weight of the car, but were sculpted such that the car was still instantly recognisable as a Midget.

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Furthermore, to ensure that the bumpers were at the correct height, it was necessary to raise the ride height of the car by a couple of inches. This obviously had the effect of reducing the roll stiffness at the rear, but contrary to popular belief the cars handling was not really impaired by these modifications.

The Early Days of MG Midget Cars
The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)
The MG Midget Cars Design

The MG Midget Mk III(1966-1974)

2010-05-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

The MG Midget Mk III(1966-1974)

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The Midget Mk II Cars had continued to sell until late 1966, when the Mk III model was introduced. Once again, the engine had been enlarged - this time it had the 1275cc A-series unit developed from the one used in the Mini Cooper S. This produced 65bhp and could propel the little car to speeds in the mid 90's.

Picture Of 1970 Mg Midget Cars

Although there were no really obvious changes to the appearance of the car, there were minor ones. Perhaps one of the most important of these was the addition of a folding soft top, which replaced the one which had to be fully removed to be stowed.

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In 1970, the Sprite version of the Midget Mk III Cars (a Sprite MK IV) was dropped from the range leaving the Midget to continue along, which it did for some years. The 1275 Midget continued to sell well and had generated a loyal following, but since its nearest competitior was the Triumph Spitfire, many expected one of the cars to be dropped but neither were to get the chop - yet.

Picture Of 1969 Mg Midget Cars

In 1972, the Midget received further styling changes, among them a new style of sculpted steel wheel, known as Rostyles. Also, at this point the rear wheel arches lost their squared off tops, becoming fully radiused. It was at this time that MG was facing increased work load to ensure that the cars met the increasingly strict environmental and safety regulations that were being implemented in the export markets, and in particular the USA. This work was such that it severely restricted the resources available for the development of new models. In the long term it was to be the eventual downfall of the MG.

The Early Days of MG Midget Cars
The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)
The MG Midget Cars Design

The MG Midget MkII (1964-1966)

2010-05-09T02:10:00.000-07:00

MG Midget MKII

The MG Midget MkII (1964-1966)

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MG Midget MKII Cars

MG Midget MK2

MG Midget MK2 Parts 1

Externally the main changes were to the doors, which gained wind-up windows, swivelling quarter lights, external handles and separate locks. The windscreen also gained a (slight) curvature and was retained in a more substantial frame. The hood (US - top), though modified, continued to have a removable frame that had to be erected before the cover was put on. The rear springs were replaced by more conventional semi-elliptic types which gave a better ride. The engine block was strengthened and larger main bearings were fitted, allowing the power to increase to 59 hp (44 kW) at 5750 rpm and torque to 65 lbf·ft (88 Nm) at 3500 rpm. 26,601 were made. ~ MG Midget MKII

Related : MG Midget Mk1 ~ The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)
Related : MG Midget ~ The Early Days of MG Midget Cars
Related : MG Midget Cars ~ The MG Midget Cars Design

The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)

2010-05-04T14:05:00.001-07:00

MG Midget MKI

The MG Midget MkI (1964-1966)

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MG Midget MKI Cars

MG Midget MK1

MG Midget MK1 Parts 1

The first version was essentially a slightly more expensive badge engineered version of the Austin-Healey Sprite MKII and retained the quarter-elliptic sprung rear axle from the original Sprite. The engine was a 948 cc A-Series with twin SU carburettors producing 46 hp (34 kW) at 5500 rpm and 53 lbf·ft (72 Nm) at 3000 rpm. Brakes were 7 in (178 mm) drums all round. A hard top, heater, radio and luggage rack were available as factory fitted extras.

Picture Of 1961 Austin Healey Sprite

In October 1962 the engine was increased to 1098 cc raising the output to 56 hp (42 kW) at 5500 rpm and 62 lbf·ft (84 Nm) at 3250 rpm and disc brakes replaced the drums at the front. Wire-spoked wheels became available.

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The doors had no external handles or locks and the windows were sliding Perspex side-screens. A heater was an optional extra.

Picture Of 1971 Mg Midget Cars

Production was 16,080 of the small engined version and 9601 of the 1098.

Picture Of 1964 Mg Midget MKII Cars

A MG Midget MkI with the 948 cc engine was tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1962 and had a top speed of 87.9 mph (141.5 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 18.3 seconds. A fuel consumption of 40.2 miles per imperial gallon (7.03 L/100 km; 33.5 mpg-US) was recorded. The test car cost £689 including taxes on the UK market.

Related : MG Midget Mk1 ~ The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)
Related : MG Midget ~ The Early Days of MG Midget Cars
Related : MG Midget Cars ~ The MG Midget Cars Design

The MG Midget Cars Design

2010-05-01T11:47:00.001-07:00

The MG Midget Cars Design

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From the outset, the Sprite had been designed to be of unitary construction, with the floorpan and body being built as one strong, rigid structure. Stiffness was provided by box-like sections sills and crossmembers, a deep transmission tunnel, the scuttle, and the box shaped boot. At the front, the crossmember for the suspension and steering was carried on a pair of chassis legs which projected forwards from the scuttle bulkhead.

Picture Of 1966 Mg Midget Cars

The suspension was the same as the Austin upon which it was based, with double wishbones and coil springs where the upper wishbone was provided by the lever arms of the dampers. The Austin's steering was replaced by a rack and pinion set-up as used in the Morris Minor. The Minor was also the source for the hydraulically-operated rear brakes, although the rear axle was from the baby Austin. The axle was mounted on stiff quarter-elliptical springs controlled by lever arm dampers.

Picture Of 1974 Mg Midget Cars

The original Sprite's one piece front end had been dropped in favour of separate wings, front panel, and a pancake type rear-hinged bonnet. The headlamps had been moved to the forward corners of the front wings, while the indicators and side lights were mounted immediately below this. A full-width grille filled the gap between the front wings and lights.

Picture Of Mg Midget Cars

At the rear, the "square" styling theme was continued and was extended as far as the tops of the rear wheel arches being squared-off. The rear lights were fixed in the upper extremities of the rear wings, and there was a separate boot lid. The flat windscreen remained, as did the removable soft top and side-screens.

The Early Days of MG Midget Cars
The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)

The Early Days of MG Midget Cars

2010-04-27T22:26:00.000-07:00

The Early Days of MG Midget Cars

Picture MG Midget Cars

Back in the 1920's, the M-Type Midget had been developed from the baby Morris Minor. The result was a basic, cheap, fun two-seater, with sporting pretensions which triggered a whole dynasty of Midgets. It was the Midget series which had established MG as a manufacturer of sports cars with an excellent reputation in motor sport.

Picture M-Type Midget Cars

This range of cars had culminated in the TF which was seen as a Midget too far. By the time it was laid to rest in 1955, the design was out of date and out of step with what was required, since sports cars were becoming bigger, more sophisticated, more powerful, and more expensive. It seemed doubtful that we would ever see a Midget again.

Picture TF Midget Cars

In the late 1950's, yet another basic, cheap, fun two-seater was developed from a "baby" car. This time, the more modern equivalent of the old Austin Seven was used, the A30/35. This new two-seater car was the Austin Healey Sprite, which appeared in 1959 and was built at Abingdon. The Sprite was powered by an engine and transmission which had come straight from the Austin, and was a 948cc pushrod, overhead valve, four-cylinder A-series unit. In the Sprite however, it had been given twin SU carburettors and developed around 42bhp, which was sufficient to propel the little car to around 80mph. This car became known as the "Frogeye" Sprite due to its headlamps being set into the front of the one-piece front end, with a mouth-like grille being mounted on the front edge.

Picture Austin Healey Sprite Cars

In 1961, the bodywork of the Sprite came in for a major restyling. The central cockpit portion remained essentially the same, but the front and rear bodywork was completely restyled and redesigned to give the car a more conventional squared-off appearance. The engine and running gear was essentially the same as the earlier Sprite, but output was up to around 47bhp, which lead to increases in performance also.

Picture Austin Healey Sprite Mark II Cars

In this form, the car was known as the Austin Healey Sprite Mark II, but shortly after a De Luxe version was announced. It had been re-badged to become known as the MG Midget.

Manufacturer : BMC
Production : 1961–1979 226,001 produced
Predecessor : MG TF
Class : Sports car
Body style(s) : 2-door roadster
Layout : FR layout
Engine(s) : 948 cc A-Series I4, 1098 cc A-Series I4, 1275 cc A-Series I4, 1493 cc Triumph I4
Wheelbase : 80 in (2,032 mm)
Length : 137 in (3,480 mm)
Width : Mk I and II 54 in (1,372 mm), Mk III and 1500 55 in (1,397 mm)
Height : 48.5 in (1,232 mm) (before springs enlarged for 1974 Rubber Bumper cars)
Curb weight : 735 kg (1,620 lb) (approx)
Fuel capacity : 27.5 L (7.3 US gal; 6.0 imp gal)(<1974)>1974)
Related : Austin-Healey Sprite

The MG Midget Cars Design
The MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)