tool

So I've been considering the purchase of a second vehicle to puts around in on weekends and whatever, maybe save some fuel and wear and tear on the truck just running around.

I've always been keen on different vehicles and such, in High School I restored a '71 Super Beetle that was the Parking Lot Envy at my school.

I have seen a few different MG's advertised.

One in particular, 72 Midget convertible, looks like it's in great shape and not much $$$$

Second owner car, always kept inside. That thing has to get great gas mileage! hahaah

Naybody know anything about these?

vzdude

I remember the '74 my grandpa had.....lots of fun once you figured out where reverse was! Had an issue with popping out of 4th gear, but other than that I don't remember him having any trouble getting parts or anything.

Lary Ellis (Top)

They will turn a 90 degree corner on a dime and give you 9 cents change back I drove one for awhile back in 75 I think, no real issues that I recall but it was pretty easy to get parts for them since it was only a few years old.

My brother in law took a used one out on a test drive and the dealer had to jump the battery to get it started. He was at a stop sign and popped the clutch a little too hard and killed the engine. He just happen to look in the rearview mirror as he was trying to start it and saw a dump truck bearing down on him with no driver behind the wheel

The engine sputtered but cranked too slow to start with the dead battery so he jumped out just as the dump truck flattened it like a pancake. He called the used car dealer and told him where to find the pieces

I know they don't hold up too well to a dump truck, but if you like small cars they can be fun to drive

Oh.......and avoid driver less dump trucks

dj_souvlaki

i was about to respond to this thread by saying they prefer to be called "little people" lol

Pirate

I'll start by saying, I love the little MG Midget as well as the Triumph Spitfire. Never had an MG but have had a couple Triumphs. Lucas electrical systems suck! If you enjoy tinkering with these on a regular basis to keep it running right you will probably enjoy it. If you want it to drive and park you may want to do some more research.

Good luck and hope you do enjoy it.

mikmaze

how bout an old cooper mini, or an austin heeley ?

irocpractice

(1) Rip out anything that says Lucas,replace with MSD.
(2) Remove SU's replace with 1 Weber
(3) Remove rear axels,cut a shallow groove at the end so that it will be easy to fish out the rest of the broken axel.(you will break axels).
(4)Pull gearbox and replace synchros.
(5)Pull ALL elec.connectors apart,clean,apply dilectic grease and put back together.
Next... Ex-owner driver,'59 Bug-eye,several Lotus Cortinas,1200 Spitfire, '69 series 2 Lotus Elan, and...still have '62 Healey 3000(restored) I am not a masochist,it's just that I never grew up.

Shovelhead

Old mechanic's jokes:

The Lucas motto: "Get home before dark."

Lucas is the patent holder for the short circuit.

Lucas - Inventor of the first intermittent wiper.

Lucas - Inventor of the self-dimming headlamp.

The three position Lucas switch - Dim, Flicker and Off.

The Original Anti-Theft Device - Lucas Electrics.

>Lucas is an acronym for Loose Unsoldered Connections and Splices

Lucas systems actually uses AC current; it just has a random frequency.

"I have had a Lucas pacemaker for years and have never had any trou..."

If Lucas made guns, wars would not start.

Back in the 70's, Lucas decided to diversify its product line and began manufacturing vacuum cleaners.
It was the only product they offered which did not suck.

Q: Why do the British drink warm beer? A: Because Lucas makes their refrigerators

Alexander Graham Bell invented the Telephone.Thomas Edison invented the Light Bulb. Joseph Lucas invented the Short Circuit.

Recommended procedure before taking on a repair of Lucas equipment: Check the position of the stars,kill a chicken and walk three times clockwise around your car chanting:" Oh mighty Prince of Darkness protect your unworthy servant.."

Yeah......plan on changing the electrics.........

old dog

I Owned 2 Mg`s & A Spitfire- Never Really Had That Much Problem With Electrical
They Were Fun Cars To Own & Drive
If Ya Really Want A Clasic Look For A Mg Miget Bug Eye
Claude

SolarExpress

I had a 1975 Anniversary Edition, British Racing Green. This was in 1983 IIRC. Way too much fun to drive. Only things I hated were 1) driving in the dark occasionally 2) It sat a bit low and suspension was a bit soft. Cracked the exhaust manifold going over a speed bump. Talk about popping during downshifting!!!! Good thing my friends older brother was very talented with coat-hangers. And parts were expensive. Three people really can fit in there too. I have considered getting another one.

74dart

We've got a 78 Spitfire and it is a blast to drive. Added a headder and a webber carb and it gets a consitant 30 mpg. Victoria British (same co as LMC truck) makes almost all of the parts for the Brittish cars you can even order complete frames, hoods, and door assemblys for not alot of green IIRC. By the way for all the comments about Lucas Electronics (which aren't completly unfounded) don't look at the turn signal headlight dimmer switch in a gen 2 cummins it shocked me as well when I read Lucas on the side. Maybe thats why the headlight switch shorts out I wonder if it is one of theirs as well. I have included a picture for the naysayers.

stinkindiesel

I had a '65 Midget; it had "lever-style" shocks out back. In 1983, they were something like $250/pair. JC Whitney sold a kit that let you use $30/pr VW Bug shocks.
I cut every inch of wiring out of it during a fit of rage one day- a week and 100 feet of wire later, it was running great, lights working, etc...

tool

Thanks for the tips guys, I was hoping to go look at the car today but after my accident yesterday, (read Battery Explosion Thread) I'm not really going anywhere till monday at the earliest.

A lot of theelectrical stories remind me of my old 71' Super Beetle, the wiring in that was thrashed and needed to be entirely replaced but I never got around to it, I did have a spare roll of 14 gauge wire, some black tape and a test light in the "trunk" though. Many a splice was made in that baby.

When the lights got dim I'd pull the green wire off the voltage regulator (which was famous for fizzing out) and ground it against the frame, when they were bright again, keep driving. hahaha

For some reason it was killing ignition switches as well, (turned out the starter solenoid was drawing too much juice) So I had a quick connector in the wire from the solenoid up under the rear seat, when the switch died I'd pull that apart and touch it to the pos post on the battery to crank it up. Very High Tech...

So I don't know if thatlittle car will still be available when I'm back in toruing shape or not. It appealed to me because it looked to be in beautyiful condition in it's pictures and had been owned by the same guy for about 25 years, garage kept.

Where do you get parts for those things?

stinkindiesel

Fresh off the showroom floor, it was still... British. I also owned (as a form of penance) a 1977 Triumph TR-7 and a 1975 Triumph T-160 Trident (motorcycle). None of them liked starting if it was too cold, too hot, too dry, too humid, too light, too dark, etc. I found that 68.3 deg with moderate humidity and slightly overcast was perfect for starting British machinery.
Oh, and if the motorcycle sensed that you absolutely had to get somewhere, you might as well break out the cab fare.
That being said, I miss each one. When they were running right, they were RIGHT, and they each had a way of adding a bit of unique English to my day.
Tool, I started out trying to talk you out of it, but ya just gotta go get it (or I will)!

Pirate

Tool, go for it. Sounds like you can handle the "issues" these cars have and finding one in really good condition with only previous 2 owners is very difficult. Have fun with it and post pictures!!

I hope you are recovering from the battery incident and no permanent damage to your hearing or from any of the other injuries.