Make: MG
Model: Midget – 1500
Year: 1978
Mileage: 10,045 (ish, see description)
MOT: 6th August 2015
Tax: N/A but Taxed until 1st Feb
(Not transferrable under new guidelines)
Location: Near St. Ives, Cambridgeshire
Price: £1095 ono
Pics: Below
Model: Midget – 1500
Year: 1978
Mileage: 10,045 (ish, see description)
MOT: 6th August 2015
Tax: N/A but Taxed until 1st Feb
(Not transferrable under new guidelines)
Location: Near St. Ives, Cambridgeshire
Price: £1095 ono
Pics: Below
Contact: willpunchard@gmail.com - 07727699657
Work carried out within the last 8 months:
- All rust/welding completed for MOT
- Full oil and filter service (Engine, gearbox and axle) - 16/10/14
- Brake Check Up @ well known MG workshop – 16/10/14
- New Battery
- New Fuel Tank Sender Unit
- Dropped Fuel Tank to replace sender unit and Inspected tank – all ok
- 4 New tyres
- Brake Overhaul inc:
o Re-Con Brake Calipers
o New Brake Pads
o New Goodridge Stainless Flexi Brake hoses
o New Automec Copper/Nickel Brake Lines (anti-corrosion)
o New Brake Master Cylinder
o New rear shoes
o New rear wheel cylinders
o All new Fixings with brake components (banjo unions, washers bolts etc)
o New Brake Discs
- Front suspension re-build inc:
o Reconditioned Stub Axles
o All new POLY bushes in front suspension
o New Front Springs
o ARB Poly bushes
o New ARB Drop Links
o New Wheel Bearings
o New Track Rod ends
o All new bolts, washer and fixings for front suspension components
- Rear Suspension
o Polybushed
o New U-bolts and all new fixings
o Springs were ok so re-fitted as new springs are v. poor quality!
- Pedal box stripped and rebuilt
- Cooling system overhaul inc:
o All new hoses
o Coolant Flush and re-fill using ForLife coolant
- New Fuse Box and Fuses
- All Flexi fuel lines replaced
- New Float Chamber needle and seat and gasket
- General Service inc:
o New Airfilters
o New Spark Plugs
o Rocker Cover Gasket
o New Red Rotor Arm
o New Distributor Cap
o New Ignition Leads
o New Wiper Blades
o New Condensor
o New Contacts/Points
General Bits/Parts:
- Spare new coil (turned out it was the condenser!)
- Re-furbished Double Duck hood using Renovo Hood restorer and Ultraproofer
- 4 refurbished Rostyle wheels fitted
Interior:
- Grenadine Red Vinyl Seats and panels in Very good condition
- Moto-Lita Steering wooden Steering Wheel
- Wooden Gearknob
- MP3 player and Radio with Pioneer speakers (Head unit needs mounting properly but have a mounting bracket to do so)
- Black covered Roll over bar
- Oil Pressure gauge fitted (these cars never used to have pressure gauge, only warning light)
General Comments:
- Engine runs well, good oil pressure at start up (around 75psi) and sits happily at 20psi (which is about normal for these engines) once warm
- Doesn’t over heat, needle sticks to about ¼ temp, might go up to 1/3rd in heavy traffic
- Doesn’t like the choke, only a minute or so in the cold mornings and she’s off choke and running well
- Engine was replaced 2 owners ago (receipt for this) and speedo showing just over 10,000 miles. The next owner was my uncle who hardly ever used it so I believe this to be a true mileage (although no actual proof) since the re-build.
- New clutch just before it was laid up
Bad Bits (and I'm gunna be as honest as possible here):
- Paintwork!
- Generally tatty all round body work
- Ever so slight crunch into 4th when warm (being fussy)
- The welding was done to get it through an MOT, this does not mean it doesn’t need more welding!
o One of rear arches is a bit rough and there are a few other spots here and there that need looking at in the future. Generally a pretty solid car though.
o A previous owner (not myself or Uncle) has had a fair amount of welding done to the car underneath, it’s not the prettiest of welding but what has been done is solid
Info:
The paintwork really is the thing that lets this little MG down
It’s been painted badly in Super Black (original MG Colour) but by the look of it they did not allow enough time between coats. So the paint has reacted and cracked up.
The bonnet was in red primer when I bought it, so I have painted it myself with rattle cans and a couple of cans of laquer, which is OK but not that great
With some time and care over the bodywork this would make a great little example of a late MG Midget
I bought it from my uncle who had left it standing in his garage for 8 years! I probably paid too much for it as the cost of the car and parts will well outweigh the asking price!
But I got this really as a learning project to see how these cars go together and work.
Well it was certainly an experience! As you can see from the list above I have replaced a huuuuge amount of components to get it MOT’d!
Reason for selling now?
Well it is completely the wrong time of year to sell this car I know, however due to personal family reasons I need something more comfortable and capable for long distance family visits.
(So could also be interested in swaps for a post 2001(ish) saloon car, WHYG?)
Any questions please ask
Disclaimer (!):
No time wasters, this car nearly 37 years old!, despite me having rebuilt a large amount of components it is a classic car! It will not be perfect (as listed above), it will break down occasionally (its an MG after all!), it will give you a huge amount of fun but it will also kick you in the bum when you are not expecting it!
I’m just being honest here; anyone who has owned classic cars knows this! I have had loads of classics, some concourse condition, some (like this one) a bit tatty and they are and will be a hobby/enthusiast vehicle!
I’ve been using this one daily for over 1,000 miles to get to work and so far (touch wood) it has had very little problems.
I was going to de-bumper it, lower it and run around in the summer, possibly some time trial stuff but as listed above for personal reasons i need to sell it and i've already got another toy in the garage! So need something sensible
Price is £1095 ono
Thanks for reading!!
Pics after just washing it, probably make it look a bit shinier than it is...!