pOG
Posted a lot
SHATNER'S BASSOON
Posts: 1,339
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Oct 19, 2018 12:24:21 GMT
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Hello everyone, Here's my MG Midget. I bought it on a bit of a whim last spring and have had some great fun whizzing about in it over the summer. I never really 'got' these cars before, considering them to be a bit 'old man' sort of things if that makes any sense. Maybe it's my advancing years that prompted my change of tune? Anyway, usual story, saw it on that auction website, with a fairly scant description, but as it looked kinda funky I lobbed in a low-ish bid.. no-one else did and so I was a WINNER*. I didn't really have very high expectations, but it turned out to be really quite good fun. 60mph has never felt so fast... As a result I've used it at the weekends for pootling about the countryside, been to a few local events etc. Time to crack on with actually making it a bit better now that the climate is sub-optimal for silly little sports cars. So far all that's happened is a little bit of licky-sticky-happy stuff such as getting a nice grille to plug the gap left by the ditching of the rubber bumpers (& cleaning back & painting the dumb irons that the bumpers would have attached to), oh and trying (& largely failing) to make the windows work properly. Most important bit next is to try and get the brakes working a bit better before MOT time (they are pretty appalling - obviously there's no servo but even then they are rather uninspiring). Then onto prodding at the rusty bits, and there is plenty of those - front panel is toast, doors are pretty shot but I have one to replace now, rear quarters are bubbling under the paint. New hood required too as it's just a tad on the leaky side (there is some budget for that at least - it came with an utterly HIDEOUS hardtop which I managed to punt on for £100). Fingers crossed that there's not too many horrors lurking.
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Can't beat a Midget. I have to admit I actually like the rubber bumper cars especially lowered with alloys and a growley exhaust. Good luck with yours.
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Nice little car. Looking forward to following this one and seeing what you do with it as I've been fixing up my Mum's old Midget I must admit, its way more fun to drive than I expected.
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pOG
Posted a lot
SHATNER'S BASSOON
Posts: 1,339
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pOG
Posted a lot
SHATNER'S BASSOON
Posts: 1,339
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pOG
Posted a lot
SHATNER'S BASSOON
Posts: 1,339
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Originally I thought I would do some mechanical bits then move on to the body. But as the MoT & tax are now up, and there's pretty much zero chance of wanting/needing to use it when it's cold dark and miserable outside, I think plan B will be rust first, brakes second. There's various areas of rustyness and blobby paint in the pics above, which are key areas for attention. Here's a few pics of general yuckiness before prodding commences. Nearside front wing has this split in it, looks a bit crispy Trailing edge none-too clever neither. Drivers door skin making an early bid for freedom. And I am pretty confident that once this sees some poking and cleaning it is gonna be GRIM
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Last Edit: Dec 1, 2018 20:28:02 GMT by pOG
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pOG
Posted a lot
SHATNER'S BASSOON
Posts: 1,339
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Nearside wing also grotty Passenger door is pretty much done for. I think that the rot in the corner has pulled it out of shape such that the channels that go inside arean't where they are supposed to be any more. Valance has taken a bit of a battering down the years. Lots of dents and it's holing through in places. Probably not beyond redemption... but... Another wobbly arch with a very strange paint effect, something akin to green custard. Hood's buggered. Lots of the fittings have either pulled through or gone awol. Irritating as the roof bit is actually quite good.
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pOG
Posted a lot
SHATNER'S BASSOON
Posts: 1,339
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pOG
Posted a lot
SHATNER'S BASSOON
Posts: 1,339
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pOG
Posted a lot
SHATNER'S BASSOON
Posts: 1,339
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Interesting, huh? Some bits look to have been done reasonably properly, while others are a right old bodge-up. Literally ALL the previous areas are where things are going awry all these years later.
PLAN??
To me, trying to repair previous dodgy repairs seems a bit daft, so it's now time to gather some acorns. Scored so far: * decent full passenger door * PAIR of NOS front wings * NOS front valance
On the lookout for: * Useable drivers door (think I have spied one.. but been a spendy week so far)
Saving for: * new rear quarters Seen some advertised but they're £300 so might have to wait until January payday...
Decent break over christmas this year so can get stuck in to the easy bits round the front / middle. Rear panels will require supervision of an adult...
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Rob M
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,915
Club RR Member Number: 41
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1979 MG MidgetRob M
@zeb
Club Retro Rides Member 41
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I bloody love this! I have to confess that, as much as I do love a tip top condition retro and enjoy the build threads where they are stripped naked, cut to pieces and rebuilt with fresh metal and all the professionalism of a top notch restorer, I do have a bigger love for the 'lived in' look.
If it's a bit crusty, a bit bubbly around the edges and looks slightly battle scarred then that does more for me, it wears its life on the road on its sleeve, or something.
I take it the welding mask in that pic was put on so that a future generation had little hope of identifying the culprit?
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pOG
Posted a lot
SHATNER'S BASSOON
Posts: 1,339
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Some garage time today with younger son, hopefully getting him enthused. Not much actual progress, but some teaching and ALOT of WD40 action (90% of the fixings around the front end seized solid with paint & nearly 40 years of road crud & rust)... Remember yesterday I said the valance was toast? I WAS NOT TELLING LIES. Wee man removed both front wheels by himself. Top work & a valuable lesson in leverage. AAARGH MY EYES! The incredible levitating Midget.
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Last Edit: Dec 2, 2018 17:57:53 GMT by pOG
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You have a bit of work there but all typical Midget rot spots. At least all the panels are available albeit for a price.
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1979 MG MidgetDarrenW
@darrenw
Club Retro Rides Member 74
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Looks like this is going to be an interesting thread, looking forward to progress pics!
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Kieran
East of England
Posts: 148
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Great little project car there, will be good to see the progress on this. I saw this Midget for sale recently on ebay closeby to me, in "The 'Wade".
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Been down this road and pretty much know what you are about to face. The good news is that parts are available and none of it is terribly difficult. But it is a lot of time.
The reason it all went wrong in the areas that were fixed is down to the case where the backside of the welding was not, or could not, be addressed. Molten steel combines with oxygen to form a surface layer of rust. On the front side, we grind the weld down or wire wheel the rust off and topcoat. On the backside, the seam tends to go un-attended and forms the foundation for future rust damage.
As an aficionado of rustorations, Looking forward to more of this project.
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pOG
Posted a lot
SHATNER'S BASSOON
Posts: 1,339
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Finally got some garage time in... assisted by elder son the wings are now off.
It's not as horrific underneath as anticipated.
Posts are OK, inner wings are salvageable - a decent wire brush and a coat of paint and they'll be fine. One historic patch is a bit crispy on the inside but again I think that it's workable.
Currently struggling to split off the old valence panel. Once that is clear I can prep it all up and put the new panels on. Then on to the rear quarters - might get farmed out to the old boy two doors down who restores stuff 24/7. 2 doors now acquired & ready to build up. Slow progress, but progress nonetheless.
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pOG
Posted a lot
SHATNER'S BASSOON
Posts: 1,339
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Mar 31, 2019 12:23:41 GMT
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Nice to see a 1500 Midget getting some love!
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