MG Midget Forum

Hey folks,

I jut bought a 1967 MG Midget. I love the car, the 4 speed is great, the engine runs wonderfully and it was rather nicely restored a few years back….


BUT!

It wasn't restored using all original styled parts..

The seats are from a miata, the interior is custom made, but not correct, and lots of other things leave me with questions that I can't seem to find the answer for. I'm looking to find out the period correct interior, gauges, and seats, but the seats and gauges are nigh impossible to find, the interior is just expensive and I'm waiting a few before I get it. Anyone have any suggestions as to where I can find the resources to figure out which seats I need, and which gauges?

Also is there any way to determine the original paint color, because its red, but the paint has seen better days and was a home job that just hasn't held up. I think the car may have originally been tartan red, but I would like to know if theres a way to find out.

The VIN is GAN4L53630, which tells me useful things, but is overall useless at decoding anything in particular. I'm new to british cars, but always liked them, so my knowledge of body tags and whatnot is very limited. Did the brits put a door tag on like chevy does, or a build sheet or anything? That would be super helpful. If they didn't, I'm just gonna touch up the paint in red.

I also found out its the car from www.GreatMGProject.com, the engine numbers match the photos of that one, and there are tons of other things that are identical as well. If you had a hand in it, please let me know. I would love to get some insider information about what went on during the restoration.

Thanks for reading and hope you can help me!

William

First thing you are going to want is a certificate from British motor heritage (Google them ) they have the build records from all the BMC cars (MG Triumph etc). You can purchase a certificate with your vin that will show the original engine number, interior, and exterior color.

Heritage certificate plus

http://www.spridgetguru.com/AKD3513.html
http://www.spridgetguru.com/AKD3514.html

http://www.spridgetguru.com/MGhaSalesLit_files/MG_Mdgt0467.pdf

http://www.spridgetguru.com/AKD4021_12thEd.html

and for parts there's ebay and google. you can use the factory part numbers in a search engine to find what you need a lot of times or at the very least have some idea what that part is called.

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Seth Jones

1971 MG Midget

www.SpridgetGuru.com

When you get ready to change the seats out, I'm up for taking the Miata seats off your hands to help fund the correct ones.

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'58 Bugeye
'05 Mini Cooper S

Seth,

Thanks for posting the links - very useful information.

Al

PM sent

Welcome William, and congrats on your purchase!

Be prepared to receive a ton of resources, all of them good. You came to the right place!

If you have the means we rather do enjoy pictures...

Bri

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"And then I remembered what they said about old British Engines, if there ain't no oil under 'em, there ain't no oil in 'em." Tow Mater

The Miata seats in it are a bit rough, the drivers butt part is a bit worn and is starting to split. The passenger side is in pretty good condition though, no real damage. I'll let ya know when I find new seats. So far the only folks that have had em are in Connecticut. They are making a rally kit from the 60's though, which looks cool. I gotta figure out what parts are correct for the car before I do too much to it.

As requested, photo's of the Midget.

That looks great! Its an early 67, a later one would have back-up lights.

Sure, several things aren't "correct"... the seats, the dash (crackle finish semi-gloss black), the left rear bumper has been "tweaked" and the stainless steel hood and side trim are missing.

However, NONE of those things affect the value of your car one way or the other.

Miata seats have better padding than the originals and one important thing the 67 seats lacked... headrests.

I would drive it and enjoy it just the way it is.

For really good info, look online for a copy of Terry Horler's book "Original Sprite and Midget". Its the bible for what parts came on what car.

Hope you enjoy it !

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to paraphrase Mark Twain:

. . . . . "I never learned anything when I was typing! . . . . .

The reason I want to get it back to originally ain't for value. I don't really have any intention of selling the car any time soon..or ever really. I think I'm addicted, I just want it to be more stock looking. I have though about putting a set of 70 seats in it, largely because they have headrests, which are way safer, just not sure. Good eye for the earliness of it, according to the VIN she was number 970 made of the MK III's. Thanks for the info though.

p.s. I though that damn bumper piece was tweaked!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-04-17 05:31 PM by WilliamChrist.

Understood. I also have an early '67... mine's a Sprite, not a Midget.

Midget serial numbers start with GAN, Sprites start with HAN.

I think you'll really enjoy Horler's book.

Mike

PS... We just take the bumpers off (see the green 69 in my avatar photo)... you can get plugs in the hardware aisle at Lowe's to cover the two small holes front and rear.

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to paraphrase Mark Twain:

. . . . . "I never learned anything when I was typing! . . . . .

Bill I put Miata sears in my '68 sprite, Bugsy. I was tired if perching on an overstuffed armchair of a high backed seat. If upholstery kits for Miatas are reasonable and leather is available . Headest speakers I miss they were fabulous. The Miara seats are way more comfortable than Spridget OEM seats,

I found a place online to get new leather for the Miata seats that I plan on doing. It gives the seats a really nice look and makes safe. I did decide headrests and my neck are more important than original looking seats...

www.mrmikes.com

the seats look great and aren't terribly hard from what I've found.

William, that's a great looking car! I personally think the 1967-70 cars are the best of the Midgets.

I have Miata seats in mine as well and they work fine. In fact I bought a heavily modified car that as a bunch of bits and pieces but in it so hardly anything is really original. the Miata seats work just fine.