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MG Midget Cars

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.

Picture MG Midget Cars

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 By the time it was laid to rest in 1955, the design was out of date and out of step with what was required, since sports cars were becoming bigger, more sophisticated, more powerful, and more expensive.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

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

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