(First Posted August 13, 2013) The MG Midget was quite possibly the simplest car manufactured in the Western world in the 1970s. It dated from 1961, and was somewhat outdated even then.
Its original simplicity can be summarized in a brief review of the specifications: OHV engine (dating back to 1948), quarter- elliptic rear-spring rear suspension, no external door handles, plastic side screens–even a heater was optional.
It was a development of the famous and fondly remembered 1959 Austin-Healey Sprite, which was known, for obvious reasons as the Frogeye in the UK and the Bugeye in North America. Originally, BMC wanted a form of pop-up lights, similar to the Porsche 928, until they saw the cost. The result was the fixed headlights that gave it its name. The engine was a version of the BMC A-series used in the Austin A35, A40 and Morris Minor; a 948cc (57 cu in) four- cylinder OHV with all of 46 bhp. Top speed was 85 mph, and 0-60 took around 18 seconds. For engine access, the entire front of the car was front-hinged, similar to an E-type Jaguar or Triumph Herald; the luggage was loaded into the boot from inside the car. The wheelbase was 80 inches, identical to the very different and contemporary Mini.
In 1961, BMC took the central section, and then fitted out a conventional bonnet (hood) and front wings arrangement and a boot (trunk) lid at the back. Suspension was via double-wishbone and coil springs up front, where the upper wishbone was provided by the lever arms of the dampers. The original Frogeye recirculating-ball steering was replaced by a rack-and-pinion setup from the Morris Minor. The Minor also donated the hydraulically-operated rear brakes, although the rear axle came from the baby Austin. The axle was mounted on stiff quarter-elliptical springs controlled by lever-arm dampers.
Evolution of the Spridgets (the Midget and its badge-engineered twin, the Austin-Healey Sprite Mk 2) was gentle – BMC gradually added larger engines, the quarter-elliptics were changed to semi-elliptic leaf springs in 1964, external door handles and roll-up windows (1964), and a change in the shape of the rear wheel arch from square to round (in 1972), and then back again (1974), when the infamous black bumpers were added to meet U.S. regulations. The ride height was raised at the same time, to the detriment of handling.
The A-series engine was eventually replaced by the 1,493cc OHV four-cylinder engine and gearbox from the Triumph Spitfire in . The engine was modestly tuned to provide around 65 bhp in UK trim (always modestly, since BLMC had to keep the low-cost Midget from being able to outrun the larger and more expensive MG B. In the U.S., Midgets of this era offered perhaps less than 50 bhp due to the toll taken by emissions controls. U.K. market cars could just make 100 mph.
The interior was always as simple as you’d expect in such a car of the period–black plastic is the most significant material–and quite narrow, so it was cramped in the extreme. In fact, the Midget was more than a foot narrower than a Mazda MX-5 Miata.
Production finally ended in 1979, although a few were registered in the U.K. in 1980. A total of around 225,000 were made, about half as many as the larger, faster and more capable MGB.
I saw this example on a street in Sheffield–the traditional home of both British steel making and the best cutlery in the world (my Grandfather was a toolmaker there)–in northern England. This one shows many signs of being a well-used but still active vehicle (it is taxed, and protected by an anti-theft clamp on the steering wheel). It’s a 1976 model with the 1,493cc engine, added spotlights and some very faded red paintwork, but otherwise it looks complete. The hood appears to be in pretty good condition, which may signal the beginning of a recovery.
But the big question, as always with BLMC, is why it was still being made in 1980, 19 years after it was launched. Its only competition was another old, small BLMC sports car, the Triumph Spitfire. Nonetheless, my thanks to whomever is responsible for brightening my day with it!
“–even a heater was optional.”
Take yourself back to that era and look at some catalogs. A heater was optional on many cars. On some cars it was “standard”, but a buyer could save a few bucks by ordering the “heater delete” option.
It wasn’t until the mid-60’s when the US government began to set the most basic safety standards, when a heater became mandatory. Actually, it wasn’t the heater per se, but the requirement for a front windshield defroster that made heaters standard (and required) equipment.
Growing up in 60s Britain I can remember car coats being sold in the shops.There was a blue 71 Dodge Demon with no heater doing the shows in the UK a few years ago.The black bumpers spoil the looks of the car totally.
My mother’s ’64 Falcon had no heater or defroster. But this was the norm for San Juan, PR at that time.
Whoever bought my Hillman new didnt order a heater it had a am radio it it when I got it though, I bought another whole car to wreck for parts that had a heater and fitted that it still works, I’m used to it I ran a 63 Holden in OZ for years that had an air flow NASCO accessory heater that was worse than useless in cold weather, ast least the Hillman has a fan to help the air along.
These Midgets always brighten my day as well. A cousin had a late 60s model in the mid 1970s, and I was allowed to drive it for a bit. Compared to the big American stuff I was used to, it was a hoot to drive.
In a bit of a reverse CC effect, I was out the other day and saw a bugeye Sprite go past the other direction. Both the car and its driver were grinning broadly.
Its well beaten the bonnet doesnt fit and like the door looks to be from a donor, NZ was littered with MGs but the Spidgets are quite scarce, plenty on racetracks, museums, and locally a car hire company has one I can self drive should I wish, but I dont its winter, its cold, I drive a Hino concrete mixer thats more comfortable.
I almost bought one of these in the 90’s from the owner of a bar I used to go to, I never understood how the guy fit in the car, he was like 6’7, it would have been cheap, like $800, he claimed that it ran, thankfully I came to my senses and didn’t buy it, that would have been an awkward thing to wake up too….
Be honest Carmine, you did come to your senses, you sobered up and realized what you’d look like in one of these.
You must have had one too many Tom Collins that day to even consider it.
Like a fat kid in a bumper car……
The Spridget is supposed to have better interior space than the MGB – how much difference I am not sure.
I’ve always liked the Midget. The later ones probably got hit worse than just about any car with the impact bumpers though. I’ve owned a Triumph Spitfire which is a better car in pretty much every respect but I’d still like to give Midget or Sprite ownership a try.
I had a late sixties Midger in BRG. 998cc. You had to drive it carefully or you could get in trouble real fast.
Why did they continue to make them?
To perpetuate the historic British sporting car tradition, where spartan amenities, weekend tinkering and cart suspension were part of the appeal!
It is still an appealing conception in our climate controlled and cosseted world.
The rust comes standard
That’s genuine BL Rust, demand only the best.
I had a 59 Bugeye of happy memory … clocked a lot of miles on it around Western New York, swapped the antiquated front drum brakes for a set of discs from a 73 midget … and later the 1275 engine which could make almost a 80 hp well tuned on webers, cams and headers …. and it flew … sort of … Remember, we’re talking about roughly 1300 pounds ….
A friend and I swapped the 1275 engine by hand, no lifts, but we were younger then … but the achilles heel for the 1275cc were the axle shafts, which used to snap with some regularity when used in the bugeye …
Very simple cars and the electrics weren’t too bad if you remembered to clean all the grounds every year … putting the top up was a leisurely affair, putting the two halves together, then draping the canvas over the frame and then a dozen snaps, turnbuckles, and clamps …. if it began raining with the top down, it was better to keep driving until you could find some shelter to erect the top …
I had a great time with the car and remember it fondly, but likely, if I take a ride in one, I may feel differently about it now …
To answer your big question why it was still made after 19 years of production ?
Nobody wanted BL, even the Austin and Morris people who merged into BMC in the fifties hated eachother, the famous Red Robbo Union leader was a Longbridge (Austin man) all of his life.
So the Austin-Morris struggle in BMC was not over yet in 1968, when all British enemies were thrown in the same British Leyland union.
There was no time nor money to develop new models, there was only time for labor disputes and envy between the makes.
The MG – Triumph war continued within BL as did the Rover – Triumph war.
Same situation more or less with the Italian ” merger ” of Alfa Romeo and Lancia under the FIAT Auto Group banner.
They were competitors all their lives and now are supposed to live happily together?
The only one that seems to have gone reasonable well after over twenty years are Peugeot Citroën, Peugeot let the leach of Citroën so they can develop more Citroën-esque cars today.
Fiat had ads in the 80s that their cars were built by robots not Robbos.
I have never understood why someone would buy an MG (I’m including the MGB) over one of the more competitive offerings. A Fiat 124 Spider, Alfa Spider, Porsche 914 and Capri V6 could all be had for about the same price as an MGB. Why was something so simple so hard to keep running?
Yes the Midget is more affordable but it’s literally a toy car. In addition to the unattractive styling and mediocre performance of the MGB it is uncomfortable too.
the B was the best middle of the road sportscar, I guess and parts availability was cheaper and easier then any of the cars you mention.
Fiat and Alfa Spiders were even more rust prone, however they were technically superior, especially engines and gearboxes.
Perhaps the best thing back then was that MG meant sportscar to most people.
Like Coca Cola and Nike and Apple are in their own league.
When I was in 6th grade, in the late seventies, my teacher was a very imposing figure, about 6’7″ or so, not counting the platform shoes and full afro. It was always mind boggling to watch him get out of his brand new white MGB in the morning.
I sorta learned how to drive in the snow in one of these. The Fiat X1/9 came along and pushed this car into the dustbin.
All you need to know about BMC/BLMC:
“The engine was modestly tuned to provide around 65 bhp in UK trim (always modestly, since BLMC had to keep the low-cost Midget from being able to outrun the larger and more expensive MGB.”
I mean obviously, don’t improve the product, don’t improve the B and then improve the Midget, don’t seek out new ways to distance yourself from your competition, keep consumer expectations as low as possible… Of course, other auto makers may also have pursued this line over the years…..
Agreed. The B-Series could have been enlarged to a 106 hp 2-litre / 1998cc B-Series in the early/mid-60s pre-BL (meaning no 1.5 Spitfire OHV) for both the MGB and 1800, even to a 112-115 hp 2-litre B-OHC that would have provided the gap necessary to increase the power of the Midget via either via a 1.5-1.6 E-Series, a new A-Series derived 1.5-1.6 or 1.6 B-Series (see Austin-Healey Sprite Mars prototype – http://www.sebringsprite.com/pdf-files/Mars%20Sprite.pdf).
However by the time BMC now BL actually considered an enlarged B-Series in the early-70s, its tooling was on its last legs with entailed starting the derived O-Series project. – http://www.leylandprincess.co.uk/o-series.htm
Then there are the replacements for both the Midget and MGB, such as the Mini-based MG ADO34 in 1100-1300cc form and MG EX234 in 1300-2000cc forms (conceived to replace both the Midget and MGB) up to the MG equivalent of the Triumph TR7/TR8 in 2000-3500cc+ form as a potential MGC/MGB V8 replacement, the latter on the basis of the TR7/TR8’s styling originating from the MG ADO21.
Sadly, these are getting very rare on the roads nowadays – the MGB seems to have survived far better. Is that down to the latter being slightly more practical in modern traffic, or were midgets abused and unloved when new? This one looks particularly tatty – perhaps it’s work in progress.
I had a 68 Midget I drove for 4 years and a 69 B I drove for almost 27 years. The extra size just made it a more liveable car.
The Midget seemed to have enjoyed a bit of a surge in popularity in Southern California during the late 70’s. I remember seeing quite a few during that time, all the later jacked up rubber bumper variants. Had a friend that worked at a BMC dealer during that time, remember he thought much less of some other BMC products of the time. The cars were cheap thrills, and aside from electrical issues were pretty trouble free
These small sports cars were so different from any typical Detroit car at the time. Even a small car like a Falcon or Nova was quite a bit bigger. Of course the sports cars were all roadsters with manual transmissions, basic little machines. Like the little Japanese motor bikes that were introduced around that time, they were a hoot. Not a precise technical term, but the best description. Pretty much affordable fun was what they were all about. Sure, you could buy a cheap beater 1950s car for less, but these were a little luxury purchase made by enthusiasts with a little extra to spend. I got a ride in my Uncle’s Austin Healey Six when I was a kid. Years later a co worker gave me a ride in his fairly new Spitfire. Pretty fun. I just returned from a week in Tahoe, drove up on highway 50 with the top down on my ’96 Mustang GT rag top. It sure seemed tiny surrounded by the herds of big SUVs and trucks around me.
I’m tempted to try one of these little roadsters in my old age. I bet it would be like driving my first real motorcycle, a 1965 Honda CB160. That thing could take me almost anywhere. It was big enough to go on the freeway, topped out at 75 mph. and could climb the steepest slopes of the Oakland hills, provided you shifted down into the lower gears. It was technically speaking, a hoot!
Why did these always seem to have large owners? In the day I never witnessed an owner that scaled well.
Always thought they were neat looking but too small, esp the latter ones. And I’m a small guy.
Perhaps this was the another form of compensating, making oneself appear to be larger by driving a small car.