Not like any Midget we have ever seen.....................
We acquired this car a number of years ago. At the time, had sat for a while but was otherwise in excellent condition....near perfect body and original paint, excellent rust free floor/chassis, excellent drive train, near perfect interior................. Alas, its main failing was its originality.........ugly (and heavy) rubber bumpers, no grille, single Stromberg carb, etc.
What to do, we thought. Unlike MGBs, there is (to best of our knowledge) no 'chrome bumper' conversion available. So if we wanted this excellent super low mileage (just over 31,000 original miles at the time) to look decent, we had to undertake the conversion using our own wits.
Modified the front to except an MGB grille, make brackets and adapted early Midget bumpers, as you can see in the photos, the results were exceptional. We then added a new Weber two barrel downdraft carb for smoother running and more power.
AND added new Minilite style alloy wheels, new 155/80 radials, a new convertible top, a new Sony stereo/CD, new carpets and a pair of excellent low back seats (no head rests), the result is a very special Midget. Many of the superior aesthetics of an earlier car with the safety and improvements of a later car.
When the EPA regulations took affect on January 1st, 1968, all cars imported to the USA had to conform to the emission regulations which got tighter and tighter each year. And by 1975, BL probably felt it was far too expensive to make both the old BMC Spridget and the Triumph Spitfire engines able to conform. So the Sprite was dropped and the 'new' Midget had the larger Triumph 1500cc engine and the superior all synchromesh transmission. Alas, with the single carb.
But now, THIS car has the bigger engine with the Weber carb and the all synchromesh transmission. All of which makes for the best later Midget NEVER sold in the USA. And a neat little car.
Of course, as a later model car, has superior triple wipers, an alternator, superior cooling system, electronic ignition, safety equipment, dual master cylinder, disc brakes, higher diff gearing, ample rustproofing, better electrics (and we improved on them with a modern fuse box), and so much more. Making this a dandy little sports car.
Paint is original and excellent. Car has covered 33,900 miles since new, interior is spotless, dash is not cracked, no rust on the trunk floor, original jack and lug wrench, excellent wiring, starts instantly, runs and drives very well.
