EXCLUSIVE: 1976 MG Midget
A few days ago, my plumber stopped by to fix a few issues in our new house. In chatting, he reminded me he’s a fiend for vintage cars, and that he has a clean MG Midget taking up space in his garage. I said I’d throw it on Barn Finds to see if anyone is in the market for a summer driver. Despite being in New England (Rhode Island, to be specific), the Midget is rust-free and runs well. The interior is complete and in good shape as well, and the soft top keeps the cabin dry. The MG is being sold on a bill of sale only, as Rhode Island does not require titles for cars over 10 years old. Contact me via the form below for more information.
What Makes It Special? While MGBs are relatively easy classics to find, the Midget is a touch harder to come by. More than anything else, this one is in the sweet spot of being a nicely preserved driver that doesn’t need any major restoration work (though you could take it in that direction if desired), and is nice enough as-is to take the local car show. The paint is a little tired at the moment, but would likely improve with a decent detailing.
Body Condition: The body shows no major flaws. The seller is not aware of any prior accidents or rust / body repair. There is some minor surface corrosion on some of the exposed surfaces underneath, but nothing approaching the level of rot-through. The seller notes some surface-level defects in the paint; he has not attempted to buff the paint to see if they will come out. The doors shut firmly and the top is in good condition with clear windows.
Mechanical Condition: Several repairs have been made while in the seller’s possession. Recent work includes a new alternator, electric fuel pump, and exhaust. The seller notes the braking system was recently inspected and found to be in good shape. He contends that the carburetor could use some fine tuning for smoother running. The only reason he’s selling the Midget is because he’s not comfortable anymore in the small cockpit, and he advises that larger drivers probably won’t be happy inside.
The Midget is a tidy driver with no major faults. It does run and drive well and is the kind of car the next owner can simply get in and drive. Of course, you could go all the way with it and clean up the details, but even then, it won’t make a dramatic difference in the way the car presents as it’s currently pretty fresh – just look at that crack-free dash pad and nicely preserved bucket seats. The Midget is listed with an asking price of $5,500 and will be sold with a bill of sale and prior registration.
- Asking Price: $5,500 OBO
- Location: Providence, RI
- Mileage: 44,393
- Title Status: Clean / sold on bill of sale
Do you have a low mileage survivor parked in your garage, shed or barn? Does it need a new home? Please consider listing it here on Barn Finds!
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Comments
Midgets are great cars. Due to their size, it can be a bit intimidating with that RAM dually breathing down your neck, but they can hold their own.( I’ve gone 80 mph in a Midget) Best on a quiet 2 lane. I know some think I’m FOS, but I’ve had MG’s and friend had a Midget, and I’d take a Midget anyday over a Spitfire,( no offense to Spitfire owners, just didn’t care for them)( apparently, that disclaimer must be said today) which, monetarily, is in the same class. Fun, dependable cars with parts galore. I’d love to have one again. Kelso , in That 70’s Show, drove a Midget just like this. Here’s a shot in the dark, would you trade a Squarebody GMC for it?.
https://www.imcdb.org/v043990.html
Funny sidebar to the “That 70s Show” Midget. It was located a few years ago and purchased by one of our tribe. Driven from California to somewhere in Tennessee…at least that was the plan. Turns out, the new owner documented his journey and a few days in reported this Midget on fire. Something to do with the wiring behind the dash. The burn wasn’t too bad but a fire extinguisher was used. So there goes any hope of keeping it original or cashing in on its connection to the show. IF ANY.
Nice car. I would quickly replace the crimped upper water hose though. A clean car like this can be rust proofed fairly easy to insure an even longer life. The access to the rear quarters and the rocker panels is good for using a soft preservative like 3Ms Rustfighter 1. As for the heftier drivers, taking some of the padding out of the seats does wonders for extra space. Don’t remember which sedan the seats came out of but when the headrest requirement came out they grabbed what was available and threw it into the cars.
Too bad in nj a title is a requirement. And too much work to get one.
I have owned both cars. I’m 6ft tall and for me the Spitfire was the better of the two in all respects.
Had a 74 Midget, loved it! Quirky.. some repair tasks unnecessarily difficult but if I had room I’d snap this up at that price.
I’ve got a ’74 cb Midget,& it’s a lot of fun to drive.
We took it out for a 125 mile drive last Saturday,mainly
backroads.These get more waves & smiles than many cars.
Looks like the prices are going up on these.Not a
bad thing,if you’re a seller.
Reliable Cars? Really… I was an MG..Triumph Dealer back in 72 thru 77… we called them .. “Funny Cars”… Every Monday Morning.. I would go to Work..and there they would be… Lined up for the Mechanics… cause something would always go wrong on the weekend… LOL.. I had a friend who sold Life Insurance at the time..and he begged me to sell him a New MGB/GT… we also sold Chryslers at the same time…and I told him to buy the Chrysler..as he needed a dependable car for his insurance route.. Well..he had to have it.. it was sitting on our showroom floor..and he wanted to drive it off.. So I got him financed..and he got in it..(IT DID START)..but.. it wouldnt move as the clutch went out right on the showroom floor..TRUE STORY..and he said.. well..could it be fixed so I can have it tomorrow? After 2 months..and about six tow ins.. he came in and said… IM NOT MAD.. YOU WARNED ME..But get me out of this thing.. so.. he bought a Dodge Dart.. end of story
THAT IS GREAT, I almost died laughing.
You know, that’s the thing about cars, someone is going to have good results and others poor. 1st, if you can’t tinker, one has no business with a car like this. The joy of driving one offsets the tinkering, or it should. You want turnkey results, buy a silver Spec. 2nd, reliability is relative. I’m a wrench, been one since age 6, WITH tinkering, that I enjoyed, I put almost 1/4 million miles on my MGB( with 2nd used motor@ 150K) until it rusted in half. How can you say that’s not a reliable car? That MG NEVER let me down, and if’n it did, a minor tweak, and off we go. It’s not a Honda Fit, which are reliable, but boring. These aren’t that type of vehicle, more like a motorcycle, more for enjoyment, than commuting. And I’m sorry, I don’t buy your “MG’s lined up for service” story. EVERY car dealer has or had, cars lined up for service on Monday morning. It’s what keeps most dealers afloat.
One of the better colors for the final rubber bumper, 1500 Midgets! Fella needs to read the manual on how to lower the top on one though. :) A great top can be ripped or permanently wrinkled if you lower it the wrong way and keep it down too long. It’s not just folding the frame, ya gotta flap the fabric over the trunk, make tidy little wedges with the corners, etc. This is priced at the top of the range. One could get a more vintage “optic” by purchasing any number of chrome-bumper early Midgets for $5500 and increase the SMILES PER MILE. I’ve loved all the Midgets I’ve had the pleasure to have known. Flaws and all. Cheers.
I had a 76 Midget that I truly loved! It was my daily driver, and my only complaint was that it was cold in the winter. Had to keep my scraper handy to keep the frost off the inside of the windshield! Lots of fun with the top down. What a find.
I bought a racing seats for my Midget so that it puts me lower and further back. I got cushions that plug into the cigarette lighter. Now I look through the windscreen rather than over it. They are reliable cars provides you read the manuals and use the right lubricants. The cars need regular inspection and cleaning, but that is the same for any of those old style cars. If contacts get wet they corrode and don’t put out enough amps. The fault is often cumulative. The solution is indoor storage, inspection and petroleum jelly to keep the damp out. Quality control did take a hit in the late 70’s but most of those problems should have been rectified through use and maintenance.
The windscreens on these cars take quite a beating if the car is used as a daily driver. Multitasking as a grab bar for egress from a seated position, a gravel shield when tossing the car on back country roads, and your first line of defense at the first sign of raindrops. I’ve actually driven in rainy drizzle with the top down and made it to my destination dry. The speed at which you drive and those three wipers can safe you from having to get out and put the top up (correctly!).
This should be mentioned when negotiating the final price. A common occurrence, not easily remedied except for loading up forward edge of the door and A pillar with filler and respraying. Midgets have vinyl straps as door stays, this one might be missing its strap thereby allowing the door to fly completely open and denting the body.