1972 MG MIDGET 1275cc REVIEW
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- Looking at investing your hard earned into a classic British sports car? Then this 1972 1275cc MG MIDGET REVIEW will help you whittle down the selection!
Yes, Rich and Andy are back together again. We found one sunny day in October to film a covid compliant review of this little beauty.
The MG Midget is world famous for being a cheap, fun, and mostly reliable way to enjoy top down classic motoring. This 1275cc MG actually has a refurbished Ivor Searle engine in it, but it is still a stock engine with no frills attached.
Rich also own an MG Midget, but has a later 1500cc engine version. Sadly however his car is now destined for parts, as it has rotten so badly, it would cost well over £8k to restore. and for that money you could get an amazing well looked after one.
We hope you enjoy this MG Midget Review, as always any questions or requests, throw them down below in the comments.
HUGE Thanks to Robert Cooke for the Drone footage, Richard Wharmby, Julian Flayand Michael Davis for the stills of their cars; AND to the Midget and Sprite Club, for all their support with Margo over the years.
Cracking piece of music as Rich drives off:
Fanfare for Space by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommon...
Source: incompetech.com...
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i’m 17 and i bought my 1974 mg midget as my high school dream car. definitely a car i’ll be keeping for the rest of my life. a blast to drive and positive attention everywhere i go!
74, a genuinely superb choice. Must be a round wheel arch? Look after her and she'll look after you haha
You're a spirited soul!
You clearly have good taste.
I’m about the same age and about to buy the same year. Any advice?
Are you in the UK Austin?
I put a Frontline 5 speed gearbox in mine. Same ratios 1-4 but synchro on first and 5th overdrive. Made a good car even better.
I've a had a few 'sporty' cars over the years. The only one I kept is my 73' 1275 Midget, owned it for over 31 years now. A superb little car, reliable, huge fun and won't kill you. Unlike my other past cars: Caterhams, Westfield, MR2 roadster, XR2 and vauxhall Nova GTE.
Dayum. The Westfield what was that like
Also don't forget to head over to my MG midget page (andys mg adventures) !
I have a 1969 Austin Healey Sprite in proper BRG and love every minute in it. A driving experience like nothing else.
Has a owner of a 72 midget… I must say I truly enjoy this car and I loved your video very much.
Perhaps I enjoy working on the car with my father just as much as I do driving in… Thank you for the video he really means a lot
Youre most welcome ! They're fun little things. Check out our mg midget playlist too, all the little jobs that Andy had been up to!
You you don't drive a Midget; you wear it!! I've owned a 1500 since 1984 and inherited a 1275 from my father. Somehow the 1275 feels older. I think it's the more noisy, A Series gearbox....I quite like having to double de clutch into first. They mention the lack of overdrive on the 1500. I have fitted one to my car and of all the things I've done to my 1500, the overdrive is the one I now value most. You can fit a Ford Sierra 5 speed box, to the A Series cars but (Especially as I have an overdrive 1500) I like the A Series box and I will leave it as it is.
Im currently restoring our 1973 Midget. we love it and cant wait to get it done so we can enjoy driving it again.
Itll be worth every second of effort. No question
Thank you for this, it has sealed my decision to get an MG Midget... I had a 1963 Midget 34 years ago, drove it back 20 miles with no floor, completely rusted away, lol... But back then I did not have the money to get it restored and a baby sealed its doom... Great video love your style of presenting...
Wow. Time to get one back in the family then my friend. And thanks for your kind comments too!
Well done Chaps another great video
Thanks Ian!
Great video, guys! You captured how I feel about driving my 1972 MG Midget (US model with 3 silly little windshield wipers).
3 wipers?!?!?!?! What? I WANT 3 WIPERS!!!!
With the 1275cc 1972 MG Midget, you have identified the ultimate factory version of this car. The 1275 is a more entertaining engine in this body than the 1500cc Triumph engine turned out to be. I suspect engine tune for pollution control (in North America) has a lot to do with that feel.
These cars have zero power assist anything, which really makes them such a delight to drive. They really do give you the feel of entertaining speed at legal road speeds. I had a 1973 1/2 Midget that I would campaign it up a local hilly road at about 45 mph. Dirt, a bit of a a loose rear end, lovely sound and feel. My son (age 8) and I loved it. We once took the family station wagon up the same road trying to get the same feel. That big old Pontiac with power everything and three times the body weight hid every delight of the drive. Even at 70 mph it didn't deliver the thrill of speed that the Midget did at 45.
One thing about these cars: I stood 5 ft 7 inches and weighed 150 lbs. when I owned mine. I had the seat as far back as it would go in the cock pit. It was comfortable on me, and you really did feel as if you were wearing this car. I lent it to a friend for a spin around the block. He was 6 ft 2 inches and could get in it, but admitted he could barely get his feet off the pedals. If you are built to the dimensions of a normal Englishman of the 1950's, you will love this car. If you are more of a 200 lbs. 6 foot plus fellow, this won't be as much fun.
I would buy another Midget from this early 1970's era in a heart beat. My only real complaint about the design of the car is its Lucas engine electronics. As legend tells us, The Brits love warm beer because they own Lucas refrigerators.
Hahaha..... I like a cold beer though.....its probably because its so damn cold here all the time that a warm beer , warms us up!
Thanks for your comments
I'm 6'6" and I love mine. When (not if:-) the driver's footwell rots out replace it with a trough-shaped panel which lowers the floor by 2 in (only works for RHD as the exhaust runs under the left side) the resulting increase in legroom is miraculous!
I bought myself a 1975 MG Midget as a retirement gift. Best thing I've ever done for myself!🧡 It brings me SO much JOY! Love your video! You're so right about the smell of the oil and fuel!! Love it!
Ooooo what colour did you pop for ? Yeah we both got a bit caught up in moment driving her, too much fun haha
@@TwoChapsMotoring She's an 🍊 orange one! So, so beautiful. Well loved! My favorite color and my birth year...couldn't go wrong. I bought it on line and had it delivered. I did drive it once before actually buying. She's been my dream car since I was a teenager! I was going to driver her to work today but my brake lights aren't working! :-(
@@invisiblewoman9684 aw that sucks. I know on the 1275 the brake switch is taken off the hydraulic fluid lines. And often they die off. Quite an easy fix if you have the part 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Amusing video. I still have two of these after 30 years. They rust in the scuttle and sills. Frontend falls out as it is a very cheap design with a single shocker arm acting as part of the suspension and those fulcrum pins wear. A series engines endlessly leak oil as they have scroll seal (needs positive crankcase pressure to seal), the engine oil often ends up on the clutch. If you really drive one like a sportscar it will be in bits often. The gearbox must come out with the engine and the whole thing is held together with a mixture of ridiculously fine UNF, UNC, BSF sometime even USA ANF threads depending on the year. Bind nuts everywhere which rust up and strip. Yikes! Oil pump location is nuts. Early cars are better to drive as they have more elbow room. 1275 motors blow head gaskets as there is very little space between the bores. A series motors run bearings if pushed. Very hard to get the rear axle sealed well and the diff oil ends up in the brake drums. On the limit they pivot really well but are a bit twitchy due to the narrow track and short wheelbase. Early cars have 1/4 elliptic springs and are more fun around corners. Excellent MM steering rack. Amazing fun for the money but be prepared to do some work. I love'm but can completely understand why people don't as they are set up for short arm driving. Keep up the reviews!
Andy drives his like a granny and only in the dry hahaha, so head gasket might go in about 10 years and rust will be slowed to a snails pace 🤣
@@TwoChapsMotoring ... they will go for ages if you treat them with respect and keep it dry ... but ... these are huge fun on a wet road, flat chat, testing out those low speed skills, just before something vital falls off. Shelby even used these things to simulate the real thing ... www.thegentlemanracer.com/2013/04/lost-california-shelby-school-of-high.html ... strangely even the Shelby driving school ones seem to be in bits also even when brand newish!... recurring theme here! : )
@@ianjgd dam that is cool. And he is one of my biggest heroes....better find myself a wet road. Andy
I have a '66 Sprite here in the States, I only drive it within a 10 mile radius of my house incase it breaks. That way I don't have to tow it back very far (just kidding). Its well worth it though, as its more fun to drive around town than many new cars are on an exciting twisty road.
@@derekpetersen1078 superb choice of year I must add
Thank you both for a lovely review. I had a Spitfire years ago and identify absolutely with the enthusiasm you feel for cars like this. Never been in a Midget but am feeling I ought to give it a go. Many thanks for the wonderfully infectious joy and enthusiasm :-)
So glad you enjoyed it. If you're ever bristol way you more than welcome to join for a spin in Margo !
@@TwoChapsMotoring That is extraordinarily kind of you; I would really enjoy that. I love the idea of the feeling of speed and exhilaration without actually having to go that fast. I also like the fact that I can understand how the car works and, within reason, fix it. There is something life-affirming about that (said the old fool :-) ).
It has a wonderful running burble.... when it actually runs. If you get one of these the first upgrade to make is to ditch the SU carbs for a Weber. You will be happy you did.
Tempting.... but aren't they a faffy dark art to set up?
@@TwoChapsMotoring The dark art for me was trying to get my SU carbs to work correctly. No matter what I did I could not keep them in sync - I was wondering if there was some kind of a Celtic blood sacrifice you were supposed to do on them. I talked with some guys at a British Car Day and they had nothing but glowing comments about the Weber.
Well then..... perhaps a mod worth doing on mine.....
Yes, but beware that you need to get the crankcase breathing right, otherwise the engine just blows oil out of the rear crank oil seal and onto your clutch! I've experimented with various carbs including Webers on my Minor with 1275cc MG Midget engine, and it seems to prefer the single SU HIF44 to anything else.
I just started shopping for one, I’m so excited!!!
Nice work! Did you find one? Be sure to head over to my MG midget specific youtube channel (andys mg adventures ) see you there !
Many years ago, for our 18th birthday, my Grandmother bought my twin brother and I a little yellow MG Midget. Unfortunately neither of us had a driving license or anywhere to store it, and neither of us had any money to remedy either of those things or to run it or insure it. Eventually we bowed to pressure from my Mum who was terrified that her teenage sons had been given a sports car with which to kill themselves.
My grandmother sold the car and gave me a banjo instead. 😭
A little part of me just died reading that. Rich and I send our condolences 😭 did you get the number plate ? Is it still on the road somewhere.
@@TwoChapsMotoring I have no idea what the numberplate was. I always figured that if I decided to have a mid-life crisis, buying a Midget would would make a good choice for trying to capture my literally lost youth with.
@@timaidley7801 you based in the UK? There's a great fanbase here. World over in fact !
@@TwoChapsMotoring Not at the moment - I'm currently in Northern California, which has fantastic weather for nine months of the year, if you don't mind apocalyptic clouds of wildfire smoke now and then.
@@timaidley7801 i so love california. I visited my uncle who lived in a Thousand Oaks. Fell in love with the climate.... but didn't encounter any earthquakes or wild fires I must say.... Still. A midget wouldn't rust in that state thats for sure!
What a glorious car! Great review.
Ah you checked out one of our videos thanks! Love your channel too
11:34 I would consider the only rivals to be an early Mazda MX5 or a Daihatsu Cappuccino. Nothing else give the experience as close to a Spridget.
Not water tight..LOL. I remember driving my date in my 60 bugeye Sprite in the rain, when the top tab that fits under the top of the windscreen just popped out going about 45 mph. Still miss that car. 50 years ago.
Hahaha. They don't them like "that" anymore
Great little cars. Just pure fun
They sure are
I had a bug eye and loved it except no boot lid no Bonetlid
Hey Guys ...great Video and glad you are still out there :) I have had my 1970 1275 Midg for a year now and love it. Tell me - what exhaust do you have on her ? You did a video of fitting it and I think it came fromm Moss in Bristol - where I live - but the vid seems to have gone :(
Hey David sorry for not reading this ! It's a single pipe falcon silencer on the back much more raspy than the factory! Feel free to head over to my main MG midget page (andys mg adventures) where you'll find lots of useful stuff !
I have only ever driven a 1500
... I own a 1275
Another car that gives smile per mile is our 1955 Austin A30. We always drive around with a big grin . And it seems everyones Dad or Grandad had one at some point. People just come and talk to you. Of course the Midget and Sprite were based on the A30/A35 mechanicals
Another belter of a little motor the A30. They're cheeky looking cars too
Careful going thru water very deep it will die ....been there done that !!! 72 MG Midget owned in 74
Margo looks great guys! Lovely day for a drive; I smiled miles watching. The heater is astonishingly hot; melted my wife's trainers one time, but does allow top-down motoring in cooler times. 1500 might have more power, but those heavy rubber bumpers weigh it down; would be interesting to compare power to weight ratios.
Cheers Jerry! Andy is besotted with it. So pleased I swapped to chrome on my 1500, those rubbers weighed a tonne!
@@TwoChapsMotoring How would MG marketing have put it? “The very best of British motoring!”. Having had our Midget off the road for so long, working on it and getting it out for B-road blasts has been like falling in love again. Incidentally, MG could have put the 1275 Mini Cooper engine in the Midget, but they didn’t want it to be faster than the flagship MGB 😄
I think Andys has a mini cooper "header" on it. Not sure how much bhp that adds, but it felt spritely lol. How long has your resto work taken?
Nice car.
Love your videos Andy
You guys 'get it.' That's the best.
Thanks Nick. Both being owners helps i guess. Have a superb Christmas !
Had a friend with an MGB, which we used mainly for fun summer drives up to a lake. After I moved away, i missed it so I bought one of these for my own fun. Kept it for about 25 years. Lotsa fun!
I had one of these back in the day...the top was rubbish, the heater leaked into the footwell and it constantly overheated. Other than that - it was great. My 'Canadianized' version had THREE wipers, (by requirement for windscreen coverage, I suppose). I finally ripped out the rotten plastic top and was going to try to find a 'rare' hardtop for it - but decided I'd had enough of the 'Smiths' electrics going out and the heater pee-ing on my legs...so, regretfully - I gave her away...
He loves his Midget.
I'm not sure the round wheel arches are better from a style standpoint. However they are highly desirable if you want to put real sized tires on.
True. I know of a lot of people in my club who prefer RWA. But hey, horses for courses !
@@TwoChapsMotoring Absolutely! Just like there are folks partial to the Bug Eye vs the square body. I have a 62 Sprite with the 1098cc engine and absolutely love every bit of it. Other than a sway bar or a limited slip diff, I can't think of anything else that would make it better.
And who can say that about their car?! Haha ! They really are super
I loved driving the Midget
It's a wee belter of a car that one. Don't forget to head over to my MG midget specific page (andys mg adventures) !
My grandma has given me one in green
Something to cherish right there
My bronze yellow 1972 is in standard midget mode at the moment: In the garage with the engine out to fix it. In this case though it is not specifically an MG issue. It was converted to a 5 speed Sierra gearbox and the clutch slave failed, which, being a Saab concentric clutch means everything out to fix it.
When she is running though everything the guys said is true. You drive round with a big stupid fly eating grin on your face. It’s not a motorway car by any means , even with the 5 speed box, but on the twisty stuff there’s nothing quite like it.
Hey Jim. Love to see a picture of you're ride mate ! And don't forget to head on over to my MG Midget page (andys mg adventures) cheers !
Wish I could fit into one of these cars. At 6’1” 260 lbs I don’t see that happening.
I had a '62 Midget and miss it. Can you review the classic Austin Mini 1000?
I'll try and get my mitts on one
The MGB is supposedly a superior model, but the Midget is so much better looking!
Couldn't agree more
To anyone contemplating buying a B.. Drive a Midget first. The B is a nice car but it feels like a terribly heavy and unresponsive hippopotamus by comparison. - and I'd include the V8s in that.
What you young guys must realise is we old farts had these new they were cheap and fast against most saloons great....no mobile phones no tattoos no woke no media and slim crumpet !!
@08:10 no synchro on 1st? how about double de-clutching?????
You can absolutely try that. I often pop into 2nd before 1st and that makes it a lot smoother a transition
Hi Chaps! Great video and very helpful! I'm thinking of getting one. But I'm 178cm tall (5ft 10 inches). I'm thin though. Is that too tall to be comfortable? Am I going to be looking over the windshield? Also I'm guessing the seats don't recline? Thanks
Im 5ft 10, and Rich is 6 foot. And both of us fit perfectly. What i will say is getting in and out of the car regardless is always a challenge when the roof is up. Even if you were 4 foot tall its a real mission! You're sat very low, so you won't be looking over the windscreen! And believe it or not. There is some movement in the seat reclining and sliding forward or backward.... im starting my own midget channel in the coming weeks so keep an eye out!
@@TwoChapsMotoring Cool, thanks for the reply!
@@TwoChapsMotoring Hi Andy- can I ask you another question- In the video Rich mentioned it felt like driving a Go Cart - but since it's so low to the ground, does it actually bounce you around as much as a Go Cart where you end up with a headache? Or does it ride pretty smoothly? Also how far would you say is a "limit" for driving distance in one sitting? (Not necessarily for gas but just so you don't risk the car breaking down(!) Thanks again
@@JasonFarnham hey Jason!
It is very low indeed. So much so that its a common joke when you go over speedhumps you always scratch the exhaust! And it is a little bouncy the ride yeah. But improvements on the suspension can be made. I actually find the drive hugely smooth overall. Its a purpose built 2 seater don't forget so once you're in, there's so much room really . I've done 200 miles straight and found that was plenty in one stint. Its more the noise levels than anything else!
@@TwoChapsMotoring thanks Andy!!
No, it doesn't give me smiles. That thing is microscopic. Tried to get in one, felt like trying to sit in child's electric cart, I literally couldn't fit as my legs were too long. Even the full size MGB felt claustrophobic. But then I'm 6'3 (190cm) tall, and average British male height being 5'10, or about 178cm. I guess it figures.
Ah yes the curse of the small British sports car. A few friends in my club are over 6 feet. And the only way they can really get in is with the roof off!
could this A series engine be modified to run a mg metro turbo A series
Im not knowledgeable enough to know im afraid ! David vizard books can be useful!
Shorrock supercharger is the way to go. Allard made conversion kits in the 60s/70s. Rare as hen's teeth now but if you can source all the bits -ooh boy! No lag, torque everywhere and whipcrack throttle response (and yes, that's what I've done to mine:-)
Bang on chaps! 😁
Thanks Nick !
great video - i restored my 1970 sprite with a heritage shell some time ago - now never goes out in bad weather - you are spot on with your verdict there is no better fun for the money - cannot belive i have owned the original car since 1980 ! --- martin norris
@@martinnorris7420 thanks Martin, very great to see your motor !
whats the 0-60
06:55 ..... around 14 seconds with the wind behind you!
06:55 ..... around 14 seconds with the wind behind you!
irrelevant since you'll break it if you do hooligan drag starts. Forget the numbers and try driving one.
Excellent review chaps. I would subscribe but I notice nearly all your content is modern cars which don't interest me.
Thanks for your kind words David. Margo has her own playlist so anytime i do work on her i make a video. We will be doing sometime in the future the documentation of buying a modern classic.... but either way. Thanks so much for even watching !!
More fun driving a slow car fast, than a fast car slow......It is all about the fun factor.
Bob gets it everyone