MG Midget MkIII

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Essentially a slightly more expensive badge-engineered version of the Austin-Healey Sprite MkII, the MG Midget was launched in 1961, initially with a 948cc twin carb A-Series engine producing 46bhp.

In 1962 the engine was uprated to a 1,098cc unit now with 56bhp and brake discs replaced the drums at the front. With the launch of the MkIII version in 1966, the engine was enlarged yet again to 1,275cc and now produced 67bhp. The rear axle ratio was also increased for more relaxed cruising along with a host of minor revisions to the interior and exterior, including more rounded rear wheel arches from 1972.

Eminently tuneable, the MkIII is now particularly popular in the many race series that are organised for MG Midgets to compete in. On the road it is an exhilarating car to drive as you always feel like you are going twice as fast as you really are!

Although it was built in 1970, this particular Midget spent its first two years sitting in the showroom of a Hereford garage before being sold and registered in August 1972. It has remained in the local area ever since and the vendor believes that the 25,900 miles on the clock is the genuine distance it has covered since a full restoration in the mid-1990s.

A decent history file shows that many thousands have been spent on the car over the years, including a tuned engine by Peter May Engineering. A roll cage has also been fitted at some time along with a sports steering wheel and the car certainly felt unusually lively and sounded most rorty when we took it for a quick spin on the occasion of our visit. A Blaupunkt face-off CD player has also been installed beneath the dash.

In May 2010 the car was involved in a minor rear end shunt which subsequently got it recorded as a Category C insurance loss but the bumper and wing damage has since been repaired. Although the car is now quite tatty all round, it is mechanically very good and has just flown through its MOT with nothing more than a light bulb required. A good basis for a rolling restoration, it can be enjoyed as it is and gradually improved over time as desired.