1972 MG Midget review from UK and Ireland

Nothing major post restoration by the previous owner.

Rotor arms have shorted out.

I am enjoying my second 1275 cc Midget - both the later Mk III models with the aesthetically pleasing chrome bumpers and round rear wheel arches. The first was not restored and I owned it for a couple of years in the late 80's. It was my only car and didn't let me down too often, but... the release bearing on the clutch gave up and I had to have the front suspension rebuilt after king pin wear caused an MOT failure (statutory annual road worthiness test). I finally said goodbye after I broke first gear due to an undetected oil leak. However, I was not cured of my fondness for the Midget as I resolved to try again...

My second and current car has been extensively restored by the previous owner. I've finished off some of the work (unleaded conversion, new hood) and more could be done, but the point is, it's a blast! I use it for limited mileage connected with my work and it is my "antidote to people movers" - we have four offspring, so my "real" car is a Toyota Picnic! The Midget was cheap to buy and will hold its value, was registered pre-1973 and is therefore tax exempt in the UK, parts, especially through the excellent owners club, are cheap (more so than an MGB) and plentiful and even some motoring journalists in the UK agree that they are just fun to drive.

Don't get one to rely upon unless you have lots of time and enjoy tinkering or have a cheap and friendly local who knows about SU carburettors, points and other "old fashioned" bits and bobs. I'm just going to see how long I can keep mine!