What's a VGC MG Midget worth?

A friend is selling her '77 Midget and I think her asking price might be a bit too low. She hasn't had it very long and doesn't know the history, but I looked it over tonight and it's a solid 9-9.5. Original rust free car(no signs of patch panels or shoddy work), interior & top are as close to perfect as I can tell. Paint has been redone in the original color and is probably an 8 or better. Brand new clutch kit & tires.

I did a nationwide Craigslist search and comparable(looking) cars are listed from $3300-$10800, so it's a pretty wide range. eBay is similar. BaT didnt have any this new.

I can get pictures, but very nice wouldn't be an overstatement.

Any thoughts on value? And no, I'm not interested. My 2-car garage barely fits the 3 cars in there now.

I would say maybe 4-5k at the most, it's been a while since I looked at the Midget market though.

EvanB wrote: I would say maybe 4-5k at the most, it's been a while since I looked at the Midget market though.

I think that's about right.

That's a rubber bumper model with the Triumph engine, which the savvy buyers are going to avoid. It has no collector value to speak of. The cars that get more than that are going to be good condition or well-restored chrome bumper models.

Ditto on the $4-5K value.
Maybe a little more if it's Uber-perfect, but you'll need to find a buyer who wants that exact car.

Rubber bumper Midget are somewhat unloved. Partly because of the negative perception of the bastardized 1500 Triumph engine that was put in these cars. The "jacked up" stance and the huge bumpers don't help either.
As stated above, the older 1275 engined models with chrome bumpers will generally command a better price.

I club raced a 1500 Midget for years and honestly, the 1500 engine was fine (assuming reasonable maintenance). I converted the car to a 1275 engine a few years ago, but that was really to backdate it so it would be legal for vintage.

Personally, I think the rubber bumper Midget is the best deal in real sports cars right now. There are plenty of decent ones available in the $2-3K range (which is partly why even a great one isn't worth a that much). It's easy to lower them and convert them to chrome bumpers. And, if desired, a 1275 swap is straightforward.

Good to know, thanks!

I was aware of the rubber bumper cars being less desirable(and thus less valuable)than older models, but why the hate for the 1500? Doesn't it offer more performance than the 1275?

There should be a well established and documented value for this very car...What was she willing to pay when she bought it?

If she is just moving on, then this should be a good startign point. If she feels that there is a profit to be made, then it will all depend on how good she is at marketing.

Depends a lot on the buyer.

I know someone who spent 25 on one (that's thousand, in dollars) along with several more thousands flying across the country looking at other examples before he found the one he wanted.

edit: Chrome-bumper model.

petegossett wrote: ,......but why the hate for the 1500? Doesn't it offer more performance than the 1275?

Theoretically the 1500 can make more power. It has a better 8-port head.

But the 1500 has a long stroke and a notoriously weak bottom end.....a bad combination for longevity.
I swapped out rod bearings and thrust washers in my 1500 race car approximately every 20 hours and they were always worn. And I changed oil / filter every event and always kept the RPMs under 6000.

For street cars, the emissions devices on the 1500 (especially that single ZF carb) were a mess.
The older 1275 cars had nice, effective twin SUs.

I also think there's a general sentiment that with a Triumph engine in an MG, the car is sort of a bastard.
Sort of like a Mustang with a Chevy engine.

I have no personal experience with the 1500, but my understanding is that it didn't produce any appreciable power over the 1275 in stock trim. There were a number of attempts at the time to counteract the strangling effects of emissions controls with increased displacement, so likely a wash in this case.

The 1275 has a lot more room and aftermarket support for performance improvements, AFAIK.

I read something one time that said the 1500 engine had no cam bearings and the cam actually rode in the block?

I think the 1500 makes a better street motor then the 1275 because of the extra torque that it provides after the emissions stuff is gone (aka carb change).

I will give her $2000 tomorrow. let her know that that's what it's worth

The 1275 engine is an eager rev-happy screamer; makes you feel like you are going fast regardless of speed. The 1500 is more noise than poise when you get on the throttle.

Then the thrust bearings fail.

Other than that, the 1500 is fine.

The 1500 did not use cam bearings, but you can install them if you use the cam from the 1296 engine that did use bearings. The Mk III spitfire (small journal engine) had the best standard cam grind anywho. The 1500 was just a stroked 1296. With only three main bearings, the lower end is a bit tender with the longer stroke.

The 1500 will have more torque than a 1275 down low, but won't rev anywhere near as high.

spitfirebill wrote: The 1500 did not use cam bearings, but you can install them if you use the cam from the 1296 engine that did use bearings. The Mk III spitfire (small journal engine) had the best standard cam grind anywho. The 1500 was just a stroked 1296.

Is that just a drop in swap or ....?

93EXCivic wrote:

spitfirebill wrote: The 1500 did not use cam bearings, but you can install them if you use the cam from the 1296 engine that did use bearings. The Mk III spitfire (small journal engine) had the best standard cam grind anywho. The 1500 was just a stroked 1296.

Is that just a drop in swap or ....?

Yup. There's details like using the correct flywheel but that's about it. Spitfire motors swap like pre-Vortex SBC's. 1147, small journal 1296, big journal 1296, 1500... swap away. Even the earlier 948cc Herald motors will easily swap. Cam bearings will allow the use of early cams in late blocks.

About Midgets: the round arch cars are the most sought after. They were only produced for 2 years (IIRC) because they would not meet crash standards, MG went back to the 'square' cars after that. 1500 motors quickly got a reputation for breaking cranks and that helped kill their value.

So yeah, a 1500 will probably top out around the $4-$5k mentioned and it's gotta be a NICE one to bring that.

In reply to nocones:

You're 50% short of what she said they'd take for it.

I appreciate everyone confirming her price is in the ballpark! :D

Curmudgeon wrote:

93EXCivic wrote:

spitfirebill wrote: The 1500 did not use cam bearings, but you can install them if you use the cam from the 1296 engine that did use bearings. The Mk III spitfire (small journal engine) had the best standard cam grind anywho. The 1500 was just a stroked 1296.

Is that just a drop in swap or ....?

Yup. There's details like using the correct flywheel but that's about it. Spitfire motors swap like pre-Vortex SBC's. 1147, small journal 1296, big journal 1296, 1500... swap away. Even the earlier 948cc Herald motors will easily swap. Cam bearings will allow the use of early cams in late blocks.

Do you have any links on the swap?

chrome bumpers is where it's at, but that's jus me

93EXCivic wrote:

Curmudgeon wrote:

93EXCivic wrote:

spitfirebill wrote: The 1500 did not use cam bearings, but you can install them if you use the cam from the 1296 engine that did use bearings. The Mk III spitfire (small journal engine) had the best standard cam grind anywho. The 1500 was just a stroked 1296.

Is that just a drop in swap or ....?

Yup. There's details like using the correct flywheel but that's about it. Spitfire motors swap like pre-Vortex SBC's. 1147, small journal 1296, big journal 1296, 1500... swap away. Even the earlier 948cc Herald motors will easily swap. Cam bearings will allow the use of early cams in late blocks.

Do you have any links on the swap?

If you are referring to the cam swap, it's pretty well documented, the basics are use an early cam and bearings in the 1500 block. The holes are all properly drilled and everything.

The engine is a bolt in backwards/forwards. About the only thing you might run into is the dual port vs single port heads, as long as the matching intake is used it all bolts right up. The 1500 flywheel uses bigger bolts.