The most common criticism of classic British sports cars is that some people wish they featured more powerful engines. I don’t necessarily subscribe to that theory because the modest power output of vehicles like the 1962 MG Midget meant that the driver became more “involved” in the motoring experience to extract the maximum performance. However, someone has grabbed the bull by the horns with this Midget, bolting the engine and transmission from a later Fiat under the hood. The power gain won’t be enormous, but it should make driving this a blast. If you’re trying to decide whether you would like to park it in your garage, the news that the seller has listed the Midget here on eBay with No Reserve might make it irresistible. It is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, where twenty-three bids have pushed the price to $4,151.
MG introduced the Midget in 1961 as a more upmarket version of its Austin-Healey Sprite cousin. The Mk 1 version remained in production until 1964 before undergoing an update that occupied showrooms until 1966. Our feature car emerged from the Abingdon factory in 1962, and it only requires a quick glance to confirm that it is anything but average. The hood scoops, fender flares, side exhaust, aftermarket wheels, and lack of a grille, all scream that this is a custom build that might offer something special under the skin. Its presentation is comfortably acceptable for those seeking a driver-grade classic. The paint retains a healthy shine, the panels are straight, and there is no rust. The seller confirms that the Midget underwent a cosmetic refresh around thirty years ago, and the fact that it still presents so well indicates that the work was completed to a high standard. The trim is in good order, and the glass is clear.
The weakest point of this MG is its interior, although it is serviceable. The passenger seat looks pretty sad, with its appearance suggesting that it would benefit from new foam and a fresh cover. Replacement trim is readily available and affordable, so it won’t cause the buyer too many problems. The wheel is in good order, while the dash features a custom aluminum fascia and switch panel. These are further clues that there is more to this Midget than meets the eye.
The 1962 Midget continued the trend of British sports cars that rolled off the line with relatively modest mechanical specifications. Companies followed this path to reduce production costs and sticker prices, and the buying public was happy to hand over their cash for these classics. This MG would have featured a 948cc A-Series four, backed by a four-speed manual transmission. A larger 1,098cc version hit the market late in 1962, but the chances are high that this car featured the smaller motor delivering 46hp and 53 ft/lbs of torque. Those figures are now irrelevant because this classic has undergone a transplant that will unleash significant performance gains. The original engine and transmission are distant memories since this baby features a twin-cam four from a 1972 Fiat 124 Spider, teamed with a five-speed transmission. The seller doesn’t indicate which engine it is, but the 1,438cc version should place 89hp and 80 ft/lbs at the driver’s disposal. The numbers remain modest by modern standards, but if considered as a percentage increase, this Midget should leave its standard siblings eating its dust. However, there are a few visible upgrades that might push those figures higher. The seller supplies little information regarding the Midget’s mechanical health beyond confirming that the brakes require attention. They include replacement shoes which may be all that is required to ensure the vehicle is roadworthy.
This 1962 MG Midget won’t appeal to everyone, but many enthusiasts will welcome the power increase from the engine update. It is also worth noting that the fifth gear will be an overdrive, providing the car with longer legs on the open road. The fact that it has attracted nearly 200 views in the last day suggests people like what they see, while the Watch List tally of 104 will undoubtedly result in the price climbing as the end draws near. It will be fascinating to gauge whether you find this Midget attractive, and if you would consider parking it in your garage.
Would love to hear it rev.
So I have one question…..
If a Studebaker with a Cadillac engine is a “Studillac”…..
What would you call an MG Midget with a Fiat engine???
A “Fidget”???
Just kiding. I’m with Len above I’d love to hear this thing rev and run through the gears. It looks great. I bet its a blast!!!
Nicely done Midget and definitely my type of driver build. That Fiat motor is an offshoot of the twin cam Alfa Romeo motor. It’s a good motor. 90 hp in a Midget gives it all the power it needs for super quick driver. If you can’t put the power to the road, what good is a big motor? This looks like a good combo. The builder did nice work. The seats aren’t even an issue. Now that it is not a stock build, there are some very good seats in the market, reasonably priced that would be a good upgrade for this. Nice work on the fender flares too! I, too as the others have commented would love to see and hear this thing go!! Kudos!!!
Hate to burst your Alfa bubble, Joey, but the 124 engine was an Aurelio Lampredi head design based on the FIAT 124 OHV engine and incorporated a FIAT-patented OHC valve adjustment mechanism.
The Alfa engine is an offshoot of the FIAT design. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Twin_Cam_engine
My covid build Midget from a rubber bumpered 79 looks like a similar build but I still have the stock 1500 drivetrain. I would rather have his engine setup ( if it is sorted properly!!! : > ). I hope the picture uploads!
Would it be totally punishable by banishment from the site, if I were to suggest a transplant from another twin cam, fuel injected, decent power, very popular RWD convertible from the other side of the world??
It’s source “…is always the answer” anyhow…
I’ll say it…MIATA
Miata is a more common swap – and certainly more reliable. I had a Morris Minor Woodie with this Fiat swap. Made it a better car.
My older brother had a Midget like this one and he managed to turn the transmission into junk. Our solution was to adapt a Johnson outboard V-4 to replace the engine and transmission. It did the job, albeit with only one forward gear and no reverse. Who cares? It supplied us with a thrill a minute. I don’t recall how much power it had but it was several times what the midget put out. In fact it was hardly driveable. The brakes were our biggest worry.
Bdox2
Seems to have ruined a perfectly good Midget.
bt
I like it – the 124 was a good free revving motor and the overdrive 5th would be a nice addition. But I would have to loose the silly “look at me” side pipes and the ugly useless snorkels on the hood. You would be left with a nice looking and quick fun car.
The 1438 cc Fiat was and is a joy to drive. I still have my 1968 Fiat Sport coupe and the 1438 was the last model made before the 70s EPA restrictions destroyed the power of engines for the next decade. This rev happy engine more than carried its own weight.
If the donor car was a 72 Fiat 124, that would be the 1608 cc version.
OMG! This is nearly identical to an early project car of mine of many years ago when I was in my 20’s! I had a ’73 Midget shell and a 1608 FIAT DOHC/5 speed combo going together in my garage. I figured that twice the horsepower and about 25% more torque would be a sensible, fun swap not needing a lot of beefing up in other areas.
Mounting the much longer transmission turned out to be the only real problematic area. The plan was to get it running, redo the cockpit with a Spitfire-style dash, mount 6″ wide Vega steel wheels with B50x13″ tires (I said it was many years ago!) and add an ARKLEY body kit.
Unfortunately, the old garage roof caved in during a snow storm and completely destroyed it before it was even roadworthy. I still miss it and what it could have been.
The main front to back structure of this unibody car were the sills/rocker panels, which were removed for the side pipes and the gearbox tunnel, which was removed and reconstructed with sheet metal. . . I’ll pass. No comment on the appendages added to the bonnet/hood.
The odd plumbing fixtures and pipe cap incorporated into the upper radiator hose leave me scratching my head.
OMG! This is nearly identical to an early project of mine back in the day! I had a ’73 Midget shell with a 1608 DOHC FIAT engine/5 speed going into it in my garage. The only difficulty was mounting the extra long transmission to the chassis.
The plan was to get it running, install a Spitfire-style dash, 6″ wide Vega wheels with B50-13 tires, and an ARKLEY body kit. I figured that double the horsepower with just a 25% increase in torque would make a fun driver without too much stress on other components.
Alas, the whole roof of my garage came crashing down during a snowstorm and completely destroyed it before I ever got it roadworthy. I still miss what it could have been forty years later.
On a side note, I used the same Cal Custom cast aluminum, finned hood scoop on my Triumph GT6+ after the swap to 1-3/4″ SUs that stuck up out of the hood.
Kim, speaking of weight. I have worked on many Spridgets in my day and a few Fiats too. I am only guessing, But I bet that the “new” drivetrain is at least 100 pounds lighter than the “British lump” So, not only more horses under the bonnet, but lighter weight also! Sounds like an excellent swap to me!
I know with a little persuasion and a lot of cursing a 289 will fit in there, why stop at 89hp
Years back a friend of mine had a late 60s Midget stuck away in his barn that belonged to his at the time brother-in-law. When I saw it there was no engine in it but it had a “modified” firewall and transmission tunnel, aftermarket engine mounts and larger rear tires than what come on it from the factory. I asked what the engine mounts were for, and he told me that it had a 454 Chevy with an auto trans in it at one time.