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1970 MG Midget


dsummone

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This is car 3 in my previously owned project and will by far be the most difficult. 
The Midget was my third car, between the Duster and the Dart and wouldn’t you know it, there isn’t a model of the Midget. So the donor will be this Aoshima 1968 MGB. 

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Now it’s time to figure out how to turn this 68 MGB into a 70 MG Midget. 
I’ve calculated the difference in size and I’m going to have to take 11.7 mm out of the wheelbase, 16.5 mm out of the body length, 5.3 mm from the width and .75 mm from the height. 
As can be seen the rear of the two cars are very similar, the b’s trunk lid comes down a bit farther, the front of the midget ends at the headlight rings and the grill is flat. The real work I think are the sides of the body, the b’s much more rounded. 
 

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This is going to take some time, xacto. blades and putty, I really considered just building the B but my car was a Midget, so here it goes. 
 
The plan is to start this one while I’m finishing the 62 Vette 
Paint will be Tartan red and the interior is black. The engine was a green and the one change I I’m going to make is adding a heater box… mine didn’t have one and it made winter driving a challenge, that’s the reason I traded it off. 
 
Wish me luck, I’m gonna need it. 
Dave. 
Oh, and if anyone knows of a Midget body from a resin caster or 3D company, please let me know before I start hacking. 

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My girlfriend of the '80s drove a Midget and wanted a model of it. I built her one out of an AMT Sunbeam Tiger. Didn't do a full, accurate conversion, just made a few small changes but it ended up "good enough" and she loved the stupid thing. Good luck with your project. 

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16 hours ago, dsummone said:
 
Oh, and if anyone knows of a Midget body from a resin caster or 3D company, please let me know before I start hacking. 

 

It isn't exact, but Gunze Sangyo made a Mk.I Austin Healey Sprite in 1:24. Not identical to the later Midget, but the chassis and main body section are as close as you can find in scale.

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I forgot to take a picture of the body before I started hacking but got the front cut off and the side molding shaved down. I’ve cut out a piece of styrene for the front and have that glued up with a back brace to create a slight curve to it. With the side molding shaved off, the sides already seem a bit flatter, there is a section along the bottom of the body that curves in and I’m thinking that if I remove it I may be able to leave the sides alone. That would put the width off a little to scale but I’m okay with that if it looks good. 
Dave. 

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9 hours ago, Bainford said:

It already looks a bit Midget-like with the front chopped off. I built the B a couple years ago, and during final assembly I was constantly struck by how much the back half of the thing looked like a Midget.

The one thing I’m a little miffed about is for the money of this kit, it a curbside model. 

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On 7/25/2022 at 4:59 PM, dsummone said:

...there isn’t a model of the Midget...

Not to rain on your parade, and I wish you well on this conversion, but as noted above, there is a model of the early Austin Healy Sprite, which is structurally and mechanically the same as an early-ish MG midget, and has the same doors, cowl, rockers, chassis and a similar windshield...whereas the MGB and the Midget are entirely different vehicles of very different sizes and share practically zero components.

Same door, cowl and rockers apparent below.

Maquette Gunze Sangyo 8 Austin Healy Sprite Mk-1 1:24

MG Midget (1969) - Studio 434

 

Edited by Ace-Garageguy
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3 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Not to rain on your parade, and I wish you well on this conversion, but as noted above, there is a model of the early Austin Healy Sprite, which is structurally and mechanically the same as an early-ish MG midget, and has the same doors, cowl, rockers, chassis and a similar windshield...whereas the MGB and the Midget are entirely different vehicles of very different sizes and share practically zero components.

Same door, cowl and rockers apparent below.

Maquette Gunze Sangyo 8 Austin Healy Sprite Mk-1 1:24

MG Midget (1969) - Studio 434

 

I looked at that but the front end is completely wrong and the rear is too. I think it will be much easier modifying the MGB. 

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You certainly have your work cut out with this conversion. The proportions and panelwork differ quite a lot from the MGB.

Not sure if the MG Midget might have been kitted in white metal by a UK company South Eastern Finecast in 1/24th scale.

There is another UK company named K&R Replicas. Their Abingdon Classics range has a 1/43rd scale white metal kit of the last production midget from various years in its production run.

Edited by Bugatti Fan
Typo
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I cut the body down the side in two lines  but not all the way through, I then veed the lines out and glued them to straighten out the body curvature to more match the midget. 
Next I cut off the very bottom of the body panels to eliminate them from tucking under to the frame. 
I’ve made an executive decision though, I’m not going to try and narrow the body. It won’t be to scale but I think I can live with that. 
Dave. 

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All of the body mods that I’m going to do are done. Added the rear fender flares and have filled, sanded and filled some more. 
I’ve got the basic panel lines scribed in lightly and they will take some more work. The front cowl isn’t exactly correct but it’ll do. 
First primer coat on and now it’s just fine tuning and getting the panel lines finished. 
Thanks for looking. 
Dave. 

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Interior is finished except for glueing the dash in, I’m going to hold off on that until I marry the chassis to the body. I didn’t want to try and paint all of the door card rivets, so they were drilled out and brass wire tipped with molotow were inserted and glued, I may need to file a bit off the backsides when it’s time for assembly. 
The body is in its second coat of white primer, still some areas that need fine tuning but the rear fender flares are coming together and all of the added panel lines are taking shape. 
Dave. 

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Impressive work. Always loved MG and when I was young in the 1970s I wanted to purchase a MGB, TR-6, Maxda RX7 or a Datusn 240Z. I ended up buying a 1974 Toyota Celica which I loved. The Celica ended up being my winter car when I purchased a brand new 1980 Mustang Turbo-4 Cobra. In a few years I sold the Cobra when I purchased a 1960 Corvette in 1983. The Celica became my daily driver and winter driver as I restored the 1960 Corvette. I later sold the Celica and purchased a Toyota Landcruiser.

The 1960 Corvette is still with me and parked in my garage waiting to be taken for a summer cruise.

I look forward to the progress of you MG Midget which is a task beyond my skillset as I am re-entering into the hobby at 68 years of age and now retired from a 35 year career in the computer industry as a sys admin.

I'm too old to still play tennis and hockey so my new hobby will be building scale model cars and digital art/photography.

Nice thread and article.

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15 hours ago, Kenmojr said:

Impressive work. Always loved MG and when I was young in the 1970s I wanted to purchase a MGB, TR-6, Maxda RX7 or a Datusn 240Z. I ended up buying a 1974 Toyota Celica which I loved. The Celica ended up being my winter car when I purchased a brand new 1980 Mustang Turbo-4 Cobra. In a few years I sold the Cobra when I purchased a 1960 Corvette in 1983. The Celica became my daily driver and winter driver as I restored the 1960 Corvette. I later sold the Celica and purchased a Toyota Landcruiser.

The 1960 Corvette is still with me and parked in my garage waiting to be taken for a summer cruise.

I look forward to the progress of you MG Midget which is a task beyond my skillset as I am re-entering into the hobby at 68 years of age and now retired from a 35 year career in the computer industry as a sys admin.

I'm too old to still play tennis and hockey so my new hobby will be building scale model cars and digital art/photography.

Nice thread and article.

I just started back with modeling this past year after almost 40 years away. I have found this page to be full of incredible builders and I would have never undertaken this project without the examples and instructions here. 
Thanks for your comments. 
Dave. 

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Well I’ve got the Midget in color, turned out a little on the pinkish side and this was the first time I used a white primer and you can see it in the panel lines. 
Im really happy with the body work but need to make a decision on the paint. 
Next step is the windscreen, I’ve got one from a AC Cobra that is much flatter than the one for the B and I think I can use it. 
Dave. 

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Edited by dsummone
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