[Spridgets] What size engine is in a 74 Midget?

Linda Grunthaner grunthaner at gmail.com
Thu Oct 1 07:18:11 MDT 2009


List,

What size engine is in a 74 Midget? I thought it was a 1500 but is it really
a 1275? I'm looking at one this week because the owner offered the engine
and trans for $275. But the LBC was in a fire what should I ask regarding
the condition of this engine if it will fit my 58?

Lin



PS I took a quick peek on wiki and found this:



MG Midget MkIII (1966-1974)



The engine now grew to 1275 cc using the development seen on the
Mini<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini>-Cooper
'S'. However, enthusiasts were disappointed that this was a
de-tuned<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_tuning>version of the
Cooper 'S' engine, giving only 65 hp (48 kW) at 6000 rpm and
72 lbf7ft (98 Nm) at 3000 rpm. The Midget used the 12G940 cylinder head
casting that was common to other BMC 1300 cars, whereas the Cooper 'S' had a
special head with extra-large valves: however, these valves caused many 'S'
heads to fail through cracking between the valve seats.

The hood was now permanently attached to the car, with an improved mechanism
making it much easier to use. There were minor changes to the body in 1969
with the sills painted black and a revised black grille. Rubery Owen
'Rostyle' wheels were standardised but wire spoked ones remained an option.
The square shaped rear wheel arches became rounded in January 1972. Also in
this year, a Triumph steering rack was fitted, giving a gearing that was
somewhat lower than earlier Midgets. A second exhaust silencer was also
added in 1972.
22,415 were made between 1966 and the 1969 face lift, and a further 77,831
up to 1974.[4]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_Midget#cite_note-AZ1945-70-3>


MG Midget 1500 (1974-1980)

In order to meet US federal regulations, large black plastic bumpers
(usually called rubber bumpers, despite not actually being rubber) were
added to the front and rear and the ride height was increased. The A-Series
engine was dropped to be replaced by the 1493 cc unit from the Triumph
Spitfire <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Spitfire> and a modified
Morris
Marina <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Marina> gearbox with synchromesh
on all four gears. The round rear wheel arches were now square again to
increase the body
strength.[5]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_Midget#cite_note-4>The
last car was made on December
7 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_7>,
1979<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979>,
after 73,899[6]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_Midget#cite_note-AZ1945-5>of the last
version had been made. There was no Austin-Healey Sprite
equivalent. However, there was a limited number of cars produced in 1980 of
the MG Midget.


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