Moss Motors, Ltd

I had a 72 Midget when I was in my early 20's and loved the car my dad and restored it then the motercycle bug bit me and the car was gone and replace by a Honda Gold Wing.  Over the years I missed the Midget and looked for one,then on my 50th birthday my wife bought this 79,my wife and I are in the process of a restoration on this Midget and are about 90% done,hoping to get it painted this winter. The only thing I wish is that my dad was alive to help with this one.

Doug

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/ViewAlbum.aspx?a=326386

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A nice morning drive

My first was when I was 15 years old. It was a 1969 Austin-Healey Sprite in British Racing Green, just as I started working as a shop appetence at Weikert's Imports in Blue Ridge Summit, PA. Over the years they have come and gone from my life, the finest examples were my 1979 MG Midget in Blue and now my 1975 Midget in BRG, I picked up from a work mate down at Fort Benning, GA,  just prior to my retirement from the Army (24 years in the Infantry) and have spent over three years restoring it. (The amount of time and money I have invested is unreal) But I really enjoy the little beasties. By the way, I'm 6'5" and I weigh in at 250 lbs.

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After six years of adjusting your SU/Stromberg carburetor you realize you had it correct three years ago.

I have owned several Sprites & Midgets over the years. The latest one I owned was acquired when I was the Parts Manager at one of Moss Motors Distributors.

This rather scruffy looking fellow cane in looking for parts for a 1974 Midget. While talking with him I could sense he really did NOT like his Midget. He called it everything but a Midget. So I said" if you hate your Midget so much, why don't you sell it"? He thought for a minute & said "how much will you give me for it"? It was in pretty ruff shape- burned vaves, no muffler, no first gear, no top etc.- so I made him an offer & he accepted it.

Then the fun began!! It had outstanding traffic violations etc.

I pulled the engine & gearbox out & rebuilt them, put new front shocks, tires, brakes,muffler, soft top, hard top etc & I had a nice little MG Midget!!

 I sold the Midget, but I still have the Brand New Snug Top Hardtop if any one needs one!! I also have many other spare parts-New & used.

Peter

sbsc2001@inreach.com

My dad had been restoring british cars since before I was born. My dad and I (mostly dad) restored a '75 Triunph Spitfire for my 1st car. I eventually decided I needed something more practical so I sold it for a VW. Fast forward 10 years and about 15 vehicles. My dad and I were planing on sailing one weekend, but there wasn't enough wind to get the boat out of the slip. Instead we went looking for neglected classics. My dad bought a '72 Datsun 240Z, and I found my '72 Midget, All in the same day. My dad, being the veteran has long since restored and sold the Z. Almost three years later, I will hopefully get to paint in November. I guess for me it's the journey not the destination. That's my excuse. Great thread!

Growing up my father owned lots of british classics and even a parts business called "Bugeye Ltd." He raced them in the 60's and 70's. I was hooked. I saw an ebay auction for one and in the background it was a british classic graveyard. This hidden graveyard had over 20 classics and it was 60 miles from my house. I called the owner and he met me there and I picked the one that felt right. It was like picking out a pumpkin for halloween. Now it's striped down ready for a new power plant after lots of cosmetic rust surgery.  

My wife wanted to get me a toy car for my birthday I was looking for an MGB  it took a couple of years. In my search I found my midget unfortuatly my wife passed away before I got the car but I keep it as her last gift to me  and it a cute little car and fun to pull behind my motorhome it is great for starting conversations.

I have previously owned a 71 and 73 MGB and a 67 Sprite but it has been 30 years since the last one. For the past 3 years I have been into the MINI Cooper S  (BMW) scene and also had a 74 Austin Mini saloon and a 75 Morris Mini panel van. About 2 months ago I sold my Mini saloon (actually I traded it to a guy for new windows for my house).

The Mini had not been gone from my garage for 24 hours when I found the Sprite. I was on a "honey do" run for my wife, I made a right turn onto a major street near my house drove about 2 blocks and there it was sitting in front of a used car lot. I did an immediate U turn, pulled in to the lot and couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Sitting on this car lot  was a completely restored 1962 Sprite MK II, which had been upgraded to front disk brakes and a healthy 1275. I opened the bonnet and the engine compartment looked like it had just been driven off the showroom floor in '62. It had a perfect hood and side curtains, 5 new tires, all new interior, and on and on............

Over the next 3 days I went back to the used car dealer 6 more times trying to convince myself why I should not buy the car but in the end it followed me home. There are a couple photos of it posted in the Datsun 5 speed thread above.

   

Wow, this little story got me in LOTS of trouble. 

First, I have ALWAYS wanted a Midget.  As a kid, I thought they were "neat-looking".  As a teen/20 year-old, I changed my opinion to "cool-looking".  Now, in my 30's I still think they're "cool", and like the idea of tearing one apart, and making it new again.  I have never kept these feelings secret.  Not to my parents, my friends growing up...not ANYONE!...except, apparently, my wife.

There inlies the "trouble".  I drive approximately 45 miles to and from work everyday.  My "car" is a very large, very thirsty Ford F-250 4X4 pickup truck.  I discussed the need for a commuter car with the woman I love, and after she agreed, promptly went out, and stumbled upon a 1979 Midget that some guy had to get rid of because he and his wife were moving.  It was perfect!  It ran good, has current registration, passes smog (I live in California), and really only needs some TLC on the outside (which is good for someone who doesn't have too great a knowledge of engines and things...other than basic things like engine care, and some component replacement..thank God for Haynes manuals and Moss Motors). 

So, I bought my "commuter".  At first, all the wife did was wonder about the safety of such a small car on the road.  Then I drove her to Napa for a little wine, dinner, and shopping.  She loved it!...until the feul pump decided to commit suicide.  Now, my lovely little commuter is parked, after being towed home with a berated husband, and a not-too-happy wife.Now, not only do I have to admit I was wrong to my wife, but I also still need a commuter car.

I saw a nice bugeye in the paper...

 

-dv509

fuel pumps are one of the things that a "not mechanic" can fix I replaced mine so anybody can

bob

Mine was offered to me in restored condition in exchange for parts. When I first saw the photos I thought the metallic grey paint with silver flames was awful, but somehow it started to grow on me. Since making the trade I have back dated the grill and lights, which I think enhances the look. Now, if the car ever needs repainting it's getting the exact same colors. Funny how your attitudes can change over time.

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Robert Goldman
VP Business Development
Moss Motors, Ltd.

E-mail: rgoldman@mossmotors.com

I'm in the process of restoring a '52 TD, one day a couple of months ago a friend who works at a self lock storage facility calls me and tells me a customer is clearing out his storage garage and has an old MG in there he wants to sell. I jump in the car and run down there to find an unrestored '69 Midget with wire wheels and 62,000 miles showing on the odometer. As I'm looking the car over it occurs to me that this car does not look at all like it has 62,000 miles on it, I mean no rust, no wear on the seats, original headlights, even the engine still has all its paint. Then I spy the towbar attachment points under the front end. The owner tells me he bought the car new to tow around behind a motorhome, and that it probably doesn't have 10,000 miles under its own power. The car was repainted once because being towed behind a motorhome sand blasted the paint, and it could use a windshield for the same reason. The car was in storage since '93 and the owner just wanted to get rid of it, we struck a deal on the spot and I now have a very nice LBC to drive while finishing the TD.

Toolroom

For many years I restored 1950s & 1960s Fords, Tbirds, Shelbys, & Mustangs as a hobby.  I left the hobby a few years ago but recently wanted a car to "play with".  I wanted something different than the old Fords I'm very familiar with.  I have always liked LBCs (Little British Cars) and after watching the vintage MG races at Hallett Raceway (near Tulsa) this past spring I decided to get a MG Midget.  I looked at a few Midgets in Oklahoma, Texas, in the Collector Car Trader, and on Ebay.  I purchased a 1978 Midget from a guy in California but his wife wrecked it just before I had a truck come out to pick it up.  With that deal gone I continued to look.  I purchased my 1976 MG Midget on Ebay.  That's right - on Ebay for $3700.00.  I'm the third owner and the car has 55K original miles.  I have posted pictures of the car in the Photo Section.  The previous owner did the interior restoration and paint.  I have gone over the drivetrain, suspension, steering, brakes, and detailed the engine, engine compartment, undercarriage, & rims.  The car runs and drives great.  I'm learning something new all the time since the car isn't anything like an old Ford. 

I grew up with British cars in New Zealand. Our family went from a Vauxhall Victor to a Mini and a Rover 2500 then my dad owned a Morris Van for a while, my sister a Vauxhall Viva and my first and third car was a Vauxhall Chevette followed by a Mini. My father grew up in Birmingham and his father and brother worked for British Leyland so he was comfortable with British cars. I brought classic car magazines and always liked many of the British Cars from a Lotus Super 7 to an E-type, though never bought a classic car. When I moved to the US, I had the opportunity to purchase a 73 Midget from a person that only drove it a couple of hundred miles a year. When I purchased it, it had only 18300 miles on it. I have purchased a hard top for it and looking at converting to Wire Wheels over winter.

http://www.stillnaz.com/allan/mg.jpg

 

Back in 1986 I ran across a similar car for sale. After checking it out I relized it at the time was not for me, being in college and not having a lot of money to toy around with a rust bucket at the time.  So two years ago my wifes uncle mentioned he was selling a sports car he had locked up that needed a little TLC. I went over and checked it out, and told my wife I had a new project. 

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Timothy Hamlin

New here not to MG Midget. Got present 75 Midget in 1989 from local college girl, blown motor. Thought I could get going quick my other Midget a 74 had tree fall on garage and 65 Sprite I had. But got 74 fixed first need only windshied,vent window, top and frame. Got 75 going in 1989 then got rearend in accident in  74 Midget. 74 down to be restored after I do a 77MGB. Got 75 repainted in 2000 had new side Special decal made for it. By the way in October at local college homecoming car show guess who I met? I met the 75 Midget owners who sold it to the college girl all by chance conversation they graduated from the college and gave me name of 1st owner small world.By the way Sprite took all damage from tree gone now it was my 1st British car I seen when 14 and bought when 22 life goes on. 

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75 MG Midget restored Original
77 MGB in progess complete rebuild 2.3 liter
turbo,c-4 auto, 7.5 limited slip rearend
89 Mustang wifes daily driver 2.3 turbo
learning on this car for MGB
74 MG Midget next after MGB