Congratulations on considering a MG.
They not only look great but are fun to
drive!
I must first say you will be buying a hobby
not a car. These cars are old and being built on
even older technologies and designs, they are
not as reliable as a modern car. These cars
require maintenance that modern cars have
engineered out. That been said, it will break
down so be prepared.
But the good thing is they are usually very
easy to fix and/or work on. And on most any
street corner there is an "old guy" that not
only had a MG but knows exactly what is wrong.
And there are many companies that sell parts. In
fact there is a company in England that found
the original body making equipment and started
making completely new bodies. The only parts
that are difficult to get are some body parts on
very early cars, some emissions parts and some
chrome trim. But there are also many companies
out there that sell "used" parts.
When buying one of these cars, keep in mind
that most everything is easily fixed EXCEPT body
work. Rust can often make an otherwise decent
car an expensive pile of **** or even a
deathtrap. When looking at the car be sure that
major rust hasn't been quickly covered up and
painted over. It is a good idea to take a
refrigerator magnet and run it around areas of
the body like behind the wheels and headlights.
If the magnet doesn't stick there is probably
"Bondo" filling. This is not always bad but at
least you are aware of previous repairs and
discuss them with the owner. Got to our
checklist page and
print out the list to take with you. It will
help you be more objective about the car and not
just see it as a cool new toy.
What is it worth? Good question. A lot is
dependant on the condition of the car, how much
is original, the age of the car, famous previous
owner, etc. Occasionally you will find a person
that wants to get rid of someone else's car
(ex-husband, death in the family, etc.). These
cars are usually a steal as the seller has no
idea of the value and rarely cares. These cars
are rare and are the exception. The more normal
sale will not be as cheap as these. The value of
these cars is a tricky thing. As a general rule,
the older & more original, the more
valuable. (If you change anything with a
non-original item ie. replacing a Zenith Carb
with a Weber, keep the item. You can always put
it back on later.) My guess based on prices I
have seen for Midgets is: Crap/Parts cars-
$0-$800, Fun driver needing things- $1000-$3000,
A restored or great original- $3000-5000,
perfect cars- $5000 and up. Remember, it is
almost always cheaper to buy a pretty good car
with minor things wrong than to buy a piece of
**** and fix it up. This been said, buy the best
you can afford, and know what needs attending up
front.
When you get the car it is a good idea to
give the car a complete going over. Replace all
fluids (oil, brake fluid, diff., coolant).
Oil/grease the hinges, u-joints, trunnions, etc.
Give it a full tune up (new plugs, ignition
wires, dist. cap, points, check timing, etc.).
Change all hoses, belts and pads. Having
everything that wears out replaced will ensure
your car getting off on the right foot. This
will cost around $150 for you to do or a couple
of hundred for someone else to do it. You might
consider rebuilding the carb also. It can make a
huge difference!
If the car has been sitting for a while, the
brakes and clutch will probably have
problems. Repairs are relatively straight
forward but MUST be fixed. Safety is
paramount.
I don't want to scare you with all the talk
of bad reliability but this car is old. Just
keep it in mind. There is no reason, with a
little work, the car couldn't be a daily
driver.
The
Basic Things You Will Need:
1. A basic set of tools; a
non-metric socket set, a set of screw drivers in
various sizes, Vise Grips, etc. and occasionally
a hammer (you will understand soon). Other tools
can be added as you go along.
2. A Workshop Manual. There is a
decent "beginners" manual made by Haynes.
British
Toolbox.com has them as cheap as I have seen
online.
3. A good attitude and good friends.
Until the car gets everything fixed, there will
be times of frustration. You may need friends,
preferably ones that own British cars, to keep
your outlook positive. You may also have to have
a friend come and tow you home. Don't forget the
cell phone.
A
few other things I have learned that would are
helpful:
1. Join a local British Car club.
There will be many with a similar love of
these cars and endless knowledge base of info
that can't be found in the manuals. They will
also recommend local mechanics, parts stores,
etc. or even have cars for sale. Members can
even be on your "help list" if you are ever
stranded. Occasionally clubs will have or visit
car shows. You'll get to see perfect examples of
your car. Visit our clubs
lists.
2. Get Help Online. There are numerous
resources available one the web. Visit the links
on our links page. Post
a question on our bulletin
board. Join an email
list. If you are new to the web, an email
list is something like an informative chain
letter. You send a question to one person and
everybody on the list gets it. If you can answer
the question, you answer to everyone.
3. Order parts catalogs. Not only do
these catalogs give you an idea about the price
of parts, it will contain illustrations of how
things are put together. And they are FREE.
Visit our "Must
Have Catalogs" on our links page.
4. Get a "parts car". This might not
be practical for everybody but it is a great
time and money saver. I purchased a rusted out
but very original car for $200 and have used
thousands of parts from it. If I'd bought the
parts new, or even used, they would have far
exceeded the $200 price tag. And I often use the
car as a 3-D manual. If I don't understand an
illustration in the workshop manual, I go to the
parts car and see how it should be fitted. They
can often be found in the classified section of
your local paper, in club newsletters or
specialty websites like our own "MGs
Only" Classifieds.
5. Learn some of the Terminology. When
discussing these cars, enthusiasts always use
the British terms. A quick set of necessary ones
are: Bonnet: the engine cover (hood), Hood: the
convertible top, Boot: the trunk. For a complete
list, visit our terms
page.
A
few other things I have learned the hard
way:
1. You now own a hobby, not a
car. These cars are fun but will require
much more maintenance than a modern car. Be
prepared. If you are not willing to work on it
(or can't afford for someone else to do it for
you), get a Miata.
2. Never throw anything away. A soon
as you do you will need it. Even replacing a
part with a new one it come partially assembled
or even worse, not work. I have gone so far as
to use old carpet scraps to fill in an area
where the new carpet set did not quite cover
fully.
3. Get a can of GoJo hand cleaner.
Magic stuff for cleaning your hands after
working on your car. It will, with enough work,
even clean grease from under your fingernails!
Lets see soap do that!
4. Master cylinder repair kits rarely
work. I have rebuilt 4 master cylinders and
only one worked long-term.
Final
Thought:
LBC's (Little British Cars) are like
potato chips, no one can have just one!
Good luck and happy motoring!
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