Lot Ended
Description
Beautifully detailed MG Midget fitted with Riley 9 engine; great
performance and very pretty
This splendid MG special was
acquired by our vendor in 1999 as a project to keep himself busy after the
passing of his wife.
The car was soon up and running, although not
in rude health and it had a distinct 'list to starboard' which was soon
traced to a cracked chassis - there was only one thing to do!!
The
sorting process took around 20 years - the job escalating into a detailed
restoration which has left nothing undone. - as you can see.
A
stickler for detail and with time on his hands, the car was stripped to its
constituent parts and rebuilt. The chassis was carefully repaired, including
boxing-in for the extra strength needed to accomodate the extra power of the
Riley twin-cam engine that the vendor elected to fit.
The engine was
rebored, the crank reground and the rods white-metalled. Keith Pointing cams
were fitted along with adjustable timing gears to make the most of
them.
A 'Brooklands' type water pump was fitted, the magneto refurbished
and a remote linkage made to fit the carefully stripped and re-assembled
gearbox.
The chassis was altered to make a better job of the Riley
installation, including a revised cross member at the front and new engine
mounts. The steering box mounting was fabricated (very clever) and a new
drop-arm made in the correct material.
Obviously things such as the
king-pins were replaced and the rear axle stripped and an MG Midget diff fitted
with all new bearings.
The brakes are hydraulic (in true Morris/MG
fashion) and the Riley handbrake incorporated with a neat chain-pull operation.
New Hartford shocks were fitted all round.
The list of work goes on,
including powder coated wheels with Longstone tyres, some new ash in the
bodywork which was extensively reworked to look as good as it
does.
Painted in Ford Midnight Blue, the aluminium bonnet and
panelling has been very nicely produced and the upholstery designed in-house but
professionally produced.
Patrick Henry has refurbished the instruments,
the wings are MG standard units and the lovely 'M' - type steeringwheel was
sourced from a chap from the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The file of
information includes a large file of invoices showing exactly what has gone into
the car (which is a lot), the end result of which looks like an absolute blast
to drive.
Contact matthew.parkin@brightwells.com
* All charges are subject to VAT