Buyers’ Brief: Spridget
These essentially identical models offer driving fun and easy fettling
How to get hold of the very best chrome bumper Sprite or Midget.
Why you want one
The Frogeye Sprite launched the concept of the mainstream affordable sports car, and when that two-seater sportster gave way to the more conventionally styled MG Midget and Austin Healey Sprite nothing changed. They might not have looked quite as cute but they were still accessible, a blast to drive and utterly usable, and now they’ve passed into the classic realm all of these things still apply. While values have crept up, big production numbers mean there are still plenty to go round and with parts availability better than ever – and DIY maintenance a breeze – can still be run for buttons.
What are the Achilles’ Heels?
Most mechanical problems can be relatively easily and cheaply fixed, but what will turn a Spridget into a scrapper is corrosion of the car’s structure. These cars have a monocoque construction that can corrode badly, as can the outer panels, so check everywhere for filler. At least panel availability is excellent and so is the quality; you can even buy a new bodyshell with all outer panels for around £11,000. If more localised repairs are needed they’re usually straightforward to undertake; the biggest job will be fixing the sills if they’re holed.
When checking for rust, try and focus on the various panel seams as corrosion creeps in and it’s then hard to eradicate – the joint between the boot floor and rear panel is normally one of the first areas to go. Other rot spots include the battery tray and the front bulkhead once the master cylinder has leaked brake fluid onto it. The roof doesn’t tend to seal very well, so water gets into the cabin and results in rotten floorpans, with the damage often hidden by carpeting.
The A-series engine fitted to all Spridgets isn’t especially durable; a 948cc unit can be tired after
just 40,000 miles, while a 1275cc unit can need a rebuild by the time it’s notched up 70,000 miles. These are easy powerplants to rebuild on a DIY basis or you can buy an exchange unit for around £2000. If there isn’t 40psi at 1000rpm once warmed up the engine will need an overhaul before long; look also for fumes from the oil filler cap as the engine is running.
The 1275cc engine can suffer from head gasket failure while all A-series powerplants are prone to noisy tappets, rattly timing chains and oil leaks from the scroll-type rear crankshaft seal. You’ll never cure the latter completely and while it’s possible to switch to a lip seal (kits cost £100), they’re not very effective if the crankshaft isn’t machined to take the new part.
Which one is best for you?
We’re covering only the chrome-bumpered Midget and Sprite here (but not the Frogeye), as they were the same car aside from different badging. The Sprite MKII and Midget MKI were launched in May
‘A lot of the early cars will have had a 1275cc engine fitted by now’
1961 and until August 1962 a 43bhp 948cc A-series engine was fitted. From here on there was a 1098cc version of the same engine, rated at a much more useful 56bhp, but a lot of these cars have had a 1275cc engine fitted by now; the factory fitted such a powerplant as standard from October 1966 with the arrival of the Midget MKIII and Sprite MKIV, which also brought a proper folding roof with a collapsible frame. Before this were the Midget MKII and Sprite MKIII which debuted in March 1964 with wind-up windows in place of the earlier sidescreens.
The newer the car the more usable it is. If you’re buying your Spridget for occasional dry weather use only, an early model might suit perfectly, but if you want to go touring or use the car more regularly it’s worth aiming for a post-1966 example. The Sprite died in 1971 and the Midget got rubber bumpers along with a 1493cc engine from 1974.
Can you make it better?
The sky is the limit here, with engine swaps and major upgrades to the running gear all easily (if not necessarily cheaply) within reach. While originality is important to most buyers of the earliest Spridgets (aside from a larger-capacity A-series engine with accompanying brake upgrades), later cars are fair game for pretty much anything
Says Spridget guru Mike Authers: ‘There’s no way of easily converting to overdrive but there are five-speed gearbox kits available, which use either Ford Type 9 or Toyota transmissions. These improve usability and will increase a Spridget’s value, but not by as much as the cost of the conversion.
‘Tired suspension afflicts a lot of these cars. It’s worth fitting a thicker anti-roll bar and polyurethane bushes along with telescopic dampers. The latter doesn’t necessarily make the handling any better, but durability will be improved as the lever arm dampers don’t tend to last very long.’