The Original Mazda Miata: 1972 MG Midget Review

This 1972 MG Midget is the round fender version with the 1275cc engine. The owner has hopped up the motor a little bit by boring it out to a 1300cc and fitting a hotter cam. In the video I will let you know how that has changed things!

[stantheman]

I owned a 1969 MIdget back in 1974 - 1980. It was a daily driver and drove well. Once in a while you had to knock on the starter motor and/or fuel pump, but that was rare. Drove it from Georgia to California in 1978. No issues. I now drive a 1994 NA Miata. Love that car too.

[LC-bbjd]

Owned a 1969 Midget. Most enjoyable car that I have ever driven. Would love to own another one.

[richarddamico]

I have owned many Midgets, they were my daily driver. Living in Massachusetts, we have some heavy snow at times. I drove home in a Midget in a blizzard about 20 miles with a bag of cat litter in the trunk for added weight. Made home just fine, low and slow as they say. Low gear, slow speed 😊. Great cars!

[rodwoodard]

Nice video. You really captured the joy of owning an MG. I recently purchased a really nice 1974 Midget. I owned a 1977 MGB 30+ years ago while I was in college. It sure is more fun now in my 50’s when I have more disposable income, it’s not needed as a daily driver, I have plenty of spare time to tinker, and I have a 3500 square foot heated shop! I’m really looking forward to springtime in Colorado!

[warrenblain]

The steering fault that you describe is almost certainly caused by a worn out bush on the front of the left rear spring. Either that or loose fitment of the rear axle to the spring on the left side.

[StanleyZurawski]

What a great video! just bought a 73 this summer. Loving it

[denmueller]

I owned a brand new MG Midget in 1973 while I was in College. Loved that little car so much. I am currently looking for another "Harvest " gold '73 Midget to purchase. Thanks for the great video.

[dff]

It was my brother’s MG Midget that he owned in the mid-1980s that led to my love of roadsters and why I now own my second Miata.

[awalk]

My family ran a Midget for 7 years and we only did normal services, put in petrol and greased the steering. Children meant it found a new home. Didn't have any problems as a daily driver in all that time. I now (after children grown) have an another one which I had a full restoration on with a new body shell, but its just for fun. The Miata was a bit of a Lotus Elan copy, but unlike the fibreglass Elan, with a steel body that has some tendency to rust, a lot. It seems someone mounted your mirrors in the wrong place.
If you have steering under acceleration and deceleration it seems you have a serious suspension / steering fault, these cars are usually pin sharp on steering, and renowned for precise steering. If the brakes are dodgy to I dont think I would be driving that example, other than to a repair garage.

[samirsmudge]

Ha! I had a 1974 red MG Midget completely restored and a couple of years before that, got one of the very first Mazda Miatas when they came out at the end of 89. Two amazingly fun cars to drive. I wish i would have kept them.

[greenNRGinit]

Thanks for the MG Midget review!! Love the early 70s MGs.

[TractorBots]

Brilliant car, brilliant review - thanks. Mine was red with the same wheels and original mirrors further forwards on the front wings. 😊

[patprop]

2:25 What you said, i find comforting, I just bought a 1973, the owner is not mechanical and said it all of a sudden didn't run right and his "goto" MG mechanic closed shop, which is why he was selling it, I bought it anyways, hoping i could figure it all out.

[robertwalls]

I have the MGs twin with my 1969 Austin Healey Sprite in british racing green. It is literally the most fun car I've ever had, and I'm 55.

[garethjones]

such a lovely car had ours for over 50 years part of our family

[PaulCleve]

As for the title, I’d argue that the Miata was created to capture what was lost in the demise of the British roadster, not destroy them. The British roadsters were destroyed by BL and hot hatches. For the most part, the only convertibles really available when the Miata came out were the Le Barons and Mustangs, and handful of low volume, short runs like the Allante. Not even comparable really. I love the NA for that very reason, and lament that even it is slowly and steadily outgrowing its own raison d’être with each successive model.

[donjames]

no power anything is what i love about my 72 mg midget. i dont have to worry about things like. sensors going bad or need cleaning. i or costly o2 sensors or bad or clogged catalytic converters or window an electric lock motors . my grand father left me my 72 midget. i didn't think i would love it so much an enjoy it but my 04 celica gts everytime i get something fix something else tears up. its been 3 years problem free. i loved the fact i had to learn to tune the carbs

[gregberning]

Your steering problem could be a loose spline where the rear axle is pressed into the wire wheel hub. It happened to me on one of my Midgets and it took me a long time to finally figure that out.

[davealley]

"and I'm going barely the speed limit..?" As a former owner, my sentiment exactly! I liked to brag I could drift around a corner without breaking the speed limit.

[cartalkers]

Is that butterscotch, the color, that is? My 1st car was a bright red 1963 MG Midget that had never seen rain or snow. Easy to work on and totally dependable.