When Mike Breen's wife asked the
question, “if we were to buy a classic car what type would it be?”,
Mike did not have to think twice. Like many blokes he had harboured a
dream of one day owning a car he would have liked to have had in his
youth. Then marriage and kids (five of them) came along and the car
was put on a long back-burner. Now, with the family nest just about
empty, the time had come to consider a classic. Mike's choice was a
MG Midget.
If you look at his past, it's not hard
to see why. He completed an apprenticeship as a fitter and turner
with British Leyland. In an odd twist that training included some
time in the marketing department, which is where he has spent his
career with various companies. Unlike many others who prefer the MGB,
Mike passion has always been for the smaller Midget.
“It was more affordable, you could
run it gymkanas and it was fun,” he said. “The MGB was out of
the price range for many people.” Working with British Leyland he
developed an affinity for the British brands. So 35 years later when
his wife asked the question there was only going to be one response.
With approval granted, he set about
finding the right car, and called on friend, Ed Ordynski to suss out
what was available. Ed is widely respected as a former Australian
rally champion.
“He found a car right here in Sydney
that looked pretty good,” said Mike. “So I took it for a drive
around the block and told the owner, “This will do me.”
What Mike found was a lovely four speed 1969 Mk 3
Midget in almost original condition apart from a change in colour.
According to the Sprite Car Club of Australia the Mark 3 MG Midgets
were brought to Australia in CKD form and assembled here. The first
arrived in 1967 and by early 1968 they were ready for sale. It was a
single production run, but within that run there was a face lift. The
earlier model, of which Mike's is one, is identified by the vertical
chrome bar radiator grille. These cars were assembled between
November 1967 and March 1970.
The later model has a black pressed
metal radiator grille and slimmer bumper bars and was assembled
between April 1970 and December 1971. According to the club as there
had not been any MG Midgets in Australia prior to this they are
sometimes referred to as Australian Mark 1 and Mark 2 Midgets.
All Australian assembled Midgets are
fitted with 1275cc engines, an oil cooler, front sway bar, radial
tyres, twin horns and wire wheels as standard. The engine is a
de-tuned variant of that which powered the mighty Morris Mini Cooper
S.
But, the MG Midget story and history does not start
here. The first M-Type Midget was developed from the small Morris
Minor in the 1920s. This car set the scene for all Midget cars being
a cheap, fun two seater. In the years ahead MG rolled out many fun
cars that fitted the mould, ending in 1955 with the MG TF. But, time
had overtaken the MG T series cars and they were old-fashioned in
appearance and replaced by the MGA.
By the late 50s however Donald Healey
was at work developing a sports car from a `baby' car within the
Austin range. That car was the Austin 7 and the sports car the Austin
Healey Sprite, better known as the Bug Eye Sprite or Frog Eye that
came out in 1959. The story of that car is under the Austin Healey
heading in our classic cars section. It is a story that is integral
to MG Midget history. By 1961 the Bug Eye Sprite needed an upgrade
and the unique, but rounded front and rear body panels, had to be
modernised. The cockpit remained much the same and the car's front
and rear was re-designed with a squared-off appearance. All running
gear stayed much the same as the Bug Eye Sprite. This car became the
Austin Healey Mark 2.
Within the Leyland world there was a
need for a small MG and the Mark 2 Healey Sprite filled the bill. A
deluxe variant was built and it became the MG Midget. It conformed to
the criteria of the 1920s Midget in that it was small, cheap, quick
and handled beautifully. Most of all it was fun and could be thrown
around corners with predictable oversteer. But these Mark 1 and Mark
2 MG Midgets did not officially come to
Australia, where the Austin Healey Sprite was sold. In essence the
Mark 3 MG Midget replaced the Mark 3A Sprite in this market.
We went for an all-too brief run in
Mike's car and it is tight as a drum and starts as quick as any
modern car. As Mike points out, it's as much fun now as when it was
first released here.
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