RIDE OF THE WEEK: 1976 MG Midget

by Michael Golubiewski
Production Editor

A mighty Midget

This week’s ride is a 1976 MG Midget owned by Dave Karsten who recently moved to Scranton. The Midget is one of the most famous British cars to grace American roadways. It was a small two-seat sports car produced by the MG Division of the British Motor Corporation from 1961 through 1979. It went through four generations and produced 226,001 cars before the line was stopped after 18 years.

The original Midgets were slightly more expensive versions of the Austin-Healey Sprite. Its engine was a 948 cc a-series with twin carburetors producing 46 horsepower. The original Midgets had no external door handles or locks, and the heater on the car was optional. By 1976, as the model was in its last generation, the engine was changed to 1493 cc (1.5 liter), using the engine from the Triumph Spitfire.

In order to help the Midget meet the safety regulations required by the United States government, the 1976 features large black plastic bumpers — usually called “rubber bumpers” even though they’re not made of rubber — on both the front and rear of the car. Rather than being removable, as on earlier models, the hood was permanently attached to the car, and the grille was changed from silver to black. The last of the MGs were produced Dec. 7, 1979.

Karsten says his car was just rusting and rotting when he purchased it for a mere $500. He has repainted it and restored the convertible top. Karsten says he gets about 40 miles to the gallon in his MG, and he tries to limit the car’s speed.

“The fastest I’ve gotten it up to lately is about 65 miles per hour,” he says. “I’ve got a feeling she could go a little faster, but I’m waiting until I do some more engine restoration before taking the chance.”

The MG will be resting during the winter months, but Karsten says he can’t wait until spring to put the top down and check out some local car shows.

“I’ve had it out to some car shows in some of the other places I’ve lived — Tennessee and Missouri in particular,” he says. “I can’t wait to show it off in Pennsylvania.”

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