Joined: May 5, 2016Morning. Complete newbie here, so forgive if put into wrong section!Recently bought what was described to me as one of the 'last 500 Midgets to be made'I have searched as much as I am able regarding info to verify this but am a little confused (I'll be honest, I'm not too worried if its not as it's still a wonderful car)On one site I saw that the chassis number run ended with GAN6 229001. Is this correct? Mine is after that and also has no plaque on the dash???Any help or info would be greatly appreciated.Thanks.
.Limited edition model from the final year of production.One owner from new.Never registered.35 miles from new Footnotes. An MG with its origins in the 'frog-eyed' Austin-Healey Sprite, the final version of the Midget first appeared in July 1961, one month after the launch of its restyled progenitor, sharing the same bodyshell and mechanical underpinnings with only badges, trim details and price differentiating the two. A series of engine enlargements saw the Midget arrive at 1,275cc in the form of the MkIII: code 'GAN4'. Introduced in 1966, the latter employed a de-tuned version of the 1,275cc Cooper S engine while offering significantly enhanced practicality courtesy of new convertible hood.
MG Midget 1500 5 Speed Conversion? Why 5 speeds? The MG Midget has always been undergeared. On today’s long fast roads, the engine screams. The Triumph 1500cc unit fitted to the GAN6 Midget (and Spitfire) has also never been renown for longevity, partly due to its poor bottom end oiling, weak cam chain, poor rocker shaft material and cheap cam followers to name a few design shortcomings.
New for the 1970 model year, the Midget MkIV ('GAN5'), although mechanically unchanged from its predecessor, featured revised styling with black grille and sills, cast wheels, new seat trim and British Leyland insignia. Rostyle wheels were new for 1971, as were rounded rear wheelarches, though the latter did not last beyond 1972 when the arches reverted to their original squared-off shape.By 1969, when the MkIV Midget was introduced, MG had become part of British Leyland, the latter's corporate strategy and the requirements of the US market determining that the next Midget would be powered by the 1,491cc Triumph Spitfire engine.
Of similar power but heavier than the preceding 1,275cc BMC A-Series unit, the Triumph engine was nevertheless torquier so performance remained virtually unchanged, though if anything there was a slight improvement. Introduced in 1974, the new Midget 1500 was readily distinguishable from its predecessor by the impact-resistant '5mph' bumpers required for the USA, while beneath the skin there was a Morris Marina all-synchromesh gearbox.
![Specs Specs](/uploads/1/2/5/5/125507379/759305233.jpg)
The adoption of head restraints, inertia-reel seatbelts, and dual-circuit braking were among improvements made before production ceased in November 1979. When British Leyland decided that the Midget was to be no more, they made a limited-edition run of 'black on black' cars to commemorate the 'death' of the model. These cars displayed a '1929-1979' badge on the dashboard.This limited-edition Midget was purchased new directly from the factory by the current owners, who were MG dealers at the time, and has been kept in storage as part of their private collection for the last 39 years. Never registered, this Midget has never been on the road and has covered only 35 miles from new. It comes complete with spare wheel, tool kit, jack, tonneau cover, and radio fitting kit, just as it was delivered to the dealer by the factory.