DailyTurismo

January 13 2021

Toyota Powered: 1964 MG Midget

DailyTurismo Classic British, MG, Midget 9

The first generation (Mark I) MG Midget was a pint sized little runabout from Morris Garage that shared mechanical parts with the Sprite from Austin-Healey from 1961-1964. The Midget shared basically every part of its bill-of-materials (except the badge) with the Sprite, but today’s example has a bigport 2T-C 4-cylinder 1.6-liter engine borrowed from an early 70s Toyota Celica or Corona. Find this 1964 MG Midget offered for $1900 in Olympia, WA via craigslist. Tip from JB1025.

January 8 2021

Half Restored or Half Baked: 1972 MG Midget

DailyTurismo Classic British, MG, Midget, Project, Some Assembly Required 3

This next car isn’t a museum piece or a rusty barn find…no, it is neither — it lives somewhere in the seedy underworld of automotive purgatory. This half-fixed classic needs someone to expunge its past sins and prepare it for automotive Valhalla or sell it for scrap. But for $1500, you could go either way and break even. Find this 1972 MG Midget offered for $1500 in Cuero, TX via craigslist.

October 9 2020

Beluga or Bulldog? 1947 Crosley on 1976 Midget Chassis

DailyTurismo Antique Crosley, Custom, MG, Midget, Narwhal 0

This next car comes as a tip from Carter who writes: They say that people look like their dogs, or maybe it’s people’s dogs look like them? But what about when the car looks like the dog? Or maybe like a beluga whale riding a tricycle? Haha, yes this is indeed a strange looking vehicle, probably because a Crosley CC was never meant to be shoved on top of an MG Midget chassis…but it sorta works. Find this 1947 Crosley on 1976 Midget Chassis offered for $5,000 outside of Boston, MA via craigslist.

October 9 2020

Two For One: 1974 MG MGB

DailyTurismo Classic British, MG, MGB, Parts Car 3

I’ve joked in the past that owning more than one old British car is the equivalent of having a captive breeding program — because you’ll inevitably acquire additional examples of your favorite type of Triumph, MG, Jensen, Austin, etc. Why? Because the cost of a parts car is generally much less than the sum of the parts in that pile of junk, so you’ve got what we have here today, which is a nice chrome bumper ’74 MGB with a dirty rubber bumper ’78 MGB parts car as a bonus. Find this 1974 MG MGB + 1978 MG B offered for $7,500 in Sacramento, CA via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

July 30 2020

Bulk Barn Find: 1969 MGC GT & 1968 MGC

DailyTurismo Classic British, MG, MGB, MGC, MGC GT 1

I am not a connoisseur of barn finds — any vehicle that has had chickens roosting in the engine bay or rats chewing on the wiring harness for 20 years is not the car for me. But, I don’t want to discount the thrill of finding something covered in a tarp that is maybe more than meets the eye…or in this case, it is one of the rarest models to come out of Morris Garage — specifically the MGC GT of which this is one of 4457 built. It appears to be missing its 150 horsepower 2.9 liter C-series inline-6, but I bet a 2JZ would fit (I’m KIDDING! Please don’t do that…use an SR20DET instead..sheesh). Anyway, if an MGC GT is good enough for Prince Charles (who later gave it to Prince William according to the internet lore) then it should be good enough for you. And this one comes with a spare MGC parts car…or maybe it is vice-versa. Find this 1969 MGC GT & 1968 MGC offered for $7000 in West Monroe, LA via craigslist. Tip from Ramjet.

July 21 2020

Mazda Powered: 1970 MG B GT

DailyTurismo Uncategorized GT, Mazda, MG, MGB, MGB GT, Miata, MX-5, Patina, Swap 6

This next car comes as a tip from Kester who writes: Why do I like this so much? Is it because it’s so wrong and makes no sense whatsoever? I even struggled to send this in, though I know if I bought it, my wife would have me sleeping in it for the next month (and I don’t think the seats recline far enough…) She banished me to the garage once after buying a rusty old 914, but promised to never do it again as apparently I enjoyed it too much. The answer is easy — you like the idea of a reliable MGB GT with Mazda power and the patina of a WWII era battleship for next to nothing. Find this 1970 MG B GT offered for $5000 in Boone, IA via craigslist.

July 18 2020

Budget Survivor: 1972 MGB GT

DailyTurismo Uncategorized British, Fastback, MG, MGB GT, Pininfarina 4

The MGB GT was a fastback version of Morris Garage’s iconic MGB roadster, introduced in 1965 and built through 1980 for various markets. When first released, the GT used the same BMC B-series inline-4 cylinder engine, but added small back seats for kids and a gorgeous Pininfarina designed greenhouse with a fastback lift-gate and storage area. It is difficult to determine the condition of today’s next feature because the photos are so limited, but it it isn’t a rust bucket or needing a total mechanical makeover, it looks well priced…particularly compared to anything else with a Pininfarina design credit. Find this 1972 MGB GT offered for $7450 in Santa Cruz, CA via craigslist.

July 15 2020

Crossflow Hot Rod: 1952 MG TD

DailyTurismo Uncategorized Ford, Hot Rod, Kent, MG, MG TD 3

What makes a car a “hot rod”? Do you need side exit exhaust, flames painted on the hood, or a skull shift knob? Or do you just need to ditch the original putt-putt engine that was designed when dinosaurs ruled the earth and replace it with a Ford Crossflow “Kent” Formula Racing Engine and stick some discs up front? Yup, leave the Chebby 350 V8 at home and enjoy this next hod rod MG. Find this 1952 MG TD offered for $11,000 in Eagle River, AK via craigslist. Tip from Zach Z.

July 7 2020

Canadian Cobra: 1968 Brooklands Renaissance

DailyTurismo Uncategorized British, Brooklands, Canadian, MG, MGB, Renaissance 1

Stop scrunching up your nose. It makes little wrinkles on the side of your face. This next car causes an instant scrunch on the face of most car guys, not because it is ugly per se…but it is slightly Picasso-esque. No. That’s not fair. Maybe Toulouse-Lautrec-esque…but styling aside it is an interesting beast — a […]

June 25 2020

Crappy Summer Runabout Challenge: MG Midget vs VW Super Beetle vs Benz 450SL

DailyTurismo Uncategorized 450SL, Mercedes-Benz, MG, Midget, Super Beetle, Volkswagen 12

This next triple feature comes as tip from Zach Z who writes; Which runt would you pick the of this ~$4k, early ’70s ragtop litter? We’ve got a 1975 MG Midget, a 1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle Ragtop, and a 1973 Mercedes-Benz 450SL (that comes with a parts car). From the MG seller: 1975 MG Midget Runs […]

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