MG Midget with a 327 First Drive

[@billmcgarry3300]

As a young pup, I had a 327 ‘vette engine in my Austin Healey 3000 which was fantastic combo and later had a 350 ‘Vette engine in a little GMC S-15 which made me giggle every time I got behind the wheel! COVID time finds me putting my 289 Ford powered Sunbeam Tiger back together...Love V8 torque!!

[@joeldude76]

@@billmcgarry3300 my dad had an Austin Healy with a 350 Chevy in it before this car. Sorry for the long awaited reply.

[@craigkerr9281]

That car is nice, But I would rather own that country living. Could you imagine the peacefulness surrounded by trees, I'M READY!

[@dontdoit6403]

Lots of work. Why people comment negativity... He built for himself. I don't care for the wheels and pipe so far off body. But all and all cool car. Good work. 😁

[@soldtobediers]

''It's always the lacking who point out what they consider lacking -- all but themselves.''

[@TheKatrina1986]

i love mg midgets and to see that one doing wheelspins is mad for a little car!

[@andrewvitale7128]

Great job the power to weight ratio is unreal. And I bet she loves to dance.

[@carlschock6747]

1:30 looks like a 2/3 scale Cobra

[@gerodjenkins2009]

I dig it it’s like a budget cobra build I want to build one I think it will become a obsession but I think I’m gonna do it found a sold weekend runner for 3 grand stock can’t say it’s clean but it runs and drives

[@ModernGarage]

Absoluitely insane! It was a challenge stuffing a 1.6L Miata engine into my car, couldnt imagine the work that went into this. Awesome!

[@joeldude76]

Thank you. It sure has been a long work in progress. There is a newer video on my channel showing the finished product.

[@ModernGarage]

@@joeldude76 i’ll have to go find it and check it out. I love seeing what people have put in these awesome little cars

[@silverfishing8960]

You know he has had the automotive experience be for when he said it’s great so far

[@joeldude76]

@@silverfishing8960 it was the first time this thing had driven in years so i was amazed to see it drive under its own power.

[@scottarthurs6299]

Love this guy. Great project, brother!

[@Schiavoni85]

Really cool! Modern deep rims and pipes out front fenders be styling

[@joeldude76]

I have more recent vidoes of it finished on my channel if you want to take a look! Thanks!

[@F06M6]

This thing is probably more dangerous then a Viper!

[@LordSandwichII]

But more fun! 😁

[@Ivey0401]

this build is VERY inspirational, I have to know what all you did to make this fit, and what transmission you used, is it auto or standard? I literally JUST bought a 76 midget!

[@airsoft9077]

I know we bought one too. Cant belive they fit that engine in there

[@jaredbiscay3406]

I also JUST bought a 76 last weekend 😄 it runs and drives but I wanted to put a 302 in it. Then after I got it realized how tiny the engine bays are 🥲

[@skyypilot]

That... Is.... Insane.... Wish I could fit in it!

[@AndysMGAdventures]

I have a dream to own a classic V8. Was going to sell my 72 midget and get a MGB GT V8 - But the idea of putting a V8 into i it feels like such a fun challenge! Wonder what lumps we can get over here!

[@johnmohanmusic]

I have owned two MG Midgets, a 1974 and a 1979. I think this one might be a little bit faster than mine were.

[@gogztermcall8869]

Awesome wee motor. Just bought a wee midget

[@stumac869]

Wouldn't want to drive that in the wet but must be fun in the dry if you can keep it in a straight line.

[@NickNakorn]

What a great project - performance must be startling! And there's still room for your feet!

[@joeldude76]

Yep. It's tighter than ever but I can fit in it and I am 6'1.

[@unigateman]

Sorry guys.. No way. The Midget is best driven with the 1500cc motor, and I bet on the corners the original car would leave this beast standing. I will say a good option is to put a Rover 3.9V8 in the MGA. The Rover V8 as we all know is based on the Buick engine. And I'm in the process of doing just that.

[@dtruth5769]

Very nice! Where did u find fender flares?

[@gotolunch]

2000 RPM's???? maybe tach is set to 4 cylinder

[@paulhunter123]

how does it handle and does it stop?

[@spikonaleash]

YESSS!!!!!!!!! 😬😬😬😬 it looks like a mini cobra!!

[@izzydizzy1115]

Cool build. You need to shim that starting motor though!

[@kingmay3770]

How did you do side pipes hook up

[@hanksgarage_]

Man that's friggin sweet old midgets are cool cars

[@youtubeisbroken241]

Me wondering if a chevy v6 will fit. Stumbles across this. 😯

[@jpatt1000]

All I can say is "Frickin' how?"! I thought the 1500 was crammed in there, and I've seen an article in Hemming's Sports and Exotic where some one stuffed a 3.8 6 cyl from a Jaguar in, but this takes the taco my friend! I do like the treatment of the grill, when will we see the finished product?

[@joeldude76]

Thanks and the finished product is in my latest video.

[@OlavBergman]

two years later: did he survive this kick ass project?

[@joeldude76]

yep she is still tickin and he is still kickin

[@racketman2u]

@jpatt1000 u r right, the Spridget engine by is one of the narrowest there are; I once looked at putting a rotary in one, and even that was going to be difficult without panel work.

[@jpatt1000]

There is a conversion to put the Rover/Buick V-6 in. Tight, but it fits although the hood needs to be bulged.

[@racketman2u]

Love it! Sorta like a teensy Cobra.

[@hanksgarage_]

Diggin the wood dash too that car will be badass when done

[@AZACKAL]

Hey sooo im actually debating on buying a cheap midget to build something like this i was wondering how did it turn out in the long run? I havnt seen many videos after the suspension one. What axle did you guys use? And my friend kept saying that it would fold the car doing this yet here you guys are lol did you guys do any frame strengthening? Anything that stands out as a pain in the ass to do or find?

[@MauGino]

Looks like it's going to be one fun/scary ride.

[@joeldude76]

Yeah. It was pretty scary the first ride since I was about 8. Back then I didn't think of all the horrible things that could go wrong. It's actually a pretty fun car and it rides good too.

[@lutesheatingandcooling1241]

How did you get in the car. I'm 6'1 300 hoping I can fit in the 76 I just bought. Did you modify anything ??

[@johnwaldock9332]

What's wrong with the original motor?

[@goldsilverandiamonds]

It was an MG motor.

[@johnwaldock9332]

so? The A series motor is a great little motor.

[@luisaacevedo5783]

I love what you did. I just got a midget to convert it to v8. Did you build a chassis for it?

[@joeldude76]

nope. Everything is mostly stock except for the footwells and suspension.

[@Ivey0401]

Joeldude76 what rear axle are you using, can you video the footwell mods you made... do you think it can be done with a ford 302?

[@heinfamily1831]

+Scott Ivey I'm doing a Midget with an aluminum headed 302 with a T5 and a narrowed 8.8 right now. Foot boxes and trans tunnel are cut way back. once I finish the motor mounts I will build the trans tunnel , foot boxes and firewall back. it's looking like I'll be able to run a stock uncut hood even with a Weiand manifold and a nitrous plate on the engine.

[@team3383]

why bother with bodywork ? why not just put the engine on a chassis ?

[@chandrikamahto8858]

w.

[@Jake-jo1iz]

When a cobra is out of the budget range

[@infadeldog13]

This would have been the Cobra if Shelby had chosen MG over AC. Love it anyway.

[@paulhunter123]

i think it would have more likely have been the austin healey or mgb

[@infadeldog13]

paul hunter maybe yeah, but the original AC Ace was tiny too. Imagine this treatment on a Frog Eye Sprite though!

[@Twisted_T_Racing]

Did you modify the front suspention at all?

[@bmxr1234]

I hope

[@soldtobediers]

That's a ''Damn Commendable Shoehorn Feat''... that right there is! Reckon it might be of some threatening concern to a few Shelby Cobra's out there.

[@joeldude76]

Yeah they are we got some little things we gotta tweak before we send it for paint. Mainly the exhausts need to be pulled in closer to the car but that's it. That wood dash was just a template the actual wood dash is alot nicer I will make a vid of it soon.

[@EvendimataE]

are the body and underparts not hard to find for this car?

[@Haggy58]

WAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOO !! Nice work fella.

[@Tie-dyed-wisdom]

how much modification did you have to do to the front end ?

[@GaryntaraBurbank]

did you have to extend the frame and body to do a v8 swap or no

[@Matticus289]

In the late 90's, I had a 1979 Midget that I bought when I was 16 for $100. After I got that piece of garbage running, I decided I wanted to put a 289 in it. I'm pretty sure the only reason I'm still alive today is because I lost interest part way through the project and sold the car and 289 I'd started rebuilding

[@choppergirl]

Can the transmission handle that though? I mean, i think its just a matter of time before it snaps... I use to have a blue midget with the rubber bumpers. Loved it. Can't fit in one now.

[@joeldude76]

The transmission is a turbo 400 so its been upgraded.

[@tpvalley]

if the wheels rub when passenger weight makes car sit lower, then they will rub if u hit a large bump too; best to have clearance for full suspension travel; these look really good with bubble arches...... nice wide, deep dish 15" wheels would be good.

[@davidcampos5844]

Lol love it!!

[@RandallChase1]

Wow! That’s awesome

[@mybackhurts7020]

That’s what I want to do

[@caly5328]

And my 61 bugeye sprite only has a 383ci sbc 420hp Ford 8.8, th350,

[@billbraski2175]

rad should be higher then motor

[@joeldude76]

I wonder if that’s the cause of the overheating issue.

[@AZACKAL]

@@joeldude76 oooooohhhhh it over heated????

[@dannyleon8653]

Looks like a poor mans cobra lol

[@acrock21]

with the weight of this car and that 327 i bet it could be one hell of a fast car. id love to have something like this.

[@RW-td2hz]

lol poor mans cobra, that will smoke a cobra

[@kylewilliams3194]

yes make a video soon pleace

[@RedfishCarolina]

It looks like a Shelby Cobra larva

[@phoenixarizona8441]

Looks like a Shelby cobra

[@quadflopper1012]

I'd take this car over a shelby cobra any day .....

[@adamfairbairn526]

Its amaising!

[@afutileexistanceisfutile2400]

This is cool.

[@ruthperkins1442]

I need the old motor. lol

[@bmxr1234]

I have a bunch.

[@jbtc-zn9ih]

Stattlicher Fahrer. Da ist ein V8 in der Tat besser als das Midget Motörchen.

[@bullbutter9699]

Buick 3.8 would be a better handler and still extremely fast.

[@labtide]

I would think your feet would get mighty hot.

[@wendellworth353]

Gonna overheat! AND...the guy driving it is too old. You can tell cause he had left directional on and turned right. LOL

[@joeldude76]

It was overheating....until we put fuel injection on it. And the wiring still has some bugs. I believe if you put the low beams on one of the turn signals turns on lol.

[@kylewilliams3194]

I love it was that befor I came down because I seen the mark on the drive way when I was down there

[@joeldude76]

It was after.

[@danb.3397]

Well that's 3:49 I'll never get back...

[@oafyvonskidmark316]

LS2

[@gregghorner9107]

I'd be afraid to drive that around the block.

[@rollyjohns2510]

Shame.

[@erendyalatorre7785]

Rolly Johns how so?

[@zillsburyy1]

thing sounds like a fucking lawnmower

[@joeldude76]

I don't know what kind of lawnmower your using.

[@drivewaymarvels311]

a big v8 lawn mower and yes its a walk behind and only has two throttle settings go and off! hahahaa

[@tgriff83]

waste of engine.