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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Technical help
| Dear Members, I am new to this forum, I hope I posted in the right section for this topic. In February I will scout a midget in Scotland and, if it is up to my expectations (I am optimistic, I have searched almost a year now), buy it. My intention was to drive it to Newcastle upon Tyne (it is only 130 miles trip) and then by ferry to Amsterdam. My question now is - since I am not mechanic and currently have no practical experience in roadside repairs of this model: Could perhaps a senior member living in this area of Scotland give some support to a foreign MG enthusiast in case I run into trouble on my way home? I know this might sound rather strange to some of you. I would appreciate any response from you and I would be happy to answer your questions. All the best, Wolf |
| WB Bankowski |
| Sounds like a perfectly reasonable request to me, Wolf. I can't help since I'm Stateside, but I made a similar request a few years ago when I set off on a 1700 mile trip to Utah in my MGB. I'm sure you will get a response from someone on the route if they see your request. Charley |
| C R Huff |
| Wolf... (Great name) We have a couple of great guys in the Amsterdam area, Arie and Onno The room is a little slow lately, winter blahs and what not, but they should be along shortly if not maybe one of the members can ring there bell for you Welcome aboard... and congrats on the purchase of a great car...post some photos we like seeing them Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
| Wolf, depending on who you're buying from could you perhaps ask them to fully service the car before you collect it as this should help to cut down and possibly prevent breakdowns from some issues and perhaps highlight other potential issues |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Hello all, thank you for your responses! I hope Arie/Onno read this as well, perhaps I can talk to them somehow, when I am able to acquire the car. @Nigel: Thank you for that hint. From what I know the last owner had it fully serviced when he received the car a year ago (all fluids replaced and flushed); I also talked to his workshop who has a service history on the car. I donīt expect anything to happen...it is just that I am on foreign grounds and it that sense it would be nice to have a number to call in case I am stuck in the middle of nowhere, thatīs all (call it "moral support"). If it would be something major I am sure I couldnīt do without professional help. But if it is something that can be solved with a trained eye and tools, then it would be a fine thing to have someone to talk to :-) Best, Wolf |
| WB Bankowski |
| There are plent to be found closer to home. And then you would be able to go for the Hoek van Holland to Harwich ferry and stop by the MG workshop near Hoek. But if you need help in Holland in the weekend you are welcome. On week days I have to work like all other pay check slaves ;) Now show us that midget that makes you travel that far! |
| Onno K |
| Hey Onno, thanks for the offer! Its good to have an address in Holland! Since I have a short holiday it would be a good window for the car transfer, thatīs why I fly on sunday and hopefully return safe during the week... Midget is a Mk I in ice blue. Looks sweet to me.  |
| WB Bankowski |
| NICE !!! Hope you like atten cause your going to look like a rock star. With the car looking that good and a shop that keeps its service records, I cant belive you will ave any issues...thats not a fact, but the odds are well into your favor of a good ride home The only issue I see, you may need medical support to remove the smile that will implant its self for days to come after your ride home Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
| 130 miles from Newcastle must mean you are picking it up from Edinburgh/Falkirk area, right? If a guy called Mike McAndrew sees this, he lives in Edinburgh and he will probably try to buy it off you! :-) Good luck! Malcolm |
| M Le Chevalier |
| Yes Malcolm, I think it is around there. But what do I know, its my first travel to the UK. So I hope everything will turn out fine. @Prop: Hope youīre right...and btw there is nothing wrong with atten, Iīd say... |
| WB Bankowski |
| You will be OK, people in the UK aren't that bad. Just don't make eye contact or smile at anyone ;-) Also, if you don't understand anyone, don't worry. I don't understand what most Scottish people say either. It does make living here a little difficult! All joking of course. Good looking car. Malcolm |
| M Le Chevalier |
| Lovely car Wolf, I'm very jealous! If I were near or on your route I'd definitely pledge assistance if required but unfortunately I'm a couple of hundred miles south of Newcastle. If you have a major problem then post on here and I'm sure a rescue party can be organised somehow! I'm sure all will be fine though. Make sure you keep using this forum (the best in the world!) once you've got your car, no end of info. |
| john payne |
| John & M le Chevalier (Knight of what?), thank you so much! I definitely will report in case Iīm in trouble. If you should come across someone along my route, please let me know, Iīll try to contact that person. Big Grin photo will be attached, as soon as I own it - that is a promise ;-) |
| WB Bankowski |
| Just another question - I am curious: What is necessary to get a car registered in the UK? Do I have to have my principal address there, or is a secondary residence (eg home of a friend) sufficient enough? I love black number plates, they have become quite rare in european countries by now....that is why I am asking. |
| WB Bankowski |
| Hi Wolf If you contact me Enquiries @ midgetandspriteclub. co. uk I will try to put you in touch with someone in the area who in turn may be able to assist you Alan |
| Alan Anstead |
| Wolf Looks like the car is in Castle Douglas In Dumfries and Galloway, South West Scotland: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C523401 If you can get a left hand drive Mk1 Sprite dashboard and steering rack you can covert to Heft hand drive. Such spares should be available in UK from people converting reimported cars from USA. Cheers Mike |
| M Wood |
| Wolf You may want to use a car transport company to take the car from Dumfries and Galloway to the port. I have used Richard Tipper of Cartrans who is close to where the car is. He moved my MkII Sprite and was friendly, helpful and is used to moving old cars. http://www.cartrans.co.uk/ Cheers Mike |
| M Wood |
| I'm here... Malc.. no full names on the net pls I've got SC clearance to go through, oops I think I might have blown that one :D BTW I'm only addicted to and try to buy B's, midget's I do for fun ;D PS. when are you sending me the pic's? Wolf, that's one fantastic photo! You've got to love instagram! (BTW I do photography as my second hobby) Sorry to burst your bubble but.... I bet the car's not as good as the picture!!!! Castle Douglas is a little way from me and I'm not on the route to Newcastle (I'm where Malc blew my cover ;D). However, I know the route well and, if things go's badly wrong, I'll be more than happy to help. I've got some x5 years knowledge of the Newcastle area and if things don't go to plan I'll help where I can. PM me and I'll give you some contact info for the trip. best of.... MGmike PS. don't convert it... |
| M McAndrew |
| The very first thing to do is check the weather forecast. Snow and Midgets do not match terribly well.... Reading the advertisement, I cannot think there would be any significant risk in driving it back to the Netherlands, but do check all fluids, tyre pressure, fan belt, etc. Take a basic tool kit - Imperial of course.... Nice car by the be - I do like the colour, and the price seems very reasonable. |
| Mark O |
| Hi Wolf. I am in Troon, a Scottish seaside town on the west coast about 30km south of Glasgow. Castle Douglas, where the car currently resides, is down in the south-west of Scotland between Dumfries and Stranraer, and is about one and a half hours from my home. What is your plan for taking the car home to Austria? Which ferry port are you going to use? Do you intend to drive directly from Castle Douglas to the ferry port, or are you planning to go somewhere else first? What dates are you looking at? I'm not sure what the regulations say about driving the car in the UK when it is going to be exported abroad. The car has a current test certificate, and it will need to be covered by insurance for you to drive in the UK. The owner MUST give you the car's registration document, known as form V5c. This is a red-fronted two page document that logs the details of the car as held by our Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). The only web site I can find that mentions exporting a car is https://www.gov.uk/taking-vehicles-out-of-uk. This tells you to fill in part 11 of the V5c form titled "Notification of Permanent Export". This part ONLY is sent back to DVLA and you, the new owner, keeps the rest of the form. There is an official document called INS160 "Your Registration Certificate (V5c) and You", and on page 8 it tells you what to do if the new owner does not have a GB address. I have attempted to reproduce that section in the attached image. It is up to the present owner to write a letter to DVLA telling them that he has sold the car to someone who lives in another country. Depending what your plans are and what dates you are going to be in the UK, I might be free to help you. Good luck, Mike  |
| Mike Howlett |
| Hi Wolf. I'm near Edinburgh but brought up near Newcastle so know the area as well as most. if the car is in castle Douglas you will most likely be driving it down to Carlisle on the M74 / M6 then across country to Newcastle on the A69. there are one or two members in the Carlisle area but I can't remember who they are. The North east section of the MG owners club is very active and would probably help if called. Let us know your planned dates. If I'm free I'd be tempted to join you in a convoy to Newcastle where I could spend time with my folks anyway - it's a long way round but I enjoy the drive anyway :-) One important point, - the ferry port is NOT in Newcastle - the nearest town of note is North Shields. Graeme |
| graeme jackson |
| Sorry Mike! Shhhhh! ;-) You are probably stuffed on keeping yourself quiet anyway as Mike Wood has posted his first name just above your surname in your header anyway! I will try to mail you tonight. I don't have many pictures though. I do have something else to ask you as well :-) I was slightly wrong on my assumption of where Wolfs Midget might be, I assumed central belt, forgetting people live in the big green bit between there and Carlisle. Cheers, Malc. |
| M Le Chevalier |
| An interesting thought is what will become of the registration number if Wolf whisks this little beauty off to Austria? I'm hoping it won't just get transferred back to DVLA for them to sell on. Is there a way he could sell it or keep it on retention in case someone (like myself when Wolf grows tired of it!) brings it back to the UK? |
| john payne |
| Hello fellow members, I am amazed about so many answers - thank you so much for all your input! I am trying to answer you all. I still plan to go maybe if weather and time permit on Monday or Tuesday (9/10 Feb) with the Midget back to Newcastle/North Shields and take the Ferry to Amsterdam, to save as much time as possible for my way back home on the continent. To save money, my intial idea was to drive to port myself, if possible at all (still trying to figure out, how). @M Wood: Thanks for the hint on conversions, but part of the charm for me is to stay RHD. Thank you for the link, at the moment I am really unsure whether I shall drive myself because all of that insurance problem...do you happen to know how much a transport might cost? I would like to avoid unnecessary high costs to save money for Austrian TUV and necessary repairs, that might come along with it....... @M McAndrew: Thank you for your offer, that is really kind! How can I PM you? I didnīt find a link to your contact sheet in the forum... @Mike Howett: How does DVLA know my car is NOT insured? I already talked to an insurance co here and they offered me a contract. Is valid insurance paperwork sufficient at a roadside control for police? Or must there already be an entry in DVLAīs online database? I am bit puzzled how to proceed from here......anyone? @Graeme Jackson: Thank you for your offer - going back in a convoy would be a fun thing to do. Would be nice having MG club members around me on the tour. Besides, I couldnīt take the wrong way back :-) Please let me know if you come across any valid info or procedure about DVLA/insurance issues. I thought everything should be ok, when I filled out the V5c form and have my own insurance already set up back here in Austria? Greetings, Wolf |
| WB Bankowski |
| Hi Wolf, I am sure you will manage to navigate your way with no difficulty. But I don't think you need bother with the M74 or M6. From Castle Douglas the straightforward route follows the A75 via Dumfries and Annan, but at Gretna avoid joining the M6 and take the A6071 through to Longtown and continue on this road down to Bampton where you join the A69 across to Newcastle. This will avoid M-ways which are never much fun in a small MG, and its actually more direct. A nice variation (in summer weather at least !)is to leave the A69 at Greenhead and take the old "Military Road" - the B6318. This runs through superb Northumbrian countryside all the way to just short of Newcastle. Just as direct as the A69, though not as fast and not to be recommended if snow is likely. I think the ferry terminals are signposted by the time you approach Newcastle. As you get near to North Shields you will likely see a roadsign for New York but don't let that worry you! |
| Guy W |
| as long as you have an insurance for the car that is valid in an EU member state, it is valid in the UK too. so as long as the transfer document shows the same name as the insurance certificate and the various registration and chassis numbers all match, you will be fine if stopped. |
| dominic clancy |
| Dominic is right. If you have insurance from Austria that covers you to drive the new car you will be OK. |
| Mike Howlett |
| A LHD conversion simply requires a RHD Morris Minor rack + a dash so easily done. |
| Daniel Stapleton |
| Or more helpfully .... you need a LHD Morris Minor rack for a RHD Sprite / Midget conversion and vice versa. |
| Daniel Stapleton |
| Wolf, sorry I forgot the email hotlink. Now done. You probably don't have time now but I would ask for the plate to be put on retention. This will allow you to sell it for use in the UK. Another route could be to register it to a friendly UK address when you buy and then you'll have time to do the retention before informing of the export ;) Best of... MGmike |
| M McAndrew |
| When I bought cars in the UK (never bought an MG in Holland) I did it the naughty way. Just bought the car played stupid and drove to the ferry. Customs stoped me and did not care about not showing insurance papers. Is it a risk? Yes Would I do it again? Most likely yes. And don't convert to LHD! A RHD midget is perfectly fine in europian traffic. As vision is good al round and the left hand shifting is learnd in 5 minutes. |
| Onno K |
| @M McAndrew: Youīve got mail! @Onno: I thought of playing stupid as well, but I am unsure of the risk...I heard of computer cameras, that would recognize number plates and check whether they are real/registered/illegal in policecars. What was your experience? Why did customs stop you...this EU, there is no more customs, as there is no export within it? |
| WB Bankowski |
| @Dominic & Mike Howlett: I was told by OCC, the insurer, that UK is covered like any other EU country. I went through the MOT site, but I am still unsure of the whole procedure, as it still isnīt clear to me whether they need to be informed a week prior to exporting the car, or if they are fine if the filled out form is just sent off the day I leave the country? |
| WB Bankowski |
| Wolf, I don't think you need to inform the DVLA in advance. Simply fill in the form and send it off at the time you buy the car. Lovely looking car, by the way. |
| Mike Howlett |
| Dont know the answer but would it need to be taxed to be driven to the ferry? Have asked the vendor to deliver it to the ferry? Also, have you considered flying from Austria to Newcastle and then hire a self drive car transporter which can be driven on a normal car licence. Then drive the ~100 miles to Castle Douglas to collect the car and then drive back to the ferry. Cost ~Ģ100 hire and ~Ģ50 diesel. If it wasnt a 800 mile round trip from me, I would be happy to do it for you. HTH |
| Doug Plumb |
| Well the islanders are always a bit funny with belonging to the EU or not. Why the stopped me I don't know. Perhaps two foreign guys in their 20's in a UK registerd car is suspicious. As for informing the DVLA that is the job of the seller. On the V5 are all sorts of strips for selling the car. You simply fil in the correct one and the seller sends that to the relevant authority. You bring the V5 and MOT certificate with you. When you import it at your version of the DVLA they should be able to also transfer the remaining MOT (all mot's in europ should be equal) |
| Onno K |
| Wolf How did you get on with buying and transporting this car? Best wishes Mike |
| M Wood |
| Wolf, I would get up to date weather reports for the lads in Scotland. Those roads around the borders area can get fairly bad weather and it hasn't been good lately. At least bring a shovel! |
| Graeme Williams |
| Hello Guys, sorry for my late update, been rather busy the last week. Thanks for all your input and help so far. I already got a time-limited insurance to drive and transfer in the UK, so I am ready to go. Iīve been watching weather reports the last days and it looks like lots of rain and wind. But what about snow? Would be nice hearing about the situation from the scottish members... I still hope that I am able to drive myself, but I already contacted Cartrans and am waiting for a response. What would you say? Anyone out there in the north driving at this time of the year? Best, Wolf |
| WB Bankowski |
| Snow? That is the best weather to drive a midget! Lot's of sideways fun at low and safe speeds  |
| Onno K |
| Wolf Can you load the BBC Scotland weather forecast? http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast-video/21416751 & http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2653590 I am 50 miles North of Castle Douglas. It has been icy with some snow. Main roads will be salted so should be OK, but minor roads can be icy. Mike |
| M Wood |
| South Argyll/Kintyre having a nice spell. The odd shower here and there. Sister in the Eastern Borders says it's okay there. Forecast is for a mild weekend. I was out in the Midge tonight with the window down. Lovely night. Good luck Wolf, hope you have a great trip. My first drive in mine was 186 miles back from Edinburgh on frosty roads. Couldn't stop grinning! |
| RS Hughes |
| Guys, please keep me updated on your weather findings, that helps me a lot. Hope it will get warmer by the weekend.... |
| WB Bankowski |
| Surprisingly They actually do very well on messy roads with good tires, not stopping for lights and signs, and no snow deeper then 4.5 inches.... so ive been told Prop |
| Prop and the Blackhole Midget |
Wolf, you need one of these. My grandfather's Irvin jacket. 79 years old and works better than any modern jacket I own, including my motorcycle leathers. I guess your local airforce had something similar?
 |
| RS Hughes |
| As Wolf comes from Austria he will be used to the snow. However, the preparation for snow in the uk, and the skill of many of the drivers makes it a bit more of a daunting task over here. |
| Graeme Williams |
| Right Graeme. Do you remember two winters ago when Heathrow airport using airport transfers tonbridge was paralysed by about an inch of snow? I was working in Norway at the time and the locals simply could not believe it. Just after that in Kintyre we were cut off for 9 days with the only road in/out blocked. No power, no phones, nada for 6 of those days. The council's advice was to check their website for updates. With what exactly? |
| RS Hughes |
| Just stay clear of northern Spain http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-31146535  |
| Dave O'Neill 2 |
| Wolf Let us know your plans (dates and route) and we can give you a bit more weather info. At the moment has warmed up a bit. A little snow last Wed near Glasgow: http://www.dougie-coull-photography.co.uk/My-Towns/Paisley/Monte-Carlo-Classic-Rally-2015/i-6NNgxcq/0/XL/5D3a_1779_2015-January-28-6.50.18%20-%20Monte%20Carlo%20Rally-XL.jpg ('Glasgow' start of Monte Carlo Historic Rally, MKII Sprite course car) http://clydeside-images.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/the-2015-monte-carlo-classic-rally-uk.html Cheers Mike |
| M Wood |
| Hey Guys, thanks for the pics - looks quite clear, but cold to me. @Dave: That is really dramatic, I havenīt heard of that from Spain before. Looks like it used to be in some areas of Austria 25-30 years ago just before Xmas! Already got an offer from Cartrans, that sounds fair to me. Also he seems to be quite flexible, as I could go with him on short notice. Thats very fine, plus he is based next to Dumfries, so I even could drive myself a short piece and then take the trailer. Iīll think of that at the moment... I will look into a possible route today, got myself a new navi software for my cell phone and will have a look (staying away from motorways/autobahns I guess is better?). Iīll have a look at the someone pointed out to in and older post as well. By the way, this is what classic races look like in Austria in January, Mike: http://ennstalclassic.zenfolio.com/ Some real deep snow! And this is where you can register, if someone of you is interested: http://www.planai-classic.at/de/planai_classic/ Btw - Flip from NL also offered help, should I run into trouble there, so looks like I get cover for the first part of the route. So far this forum is really awesome :-D |
| WB Bankowski |
| Wolf, perhaps bring some neat antifreeze type screenwasher with you or ask for it to be added to the screenwasher fluid already in the car to save it freezing on the windscreen when you use it personally I would also bring a manual footpump (no socket for an electric type in a Midget anyway) to use instead of messing about changing a wheel when not convenient perhaps also lock de-icer for the the boot lock - no need to worry about doors and a chamois to clear the inside of the windscreen of condensation (at the same time opening the side window(s) for a time also helps) check that the heater tap (under the bonnet, on top of the cylinder head at the back) is open so that heat gets into the cabin and on the windscreen, no need to use the electric blower fan unless going below 25mph (40kph) - the heater should be pretty good for the small windscreen and small cabin area those narrow wheels should be good in the snow and so should the narrow tyres (if they're in good condition and not too old) |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Its actually been pretty mild over the last few days up in these parts. Not even any night frost last night, and no sign of snow at all this week. And the forecast for the weekend and most of next week is continuing to get milder so it is looking good for a drive across the country at almost its narrowest point! Wolf, if planning your route, check out the one I described in my earlier message on 23 January 2015 at 15:55:16 It would make a pleasant drive. And a visit to Hexham would make a good stopping off place for a bit of a break. |
| Guy W |
| Wolf Did you buy the car and transport it OK? Cheers Mike |
| M Wood |
| Wolf Mg Midget MkI dashboard for sale: http://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/e11010.m1951.l3160/7?euid=d7ae06655cd944308862b5208e2b2f12&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.co.uk%2Fws%2FeBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D321673269682%26ssPageName%3DADME%3AB%3AWNA%3AGB%3A316 Cheers Mike |
| M Wood |
This thread was discussed between 22/01/2015 and 25/02/2015
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