Australian Sprites and Midgets
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Australian Sprites and Midgets
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Introduction A lot of information is available on Sprites and Midgets, and not surprisingly,
most of this information is either United Kingdom or North American based.
However, quite a number of Sprites and Midgets were sent to Australia
in a completely knocked down (CKD) kit form to be assembled at Pressed Metal Corporation, at Enfield
in Sydney (a BMC Subsidiary).
The range of models assembled in Australia included the Mk 1, 2, 2A, 3,
3A Sprites, and the Mk3 Midget.
Most Australian records were lost when Leyland Australia closed
down its local plant. The Sprite Car Club of Australia is currently working
on a project to try and compile a history of CKD Sprites and Midgets in
Australia.
This next section will give a brief run down the different models
that were assembled, and list differences between Australian assembled
cars and those assembled in the UK including production dates. As more
information is compiled it will be added.
If you have any information that you think might be of value to
our project, no matter how insignificant it may seem, please do not hesitate
to get in touch with Eriks Skinkis
at the Sprite Car Club of Australia about any general details concerning
Australian assembled cars, or submit details of your car to the Australian
Sprite and Midget Registry.
AH Sprite Mk1
Affectionately known as the "Bugeye".
AH Sprite Mk2
First assembled in Australia August 1962
AH Sprite Mk2A
First assembled in Australia March 1963, the Mark 2A designation
was only used in Australia.
AH Sprite Mk3
First assembled in Australia October 1964
AH Sprite Mk3A
First assembled in Australia August 1965
MG Midget Mk3
There were no Mk 4 Sprites assembled in Australia. If you come
across a Mk4 Sprite in Australia, it has either been imported, or is perhaps
a Midget that has been re-badged by a previous owner to look like a Sprite.
It is probably also appropriate to mention here that there were no 1500
or Rubber Nose Midgets assembled in Australia either.
Sales of the Mk3 Midget took over from where the Mk3A Sprite finished.
Midgets were imported from the UK in CKD form and assembled locally. The first Midgets assembled being equivalent to
the Sept./Oct. 1967 UK Models. By the time the cars were freighted to Australia,
assembled, then sold, it was January 1968.
There were two main models produced during the production run.
The earlier model is easily identified with the vertical chrome bar radiator
grill and was assembled between November 1967 and March 1970. The later
model, with the black pressed metal radiator grill and slim bumber bars
was assembled between April 1970 and December 1971. As there there had
not been any earlier Midget models assembled in Australia prior to these,
these cars are sometimes referred to as Australian Mark 1 and Mark 2 Midgets.
The earlier model had a chassis prefix of YGGN4 or YGN4, while the later
model had a prefix of YGN5 and is commonly referred to as the "facelift"
model. The chassis numbers started at number 501 for both model runs. A
total of 1184 Midgets were assembled in Australia.
Apart from the obvious radiator grill and bumper bar changes,
there were other less obvious changes that took place during the Midgets
production run.
The first cars assembled in 1967 were wired positive earth, had
thinly cast engine blocks requiring specially nitrated crank shafts to
provide extra rigidity. Later engines blocks were cast with thicker walls.
Other changes were to negative earth wiring and and alternator, chunckier
boot lock handle, internal door latch handles, and quarter light window
handles. Plastic window winder and internal door pull handles. Crossflow
radiators running at higher pressures. The differential ratio was also
changed to 3.9 some time during 1970.
Most of theses changes took place within the earlier models production
run. This can actually be a source of frustration for anyone attempting
a factory original restoration, trying to work out some of these finer
details for your particular car. But at the same time presenting quite
an interesting research project. (It was actually this very reason that
sparked this entire Australian CKD history project in the Sprite Car Club.)
Original tyres fitted to cars in 1969 were Olympic GT Radials.
All Australian assembled Midgets were fitted with 1275cc engines,
an oil cooler, front sway bar, radial tyres, twin horns, and wire wheels
as standard.
The Leyland corporate badging used only on the later model cars
read "Leyland Australia" instead of "British Leyland".
Paint Types
CKD cars were sent to Australia painted in red primer only, the final
colour being applied locally using locally available paints and colours.
As a result the colours used on Australian Sprites and Midgets are different
to those assembled in the UK. Details of the paint type and colour can
be found on the compliance plate which is attached to the firewall near
the battery earth wire.
The paint colour name was prefixed with a single digit representing
the paint type:
The paint colour name was also followed by another single digit
representing the paint manufacturer:
Following are some of the colours that are known to have been used on
the various Sprite and Midget models:
The above list is compiled from colour names appearing on the compliance
plates of Australian assembled cars belonging to members of the Sprite
Car Club of Australia, and from people who have sumitted information to
this site. This list is in no way complete.
The BMC Australia Colour Range
As mentioned earlier, the colours used by BMC Australia were different to those used by the parent company in the UK. Can You Help?
I would like to build up a complete list the paint colour names and
codes that were used on cars assembled in Australia. Can anyone me assist
with this information? Or do you own an Australian car that I don't have
an original factory colour listed above? What are you waiting for? Please
send me a quick note and I'll add it to the list.
Cheers,
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