The Midget body is a monocoque steel structure with bolt-on front wings and bonnet. The floor, sills, and bulkhead are all load-bearing, corrosion in these areas is structurally significant and represents a serious safety concern even though Midgets are now MOT-exempt under the 40-year rolling rule. Heritage body shells manufactured using original factory press tooling represent the most accurate method of restoring a structurally compromised car, while individual repair panels are available for localised corrosion where the rest of the structure remains sound.
Heritage Body Shells
Heritage shells are available for four production specifications: 1967 to 1969 (Sprite HAN9 and Midget GAN4); 1969 to 1971 (Sprite HAN10/AAN10 and Midget GAN5 to 105500); 1971 to 1974 (Midget GAN5-105501 to 153920, round wheel arch); and 1974 to 1979 (Midget GAN6, rubber bumper, RHD only). All shells are finished in black electrocoat primer, the motor industry standard immersion etch process that provides coverage into all cavities and box sections, withstanding 800 hours of salt spray and providing an ideal base for primer and final colour coats.
Corrosion Hotspots
Key corrosion hotspots include the sills (particularly the lower section corroding outward from the box section), floor pans (attacked from both sides by moisture trapped beneath the carpets and road spray underneath), rear wheel arches (trapped mud and debris behind inner liners), front chassis legs at the crossmember junction, the boot floor around the battery tray where acid spillage accelerates corrosion, and the A-post bases where water tracks down from the screen seal.
Front Wings
Front wings differ between three body styles: square arch (1967 to 1971 chrome-bumper Midgets, including the 1970 to 1971 GAN5 facelift cars), round arch (1972 to 1974 chrome-bumper Midgets, GAN5-105501 onwards from January 1972), and rubber bumper (1500 GAN6, 1974 to 1979).
Sills
Three outer sill specifications exist, distinguished by the number of jacking point holes and the presence of Midget badge mounting holes: one jacking point without badge holes (earliest specification), one jacking point with Midget badge holes, and two jacking points with Midget badge holes (later specification). The inner sill is the critical structural member, fitting a new outer sill over a corroded inner sill masks the structural problem and is a common trap in poor-quality restorations. The correct replacement sequence is to remove the outer sill, fully assess the inner sill condition, replace the inner if corroded, then fit the new outer sill. Stainless steel over-sills are also available in single and twin jacking point configurations as a decorative and protective covering.
Doors, Bonnets, and Boot Lids
Replacement door skins, complete doors, and hinge pin kits address door-related corrosion and wear. Two bonnet assemblies were produced across 1500 production: an earlier semi-universal type (up to chassis GAN6-183739) accepting all three bonnet stay arrangements, left-hand stay rod, right-hand stay rod, and telescopic stay, and a later type (from GAN6-183740 onward) accepting the telescopic stay only, with a different front corner buffer. The bonnet specification must be confirmed by chassis number before ordering. Boot lid assemblies, outer skins, boot seals, hinges, and boot lock mechanisms are available for all marks.
Floor Pans and Chassis Repairs
Floor pan repair sections, spring mounting repairs, chassis leg repairs, and the complete front chassis frame assembly are available individually. Floor pan repairs should be seam-welded and sealed properly, lap joints that trap moisture between the layers will corrode rapidly from the inside. All exposed metal from bodywork repairs should be treated with rust converter before priming, and cavity wax injected into all accessible box sections.
Glazing and Seals
Windscreen glass is available in laminated clear and tinted specifications. Quarter light assemblies differ across three production periods. Drop glass, glazing seals, and weather strips are all stocked, perished weather seals are a common cause of water leaks into the footwells and sill cavities, so they should be renewed whenever the glass is removed for any other reason.
Roll Bar and Rust Protection
A roll bar provides additional rollover protection and is required for most competition regulations. Roll bars are available in standard fitment for road use and strengthened versions for motorsport. As a general principle, any time a body panel or repair section is removed, the opportunity should be taken to inspect adjacent structure, apply rust preventative treatment to exposed metal, and inject cavity wax into any accessible box sections, prevention is always cheaper than the next round of repair panels.