MG Car Repair: MG Midget - cutting out, no restart, fuel starvation, emery boards

Question
Hi. My 1975 Gan-6 Midget has been off the road for 12 years. My friends recently worked on it and serviced it and passed mot. When it starts its fine. But a problem has arisen. Sometimes the engine will just die during driving, car slows to a stop, will not restart. once my friend managed to restart having taken fuel cap off, undone fuel line into pump and sucked petrol through. Next time it stopped outside a garage, they charged fuel tank with airline and disconnected fuel line to fuel pump and blew through - it started. 2 days ago, i went to start car - it started 1st time but stalled as choke pull slipped - went to restart - nothing - turning over but will not fire-up - have released petrol filler cap, checked fuel lines into pump, taken lid of pump and blown through - nothing - will not fire-up. My freinds seem to think a fuel sender fault in tank ?  Help - any ideas. Thanks. ps. as you might guess, I am not that "technical".

Answer
Hi Noel.  Sounds like fuel starvation due to a faulty fuel pump.

They do play up if they are left for 12 years.  When you have left the car overnight and you turn the ignition key, before you hit the starter, can you hear the pump ticking as it re-fills the fuel lines?  It should sound like a fast ticking that gradually slows and stops.  If it is a slow chug-a, chug-a noise, then the pump is lazy and needs attention.  Take the lid off the pump and clean the points inside using one of those emery boards that you can buy to buff your fingernails.  That will probably do it.  

If it sounds no better after that, then unless you are confident to strip and rebuild the pump, it might be easier to exchange it for a new one.