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Feb 15, 2005 16:24:00 GMT
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My toy:      Only 948cc, so needs to be thrashed, but great fun to drive - very different from my Amazon!! I bought it last year, and am slowly sorting out a few things whilst using it. Sadly the body colour fuel cap (as seen in the 2nd pic) has been stolen - this and the boot handle were unique to the first few months of Mk2 Sprites. Now trying to find a way to get paint to adher to a replacement chome / stainless steel cap. It is essentially a Frogeye Sprite with the later Spridget front and rear panels, ie sidescreens & 1/4 elliptic leaf springs and radius arm rear suspension. When bought, a set of Mamba 13" x 5.5" alloy wheels were fitted:    Unfortunately the tyres scrubbed very badly on the square rear arches, even though they were just 155 wide, so I replaced them with the correct steel wheels & 145/80R13 tyres - now I can throw it into the corners much more, without hearing that dreaded rubbing noise from the rear tyres! However, I do much prefer the look of the Mamba wheels. Known history: genuine RHD, one of the first 5000 off the production line (vast majority were LHD, for export to the USA) and sold through a dealer in Birmingham. It was reregistered in 1986 (has an age-related numberplate) by a previous owner from Oldham, who died around 2001. A friend bought it at auction from his estate, but with no paperwork etc other than the V5, current MOT, & tax disc. If there was any history file / restoration photos etc, they weren't included with the car. However, a factory workshop manual was found in the boot, and several old tax discs in a door pocket, dating from the mid 1990s. The paintwork is definately old, and I know that there has been extensive bodywork done prior to the respray (new rear panel, repair sections let into the front wings etc). |
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Last Edit: Jan 9, 2022 14:12:42 GMT by Paul H
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I love this, pure Minimalist fun
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Jul 23, 2005 19:45:57 GMT
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Thanks - it's even more minimalist now, as this afternoon I removed the rear bumper and replaced it with Frogeye Sprite rear overriders*   *Fitted upside down, as per the basic spec version of the Sprite Mk2 (mine is actually deluxe spec ie tacho and full bumpers) but I think it really improves the look of the car. Saves weight too - with just 948cc, it needs all the help it can get ;D |
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Last Edit: Apr 1, 2020 19:22:45 GMT by Paul H: Pics fixed
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Nathan
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,650
Club RR Member Number: 1
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Jul 25, 2005 13:13:22 GMT
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very nice matey, will got some shots of my midget now, you have made me want to get mine out
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Sept 15, 2005 11:30:19 GMT
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On Saturday evening, the timing chain jumped - I wasn't expecting the engine to last long, but not for it to fail like this or quite so soon!! A replacement unit had already been stripped down ready for a rebuild, and more details will follow soon hopefully.
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Jun 26, 2006 10:58:08 GMT
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Quick update - a few problems were spotted during build up the new engine & the block needs to be line bored (but that's being done at the moment). The spec is: Basically a tough unit with plenty of potential for hot cylinder heads later on. However, once fitted and running, it's probably going to be up for sale. I've lost my storage for it and the only place I can keep it is at my Dad's in Devon (my sig shows it's arrival there) so I'll hardly ever get the chance to use it   |
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Last Edit: Jun 26, 2006 10:59:17 GMT by Paul H
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minimgbean
Kinda New
Project Gulf Completed
Posts: 4
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Jun 27, 2006 12:54:00 GMT
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I love your car! ( shame its red!)
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Aug 31, 2010 12:14:47 GMT
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About time I updated this thread...... Aside from hauling it out of the barn a few years ago (I *think* it was summer '07....) to wash it, and then fit a cover, not much has happened. Before:   After:    Unusually for me, this car is shiny even when dry! However it's now stuck in the barn until a load of other stuff is shifted first, so I wasn't able to push it outside, and see properly how kind or unkind the storage conditions have been. All does appear to have stayed dry under the cover though, and there wasn't any smell of damp inside (although fitted, the side screens were left open). Last time it was hauled out, the brakes still worked, but this time they were completely gone - pedal went straight to the floor, and the master cylinder is dry. No obvious signs of where it has leaked from, so a full brake rebuild is aslo now on the cards since it all needs checking over. However the battery was still holding power, which isn't bad as it hasn't been charged in the five years that the car has been off the road. The rebuilt engine is almost completed, and I have removed the original carbs to clean them up and replace the seals etc. Annoyingly I have managed to misplace the correct air filter casings and a decent radiator (which I bought but didn't fit whilst the car was still working) - it was running open trumpets and the current rad header is perforated, so I'm trying to source those items again. |
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Last Edit: Apr 1, 2020 19:25:21 GMT by Paul H
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Aug 31, 2010 13:31:35 GMT
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Great little car, this. I'd forgotten you had it! Reckon you'll get chance to drive it whilst the weather's good?
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Aug 31, 2010 14:41:46 GMT
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Thanks! I sometimes forget that I own it too - hence the pic in my sig, to remind me to do something about it..... Just realised that it will be five years next week since it last turned a wheel under its own power, although it didn't end up in the barn until about a year later.
It should be drivable again by early next year, certainly not this year though, as it's in north Devon and I'm in London! Fortunately the parts for the brakes aren't too expensive, even if I end up replacing everything. It should be out of the barn later this year as everything is due to be shifted around then, and hopefully then I'll get it raised up so I can work on it properly.
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Last Edit: Aug 31, 2010 14:43:01 GMT by Paul H
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Aug 31, 2010 15:53:43 GMT
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My dad has one of these, a 1962 model, they are apparently quite rare now!
His is also sitting in storage, in my garage to be precise. I need to get him to get it out as:
a) want the space for my stuff :-)
b) I want to drive it too, as when I was first learning to drive I got to drive it and it is such a nice little thing to drive around!
It didn't need much doing to make it road worthy when it was put in the garage. but is nowhere near as original as yours tho.
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Last Edit: Aug 31, 2010 15:54:29 GMT by trogdor
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Sept 1, 2010 11:23:51 GMT
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There was a time when many half decent Mk2s were used as donors for restoring the much more valuable Frogeyes, so yes they are pretty rare now compared to the other versions. Not sure how original mine is - it has had some previous restoration work, which needs tweaking to bring it to the correct spec (later rear panel), and of course there's those S/S sill covers...
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May 12, 2011 11:07:21 GMT
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Sadly the only recent progress has been accumulating the necessary parts to get the old heap running again. The final rocker gear & a few detail parts should hopefully be arriving at my engine builder (brother) this week, and so the engine should be finished shortly. However, I've also managed to find a correct steering wheel for sensible money, which arrived yesterday ;D. They are usually well into three figure sums (at the time of writing, a NOS one is on ebay for just under £1K  ) which is a silly level of scene tax imho. It's not an especially exciting design, but is unique to Mk1 & 2 Sprites, with not many surviving since many were ditched years ago due to its size. That is the last of the rare parts sorted, so the rest is a case of install rebuilt engine, sort the brakes, replace the tyres and take it for an MOT. However, it isn't as simple as that, as a past owner has painted the engine bay with what looks like black hammerite, and when the engine is out, I want to sort that out and get it back into the body colour. After that, all depends on the MOT, or more to the point, how badly it fails..... |
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Last Edit: Apr 1, 2020 19:27:15 GMT by Paul H
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May 12, 2011 11:56:38 GMT
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so when's your trip down to Devon going to happen then mate? Be nice to see her on the road  |
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May 12, 2011 16:05:58 GMT
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I don't know to be honest - it has been off the road for far too long though. Unfortunately it's currently blocked into a corner of the barn at my father's, with a huge stack of crates inches from the back bumper, so I can't actually get it out. However the crates won't be shifted until one of the other outbuildings there is in a fit state to house them again. The roof collapsed the other year in the heavy snowfall, and as the whole site is listed, the heritage people are very kindly being an utter pain about the necessary repair work, even though it isn't actually being altered..... Once that is all sorted, the Sprite will be hauled into the other end of the afore mentioned outbuilding, put up on stands and then I'll be able to start work on sorting it out. Then there are also a few areas of bodywork that will probably need work, but due to the good availability of panels, I may take this on myself... However I have a horrible feeling that it's all going to be some time before I will have access to it, so the rebuilt engine will probably be crated up & stored for a while |
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Potter
Part of things
'E who dares wins,eh Rodders??!
Posts: 304
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May 12, 2011 18:00:22 GMT
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Awesome little Austin mate!
Looks like a whole heap of fun!
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More cars than sense or money!🙄
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Apr 21, 2020 17:53:32 GMT
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Really like both of your cars do you still have the Sprite.
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Apr 21, 2020 22:00:44 GMT
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Thank you, and yes. Nothing has been done to it though, except it was moved into a different outbuilding about ten years ago. Occasionally when over there, the cover comes off & my daughters get to play in it. Given that one of them was specifically asking to watch 'Find it, Fix it, Drive it' the other day (I had shown them the Wolseley Hornet episode as propaganda as my Sprite shares its resting place with my father's wrecked 1933 Riley 9) and also Car SOS, then I guess I need to get it fixed for them to use one day... At least that gives me another decade! Whilst I am doing nothing with it at the moment (energy & bank balance currently being taken up filling a pair of holes in the water with money), I am loath to sell it as I won't be able to afford another of the same type as I don't like the later wind-up window versions as much as the sidescreen ones.
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The early Sprites and Midgets are lovely machines. I got a 1500 Midget project about 15 years ago and left it with a body shop to do the welding and paint. After 3 1/2 years with them I got it back to find they had done very little. Sold it in a strop. Unfortunately I can no longer get in and out of a Spridget as the last one I tried I had to crawl out on my hands and knees! I think I have similar car tastes to you as currently I have an 88 Volvo 740 estate and a 63 Morris Minor. Mind you an Amazon is one of my dream cars.
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Apr 22, 2020 18:56:31 GMT
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These Sprites are great cars, here is mine next to a Frogeye that I used to own.
Sadly it hasn't been used much lately, the MOT ran out in 2013 and then due to a mixture of circumstances it was left in the garage until I recommissioned it in 2018 for Spridget 60 where it rained all day and we went home early!
It hasn't moved a wheel since :-(
I bought it in 2000 and had it rebuilt by 2001, I went all over the place in it and even went to Holland once.
If I had to sell everything I own this would be the last thing to go, too many happy memory of places and people now gone.
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) which is a silly level of scene tax imho. It's not an especially exciting design, but is unique to Mk1 & 2 Sprites, with not many surviving since many were ditched years ago due to its size.
