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Jim, I think Nigel & I use much the same system, although I would remove the whole lot, axle and springs as a single unit. It is easy enough for one person to manage. Jack the car up and support on axle stands close to, but not obstructing, the mounting plates for the front end of the rear springs. Use a timber support to spread the load if you can, but it isn't really essential. Get it reasonably high enough to give working space underneath. Support the axle on a trolly jack under the centre point of the diff.... MORE
My dad and have been restoring a '67 Austin-Healey Sprite for the past year. It had been sitting in his garage for 15 years when I decided to underwrite the project, if he did the work. Well, I think we've done a great job (we've certainly had a lot of fun restoring the ol' Brit together). But, in the end, we're left trying to tune two HS2 carburators and a fickle distributor (sans the point sets, replaced with an electronic ignition). So, I'm like to find someone in the club who might have some experience with this. Anyone? Thanks.... MORE
Just HAD to be ONE person to "bite" on that ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LMAO!!! Ed ******************** OH man, wire cutters...... "justbrits" 28675... MORE
My God, how old is the U-2? It does not seem practical to keep something that old in the air. I can't remember the year but it is so long ago that I can hardly remember good old Frances Gary Powers. Seriously, to keep it up and safe, do they have to completely re build them, like replace all wiring, rivets, panels, new Heritage shell, etc? Are they still building them new? Bob in San Diego "60 is not old.........if you are a tree!" "Robert D. Gardner" 28661... MORE
How about a short sleeve/bushing in the hole to keep the bolts in position and then nuts with appropriate washers underneath? Nelson "Nelson Wittstock" 28617... MORE
the 1" slave, (with the 3/4" master it makes for a easy clutch), and I do have the Datsun slave cylinder with the L hydrolic line direction, but I think it is 7/8". I am going to a heavy duty oil/hydrolic line supplier in Portland tomorrow to try to get a "Street 90" for my 1" slave cylinder. If they can't do one in a short enough L, is there a Datsun or ??? that is short enough? What do the racers with a 5 speed (the 5 speed switches sides of the transmission of the slave cylinder) and... MORE
I forgot to add, if you're not too bothered about originality, you can get ones that use an electric temperature sensor; these are more convenient if you need to remove the gauge from the dash, or the sender from the head or radiator. The original ones are usually ok if left in place - I only had to change mine because I needed to get the dashboard out, and the sensor bulb wouldn't unscrew from the head. Regards David "David Jacobs" 28589... MORE
Hi everyone Can anyone who may have worked on the gagues on our cars tell me if the cable/sender for the WATER TEMP portion of the dual gague can be removed/fixed? I see that they can be rebuilt and some rebuilts look like they have a new water line attached. I just wonder how this can be done. Any help or info on sites is appreciated. Mike "mk2sprite2000" 28585... MORE
Red was a very popular colour for the interior back in '64 - '66, usually with white bodywork. Was yours white? From '67 on Black became the 'colour of trend' for sports cars, and a lot of people actually took the trouble (and expense) of changing them. Never one to follow short term fashion trends, mine stayed red. I am sure it will become fashionable again soon. :-) R "Roger Stinson" 28539... MORE
Yeah... Vulcans are (were?) cool...thundrous as they shook the ground you were standing on. You could feel it "in your bones"!! As far as props go....radials...yeah... Besides the Merlin and later Sabre Napiers (Tempests, methinks?) the "choppy" radial (until they "turned up" at which time they began to sound almost "turbine" smooth) are also a favorite. But nothing (IMHO) beats the smell of castor oil and the staccato "brruppp, burrrup" of a rotary operating on a stick mounted ignition "kill switch" or button! :) Very kewl! :):) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 28500... MORE
G'day Alan (and Nigel) As Registrar of the Sprite Car Club of Australia, I am custodian to all our production records. I can tell you that the last Austin Healey Sprite produced was HAN9/85286, build in October 1969. The exact date was not recorded by the factory. HAN9U/84968 is 318 cars short of that last one. There were 20,552 Mk IV Sprites built between October 1966 and October 1969, an average of 18.77 per day. So on average, that's 17 days of production. "Your" car would have been built late September or early October 1969. The first Mk IV... MORE
I have just come across a 72 Midget for sale which the young female owner says has electric overdrive. Has anyone ever heard of this being an option on Midgets? I have not seen the car yet. Thanks for any info. Ian "mcalpine" 28482... MORE
Terrors aren't they? I silver soldered some repairs on my radiator about 28 years ago and it is still OK. No one is prepared to take the chance. How much are you having to pay for the new one Jim? Having looked at one of these overflow tanks (my car does not have one) it looks like it may be lead soldered as original (or it might just be the one I looked at) in which case you will have to lead solder it. The important thing if you do this is to increase the mechanical strength of the... MORE
Having looked at one of these overflow tanks (my car does not have one) it looks like it may be lead soldered as original (or it might just be the one I looked at) in which case you will have to lead solder it. The important thing if you do this is to increase the mechanical strength of the joint as well. Solder on its own will have a hard job holding it, because the split is quite wide. There are number of ways of doing this but there is no point in going into great detail if you... MORE
Looking at your post again, I think you mean that it is split in the shaped part of the tank. If this is the case, it will be very difficult to repair satisfactorily. Soft, or lead soldering would be a complete waste of time for this type of repair, without extra mechanical reinforcement. (ie a strip of metal shaped to the profile of the tank, somewhat wider than the split) This would be very difficult to hold in place whilst heating. Even after all this it might not be very effective. The other alternative is silver soldering, but if... MORE
What was the nominal voltage of the battery? "Roger Stinson" 28289... MORE
Otherwise known as killed spirits if my brain cells are connected right. I'll have a quick look in the book. Not recomended for electrical work though. R "Roger Stinson" 28288... MORE
Steve Woohoo! Many congrats. I don't think I am ahead of you Steve, I'm just finishing off the final primer coats on the passenger side wing ready for colour - that will be the last 'bit' on the car that needs to be colour coated. I still have both doors, bootlid and bonnet to colour coat as well. I don't know if you have this book or not - 'Restoring Sprites and Midgets - an Enthusiasts Guide' by Grahame Bristow (Brooklands Books) but it really is a very useful book in terms of reassembly. It's been written with the... MORE
but I don't think it really matters except on the soldered ends where it would prevent proper fusing of the solder to the wire. Further than you think. If you try and cut back to bright copper you get to the other end of the wire. It's also a problem in my radio controlled aeroplane wiring. Make sure you neutralize or throughly wash off any fluid or strong fluxes used to clean the wire or it will corrode through in no time. Terry "terry.isherwood" 28242... MORE
Weird. I put the battery on the bike and it fired right up. Go figure. "Virginia" 28231... MORE
Thanks for the replies guys, Oxiclean it is then , what would it be called in the UK ?, not Oxiclean I b et. Or now that I've finished remodelling the bathroom plumbers flux. And BTW ,it pays to read all the posts, I found a good answer under another sub ject heading Auto Electrical , Thanks Don, a useful site. Alan Just remembered what my dad used , 'Bakers Soldering Fluid' very caustic or acidic and made steel go rusty in a thrice. It had to be washed off thorou ghly. Came in a cream and red tin,... MORE
I also agree, I think it is oxidation and it does not make a good crimp connection. Rosen core solder is not good for "manly" cleaning chores like that. It makes a good flow if it is already quite clean. In that case, I take a blade and scrape or some sand paper or steel wool and shine up before soldering. Actually, I like to tin the wire and the connector first and shake off the excess solder then make a good mechanical connection ie crimping then flow solder and you know it is good to go. Cheers, Bob... MORE
Alan, I think you are right about the oxidation. I use a resin cored solder, but before that I use a soldering flux which seems to clean back to bright copper. You can buy small tubs of flux from DIY superstores or builders merchants (UK) - look at the plumbing counter. I have wondered how far back up under the insulation the black extends, but I don't think it really matters except on the soldered ends where it would prevent proper fusing of the solder to the wire. Guy "Guy Weller" 28205... MORE
Another trick I've found good for cleaning corroded wires has been to use the instant copper cleaner liquid, can't remember the name right now but comes in a black bottle. Dip the end of the wire in some in a small cup and let it sit for a minute or two and rinse and wipe clean. This will get rid of 99% of the corrosion and gives you a good solderable surface. Biff Jones '59 Bugeye, 'Kermit' '62 Sprite, 'Ole Gray' '71 Midget, 'Freebie' http://sprites2.homestead.com/ "Biff" 28206... MORE
When soldering new spade terminals and the like onto the end of old wires, the copper wire always seems to be black. I take this to be oxidisation and try to remove as much as possible before soldering. Using a resin cored solder the flux does not seem to clean the wire effect ively. crimping surely just traps the oxidisation between terminal and the copper, so not an effective joint. Scotchloks are not an option IMO. Any thoughts / recommendations? What is the cause of this blackening of th e wires? Is it due to a bad earth (ground)... MORE
