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Guys, If you are interested I have started to put together a website on my cars progress http://www.pondhop.com/sprite/Default.htm Duncan "Duncan Sinclair" 29878... MORE
Well, I might just be interested in a sound bugeye. Guy "Guy Weller" 29868... MORE
When the tip of my key broke off and got left behind in the cylinder of my 78 Midget, I learned that getting it dissected and fixed by a locksmith would cost roughly the same (or more) as a whole new assembly at Moss, so I went for the new set. Now I have two original brand-new keys and a reliable cylinder. Pulling the steering column to access and replace the unit was fairly simple. There are maybe 6 to 8 bolts that hold the whole thing together. If I did it, I suspect you can too. Steve www.1978mgmidget.com... MORE
Neil... I too have been told the same about the 3.7 diff from Bill Perry of Rivergate (and he oughta know!). In my discussion with him on this (I've used a 3.7 for many moons) it became apparent that it's all in how the individual driver treats his machinery. Does he transfer gobs of power instantly, or not. IOW, does he/she beat on it? My current 3.7 diff came out of my '74 Vizardized Spridget..90+hp at the wheels. I put about 10K on the car annually for 12 years or so, then it saw service in my '67 Sprite... MORE
G'day all Good point Alan. Sprites and Midgets (and many other BMC cars) were assembled here by the Austin Motor Company (Australia) Pty Ltd, in an inner Sydney suburb of Zetland. The site was sold off for residential and industrial use some 20 years ago. Fortunately there are a few guys who worked for BMC during the 1950's and 1960's who meet a few times a year, and who visit interested car clubs to talk about their experiences, show photos of the cars being constructed etc. It's great that these guys are still around sharing their knowledge. There was... MORE
Its very true! I started out with a '78 1500. Now I have my 71' Sprite. I keep finding myself looking at pictures of a MK II. Those clean lines around the windscreen without quarter lights, those deep door pockets and lovely round top seats........And then people talk of the smoothness of the 1098 engine....I can feal the addiction growing! Of course I would really like a frogeye, but that is for a later stage in my regression! Guy "Guy Weller" 29850... MORE
You have forgotten something important.. A '62 Sprite will be a quarter elliptic car, it can't be reshelled with a M kIII shell which will be built for a semi elliptic car, unless the shell is modified. Stewart "Ford Prefect" 29845... MORE
Nigel- Couldn't agree more. Can't imagine ever letting go of my '73, but I find myself doing more and more research on frogeyes. I know where this is leading......I am weak..... The early cars have a character and style all their own. Once you REALLY appreciate a later model, it's only a matter of time! Paul '73 RWA "dfwip" 29843... MORE
David Good post, I agree. Would be such a shame to reshell a '62 Sprite into a later bodyshell, losin =3D=0D g many of the features that made those Sprites distinctive. But I accept one =3D=0D has too be reasonable about these things, and many of use don't have bottomless =3D=0D pits of money to sink into our hobbies. I also tend to agree regarding the MKII Sprite and MKI Midget being one of =3D=0D the 'nicest' versions. I always felt that the later MKIII Midgets MKIV Spri =3D=0D tes were the best but I'm coming round to the... MORE
Richard I am restoring a 65 Sprite and originally intended to use a new shell or at least the basic tub (no front wings, doors, bonnet or boot lid) to do this I would have had to modify the rear deck to suit the roadster hood. When my local supplier quoted me 1750 for the tub I changed my mind and set to work restoring the old body. All the panels are available and at least the Sprite will retain more of it's original metal (maybe not that much more) this way. If you re-hell a car you are... MORE
Well looked at it,then looked again the next week,and well l wanted them wheels for my 67 sprite,so l got it a 78 1500 there will be other bits on it l can use for my car, but will have a good engine and box for sale in a few weeks time 67000 miles from new, dam shame realy to break it but doors etc will fit mine,one wing has a bit of rot but the other side is fine,bumpers are the same very good,and yes before you moan at me l should restore it but doing this 67... MORE
It's probably a 'Farina' Austin A40. Was it like this? http://www.avonhill.com/thumbnails/classic/1959_Austin_A40.jpeg Regards David "David Jacobs" 29825... MORE
Richard The answer to this question depends entirely on what YOU want or your girlfriend wants. Do you want a 62 Sprite in a new Mark III bodyshell? Do you want an 'original' 62 Sprite? Is resell value important to you? Are you going to resell it? Is originality important to you? You need to answer these questions, to find the right answer for you. I can =3D=0D guide you, I can point out the pitfalls of both ways, but at the end of the =3D=0D day you must make the decision based on what you or your girlfriend... MORE
Hello there, My girlfriend has a MkII AH Sprite that's in prety poor condition. The restorer who has the car at the moment has recommended that it be rebodied but it seems that you can't get new Sprite MkII bodies so he is now proposing to fit a MkIV(?) body and all the extra that that requires such as door locks and winding windows. As this is going to be an expensive job I'm a little concerned that the car she'll end up with will not be of much interest to other Sprite buyers as it'll effectivly be a... MORE
Jens, look in the photos section . In the RESTO SHOW album. Two Frogeyes , the blue one with the supercharger is not actually Iris blue, but everyone thinks that it is **. I think its as good as if not better. ** All Is this how the confusion over BRG came about, people using a generic name to describe what they got, I don't know what Leaf green or Aintree green is but if you said British Racing green I'd have a good idea of what you meant.? Alan "Alan" 29793... MORE
Jeremy Quite correct; and you're about the only person to actually 'see' the point I'm trying to make, which is whatever colours were applied in Australia bear no relevance whatsoever to colours applied elsewhere in the world, because those colours were only used in the 'Australian' market. You could pretty much claim that Frogeyes were painted green with yellow spots in Australia - no-one else in the world would really care. But to claim that BRG is an 'official' Frogeye paint scheme is wrong for three reasons, firstly because if it was used in Australia how is that relevant... MORE
G'day guys I really don't want to continue this line of discussion, and this will be my last email on the subject. However, as I stated in my last email: There has been too much incorrect info published and accepted as "gospel" without checking what might have been done with regard the many thousand cars built here. Terry Horler's book is truly an excellent publication, but there are some areas in which it is simply incorrect. And Australian paint colours is one of those areas. As Registrar of the Sprite Car Club of Australia, I am keeper of the... MORE
I am in need on one sill molding strip for my 74. When I purchased it the PO had mounted those broad chrome/stainless steel? sill covers, fortunately only for show as the sills were not rusted out and did not need hiding behind broad strips of shiny metal. I want to restore back to the simple chrome sill strip. I have one from my 73 which to use which was missing one and now need an additional one, won't be using them on the 73 as it is now my bugeye bonnet spridget. It is Moss item number 459-895... MORE
Oh my god I've been sucked in! I think the difference of opinion is a semantic one about what consitutes an OE colour. Nigel feels it's only the colours that were applied in England, Colin feels that if they were applied by Austin Austrialia (or whatever the subsidiary were called) then it's OE. I think you could probably construct a pretty good argument for both cases. be my last "gospel" some one of records of ID some register racing (1), what was cars "Jeremy Cogman" 29776... MORE
I have lived in London for a spell, about four months, and visited Great Britain on many occasions and have British friends who visit me on occasion. A history of British cars . . . 60 bugeye Sprite, 63 Sprite, TR4, 62 Midget, 73 Midget, now with a 60 bugeye bonnet, 74 Midget, and a 69 Midget parts car I have always noticed a propensity for the British to classify information in far greater increments that we in the US. One could say a bit anal about information. I am in danger of stereotyping here, but I would say... MORE
In my junkyard explorations today I came across an Austin car that I had never seen before. It was rear drive hardtop coupe, had a 948 in the cab with a single downdraft carb. Drum brakes all round, most of the markings and nameplates were missing. It looked like an Austin Amercia or Morris 1100, but was rear drive. (c. 1964?) It had a faded rear deck lid that appeared to be A40. I was interested in the rear ratio.... hmmmm? "riley_datsun" 29772... MORE
Colin Well I think you just proved the point - that the Australians pretty much painted the cars whatever colour they fancied painting them. Who's ever heard of Carnation Red, Bill Blue or Bard Grey? Are you serious? Quite how you can sit there with a straight face and claim that British Racing Green was an 'official' colour for Bug/Frogeye's is well beyond me. I'll repeat it again for you - British Racing Green never has, never was nor ever will be a Bug/Frogeye OE colour. Whatever Australians fancied painting their cars is and was entirely up to them... MORE
I too was out in a junkyard today looking around. I went to the junk yard because they said they had some leather fiero seats. I did not find any of those, but did run across a beautiful 79 Midget with NO rust and a perfect interior. Motor was out of a triumph and did not run. Come to find out, the car is a friend of the body manager's car. It's not for sale, but instead, it's in transit into a different storage place. Too bad, this car is showroom shiny, and that's with the original paint job.... MORE
Stewart I would be the first to admit that Terry Horler's book contains errors, albeit minor ones. But I can quote you 3 different sources that state that Teal Blue was not a colour option on 1500 Midgets, so in this instance I think Terry Horler is correct. There's a couple of things that I don't quite understand about why you think your car is painted in Teal Blue. Firstly - what makes you think it's Teal Blue? there are no paint codes on the bodywork, in fact the only way you can guess at it's colour is by... MORE
Excellent Sprite and Midget boards at www.mgcars.org.uk so the MGA one is probably just as good. "Jeremy Cogman" 29761... MORE
