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  #1  
Old 11-05-2017, 06:07 AM
Dantheman84 Dantheman84 is offline
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Default Spridget Rebuild

Hi There
My Name is Daniel and I'm from Victoria, Australia. I thought I would start a thread on my 1964 Austin Healey Sprite rebuild. Before sharing my project I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank this site for the information, knowledge and options that it provides for all things Metalshaping. I spend many hours sifting through the information on here which provides me with much more confidence in the tasks that I approach.

My project is a 1964 Austin Healey Sprite. I've had the car for a couple of years now but only in the last 6 months have I started to do some work on it. I plan to fully rebuild the car as it is in quite poor condition. Being an open top car, it has had it's fair share of rust, so I thought it best to start at the front of the car and work my way back. My plan is at this stage to make a Sebring replica Alloy body for it but this is still in the planning stage. At the moment I'm working on getting all the inner body structure sound and rust free before I move onto the outer. I just thought I'd share some photos and text of my project thus far. I will post a couple of photos to start with of what the car looked like when I bought it.
Cheers
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Old 11-05-2017, 06:53 AM
RockHillWill RockHillWill is offline
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That looks like a fun project. keep us posted on your progress.
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Old 11-05-2017, 06:54 AM
turbo510 turbo510 is offline
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Name:  IMG_20150404_154752.jpg
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Size:  79.0 KBGreat project Daniel.

If you need some measurements for the Sebring front you are welcome to measure up mine. It's a glass nose and has been on the car since the early 80's.

I'm in Victoria too, SE suburbs.
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Old 11-05-2017, 07:03 AM
cliffrod cliffrod is offline
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Looks like a fun project, Daniel- even though I was raised as a Triumph person so any accommodation of MG's was not allowed....

My old TR3B needs a lot of work as well and I have long thought about doing a body or at least a number of parts in alloy instead of steel. I'll be interested in whatever you post.
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Old 11-05-2017, 08:01 AM
Rick Mullin Rick Mullin is offline
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Sounds like a fun project. My first car was a Bugeye Sprite and I have always wished to buy one and make it what I dreamed about when I was 16 (cross flow head, Weber, etc.). I thought of making alloy panels for no other reason than that it would be fun. I was not aware that the Sebring car was alloy. Was the entire car / chassis alloy or just portions? Unfortunately, Time and money prevent me from taking on such a project. I will have to be satisfied watching your car develop. Post lots of pictures.

Rick
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Old 11-05-2017, 12:59 PM
Gareth Davies Gareth Davies is offline
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Other than the drivers side sill and maybe the door bottoms it doesn’t look like it’s in too bad a condition. It seems like it has been pretty unloved though so maybe the underneath will reveal worse corrosion.
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Old 11-05-2017, 01:00 PM
vroom vroom is offline
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Nice project. One caution: DO NOT start removing panels until you have tied all the major chassis points down. I bought a Sprite once from someone who had done this and I got his bowl of jelly pile of parts really cheap.
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Old 11-05-2017, 02:01 PM
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mr.c mr.c is offline
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Daniel: Seeing this has brought a big smile across my face. I have been a spridget guy for fifty years. I started racing a MKII in 1968. I had some serious fun with that car. I still have it and a ton (maybe more) of spares. The racecar was a 948cc. 9000 rpm in top gear was pretty exciting.
I also have a MKIV which is a roll up window car like yours. I got the convertible car thing out of my system and put on a hardtop and built an air conditioner for it. It sits now with a turbocharger and 45dcoe weber carburetor on a 1098cc motor. Big fun! This car is on my restoration list if I live long enough.
Then there was the Buick v8 powered Sprite that I drove for a Jaguar Racing Team that I was associated with. I was deemed the only one crazy enough to drive it , I guess. That was a REALLY neat car that I wish that I had.
So, your project is very interesting to me. If I can be of any help, just ask.
Start looking for a supply of rear axles. I twisted off a bunch of them. But I also presented them with a hard life. Some broke street driving however.
Have fun man and keep us posted.
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  #9  
Old 11-06-2017, 04:45 AM
Dantheman84 Dantheman84 is offline
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Thanks everyone for the interest and encouragement in this thread, it's much appreciated.
Jake, thanks for the kind offer, I will most likely take you up on that as I don't have any reference points to start with yet. Yours looks great, love the color with the wheels!!
Rick, Sebring Sprites originally used the factory inner body structure, and some of the outer body panels were then made in Alloy. Door skins, hardtops, complete rear body sections were made in alloy or a combination of alloy and fibreglass. The chassis and inner structure was all steel though from what I have read.
Carey, thanks for the encouragement, appreciate it. I'm sure that I'll need to know something along the way. Sounds like you've had some real fun in these cars, I cannot wait to get mine on the road
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Old 11-06-2017, 04:53 AM
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neilb neilb is offline
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good luck with it dan, did you bring it over from the uk or was it aus delivered?
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