Neil Raven's AH Sprite Restoration

Click on thumbnails for an enlarged image!

I live up in sunny Leeds and am currently restoring the car in the pictures. I sent a list of bits required to complete the project to our local Moss store and nearly died when I got the quote! Although saying that they are very good and stock nearly everything I want.

I am trying to use as many secondhand parts as possible to keep the cost down but I don't think I dare add up all the bills I have! I initially started out with a 1500 rubber bumper model to restore but realised it would be un-economical to do unless I re-shelled it. So the search was on for a new shell, which I found at Central England sports cars in Oxford. Although it wasn't a rubber bumper model or an MG it was tax exempt and the chrome bumper model I really wanted. So I bought the 1969 Austin Healey Sprite shell and decided to use as many parts from the 1500 as possible and 'find' the rest! I am hoping that it will be complete for the new year but I think I could find myself wondering around the Auto jumble at the NEC in January looking for bits to finish it off!

 

Update 19/3/99.

At last I have managed to get off my backside and get these pictures scanned in. They cover the period of doom and gloom that was December and January when I found the engine I had installed displayed nil oil pressure whislt running. So my photo album now has pictures of the engine going in, the engine coming out and, once my latest film is developed, the engine going back in again!

A couple of these pictures show my engine being 're-worked' and were kindly taken by the guys at the engine place. Although I have moaned about them before they actually did a good job, they just neglected to tell me I needed to set the valve clearances. I have also thrown a couple of pictures of my original 1500 Midget, the one that started all this. She looks a bit sorry for herself in one picture but is resting in peace besdie my garage now, waiting for that final trip to the scrap yard in the sky.

At the moment I am in the process of fitting the N/S door and have only the heater blower, grille, boot lid and bonnet ot fit before she's ready to fly so all being well April should see her on the road, what a day that will be.

Here we are at last, couple of pictures of the end product. As you can see I ahven't quite finished her, no bung in the jacking point and waxoyl seeeping out, but nothing major!

Words & Images (c) Neil Raven 1998/99
Updated 19th March 1999