All I can say is "Way cool"!!!
Kudos Daniel
Jeff Church
AN5L 11627
-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Thompson <dthompson@gbc.ca>
To: 'spridgets@autox.team.net' <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Date: Wednesday, September 09, 1998 10:33 AM
Subject: start-up of a Sprite after 32 years (long)
>
>Yesterday was one of those days when being the owner of a British car seems
>worthwhile again.
>
>To make a long story short, after tearing apart my bugeye for total
>restoration last year I got itchy and bought a 1964 Mk3 Sprite. The car is
>red with red interior and wire wheels. It was driven in the summer of 1964
>and 1965 and then..........completely disassembled. Seems there was this
>local racing maniac who would buy 2 or 3 year old sprites and use them as
>feeders for his stable of race cars. Anyway, he bought this car with only
>20,000 miles on it and took it all to pieces (I mean all!). The shell got
>stored, on its side, against the wall of his workshop while all the
>mechanical and pretty bits were carefully labelled and stored way. He lost
>interest in racing a short time after and everything (about ten cars worth)
>sat for years and years. This gentleman passed away 2 years ago and a
>friend bought the whole lot from his wife.
>
>O.K., that's the background. I bought the entire car "as is" last fall. I
>have a very interesting video of the million parts involved spread out
>across my garage floor. I started to bolt it all together over the winter,
>hoping to be finished by spring (yeah, right!). No modifications, no 1275,
>no 5-speed, only new gaskets, hoses, seals, kits etc. etc. Did nothing to
>the engine, carbs, gearbox, etc. other than gaskets, seals and kits; same
>for the brakes.
>
>Finally got everything back together two weeks ago; my wife comes into the
>garage, looks at the car and says: "so I guess you should start it". I look
>back at her and realize she's right, nothing left to do but take the bugeye
>battery sitting in the corner, drop it in and turn the key for the first
>time in 32 years.................
>
>Crank it for pressure etc. etc. etc. Timing already done "by eye".
>
>Hook up the wires, notice fuel pump is doing nothing, put in another one,
>crank it some more, fuel in the carbs now, hook everything up again, turn
>the key and.........
>
>
>
>BAM - ZOOM, the bloody thing runs like a watch straight away. HO, HO, HO!
>Much dancing around and high fives. Engine still running like I'd just shut
>it off the day before! And the sound! The sound is absolutely glorious.
>I've heard a lot of 1098's, 948's, 1275's run, but even my well worn bugeye
>never sounded like this. SMOOOOOTH! Not a ratlle or a creak or a groan or a
>hiss anywhere. Just pure A series engine music circa 1964. If I sound
>excited.....I am. No oil leaks, hydraulics work just fine, gearbox working
>great, brakes work great....... radiator leaks like a sieve, who cares.
>Drive it around the block a few times, every head turns, what a sound, just
>wonderful! I always wished I was 35 years old in 1965, not 1998, so I could
>savor these cars new; now, I've had the chance to get a little taste of
>what it must have been like.
>
>Rad is now out to get recored/repaired, will be back tommorow (suddenly I'm
>in a big hurry). Want to drive it a couple hundred miles before I take it
>to Stowe British Invasion on the 19th.
>
>I would recommend this therapy to anyone who suffers from the
>job/family/responsibility blues. Don't give up on your restoration, the
>time will come when it is all worth it.
>
>More later,
>
>
>Daniel
>AN5 612 1/3 of the way back
>HAN8L 40474 back after 32 years waiting patiently....
>
>
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