Subject: [Spridgets] Sprite jobs update

From: Weslake1330 via Spridgets <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 18 May 2024 20:58:06 +0100

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Hi List,

In the past a lister would occasionally post a project update for the other
listers and since my wife has no interest in what I'm doing to my Sprite I
thought I'd post an update here!

The engine is out of my Sprite at the moment and simply wire wheeling some
rust and flaky paint off for a tidy up and brush painting in the engine bay
has escalated into a series of other small jobs.

My car has the Frontline front top link etc conversion which bolts to the
car using the three original captive nuts + a nut and bolt that you drill a
hole for.  Well, now I have a small welder I've decided to fit a captive
nut to replace the 'loose' nut.  I thought about cleaning the zinc coating
off a nut for welding it but in the end decided to buy some hexagon bar and
drill and tap it to make a nut that I can weld on that will actually
looking similar to the originals.  I bought the bar twice because I failed
to correctly understand how bar was measured and the first section was
smaller than I intended.  The tap and drill for this arrived today and just
as well I already had a UNF tap because what arrived was UNC tap.  I wish
I'd just bought the drill now.  With my newish floor standing pillar drill
and vice that I can, and did, clamp onto the drill table I thought drilling
would be a cinch and and it was but not very accurate.  So, I have one
piece drilled and tapped instead of two.  I guess I need to put the bar in
my vice and get it accurately vertical by using a spirit level on it before
I clamp everything down.  I have already worked out that I need to allow
enough room to change drill bits (working up from something small) without
disturbing anything.

I have had a copper hard fuel line in the car that I fitted possibly 30
years ago, maybe 35 years ago.  There was nothing wrong with it except when
I drilled a hole for a clip to secure the pipe on that original
installation, I chewed the pipe with the drill chuck. To get around a
possible leak (the pipe was deeply cut but not all the way through, I slid
a short length of hose over it and secured it with a couple of jubilee
clips. Well it always bugged me to look at it and I have now replaced the
whole front to back copper pipe with Kunifer pipe.  On my car I have
something I don't think I've ever seen on anyone elses, including hundreds
of racing cars of all types, and that's a hard line connecting with a
threaded fitting to a threaded fitting on braided s/s hose.  It needs a
special nut (forget the proper name) an Olive and then a flare on the pipe
end.  I've done one end and it's ok (but not yet tested under pressure).
Kunifer pipe doesn't bend as easily as copper and while I've managed just
about, I've bought a small pipe bender for the pipe at the rear. I need to
finish the rear of the job but want to leave the car jacked up at the front
for other stuff before working on the rear.

While fitting the new fuel hardline in the trans tunnel and using new clips
I decided to remove the bracket that supports the gearbox - my Sprite has
the Ford based 5-speed conversion.  I removed the bracket because I wanted
to cut the 90-degree ends to become 45 degree ends not so much for the (23
grammes) weight saving but so it looked neater and was less likely for me
to bang my head, hand, or whatever on whenever I am working under the car.
I then replaced bolts (black oxide in UNC) with UNF ARP s/s with the small
wrenching head (that I love!) and Nylock nuts rather than the plain ones
that were on before.  Then I took it back off (!) to move the brake line
that was either moved for the conversion, or when I (not that long ago-
last year?) replaced the copper brake line with Kunifer.  The brake line is
neater now and I also moved a clip to make sure it was clamped adequately
in its new place.

So hours and hours of work for a few simple tidying up jobs while the
engine is out and my only regret is not sharing some of the other stuff
I've also done while the engine it out.

When I weld the new captive nuts on for the Frontline top link I'll also be
wire wheeling and painting everything that needs it and replacing the
wishbones and pans with brand new ones.

Regards

Daniel

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<div dir=3D"ltr">Hi List,<div><br></div><div>In the past a lister would occ=
asionally post a project update for the other listers and since my wife has=
 no interest in what I&#39;m doing to my Sprite I thought I&#39;d post an u=
pdate here!</div><div><br></div><div>The engine is out of my Sprite at the =
moment and simply wire wheeling some rust and flaky paint off for a tidy up=
 and brush painting in the engine bay has escalated into a series of other =
small jobs.</div><div><br></div><div>My car has the Frontline front top lin=
k etc conversion which bolts to the car using the three original captive nu=
ts=C2=A0+ a nut and bolt that you drill a hole for.=C2=A0 Well, now I have =
a small welder I&#39;ve decided to fit a captive nut to replace the &#39;lo=
ose&#39; nut.=C2=A0 I thought about cleaning the zinc coating off a nut for=
 welding it but in the end decided to buy some hexagon bar and drill and ta=
p it to make a nut that I can weld on that will actually looking similar to=
 the originals.=C2=A0 I bought the bar twice because I failed to correctly =
understand how bar was measured and the first section was smaller than I in=
tended.=C2=A0 The tap and drill for this arrived today and just as well I a=
lready had a UNF tap because what arrived was UNC tap.=C2=A0 I wish I&#39;d=
 just bought the drill now.=C2=A0 With my newish floor standing pillar dril=
l and vice that I can, and did, clamp onto the drill table I thought drilli=
ng would be a cinch and and it was but not very accurate.=C2=A0 So, I have =
one piece drilled and tapped instead of two.=C2=A0 I guess I need to put th=
e bar in my vice and get it accurately vertical by using a spirit level on =
it before I clamp everything down.=C2=A0 I have already worked out that I n=
eed to allow enough room to change drill bits (working up from something sm=
all) without disturbing anything.</div><div><br></div><div>I have had a cop=
per hard fuel line in the car that I fitted possibly 30 years ago, maybe 35=
 years ago.=C2=A0 There was nothing wrong with it except when I drilled a h=
ole for a clip to secure the pipe on that original installation, I chewed t=
he pipe with the drill chuck. To get around a possible leak (the pipe was d=
eeply cut but not all the way through, I slid a short length of hose over i=
t and secured it with a couple of jubilee clips. Well it always bugged me t=
o look at it and I have now replaced the whole front to back copper pipe wi=
th Kunifer pipe.=C2=A0 On my car I have something I don&#39;t think I&#39;v=
e ever seen on anyone elses, including hundreds of racing cars of all types=
, and that&#39;s a hard line connecting with a threaded fitting to a thread=
ed fitting on braided s/s hose.=C2=A0 It needs a special nut (forget the pr=
oper name) an Olive and then a flare on the pipe end.=C2=A0 I&#39;ve done o=
ne end and it&#39;s ok (but not yet tested under pressure).=C2=A0 Kunifer p=
ipe doesn&#39;t bend as easily as copper and while I&#39;ve managed just ab=
out, I&#39;ve bought a small pipe bender for the pipe at the rear. I need t=
o finish the rear of the job but want to leave the car jacked up at the fro=
nt for other stuff before working on the rear.</div><div><br></div><div>Whi=
le fitting the new fuel hardline in the trans tunnel and using new clips I =
decided to remove the bracket that supports the gearbox - my Sprite has the=
 Ford based 5-speed conversion.=C2=A0 I removed the bracket because I wante=
d to cut the 90-degree ends to become 45 degree ends not so much for the (2=
3 grammes) weight saving but so it looked neater and was less likely for me=
 to bang my head, hand, or whatever on whenever I am working under the car.=
=C2=A0 I then replaced bolts (black oxide in UNC) with UNF ARP s/s with the=
 small wrenching head (that I love!) and Nylock nuts rather than the plain =
ones that were on before.=C2=A0 Then I took it back off (!) to move the bra=
ke line that was either moved for the conversion, or when I (not that long =
ago- last year?) replaced the copper brake line with Kunifer.=C2=A0 The bra=
ke line is neater now and I also moved a clip to make sure it was clamped a=
dequately in its new place.</div><div><br></div><div>So hours and hours of =
work for a few simple tidying up jobs while the engine is out and my only r=
egret is not sharing some of the other stuff I&#39;ve also done while the e=
ngine it out.</div><div><br></div><div>When I weld the new captive nuts on =
for the Frontline top link I&#39;ll also be wire wheeling and painting ever=
ything that needs it and replacing the wishbones and pans with brand new on=
es.</div><div><br></div><div>Regards</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><di=
v>Daniel</div></div>

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