Bugeye Sprite Resoration - Where do I start?

[MG Lily]

My dad and I found a great deal on a bugeye sprite. We met with the owner and we are about to settle on a price. All parts for assembly come with it, including a bonnet. The whole thing is basically rust free, just some spots of surface rust. I don't have any pictures, but so far all thats on the shell are the doors, fender things, the flooring, the steering wheel rod, and the rods that the wheels will go on. (I don't know my car parts very well, sorry for being vague!) I just wanted an idea of where I shouls start when I get it into the garage and everything. Thanks!

 

[Bob Claffie]

Start with lists. Lots of lists. Try to decide what parts are scrap, which are temporary usable and which are good for the foreseeable future and especially what is missing. Your ultimate goal will determine the next course of action. Will the Sprite be a daily driver or a trailer queen show car or a road racer or some combination of those descriptions or none of the above. Once you have a "use" plan the smart folks here can do a bang up job giving you direction to move forward. Bob

 

[JPSmit]

First off, welcome! and of course without pictures it didn't happen.

Before you do anything, get organized. Make sure you have

1. a digital camera you don't mind getting dirty.
2. Zip lock bags of different sizes.
3. Notebooks
4. Boxes
5. sharpies

I promise you can't take enough notes or take enough pictures.

Then get the manuals necessary to restore one - Bentley & Haynes

Then get it home an decide the extent of the job and who is going to do it.

does the engine need rebuilding? or freshening or is it good to go?

Does the body need redoing, or do you want patina? Will you do paint & body or someone else?

Don't tear it apart completely - do one system at a time - don't ask me how I know. Be very very careful about "might as wells" as you will never finish.

There are somethings you will have to do - all rubber, hoses, bushings, hoses, tires. Brakes, probably clutch (do the motor mounts at the same time) possibly renew shocks.

Rust is the enemy - A Posts and Spring hangers are often the worst.

Hang out here a lot, there's lot's of good advice to be had.

But, more than anything, and especially if this is your first restoration, the slower you are and the more organized at the front end, the better you will be later.

There is a good article in Classic Motorsports magazine either this month or last.

again welcome!

PS Join a club

 

[Keith_M]

You're getting some good advice, and I would emphasize the pictures and notes part; you can never take enough. Of course, if the car is already disassembled, it will be hard to take pictures and notes as you disassemble it.

I'm also starting to restore a bugeye that I didn't disassemble. We may have a lot of the same questions for the Forum!

 

[HealeyRick]

If you can find copies of the Austin-Healey MkI Sprite "Mechanical Service Parts List" and the "Body Parts List" you will find them quite helpful. They have exploded diagrams of each of the assemblies of the car and list the factory part numbers. You'll probably have to search ebay for a copy and they aren't cheap, but worth it. The Moss Motors catalog is also pretty helpful with diagrams,

 

[Trevor Jessie]

https://www.spridgetguru.com/TchIndx17.html

 

[drooartz]

Good luck, and welcome!

Bugeyes are very simple cars, I really learned to work on a car when rebuilding my first one. Previous posters have covered the basics quite well -- documentation of everything you do is key. There's quite a bit of knowledge here, so ask away.

 

[HealeyRick]

https://www.spridgetguru.com/TchIndx17.html

Great site, I haven't seen it before! I don't know if other suppliers do this, but the search function at Little British Car Co allows you to enter the factory part number and will show you the Moss #. https://www.lbcarco.com/

 

[bug_sixty]

Tossing in my two bits... Unlike twenty years ago trying to do a redo, very few parts aren't available now either new, used or fixable... that being said the quality of such is discussed on this forum... The body rust is the BIG deal as you will be able to figure out reading this blog... Follow the advice... Buy prudently.... Items that aren't yet reproduced for BE...windshield washer dash pump assembly and supply bottle, OEM steering wheel (the plastic cracks around the rim) supports that keep bonnet open and the rod and assembly for the safety support...OEM one piece top frames that work is a chore to get used. Other reading this have more to add I'm sure... Well, your not going to get it all so buy the bucket and bonnet knowing that most of the stuff in the boxes has to be fixed or replaced after a half a century!! haha

 

[Boink]

I also seem to recall that David (at Bugeyeguy.com) has a 2 hour video on evaluating and restoring a Bugeye. Never seen it.