Different models

[jlaird]

Can anyone help with pics of the different models of spridgets. How in the world do you tell the years apart just by looking. And yes I can tell a bugeye. Is there an easy way?

Jack

 

[JamesWilson]

The British Magazine Practical Classics has a site that covers most British cars:

MkI:
https://www.practicalclassics.co.uk/vehicle/by-id/870/
MkII
https://www.practicalclassics.co.uk/vehicle/by-id/871/
MkIII
https://www.practicalclassics.co.uk/vehicle/by-id/872/
https://www.practicalclassics.co.uk/vehicle/by-id/873/
MkIII Rubber Bumper:
https://www.practicalclassics.co.uk/vehicle/by-id/-285831431/

These have brief descriptions noting the major changes and showing photos of the cars. In additon to the photos show there's a "gallery" for each of the models with additional photos.

and they do similar pages for Sprites....

These are the models sold in the UK, but I doubt there are significant differences compared to the export models other than the obvious wrong side of the road ones.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Hope this helps.

 

[ChrisS]

Well I wouldn’t say I am an expert, but my rules of thumb:

MKI Sprite – Self explanatory
MKII Sprite / MKI Midget – Side curtains / no external door handles / no vent window
MKIII Sprite / MKII Midget – External door handles and removable hood frame
MKIV Sprite / MKIII Midget – Folding hood / cockpit 4” deeper
Midget 1500 – Self explanatory

The problem is that the MK designation does not necessarily define the model. The VIN prefix is really the right way to define them since there was both GAN4 and GAN5 MKIII Midgets for example.

MKI Sprite – Self explanatory
MKII Sprite / MKI Midget – HAN6-101 / GAN1-101 – 998 engine, HAN7-24732 / GAN2-16184 – 1098 engine
MKIII Sprite / MKII Midget – HAN8-38829 / GAN3-25788 – 1098 engine
MKIV Sprite / MKIII Midget – HAN9-67193 / GAN4-54611 to HAN9-85286 / GAN4-74885 1275 introduced, Midget had vertical grill, both had single rear bumpers and rear marker light below boot lid, center. HAN10-85257 / GAN5-74886 onwards - Facelift cars, Midget lost the vertical grill, flattened tail lights, split rear bumpers, new steering wheel, twin silencer exhaust, rear marker lights inside the bumper ends. To me this is the most difficult to recognize because the facelift was so subtle. It really made the two cars the same except for the badges.
Midget 1500 – Self explanatory

You posted a while back about a Healy steering wheel in ‘Original Sprite & Midget” by Terry Horler. This book has all the production changes in it by VIN.

 

[jlaird]

And I thank you. Indeed Horlers book has all the data. I thought maybe I was missing something and there was and easy way to tell. Guess by Mark is not so bad then but by year is just impossable in a drive by.

 

[Matthew E. Herd]

Wait, perhaps there's some detail I'm not familiar with. The cockpit was made 4" deeper? When did this start, and I don't exactly understand what you mean.

Matt

 

[Bugeye58]

Matt, the cockpit opening was extended 4" aft, to accomodate the folding top. Not 4" deeper in the vertical plane.
Let's see....
61-63, side curtains.
64-67, steel dash, roll up windows.
68-71, padded dash, square rear wheel arches.
72-74, padded dash, round rear wheel arches.
75 and later, rubber baby buggy bumpers.
Jeff

 

[Matthew E. Herd]

I never knew that detail. So do the earlier style tops fit on the later cars? I would expect that they do not.

Matt

 

[Bugeye58]

And your expectations would be correct.
Jeff

 

[Matthew E. Herd]

I guess that means that if I decide to 'backdate' the current top to the earlier top (and therefore remove the top) for FSP, we'll have to keep this our little secret /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[ChrisS]

Thanks Jeff, sorry I wasn't clear.