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Frogette: LS Powered Sprite

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Hello, not sure if this sort of thing will be welcomed here, but we are stuffing a LS3 motor into a 1960 Bugeye Sprite. By the time we're done, there will be very little original content. Want me to post progress? Or should I be burned at the stake for cutting up a car? Let me know! Thanks!
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We'd love to see your progress! We've got a mix of folks here, from purists to full on customs. Always interesting to see what folks are doing.
 
Post away! My favorite is the Jag motor in the Sprite...a V12!
Rut
 
Ok! This build will only contain the body of a 1960 Sprite... that's slightly modified. Please feel free to correct me on all incorrect items/terms. New to Sprite's and Brits, but not cars.

Almost everything else is all custom. Here is our story. We do engineering design and fab work for the off-road industry. Our neighbor has been getting into the restomod world. His friend had a 1960 Bugeye Sprite out rotting in a field. He found a buyer that wanted to stuff a small block V8 under the hood and sent him to my neighbor for the updates. My neighbor put his foot down, and said we wouldn't feel comfortable putting that much power into a vehicle with minimal chassis, suspension, and brakes. I was called, and from there everything spiraled wildly out of control and the Frogette was born. Full custom chassis and suspension with a Sprite body set on top was the verdict. We are already under way with the build. I'll try to catch everyone up. Cheers!
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loving this - please keep us posted, and of course even in a CAD world, it didn't happen without pictures!
 
I won't let the dissenting side down... It's stupid waste of a brilliantly quirky classic. Absolutely foolish. Also, you're not the first to put a SBC into a Bugeye or **** one up beyond repair so... Whatever. :pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface:Welcome to the forum.
 
Looks like a small project. You do know that you can get fiberglass body panels for almost the entire bugeye ... right?
 
2x Trevor! You can easily mount duz fasteners in the appropriate locations with a tube chassie for quick removal of body sections to service car.. Wonder how the weight distribution will turn out? Going to use automatic or manual ?
 


I ended up swapping in a blown SBC into mine instead. had it all in and ready to go though. You'll probably get more love for your project over at Britishv8.org
 
Welcome to the world of "Nasty Boys", the term used for modified Healeys. Some love 'em, some hate 'em and if you're going to drive one you'll need a thick skin at times. But Steve's right, they've been around a long time, almost since they started making them:

SPRITEV8.jpg

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Looks like a great design and I don't know of any Sprites with an LS motor having been done yet. Since it was rotting away in a field in Idaho, it probably wasn't destined for a concourse restoration anyway. Please keep posting your progress and as Anarchy says, join us here: https://www.britishv8.org/ and check this out: https://modifiedhealeys.org/ You can get "The Wheelspinner", the newsletter of the Nasty Boys (samples are here: https://www.bighealey.org/NastyBoy.htm) by emailing the editor, Russ Keep: hhlaw at hargray.com (replace "at" with an @)
 
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There's still plenty of BEs around that these wild one-offs aren't sacrilege. It sounds like this one would have had a date with the crusher or simply returned to ferrous oxide if not for this project.
 
Trevor Jessie said:
Looks like a small project. You do know that you can get fiberglass body panels for almost the entire bugeye ... right?
Click to expand...

No, I know very little of this world. The client wants the vehicle to look fairly stock except the head hoops.
 
BlueMax said:
2x Trevor! You can easily mount duz fasteners in the appropriate locations with a tube chassie for quick removal of body sections to service car.. Wonder how the weight distribution will turn out? Going to use automatic or manual ?
Click to expand...

Client requested auto. Body is actually in OK shape. The frame has been "modified" or "rigged" several times over. Had the whole thing dipped, and we're presently surprised.
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You won't be the first (or the last) Some of you may remember this one..

I saw this one in person at the Lake Tahoe 50th event in 2003. I have better close up pictures of it somewhere. It used to be featured on a "Nasty Boy" site, but I don't think it (the site) exists anymore. It was built right here in the Bay Area too. Not much Bugeye left under the skin... it had a Chrysler Hemi and complete front and rear Corvette suspension. Except for the wheels, it appeared completely stock with the bonnet closed.

Corvette Bugeye.jpg

...then there's these ones I used to have featured on my web site...

The first 3 are SBC's, as I recall, with the last one being a Rover V8


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