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Newbie Bugeye Sprite Mk1 owner looking for some advice

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With that info, I'd fix it up enough to enjoy and not go crazy about it. Do the mechanical work necessary as outlined above. A new steel bonnet will cost you, so I'd live with the fiberglass. If you've got some fiberglass skills, lose the front spoiler and flares. I think Miata seats will work. Smooth out the body and don't go thinking about stripping it to bare metal. Whatever is there is there. Shoot it with hot rod primer or plasti dip or a Maaco job. Do it cheap and just enjoy the car. Otherwise, you're going to spend more on the car than its probably worth. It will still be the most fun you'll have on four wheels.
 
Just wanted to mention that auto chokes are pretty much universal, I believe, so the carburetor still could be a Weber. If my memory is correct the rest of the carburetor looks Weber.

Kurt.
 
If anyone cares I have a (scanned in) copy of the Holly 5200 carb book and I will send a copy to anyone who wants/needs it
BillM
 

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AHRMA361 said:
HealeyRick - there has been metal and bondo work done in the rear wheel wells and other places around the car. The beading is gone below the lights so you are probably spot on with your statement.
What is interesting is it appears the entire bottom pan was replaced at some point. There has been work done in the spring boxes. I don't have a lift to get it up and my camera photo's don't come out too well. I will try and get some decent pictures to post up.

There is part of a sticker on the underbelly pan. Maybe someone knows by looking at it?

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This may have fallen off the current thread since it was on page 2. Anyone have knowledge of who supplied these floor panels?
 
I got my carb kit delivered this weekend. I am going to disassemble the carb and put it in my ultrasonic cleaner first, then reassemble an install it to see where I am at.

Billm - does your carb manual go into any detail on baseline settings for the BE application? Or, does it just go through tuning based on how the car runs and recommends changes?

Another question, so the Weber and Holley are the same under a license agreement? So, carb setting info is the same between them?
 
Finally got time to pull the carb for a rebuild..it was NASTY...
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Fuel bowl was full of sludge....

Inside tells the Holley/Weber relationship..

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Cleaned, parts replaced and reinstalled...

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Bolted it back on and it fired right up off the Aux. tank fuel feed. Very happy to get this far. Now comes some tuning if it stays warm enough to run it outside the shop to get the car to start easy, idle well and take throttle as it should.

Small victories are sometime the most fulfilling....Hope to get some test and tune time this week.
 

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AHRMA361 said:
Finally got time to pull the carb for a rebuild..it was NASTY...
attachment.php


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Fuel bowl was full of sludge....

Inside tells the Holley/Weber relationship..

attachment.php


Cleaned, parts replaced and reinstalled...

attachment.php


Bolted it back on and it fired right up off the Aux. tank fuel feed. Very happy to get this far. Now comes some tuning if it stays warm enough to run it outside the shop to get the car to start easy, idle well and take throttle as it should.

Small victories are sometime the most fulfilling....Hope to get some test and tune time this week.
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I see a plug on the bottom of the gas tank, can I put some solvent in it to try and clean it and drain the crap out through there?
 
I have never done this, but the standard technique seems to be to put solvent in, as well as a handful of gravel/ ball bearings/ maybe even marbles. Cap it and give it a good shake. Repeat over the course of a few days and then drain.
 
JPSmit said:
I have never done this, but the standard technique seems to be to put solvent in, as well as a handful of gravel/ ball bearings/ maybe even marbles. Cap it and give it a good shake. Repeat over the course of a few days and then drain.
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The late Frank Clarici was well known for his barbecued Sprite tanks. Fill them up with water and a quart of vinegar and put them on the barbie to boil for a few hours, shaking with some rocks at the end. If you go for it, make sure it's completely filled with water to displace any gas fumes. BTW, I accept no responsibility for this and you could always take it to a radiator sop to have them boil it out.
 
HealeyRick said:
The late Frank Clarici was well known for his barbecued Sprite tanks. Fill them up with water and a quart of vinegar and put them on the barbie to boil for a few hours, shaking with some rocks at the end. If you go for it, make sure it's completely filled with water to displace any gas fumes. BTW, I accept no responsibility for this and you could always take it to a radiator sop to have them boil it out.
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I hope he is not the "late" Frank Clarici due to using this method!?

Anyone know the correct procedure to remove the tank? Does it unbolt entirely from underneath the car or do I have to get someone small enough to crawl into the back of the car?
 
Frank was a great guy who was well known for his knowledge, sense of humor, kindness and generosity in the Spridget community. He was also known for his dislike of cats, aka "wheel chocks" , big Healeys, and parts made in "dung-fired forges in a third-world country." He was also known for paying it forward and if you do a name search on this forum for "spritenut" you'll find a wealth of info including many of his "we-tight" repairs. We lost him too soon at the age of 56 in 2011 from a heart attack. I was going to call you out for a joke in bad taste, but I bet Frank would've got a laugh out of it.

And yes, you can remove the tank from underneath the car by removing the nuts from the studs around the rim of the tank. You might shoot some penetrant on the nuts for a couple of days first as you don't want to snap any of the studs off.
 
Thanks for reminiscing about Frank, Rick. I had began to forget some of the "Frankism's".

Frank had resurrected 16 Spridgets if I can remember anything. He didn't fool with rotisserie's...an old mattress to roll the body up on worked fine and he did quality work.

Kurt
 
Kurt,
IIRC the number of Spridgets Frank owned at one time or another was in the 60's. He was indeed "The Godfather." My one regret of missing the 50th was a chance to meet Frank and his Clan. A man gone too soon before his time. Frank you may be gone but you definitely are not forgotten.
 
Yes, I met Frank at the Sprite 50'th and conversed with his family at the Midget 50'th. Used to hang out on the AutoX list as well but never got to know him as several to the east of me did.

Kurt.
 
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