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Way-Cool Sprite Photo

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Nice!
John is "the man" when it comes to 3-D graphics software! His Big Healey drawing is amazing too.
I can do some presentable 3-D machine parts (in AutoCAD Inventor) but nothing like that Frog!
Two thumbs up!
 
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I can do some presentable 3-D machine parts (in AutoCAD Inventor) but nothing like that Frog!
Two thumbs up!

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Nial, Thanks for the vote of confidence but I just want to point out that the Bug Eye image is a photo. Barely any retouching too. The shot was taken at the Art Center Car Classic '05 and the frog won first prize in the racer category.
Here are a few more shots to prove the car is real /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif The background for the cover shot is the Art Center building which has heavily tinted windows and black beams. Perfect backdrop to highlight the car's contours.

Bug2.jpg
Bug1.jpg
 
Oh my oh my, it dosen't get any better than that. Drool.
 
I think the car in John's post made the SnapOn calendar for 2006. Small world, I'll have to check to be for sure when I get home tonight.
JC
 
I guess it's time to introduce myself. Many of you know me from the SpriteSpot web site. But for those who do not know me, my name is Domenic Valentino. I restored a Bugeye I call 'Airport Racer', Why? Back in the late 50s early 60s, when the Sports Car Club of America was just starting out they used local airports here in Southern California for races, this is my version of the 'Airport Racer'.
Sprite_59_A.jpg

There is a gallery of pictures at the SpriteSpot web site
https://www.spritespot.com/gallery/59-Austin-Healey-Sprite
I hope you like what I did with the car, and please do not think I'm sacrilege for painting the car the way I did. I just wanted a car that screamed 1950s hot rod, that's why there are white walls on red rims. It features a 948cc enigine with a Judson supercharger, Abarth exhaust running on racing fuel.
 
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Back in the late 50s early 60s, when the Sports Car Club of America was just starting out they used local airports here in Southern California to races,

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Not just California. Lets have a hearty round of applause for General Lemay! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
that is a beauty of a sprite Domenic, I think the whitewalls give it a nice touch. almost like a "retired" racer, but at the same time it sounds like she's got the goods to scoot with the best of em. what kinda power is that 948 putting out?
 
I liked the picture, and while this one isn't a sprite, I thought I'd show off my photography abilities.

If only I could get people to stand out of the picture though - hard to do at a carshow.

167508-Ginettasmall.jpg
 

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[ QUOTE ]
that is a beauty of a sprite Domenic, I think the whitewalls give it a nice touch. almost like a "retired" racer, but at the same time it sounds like she's got the goods to scoot with the best of em. what kinda power is that 948 putting out?

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It was a kind of race whatcha bung. You would have an extra set of tires on the passenger seat and the boot with the widest tire you could fit on a stock rim (some guys would widen the stock rim by welding a 1" band in the center) switch out the tires and go racing. After you were done switch the wheels back and drive home. That's why I do not run hub caps (have them) but it would be something else to take off. The white walls would make people think it was all show and no go. As far as the power, don't know. It had a 1275cc engine in it when I bought it, but put everything back to original, with the exception of the supercharger, exhaust and leather interior, but other than that it is bone stock 1959. Thanks
Here is what she looked like when I bought her
CAR59_24.jpg
 
Thanks aeronca65t, I guess I have to explain the wheels. I have never worked on a car a day in my life. I work for a small tool company and I have more tools in my garage than my car is worth. So this was my first (and my wife says last) attempt at restoring a car, My brother-in-law and myself did everything to this car but the paint and leather interior, he made it run and I made it look good is what we tell people. I wanted a car to cruise around out here in California, and I thought it would have been a Hotrod or muscle car. Would have never thought in a million years that I would own a British car, nothing against them, I've have always owned Muscle cars (mostly Camaros). So when I was coming up with the paint scheme, my wife told me no more white car with red stripes, but she didn't say anything about silver. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I wanted to put white walls on it, because I wanted that classic 50s look, so it was only natural that I do the wheels red. The photos of the car do not and I mean DO NOT do the car justice. The paint is so deep and the wheels are a fire engine red that just set off the stripes.
 
Domenic, I looove that look. You almost answered my question in the last post, Is the wheel paint color the same as the stripe paint color? I can't quite tell. thanks for the inspiration
JP
 
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