MG Midget...V8 in disguise… Super Sprite

[Flying Phil]

Another trip out to join with other members of the Midget and Sprite club at a local hostelry.




The brakes are still poor though and not all the lights are working so - after a push start(!) I left early.

[Flying Phil]

I needed to do a bit more work on the Sprite so I decided that the electrics on the spare bonnet needed to have the multiplug fitted....but then I got distracted and ended up taking the 6" ram pipes off and changing to the spare "discrete" bonnet. This is far more practical for street driving and will, hopefully, make it more saleable...






It is very quiet in this part of PH!

[tr7v8]

Might be quiet but I enjoy your updates and I am sure others do as well. Keep going

[Flying Phil]

Thanks Tr7V8
A long time ago I drag raced my version of a TR7 V8...

[C5_Steve]

Probably not wrong about making it more saleable but I actually prefer it with the huge honking intake bonnet fitted. Just looks brilliant (but is probably less than ideal for seeing where you're going!).

As always, love seeing this thing.

[Flying Phil]

I got the car out in the sunshine today....

It shows the Black Cherry Mica paint.

[Flying Phil]

As the winter has arrived I needed to put the Sprite away. This is a fairly long process as I needed to get the garage clear to access the storage "See-Saw", get the spare wheels and tyres down from the garage "loft". Remove the front wheels and bleed the brakes. Put the Rostyle front and back wheels/tyres on the car ( The alloy wheels tend to leak air when not in use). Then get the car turned round to back into the garage and slowly winch it up and onto the See- Saw.






I still need to get the spare bonnet put away - but that is the job for another day!

[C5_Steve]

Pleased to see you've kept it though the year and wow quite the procedure to tuck it away!

[Flying Phil]

All tucked away for the winter with the spare bonnet up in the air. The plan is to get it back into action after Easter next year to do some local trips and shows.

Moderator edit: no advertisingp

[Flying Phil]

Well the Sprite is still with me and I'm looking forward to getting it out and about. I remembered that the brakes were poor and so have treated the car to some new rear brake shoes! Good service from Scotts Classic Car Spares and e-bay. Now to get the car down from storage next week and get them fitted. Although the old shoes had lining thickness, they had delaminated due to rust as they were so old....

[Flying Phil]

Well "next week" came and went - so did April and May! But I finally set to work and extricated the Sprite as it may be off to a new home....
I want to do a few bits first and it has actually briefly coughed into life.

[Flying Phil]

The end of an era!
A bankers draft has gone into my bank and the Super Sprite V8 will be going to its new home next week.

It does feel quite strange as I bought the car as a write off in 1973, before we got married. It has been with us in 6 different houses/garages, had 3 different engines, 3 different chassis, had three drivers, raced at Santa Pod, Long Marston, York, North Weald, Bitteswell, Snetterton and Blackbushe. Exhibited at Stafford, Harrogate, NEC and local shows.....and now it is going.
I will be completing a few jobs to prepare it for its new home so this thread won't close yet.

[andburg]

What prompted the sale? Seems odd to sell something you’ve had for so long

[Flying Phil]

andburg said:

What prompted the sale? Seems odd to sell something you ve had for so long

We need to downsize and so getting my car collection smaller is sensible - also crawling about under and over cars is becoming more of a pain and less of a pleasure...I am quite old now!

[Flying Phil]

Well I've been working all day getting it ready ....and it is fighting every inch of the way!!! A slightly weeping brake union, so I had to remove the radiator and alternator to access it! Change the rear brake shoes, return springs unhooking every time. Sorting out the re routed electrics, stray wires, blown fuses, had to drop the dashboard, to do that had to undo the steering column....It knows it is being sold!!!

[andburg]

Flying Phil said:

We need to downsize and so getting my car collection smaller is sensible - also crawling about under and over cars is becoming more of a pain and less of a pleasure...I am quite old now!

I guess it's hard to downsize a collection of midget size things.

I normally find things break just before you hand over the keys

[Flying Phil]

It goes on...It appears that I have narrowly avoided a scam "buyer". The bankers draft went into my account but then failed to clear, so the amount went out of my account.....I have not paid for the "transport" to the buyer. The original cheque was for more than the sale price so the transport could be paid for...... and I still have the car. So no loss to me.
I still have to wonder why the amount showed balance on screen, when the clearance was obviously not completed?

On the plus side I now have time to sort out the electrical issues....and I have reduced the sale price.

[Flying Phil]

I did a bit more work trying to get all the electrics working...However I am now taking a break. The final straw was when I tried the continuity on the indicator column switch...and the windscreen wiper burst into operation???