Nut & Bolt Rotisserie Restoration 2016, Receipts, Original Color

Enjoy the thorough information below. Such comprehensive information/photos/video footage is provided for prospective buyers to be confident that this Bugeye Sprite is for them. Purchase this vehicle with the utmost confidence. I am an experienced classic and exotic sports car enthusiast with an attention to detail and have owned Bugeyes before. I have sold other vehicles via Ebay nationwide and worldwide with 100% positive feedback.

Intro:

For your consideration is this properly restored, 1960 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite. If you wish you could buy a Bugeye brand new right off of the lot, this is about as close as you can get. This Bugeye went through a full nut and bolt, super attention to detail, mechanical restoration and body rotisserie restoration (pictures and extensive receipts included) over the course of about three years and was finished in late spring 2016. Basically every single part came off of this car and either was replaced with new parts, refurbished, or refinished. Significant care and attention to detail was exercised not only on the top side of the car but also the underside, engine bay, and interior. For the purpose of preserving the Bugeye as “new” as possible for its next caretaker, it has been carefully driven only about 100 miles since completion of the restoration to make sure everything was sorted. This is a get-in-and-drive beautiful vehicle that is ready to be enjoyed.

The bodywork, finish, interior, underbody detail, engine-bay detail, etc. are extremely well done and are of the quality to cause this Bugeye to be able to win trophies and compete with the best Bugeyes out there if one were to take it to shows. The finish is Old English White which is believed to be the original paint color applied at the factory. The body is smooth, not wavy, with gaps and panels that look as they should. The finish is glossy, smooth, reflective, and absent of amatuer issues like overspray, drips, orange peel, etc. The interior is almost all new, very well done, and contrasts nicely with the exterior. Red is believed to be the original interior color from the factory.

This Bugeye is mainly in original spec but there are some improvements for drive-ability (Like being able to keep up with modern traffic!) and dependability that are present. The weak original 948cc engine has been replaced by a fresh professionally rebuilt 1275cc MG Midget engine (receipt included). For those unfamiliar, the Sprite and Midget are basically the same car and this engine is a popular upgrade to keep the same lineage and original look but to get some extra power and drive-ability. The original “smooth-case” transmission, which tends to be weaker, has been replaced by a rebuilt “rib-case” transmission, also from Midget/Sprite lineage and is a popular upgrade. There are other minor drive-ability improvements like the addition of an electronic fuel pump, seat belts, and etc.

Please continue below to see a video of the car, extensive photos, and a further detailed description.

Video:

A 13 minute long high definition video is provided to better show the condition of this Bugeye. The video footage was taken in August of 2016. To view the video please click play below or copy and paste the link https://youtu.be/WFbVW6sWZzM

Footage includes:

Images:

240 high resolution images of this Bugeye are hosted via PhotoBucket. The photos were taken in August of 2016. All of the pictures can be seen by either clicking the slideshow below, clicking any of the sample images below, or copying and pasting the web address below:

http://s1074.photobucket.com/user/OldSkoolFool83/library/1960%20Austin%20Healey%20Sprite

Exterior:

This is as about as good as it gets for the exterior presentation of a Bugeye. The finish and body work for the restoration was done with an attention to detail and done properly. Having restored a couple classic vehicles myself with my father, a 40+ year professional automotive painter, I am aware of proper body work and re-finishing procedures and also have an eye for detail.

Everything was removed from the body. It was completely stripped to bare steel top and bottom. The body was put on a rotisserie so the underside could receive the same attention to detail as the top side would. The body actually was quite solid, especially for a Bugeye. There were some limited areas of sheet metal rust in non-structural areas. For example there were a couple quarter sized minor holes in the floor. The rockers were actually quite solid. Very importantly, the rear spring boxes were solid. Any rust areas were cut out, metal treated, and replaced with new sheet metal welded in. There was very little need for filler throughout on the body as it was quite straight. The metal was smoothed out as much as possible first and only light filler used wherever necessary, in limited areas, never to fill holes. The body, once stripped, was metal treated, sprayed with seal coat, then primered. The primer was long block sanded to ensure the sides would be straight and not wavy. The finish was applied and then wet sanded/color sanded so it was nice and smooth.

The result of this work is a finish and body that will look this good for a very long time. The next owner will not have worries about shoddy repair, short cuts, or future bubbles or rust blisters popping out like they would on some other questionable restorations out there. This bodywork was done right. While looking down the sides of the car and kneeling down, it lacks waves and is exceptionally smooth. Dings and scratches are of course absent. The topsides of the other body panels are beautifully smooth as well, also absent of waviness or poor body work, and also lacking dings or scratches. The gaps look as they should. The doors open and close very easily. The rockers are straight. Factory spot welds throughout the car are still present. Wheel well lips are steel and crisp. The bonnet topside and underside is straight and beautiful.

The finish throughout on the car is excellent. Lacking are common amatuer issues like sanding scratches underneath the paint causing grooves/texture, also lacking are orange peel, drips, fish eyes, dirt in the finish, cracking, peeling, etc. The finish is extremely smooth. It has a great glossiness to it. The color of Old English White is of course so proper to a Bugeye and it is great to have the contrasting and attractive red interior instead of the black. Even the most detailed and high standards enthusiast should find this finish to be extremely nice.

One thing that really makes this Bugeye stand out is the underbody and engine bay also having received such attention to detail with the finish and detail work in those areas also being presentable. Some would say the underbody is so clean you could eat off of it, which would be true, but it is so clean that it would be a shame to get crumbs on it so eating off of it is not advised. For example, look underneath the rear and see spotless white finish with new looking components installed, like a freshly painted rear axle, new exhaust, etc. Stick your nose in the engine bay close to the firewall and see a brand new cotton covered wire harness, shiney new electrical components and hoses, restored heater, and basically flawless white paint. There is an immense attention to detail here.

The rest of the exterior of the Bugeye is extremely nice and compliments the quality of the body work and finish. All of the lenses lack cracks, hazing, etc. and look great. The windshield is excellent and is new. New weather stripping of course installed for the windshield to the body. The metal windshield surround is not new, shows some markings, but looks good. The windshield pillars have been refurbished. The aluminum trim pieces that encircle the cockpit have been re-anodized. The mirrors are new. Sprite emblems are new. Grill is original but cleaned up and very nice looking. Rear bumperettes are new. The rest of the chrome throught looks great. Seals for the lenses and other parts to the body are new. Front bumper is present and included and is in nice shape. The convertible top is black and is new. The frame for it having been repainted. The original side curtains are included and are functional but not yet restored. New sliding windows for them are included, as well as new weatherstripping. A tonneau cover is included, possibly original, but could be replaced or repaired to be functional. The wheels are new VTO Classic Wheels 13” x 5.5” with new Kuhmo 175/70/R13 tires all around. These wheels are a nice change of pace from the typical MiniLite/Panasports, wire wheels, and stock hubcaps. These rims suit the personality and style of the Bugeye very well. The devil is in the details and so many other new parts are present so every inch of this Bugeye presents as it should and includes items like lug nuts, bonnet stay rod, bonnet buffers, door strikers, and etc. Also included is an Austin Healey Sprite factory hard top, in decent shape but should be refurbished if going to be used, which are quite hard to come by.

This Bugeye has not been driven in rain yet. It has not seen enough miles to get significant chips, road grime, etc. on it. To sum up in regards to the exterior, underside, and engine bay of this Bugeye, it is about as good as it gets for a Bugeye. It is absolutely beautiful and should be able to be greatly enjoyed by even the most detailed and picky enthusiasts.

Interior:

Just as the exterior was extremely well done, so was the interior. The removal of the dash during restoration showed original chalk markings on the back of it for the original color combination being white exterior with red interior. There is not much to these interiors but just about everything is new and almost all of it ordered from Great Britain. The carpet is a high quality loop-pile style in a nice deep red. Since it is new, absent of course are stains and wear. Fitment is spot on throughout and it looks excellent. The seats were very nicely restored. New seat foam was installed. The new red seat covers are nice and tight fitment wise, and have white piping contrasting against the red. The rest of the red vinyl upholstery, like on the dash, fits nice and tight, absent of bubbles or waves, and has a nice deep color. New red and chrome seat belts were installed and match the interior well. Brightwork on the gauges, parking brake, shifter lever, and switches all looks great! Control knobs and shifter knob are excellent. The gauges are original and in very nice cosmetic shape. The steering wheel is an upgrade, matches the character of the car well, looks excellent, and feels excellent. The “trunk” of the Bugeye is just as clean as to be expected as the rest of the car and is shown in the video.

This interior truly is exceptional and is to be as expected for a high quality restoration.

Mechanical:

As stated, every single part came off of this car and either was replaced with new, restored, refurbished, or refinished. The parts alone total to about $13,500. Below is a very detailed, but not complete, list of NEW mechanical related parts and work that had been performed. Extensive receipts are provided.

Rebuilt 1275cc MG Midget engine by C&S Performance Engines (Very well known shop in Wisconsin!), 4/1/2013 Reciept included (Block degreased, resurfaced, bored .030”; Crank magnafluxed, polished, balanced; Head valve job, plug egr holes, resurfaced, porting; Flywheel lighten and resurfaced)

Camshaft

Piston set

Timing chain

Thrust washer set

Connecting rod bearings, main bearings

Oil pump, springs, star drive

Rockershaft

Forged rocker arms

Exhaust and intake valves, spring, valve guides

Water pump

Engine gasket set

SU carburetors rebuilt

Electric fuel pump

QuickFuel pressure regulator

Fuel filter, fittings, fuel lines

Radiator cap, thermostat, hoses

Chrome air cleaners

Plates on rocker cover (“Austin” & patent info)

Cotton covered complete wire harness

Voltage regulator

Battery(negative ground), cables

Rebuilt Lucas distributor, rebuilt vac unit, new cap/rotor/points/condensor

Ignition coil, spark plug wires, spark plugs

Ignition lock barrel with keys

Engine belt

Engine mount

PCV valve

Accelerator cable, pedal, link

Speedometer cable

Header, exhaust, muffler, clamps

Various nuts, bolts, bulbs, clamps, misc. Hardware, misc. Hoses, seals for mechanical and body

Ribcase transmission rebuilt

Transmission mounts

Clutch slave cylinder

Clutch kit

Shifter bushing, seal

U-joints

Rebuilt brake master cylinder

Brake hoses

Brake pads

Wheel cylinders

Wishbones

Tie Rod ends

Front shocks, rear shocks

Wheel bearings

As would be expected, this Bugeye drives excellently. The engine starts right up, usually on the first try, with a little pull of the choke and a pull of the starter switch. It settles in to an idle on its own and maintains it. No puffs of smoke, screeches, odd noises, or other funny business going on. The engine sounds great. Proper oil pressure throughout the RPM range. Proper coolant temperature maintained. The carbs feel very synched with a lack of sputtering or stalling once warmed up. The engine offers good power throughout the RPM range. The car is not a bullet but due to being so light, and the larger 1,275cc engine being present, it does accelerate and feels sporty. The exhaust sounds great and is not overbearing (note: For the driving part of the video the microphone is mounted near the exhaust so it is actually not that loud for the driver). The transmission shifts great throughout all the gears but have to keep in mind it is not a modern transmission. By design, there is no 1st gear synchro if I remember correctly (and is straight cut?) so go carefully down-shifting into 1st. Up or down shifting into the remainder of the gears is great and feels precise, but still have to be a little on the gentler and on the non-rushing side when shifting. It does though shift nicely and that can be seen in the video. The clutch feels great and acts as it should. The brakes work as they should. The car stops straight. Keep in mind they are 1960 style brakes though! The steering is quick, precise, and tight, not full of slop. Feels proper for it being a sports car. Drives straight down the road. The suspension feels tight as well. Absent are odd noises, bottoming out, and etc. The suspension and ride actually is quite comfortable but yet still sporting. The speedometer works and is accurate within 5-10 mph. The tachometer works but does not read correctly. The oil pressure, water temp, and fuel gauges work as well. Head lights, brake lights, turn signals, and wipers are also workingl.

Get in, drive, and enjoy with confidence due to this Bugeye being just about as new and well sorted as one can be in 2016.

Conclusion:

The Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite is full of charm. There just is something about these cars that cause them to be such a joy to drive. It is also the type of car that can be admired standing still looking at it in the garage. There is so much support out there with clubs, Sprite/Midget (Spridget) websites, and part suppliers which also helps increase ownership fun. These cars offer so much value compared to other much higher priced classic British cars, which are not necessarily more fun and tend to be more expensive to maintain.

This example of a Bugeye is about as good and new as it gets for a Bugeye. The next caretaker can have confidence that the restoration performed was extensive and done right. This Sprite will be able to be enjoyed as it is for a very long time.

Serious buyers are welcome to contact me with any questions or to arrange to see this Bugeye in person. Feel free to message via Ebay or call. After doing some searching it is strongly possible this is the nicest Bugeye on the market right now thus has been priced accordingly but still attempted to be priced fairly. Vehicle sold with a clean Wisconsin title.

262-391-1069

This vehicle is located in Sussex, WI 53089. The nearest large airport is Mitchell International in Milwaukee, WI (MKE) which is about 40 minutes away. Transport is of the buyer’s expense ( I have experience with and recommend Greg at Auto Shipping Group: 360-464-2584).

This is a serious and actual auction so please treat it as such. The car will be sold through Ebay, and only Ebay, with proper procedures and reduced risk for both buyer and seller. Putting in an offer is committing to a contract to purchase this vehicle and the following terms. I have attempted to describe this vehicle very fairly but it is the buyer’s responsibility to determine their opinion of the vehicle’s condition prior to submitting a bid. It is recommended possible buyers inspect the vehicle in person prior to putting in an offer but extensive details and pictures have been provided as I understand in person inspection is not always possible. If a professional pre-purchase inspection is wanted, it must be completed prior to committing to buying through putting in or accepting an offer. The auction winner must deposit a non-refundable $500 down payment within 48 hours of auction close via Paypal. Remaining funds must be received no later than two weeks from auction end. Negative feedback will be given to non-paying buyers and a case via Ebay will be opened. Vehicle must be picked up from Sussex, WI no later than two weeks from auction end. $15 per day fee for extended storage. Vehicle will not leave nor title mailed until all funds have been received/verified. Wire transfer is the preferred method of payment for the remaining funds. Once auction is over, the vehicle will be kept in appropriate general care by the owner. Buyer is responsible for insurance once auction has ended. No warranty is expressed or implied. Vehicle is sold as is. Transportation of the vehicle is the buyer's responsibility. If special circumstances are needed for anything, including time, please contact me. Thank you for reading through this whole vehicle description and honoring the procedures that make this a great buying and selling experience!