Competition Austin Healey Sprite

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#CC9900" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="045005a0dwnjzk.png"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MG MIDGET ABP 102"><U><B>home</B></U></A><B>     | </B><B> </B><B> </B><B>  </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>MG MIDGET ABP 102</B></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="1968_mg_midget_mkiii_restoration.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Making the Midget Mobile"><U><B>Making the Midget Mobile</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="mg_midget_images.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ABP 102s Beach Photos"><U><B>ABP 102's Beach Photos</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="racetrack.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="At the racetrack"><U><B>At the racetrack</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="spridgets_and_stars.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Spridget Odyssey 2002"><U><B>Spridget Odyssey 2002</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="midget_and_healey_wedding.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Healey in the Midget"><U><B>Healey in the Midget</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="sprite_run_to_kiama.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Beckoning Beacon"><U><B>Beckoning Beacon</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="how_fast.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How fast?"><U><B>How fast?</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="mudgee_spridget_drive.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Slurp and Burp Run"><U><B>Slurp and Burp Run</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="spridgets_on_the_move_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Midgets and Sprites on the move"><U><B>Midgets and Sprites on the move</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="austin_a35_at_goodwood.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Austin Powered"><U><B>Austin Powered</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="sprite_run_to_tasmania.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="No Hoods Allowed"><U><B>No Hoods Allowed</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="restoring_an_mg_midget_mk1_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Prudence, the Mk1 MG Midget"><U><B>Prudence, the Mk1 MG Midget</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><B>Competition Austin Healey Sprite</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="midget_links.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Midget and Sprite links"><U><B>Midget and Sprite links</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact me"><U><B>Contact me</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Competition Austin Healey Sprite</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="207c5940.jpg" border=0 width="197" height="148" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>The white Austin Healey Sprite Mk 2A - companion to the Midget </B></div> <bR> <div> Because it didn't seem right to put the Midget through the racetrack experience beyond that detailed on <A HREF="racetrack.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="At the racetrack"><U>other pages</U></A>, a project car for competition purposes seemed to be the solution. In late 2005 the opportunity came up to finish off another enthusiast's project. This was accomplished by the end of 2006 and the car has run in the 2007 NSW <A HREF="http://csca.racecontrol.com.au/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://csca.racecontrol.com.au/index.htm"><U>Combined Sports Cars Association</U></A> supersprint series. </div> <bR> <div> The car in question is a 1963 Australian delivered <A HREF="http://www.spriteclub.com/ckd.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.spriteclub.com/ckd.htm"><U>Austin Healey Sprite Mark 2A</U></A> which had been repainted with engine, drive train and brakes reconditioned over a ten year period. It needed radiator, seats and trim, windscreen, wheels and a measure of sorting to finish it. Having 'lived' with Bob Rowntree for the ten years of its very slow restoration Bob would finish the Sprite off. This all seemed to be as it should because Bob had restored <A HREF="1968_mg_midget_mkiii_restoration.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Making the Midget Mobile"><U>ABP 102</U></A> in 1997 and my first Sprite had been a Mk 2A.  </div> <bR> <div> The first task was to fit a radiator with electric fan and oil cooler to keep the Morris Marina-derived 1275cc engine cool. The alternator had become coated with light surface rust so it got a coat of silver paint.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="20b55000.jpg" border=0 width="341" height="256" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="20f55000.jpg" border=0 width="341" height="256" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>In Bob's workshop showing alloy radiator and temporary steel wheel</B><B>s</B></div> <bR> <div> Front indicator/parking light units and chrome surrounds for the rear lights were sourced and fitted with the new grille that came with the car. Windscreen uprights and a new screen with polished surround were located and fitted.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="21155c60.jpg" border=0 width="341" height="454" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="21355c60.jpg" border=0 width="341" height="454" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>Detail showing the approximately 10 years old paint job and the 'new' but not fitted grille which came with the car  </B></div> <bR> <div> A set of Panasport minilite replicas and Yokohama Advan tyres replaced the temporary wheels while a roll bar was fitted. Over following weeks the interior took shape with Sparco seats, harnesses and steering wheel from Brett and Geoff Morse at <A HREF="http://www.peninsulasportscars.com.au/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.peninsulasportscars.com.au/"><U>Peninsula Racegear</U></A>. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="21b55000.jpg" border=0 width="341" height="256" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="21d55000.jpg" border=0 width="341" height="256" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>Roll bar being fitted up - note alloy plate separating boot with its battery from the cockpit</B></div> <bR> <div> Because the plan was to drive the car to supersprints as well as on club runs, the windscreen was fitted and as I was keen for it to present as a roadgoing car, Bob fitted a carpet set from <A HREF="http://spriteparts.com.au/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://spriteparts.com.au/"><U>Colin Dodds' Sprite Parts</U></A> while I fitted interior trim using boards cut by <A HREF="restoring_an_mg_midget_mk1_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Prudence, the Mk1 MG Midget"><U>Neil Scott</U></A> (based on the trim from one of his Sprite and Midget 'fleet' as a template) and trimmed by <A HREF="1968_mg_midget_mkiii_restoration.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Making the Midget Mobile"><U>Craig Wall</U></A>.  </div> <bR> <div> Enough progress was made to show the car at the SCCA Concours in August 2006, photgraphed here with Lucas' similar Mk 2A. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="21555000.jpg" border=0 width="341" height="256" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="21755000.jpg" border=0 width="341" height="256" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>2006 Sprite Car Club Concours</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> The wisdom of persevering with the idea of a road car was tested on leaving the Concours as crossing a field on the way back to the trailer I managed to put the left front wheel into a shallow ditch which was enough for the extractors to make contact with a rock. The result was to somewhat flatten the curve of the pipes where they exit the engine bay. This was just the excuse to replace them with a new set of ceramic coated extractors especially as I hadn't been keen on the heat wrapping as fitted when the car came to me. </div> <bR> <div> In October 2006 the car ran in its first supersprint at <A HREF="http://www.eastern-creek-raceway.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.eastern-creek-raceway.com/"><U>Eastern Creek </U></A> but it was a very hot day and having driven it from home the radiator boiled waiting to enter the racetrack . It was clear throughout the day that something was not right. It ran OK at less than 3500RPM but quickly heated up to just under boiling at any rpm over this - even allowing for the ambient temperature being in the high 30s this was not good. </div> <bR> <div> On examining the head it was apparent that a small brass plug directly under the head gasket and between the cylinder and a water passageway had recessed into the head leaving enough clearance for compression gases to pressurise the cooling system. This explained the ejection of water from the radiator cap as well as through the overflow hose. The hole was re-drilled in a conical shape and a new matching plug fitted to prevent further recession.</div> <bR> <div> The experience in driving the car back from the track with serious overheating problems - every red light was a nightmare - suggested that the vision of driving a road car to and from the circuit was probably unrealistic if not romantic claptrap! So a quick decision was made to get a lightweight single axle trailer made. Rob at <A HREF="http://www.silverwoodtrailers.com.au/front/companyoverview.asp" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.silverwoodtrailers.com.au/fro"><U>Silverwood</U></A> trailers measured the car up while it was over the road from his premises in Brookvale at T Wall and Son for a tonneau to be made. The compact trailer does the job very well.    </div> <bR> <div> Thus began the 2007 <A HREF="http://csca.racecontrol.com.au/association.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://csca.racecontrol.com.au/associati"><U>Combined Sports Car Clubs</U></A> supersprint season starting with the February sprint at Oran Park. At this event Martin Ingall who is expert in <A HREF="http://www.sebringsprite.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.sebringsprite.com/"><U>Sebring Sprites</U></A> having a replica of his own was visiting from England and came out to catch up with Sprite Club members and fellow enthusiasts including Joe Armour and Neil Blaney.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="2267fff0.jpg" border=0 width="383" height="255" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="22354ff0.jpg" border=0 width="340" height="255" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">    </div> <div> <B>Oran Park chatting with Martin Ingall while waiting at the start grid</B></div> <bR> <div> Subsequent preparation of the car for events at <A HREF="http://www.oranpark.com.au/facilities.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.oranpark.com.au/facilities.ht"><U>Oran Park</U></A>, <A HREF="http://wakefieldpark.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=55" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://wakefieldpark.com.au/index.php?op"><U>Wakefield Park</U></A> and again at <A HREF="http://www.eastern-creek-raceway.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.eastern-creek-raceway.com/"><U>Eastern Creek</U></A> during the year have resulted in replacing the battery isolator switch and alternator - the charging circuit for which had burnt out, replacing the starter motor (you can only convince obliging officials at the Jaguar Drivers Club-run Eastern Creek event to push start you once or twice), fitting an engine breather and replacing the rubber hose between fuel filler pipe and the tank.  </div> <bR> <div> The highlight of 2007 has been attending the driver training day held by the Triumph Sports Owners Club in conjunction with its Wakefield Park supersprint in September and reducing my previous lap time by 5 seconds. The low point was missing one of the 7 events due to a short-lived eye problem which flared up the day before the event. </div> <bR> <div> For next year the task is to fix the engine malfunction which occurred late in the afternoon of the last supersprint of the year - it is a burnt piston. Just as well the car had been trailered! More on this as the engine is pulled down and examined! And I'll resolve the 'is it for competiton as well as road use or not' question by removing the windscreen. Most of the other Sprite and Midget drivers have done so and it should improve lap times somewhat. More importantly the driver needs more practice to get those lap times down to where they should be.</div> <bR> <div> But the best part of supersprinting is the camaraderie with other competitors all doing something they are keen to do - none of which would be possible without the contribution of volunteer marshalls, timekeepers and officials who make each event function so well.  </div> <bR> <bR> <div>       </div> <div>   <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript"> var sc_project=198455; </script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="http://www.statcounter.com/counter/counter.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.statcounter.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://c1.statcounter.com/counter.php?sc_project=198455&java=0" alt="Website Statistics" border="0"></a> </noscript>   </div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>