Austin Healey Sprite parade lap at V.I.R.

Camera mounted on lead car, looking at 1961 Austin Healy Sprite.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Austin
• Healey
• Sprite
• VIR
• Parade
• Lap

[kc7lgt]

The car is the funnest thing I ever drove. I worked for an Austin Healy restoration shop called

"The Toy Shop" in Southern Cal. I drove some really nice Healys 100-4 / 3000 Bug Eyed etc even a couple of restored MGA Twin Cams and all were a blast to drive especially the race car Bug Eye with the Nitrous hooked up to the windshield wiper shaft...lol

Right hand drive its not as hard as it looks.. The H is backwards but you get use to it in about three blocks...

[kaplanski]

Hey thanks for the comments.

No question about it, these cars are loads of fun to drive. Mine's still has a 948 in it, with flat top pistons, a mild street cam, lightened flywheel and a single HIF6 carb. It doesn't have much low end torque, but one you wind it out, it can really go.

[nicol1955]

Great footage ! Superb filming -  well done !

[kaplanski]

Thank you very much for the comment...

Rick

[livinginthepast3]

Go Frogeye! I've got a 1960 Sprite - my wife calls it 'the other woman.' And rightly so. :-)

[AnAngryPossom]

@kaplanski wow you're extremely lucky to own one of these little machines. haha i've always loved austin healeys but i can never find any that fit into my price range. they are certainly a car with a soul and history to them. keep up the uploads, they're great!

[kc7lgt]

By the way I forget to mention above those jeep engines were WW2 surplus after the war was over.

[kc7lgt]

Are you in England ?

[kc7lgt]

The parts are all screwed up.. lol anyway just go 1,2,3 I'm sure you can figure that one out lol...

[kc7lgt]

Part 3.

Read from part 1 first below.

Anyway:

You know where the 948's 1275 a 14's came from. In WW2 Donald Healy came up with the plan to build Sprites and buy up all the WW2 British Jeep Engines which were made by "Morris Wosley Garage"

( MOWOG ) look on your block you will see it and that is why they sound like old military Jeeps they all have the military jeep engine and with that traditional Jeep sound and you can hear it in your video. And that is why they are so tough.

[kc7lgt]

Part 2

If you change out some of the suspension in the rear end it may stiffen things up for you and may make the low end feel a bit stronger by reducing sag etc. I still have the Lockheed stock shocks in mine. What you can do is take them out and put a heavier oil in them. You just use regular motor oil... Be careful its not to heavy because the shock arm will meet to much resistance and snap. I would only go down one grade. Those shocks are just two pistons.. pretty nice design.

[kc7lgt]

Part 1

Yea the 948, they really pushed those Bug Eyes down the road as long as those carbs are in tune and it sounds like your are. Not sure what engine is in a FrogEye but the BugEyes are fast aprox 90 mph stock. I don't think any of them really have low end power and that is due to the suspension and the first gear shaft and differentials..