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Re: start-up of a Sprite after 32 years (long)

To: "Jeff Church" <jchurch@exis.net>, "Daniel Thompson" <dthompson@gbc.ca>, <spridgets@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: Re: start-up of a Sprite after 32 years (long)
From: "Larry and Sandi Miller" <millerls@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1998 17:40:53 -0700
Reply-to: "Larry and Sandi Miller" <millerls@msn.com>
Sender: owner-spridgets@Autox.Team.Net
CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP. Another Willie Nelson

LM
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Church <jchurch@exis.net>
To: Daniel Thompson <dthompson@gbc.ca>; spridgets@Autox.Team.Net
<spridgets@Autox.Team.Net>
Date: Wednesday, September 09, 1998 5:22 PM
Subject: Re: start-up of a Sprite after 32 years (long)


>All I can say is "Way cool"!!!
>Kudos Daniel
>
>Jeff Church
>AN5L 11627
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Daniel Thompson <dthompson@gbc.ca>
>To: 'spridgets@autox.team.net' <spridgets@autox.team.net>
>Date: Wednesday, September 09, 1998 10:33 AM
>Subject: start-up of a Sprite after 32 years (long)
>
>
>>
>>Yesterday was one of those days when being the owner of a British car
seems
>>worthwhile again.
>>
>>To make a long story short, after tearing apart my bugeye for total
>>restoration last year I got itchy and bought a 1964 Mk3 Sprite. The car is
>>red with red interior and wire wheels. It was driven in the summer of 1964
>>and 1965 and then..........completely disassembled. Seems there was this
>>local racing maniac who would buy 2 or 3 year old sprites and use them as
>>feeders for his stable of race cars. Anyway, he bought this car with only
>>20,000 miles on it and took it all to pieces (I mean all!). The shell got
>>stored, on its side, against the wall of his workshop while all the
>>mechanical and pretty bits were carefully labelled and stored way. He lost
>>interest in racing a short time after and everything (about ten cars
worth)
>>sat for years and years. This gentleman passed away 2 years ago and a
>>friend bought the whole lot from his wife.
>>
>>O.K., that's the background. I bought the entire car "as is" last fall. I
>>have a very interesting video of the million parts involved spread out
>>across my garage floor. I started to bolt it all together over the winter,
>>hoping to be finished by spring (yeah, right!). No modifications, no 1275,
>>no 5-speed, only new gaskets, hoses, seals, kits etc. etc. Did nothing to
>>the engine, carbs, gearbox, etc. other than gaskets, seals and kits; same
>>for the brakes.
>>
>>Finally got everything back together two weeks ago; my wife comes into the
>>garage, looks at the car and says: "so I guess you should start it". I
look
>>back at her and realize she's right, nothing left to do but take the
bugeye
>>battery sitting in the corner, drop it in and turn the key for the first
>>time in 32 years.................
>>
>>Crank it for pressure etc. etc. etc. Timing already done "by eye".
>>
>>Hook up the wires, notice fuel pump is doing nothing, put in another one,
>>crank it some more, fuel in the carbs now, hook everything up again, turn
>>the key and.........
>>
>>
>>
>>BAM - ZOOM, the bloody thing runs like a watch straight away. HO, HO, HO!
>>Much dancing around and high fives. Engine still running like I'd just
shut
>>it off the day before! And the sound! The sound is absolutely glorious.
>>I've heard a lot of 1098's, 948's, 1275's run, but even my well worn
bugeye
>>never sounded like this. SMOOOOOTH! Not a ratlle or a creak or a groan or
a
>>hiss anywhere. Just pure A series engine music circa 1964. If I sound
>>excited.....I am. No oil leaks, hydraulics work just fine, gearbox working
>>great, brakes work great....... radiator leaks like a sieve, who cares.
>>Drive it around the block a few times, every head turns, what a sound,
just
>>wonderful! I always wished I was 35 years old in 1965, not 1998, so I
could
>>savor these cars new; now, I've had the chance to get a little taste of
>>what it must have been like.
>>
>>Rad is now out to get recored/repaired, will be back tommorow (suddenly
I'm
>>in a big hurry). Want to drive it a couple hundred miles before I take it
>>to Stowe British Invasion on the 19th.
>>
>>I would recommend this therapy to anyone who suffers from the
>>job/family/responsibility blues. Don't give up on your restoration, the
>>time will come when it is all worth it.
>>
>>More later,
>>
>>
>>Daniel
>>AN5 612 1/3 of the way back
>>HAN8L 40474 back after 32 years waiting patiently....
>>
>>
>
>




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