Ian I'm from TO also. There's several suppliers in the Toronto
vicinity who regularly import from the US and mother England and
also have some used bits. I've restored a bugeye to concours level
(even using the odd Moss part). I have a friend with a Mark II.
Let's get together and have a look at your MarkII slash Mark I.
Mike L.
AN5 10426 etc
PS --- 6 battery caps means you have a 12 volt car.
----- Original Message -----
From Audio Pollution <audiopollution at home.com>
To: <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: April 5, 2000 1:36 AM
Subject: New List Member, with lots of Questions!
> Hi,
>
> I've only been lurking on the list for a few days, normally I'd
wait much
> longer to get a feel for things, but as I've just purchased my
first Sprite
> I need some advice.
>
> Introductions first:
>
> I'm 28 years old, an ex-pat transplanted from Liverpool to
Toronto, Canada,
> and have been enthralled with big ol' American cars until 2
weeks ago.
>
> Over my driving lifetime I've owned a '62 Ford Galaxie 500 2
Door, a '63
> Impala Convertible, a '63 Chevy Biscayne Lowrider (!) [Flames,
and all], and
> a '64 Buick Wildcat Convertible. This love affair with cubic
inches and
> chrome has been stalled with the increase in gas prices ... time
to put the
> Biscayne in storage!
>
> A couple of weeks ago I spotted an ad in the local 'Buy & Sell'
paper for a
> '62 Sprite with a Bugeye clip. Went to see it, and decided that
I had to
> have it on the spot. The body is freshly restored and painted,
new
> interior, new tires, new exhaust. All it need is a tune-up and
some trim
> work completed.
>
> [Although it's not an authentic Bugeye, I like to think of it as
having the
> style and uniqueness of a Bugeye with the helpful addtion of a
usable
> trunk!]
>
> In doing my rushed research on the car (and thinking back to
friends
> experiences with MG's and the like) I've come to expect a crash
course on
> roadside mechanics, hopefully I can count on some help from all
of you!
> After all, isn't it in your best interest to keep this Brit in a
British
> car?!
>
> Okay, here's a bunch of questions to start:
>
> 1) The bonnet on my car is a fibreglass replica, and the
previous owner did
> not have a bonnet latch/handle/brackets to use, so he used those
damned
> clips & posts that you see on street rods. Where would I be
able to find
> the proper 'bugeye' bonnet handle assembly?
>
> 2) Mirrors: None on the car right now ... but I want them. Do
I go with
> Fender or Door placement? Where can I get the correct pieces?
Also, where
> can I pick up a Rear View Mirror?
>
> 3) Electrical: I'll set the record straight, first. I'm 28, I
like loud
> music, especially when I'm on a highway cruise, and as such I
need a CD
> player, and a decent set of speakers in the car! I understand
that due to
> the 6 Volt, Pos. Ground Crazy-Assed Lucas Electrics I'm going to
have one
> helluva time accomplishing much more than AM/FM and a couple of
tinny
> speakers. I've read a few account on the net of putting in an
alternator
> and switching to negative ground, but I was wondering if there
is any way to
> change it to a 12 Volt System? Surely some of you have CD
players in your
> mk2 sprites? How did you do it? Speaker placement and sizes
would be
> helpful, too! Subwoofer anyone? :)
>
> 4) Replacement steering wheel: The car presently has the
original steering
> wheel which, in my case, makes it difficult to make my knees
feel
> comfortable. I want to replace it with something smaller, and
wooden. Any
> suggestions for the easiest substitution. (And yes, I am
willing to
> sell/trade the steering wheel.)
>
> 5) Replacement wheels: The car also has the orginal wheels and
hubcaps. I
> wish to replace these with Minilites, or something similar. My
budget is
> low, so any suggestions for appropriate wheels would be
appreciated. (Also,
> I am willing to sell/trade the wheels and hubcaps)
>
> I'll leave the questions at that for now, I hope I haven't bored
you to
> sleep with the length of this message! I'm just anxious to get
the car on
> the road, and any help will be greaty appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ian Woodhouse
> '62 Sprite (No Name Yet)
>
>
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