When you acquire a classic project car like an Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite, the excitement often comes with boxes of mystery spares. Our recently acquired Bugeye Sprite race car was no exception, arriving with a collection of parts stuffed inside and packed into weathered boxes. The big question loomed: had we stumbled upon a treasure trove of valuable Austin Healey Car Parts, or were we facing a pile of components destined for the scrap heap?
To get a professional opinion, we decided to enlist the expertise of Sprite specialist Tom Colby at Speedwell Engineering. We sent him photos of the suspension components from our newfound stash of austin healey car parts, hoping for some encouraging news.
Expert Inspection of Suspension Parts
Tom Colby’s assessment, unfortunately, was quite direct. His report indicated that the austin healey car parts we had were “100% worn-out, more or less stock components, and all poorly done shade tree mechanic-type work.” He identified stock leaf springs, a poorly executed attempt at a Panhard bar, and an Addco rear sway bar deemed excessively stiff for any Sprite application, from street to racing. He also pointed out a dangerously chafed front brake hose, highlighting the typical issues seen in decades of working on these classic cars.
The Not-So-Good News (and a Tiny Bright Spot)
The overall verdict on our austin healey car parts was less than stellar. Colby advised that “every single part in the pictures just needs to be disassembled, stripped to bare steel, examined, and then replace just about everything that pivots.” While this wasn’t the news we hoped for, there was a sliver of positivity. He recommended having the spindles Magnafluxed and, if within specification, reusing the front brake rotors after turning them, noting their superior quality compared to inexpensive new replacements.
Upgrades and Recommendations for Austin Healey Parts
Moving beyond the basic assessment, Colby offered valuable upgrade advice for sourcing replacement austin healey car parts. He specifically recommended using the Moss Motors tapered front wheel bearing conversion kit, a popular and beneficial modification for Sprites. Regarding the rear axle, he suggested removing any previously added brackets and starting fresh. Crucially, he advised checking the rear axle shaft numbers to ensure they were the stronger BTA prefix (denoting 1275 spec) rather than the weaker 2A (948) versions. As an even better option for performance and durability, he suggested considering aftermarket, uprated axles as essential austin healey car parts for any serious Sprite enthusiast.
Spring Rate Analysis: Are They Stock Austin Healey Springs?
To further evaluate our austin healey car parts, we decided to analyze the front springs. By measuring the free length, wire diameter, overall mean diameter, and active coils, we could use an online spring calculator to estimate their spring rate. This process involved understanding the concept of active coils, which are the coils that actually contribute to the spring’s function during compression. According to Grassroots Motorsports, coils in contact during compression are not considered active.
Our measurements revealed:
- Free length: 9.5 inches
- Overall mean diameter: 4.25 inches
- Wire diameter: 0.5 inch
- Active coils: 7
Using the Acxess Spring calculator, these figures indicated a spring rate of approximately 250 lbs./in. Comparing this to the stock Sprite front spring rate of around 271 lbs./in., we concluded that our spare springs were likely just standard, worn-out austin healey car parts.
Silver Linings: Upgraded Spindles and Disc Brakes
Despite the generally disappointing condition of the spare austin healey car parts, we did uncover a couple of positive aspects. Our Sprite was equipped with uprated front spindles, a valuable upgrade that we could thankfully cross off our parts shopping list. Furthermore, the car had already been converted to front disc brakes, a significant improvement over the original drum brakes and a feature not introduced until later models around 1962.
MG Midget Parts Bonus
Adding to the small victories, our accompanying MG Midget parts car offered some beneficial austin healey car parts compatibility. It provided us with better rear axles, larger rear brake wheel cylinders, and more modern emergency brake hardware, all of which could be utilized for upgrading our Bugeye Sprite project.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while our boxes of spare austin healey car parts didn’t contain any hidden gold, the assessment wasn’t a complete loss. We now have a clearer understanding of what needs replacing and upgrading. The expert advice and the few valuable components we salvaged give us a solid starting point for creating a comprehensive shopping list and moving forward with the restoration of our Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite.
