By Dean Sprague
Many people wait until they retire to enter or re-enter the classic car hobby. The reasons are as varied as the cars they acquire. For some it’s the comradely found in car clubs, for others it’s an opportunity to revisit their youth, still others it’s to find a post employment avocation or just for fun and so on. I am sure there are many more reasons but whatever they are… welcome.
This is a story about one such person, my friend Dave. We became friends some 45 years ago. I had just mustered out of the Navy and he was fresh out of the Army. We met in a college campus parking lot in San Diego, Ca. where my wife and I were stranded by my 1968 Rover 2000 TC. Dave helped out and we have been friends ever since. Now he has retired as an engineer from the aviation industry in New Haven, Connecticut. Dave decided to relocate near us in the North Carolina foothills and pursue his most loved avocations woodworking (maybe small boat building) and British car ownership. He looked and looked for just the right real estate. Finally with the help from Gary (fellow car club member) he found it. He bought an over sized freestanding two car garage with enough extra room for a workshop. Oh, and by the way it also came with a freestanding three-bedroom house on a double lot and yet another basement workshop and garage. The hobbyist dream!!!!
His next quest was to reenter the British sports car hobby. He immediately joined our car club (CVBMC) and got active. He has owned several sports cars and a some were British. He started in High School with a 1959 Austin Healey Mk 1, Bug Eye Sprite (Frog Eye if your not in the Colonies) and ended with a 1970 Marcos 3000 he acquired while in College. First, you must decide on the car you want. He looked at the TVR 2500 M. Then a Lotus Super 7 and even thought about getting a Ford GT 40 replica among others but ultimately, he decided to recapture his youth and go back to where it all started for him... an AH Bug Eye Sprite. He found a beauty that was restored by Robert, another club member and subsequently resold to Steve, another club member. These are the cars you want to find. Not only do you know what was restored you know how well it was done and how it was cared for. This can lower the risk sufficiently to make it a saver buy. Remember that you are looking for a car that is typically over a half a century old condition isn’t just important it’s everything.
Since his acquisition he has been busy upgrading, servicing, and detailing to make the car more his. Dave bought one of those hood kits that enable you to tilt the hood forward instead of up. This can provide more than just convenience and ease of opening, its much safer. The original configuration required the lifting of the entire, rather heavy front of the car to access the engine bay. Then you had to crawl into the limited gap on your knees or break your back even if you just wanted to check the engine oil. This forward tilt conversion is more then just a significant improvement. It also eliminates the physiological fear of being decapitated by the hood should the locks fail.
The greatest thing about this Bug Eye however is not just its condition it’s the drivetrain. It looks like a stock Bug Eye in every way except it has been retro-modernized. It has a Datsun B210 engine and 5-speed transmission coupled with extensive suspension and brake upgrades to support the doubling of the horsepower. This creates a modern driver capable of cruising at 70 plus MPH while providing spirited exits from traffic lights and still captures 32 plus mpg from every gallon of fuel.
The Austin Healey Sprite was the brainchild of Donald Healey. He designed the entry level offering in the sports car arena as a little brother to the “big” 3000 Healey. While there have been many more beautiful and without question faster sports cars few have been more enduring to their owners. Its smiling face and bug eyes captured the hearts of enthusiasts’ worldwide and still do.
In an effort to keep costs down Healey sourced parts from the bins of mostly Morris Minor and the Austin A35. Originally, he designed the car with integrated lights like then XKE Jaguar and later with retracting headlamps but production cost became prohibitive so he just added the protruding lights in the hood as an 11th hour after thought. Of course, this became the famous trademark for the car “Bug or Frog Eye” depending on which side of the pond you are on. Many think the cost decision was made by the corporate bean counters at British Motor Corporation but in truth it was Healey himself. He wanted this to be an affordable sports car for the masses and that meant making some compromises.
Interestingly what began, as probably the least costly sports car of its day is now highly valued by collectors. A nice Bug Eye can cost about the same as any MG or Triumph in equivalent condition. However, comfort, space and limited headroom can be issues. While David doesn’t seem to have a problem with the headroom I have to wear a hat because my head rubs the overhead. He did comment however that interior space including ingress and egress are worse than he remembers. He told me that he thinks his feet are growing and that must be it. However, when he was talking with his brother he commented on the space issue. His brother said, “You always had trouble getting and out of those things”. I think we remember what we want to remember. I know I do. The plight of old age may be sneaking up on all of us. My MG TD seemed much more comfortable back in the day than it does now and I have been driving that thing since High School. Despite all this perhaps it’s not about comfort anyway. Maybe its just about looking down the hood and watching the road roll under it. This can bring back youthful memories in a very special way.
I discovered all you need is a sunny day, a good sports car, a full tank of gas, some free time and no particular place to go. It will bring it all back and before you know it you will feel revitalized. Just remember though if the trip extends itself don’t forget the Advil to stave off the aches and pains. That’s two every four hours and enjoy!
