Check out our review of a recent online purchase that came to us for inspection and sorting. In the video below, I review the issues that were not apparent in the auction but still need addressing nonetheless.
It’s so easy to fall in love with an auction car online… but sometimes crowd sourced information in auctions can be misleading. Check out the video to learn more!
A NEW limited slip differential option for Bugeyes and Spridgets!
A limited slip differential is the single best modification you can make to your Sprite.
Every Spridget will spin the inside rear wheel on sharp turns. Watch any autocross, and the Sprites are squealing, failing to put the power to the road on both rear wheels. But with a limited slip, traction is dramatically increased. You’ll notice an immediate improvement in your acceleration out of turns, and also in the stability and smoothness of how you deliver power to the road. For years, we have offered a clutch-type limited slip, which is a great option, but can be noisy and temperamental. We now have a NEW option available that we are excited to offer!
This new, helical-type limited slip unit works just as well as a clutch-type limited slip differential, but without any of the noise and low-speed choppiness a clutch-type provides. Check out the video below to see one in action, and click on the photo above to order a fully rebuilt 3.9 differential with helical limited slip today! Each diff uses all-new parts, including a new 3.9 ring and pinion. Ready to bolt in and go!
Fuel injected 5-Speed Austin Healey 1959 Sprite for sale (Bugeye)
Now SOLD to Blair in Texas! Bugeye #461 sold, congratulations!
Cirrus is a very exciting Bugeye that we are thrilled to have back for sale! This 948 fuel-injected marvel has been in the loving care of one of our local clients here in Connecticut, who has entrusted us with maintenance and upkeep since we sold him the car in July of 2023, and who also had us make several improvements on his behalf upon him purchasing the car, including adding a custom tonneau, new front heavy duty lever shocks, a sway bar kit, USB charging port, LED headlights, and more! Take a look at the listing below, check out the ALL-NEW walk around tour, and give us a call if you’d like to take Cirrus home!
One of the best parts of my job is that we get to see quite a range of old cars in all configurations and conditions. This is one that we have certainly never seen before but it’s really an interesting expression of how to power your Bugeye.
“Cirrus” (AN5L 25831) is a 948-powered car that has been supercharged and fuel injected with late model (2002-2008) Mini Cooper components mated to it. There’s a beautiful high-performance exhaust with an oxygen sensor (also known as a lambda sensor for our English readers) for the fuel injection and a nicely engineered high-pressure pump and return line to feed the injection. No SU carbs, just modern Mini parts to computer manage fuel and ignition, for optimal and reliable fuel and spark. This is by far the fastest 948 Bugeye I have ever driven, quicker than a stock 1275.
The guy that built this up was really skilled, and it shows throughout. Cirrus is nicely configured; an aluminum radiator and extra cooling fan, plus a Datsun five speed transmission, so there’s a lot of expensive and wonderful componentry thrown at this car, and it’s a delight to drive. For example, the builder rigged a nice flip forward nose kit with a spring-loaded internal hood release (you can see the release lever under the H knob). The flip forward feature is great for access and the latch is nice for a clean nose with no straps!
Tires are 185/70 for lots of grip. This has been a fair weather car and the roll bars prevent a top from fitting, but a short tonneau is fitted and included!
The car is super quick, and the supercharger has a delightful whine that intensifies and the boost builds. This car comes on at about 3200 RPMs and starts to really scream!
This is a great car for anyone who wants the tech that goes with fuel injection, coupled with a very quick five speed car! A whole lot of cool stuff is packed into this car! Check out the driving video below, shot in 2023, just as relevant today!
If you’re interested, feel free to give us a call and we can tell you more. It’s a solid one-of-a-kind Bugeye, and it works really well.
Give me the wheel!
I was removing a Bugeye Steering wheel today to center the wheel when the entire steering shaft pulled off the steering box. No problem since I was sitting in the shop, but this is an important reminder to check the little bolt I have circled in photo below. It’s on our pre-departure check list for every car we sell, and it should be on your check list if you have never checked yours.
The circled clamp pinches the steering column on the steering box. The bolt squeezing the clamp is supposed to nest in the groove of the splined steering box, shown just above the red circle in the photo.
In this particular case, it “looked” like the pinch bolt was properly installed, but the bolt was too small a diameter and incorrect. Thus it pulled right out of the groove and allowed the shaft come off the box, which would be bad if it happened while you were driving. Hence this reminder to make sure your steering column is secure!
Above, you can see the steering wheel pulled away from the steering wheel hub, since the column has pulled off the steering box.
Below, you can see the incorrect coarse thread machine screw, formerly in this steering shaft. Now, it has been replaced with the correct diameter bolt, and the shaft is secure.
Please take a look at yours next time you open the bonnet!
Front Backing plate orientation importance
Every Bugeye rolled off of the factory floor in England with four-wheel drum brakes. When maintained properly, drum brakes are perfectly adequate for stopping a Bugeye, as long as they are properly installed. We had a car arrive this week with the front backing plates reversed, which might be hard for some people to recognize, but this is a problem that can dramatically reduce braking performance.
Austin Healey Sprite fuel pump woes
There are three critical ingredients to any classic car’s recipe to run: good spark, healthy compression, and a consistent supply of fuel. We were reminded this week of what a lack of fuel can do to the running equation.
While attempting to test drive Sam’s Bugeye, we could not get it started, no matter how hard we tried. The aftermarket electric fuel pump was buzzing, as it should, but the fuel filter was still dry. How could this be?
Ultimately, we don’t know for sure. Aftermarket fuel pumps, like the one pictured above installed in Sam’s Bugeye, fail without warning quite frequently. This one has all sorts of issues present; the housing is cracked, the diaphragm may be torn, there’s too much rubber fuel line… Our solid state fuel pump kit and a new fuel line will remedy the situation nicely. Luckily, this failure was discovered in our driveway; we haven’t always been so fortunate.
Pictured above is my Iris blue Bugeye (“The Egg”) getting retrieved by a flat bed tow truck a few years ago. The fuel pump had failed, a nice looking little German model which started pumping furiously (without moving fuel) because the diaphragm failed. Below on the right is a picture of the one that came with the car, which broke. Alongside I have also shown an Ecco brand pump that comes with plastic fittings- I much prefer metal ones. These pumps are two other examples of electric fuel pumps commonly fitted to Bugeyes and Spridgets that fail often.
Sadly, we have seen lots of these aftermarket alternatives fail.
We have had zero failures with the square solid state pump we sell. This is the most reliable set-up that we have found, and they live on almost all of the cars we have shipped to customers around the world. The Egg got one in 2018 and is still pumping strong; Sam’s car will also receive one next week.
Your Bugeye should get one too! Much more consistent than a mechanical fuel pump, and much more reliable than other aftermarket pumps available, our solid state fuel pump kit will withstand the test of time! Click the photos below to check out our fuel pump kit and other related fuel system components, or click here for our full catalog!
