1962 Austin Healey Sprite Mark II - Will It Stop?

Today I take a look at a 1962 Austin Healey Sprite Mark II that has been sitting for a very long time and try to get it driving again. I have to replace all the wheel cylinders on the front and rear drum brakes.
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This Week With Cars - Episode 0150
#ClassicCars #AustinHealey #Sprite

[@johndavey72]

Hi Steve . You certainly rolled the years back ! Back in the mid 1960's dad rented a small garage out to a mechanic and his son. I can vividly recall Maurice teaching his Son Russell how to do this exact job on a Sprite ! I was only 12 years old so that was 56years back! Thanks Steve .

[@pfpdlt]

That's a whole lot of brakes for such a small car.

[@dirthawk2669]

Steve , Your videos are Awesome !!! You explain things so the average mechanic can understand !! Keep up the GREAT WORK !!!!

[@patrickmurawski3549]

You have so much experience and a real teaching ability. I feel with your detail work explainations that I’ll be able to accomplish the same task when needed.

[@petescarport]

Thank you. Never thought I would find a video on this. Have been putting off doing my rear. This will be great.

[@lloydgreen4091]

Thank You for these informative videos .

[@davidjones332]

I've never seen the set screws come out of a drum that easily. Usually they're corroded in and shifting them is the longest part of the job!

[@johnquilter7620]

They really do not need to be put in very tight. The wheel and lug nuts will hold the drum in place fine.

[@Veni_Vidi_Vortice]

I've never been able to manage this without using an impact driver for the screws and then a rubber mallet to unstick the drum once the screws were safely out of the way.

[@mundanestuff]

Saved this video right in my list of videos to which I'll refer back when the time comes for brake work on my Sprites!

[@stephenholland5930]

Always have my Whitworth spanners handy, Steve!

[@danbeardshear1356]

my midget had a rubber plug in the adjustment hole

[@glinleyt]

Great work as usual!

[@pensioner43enginedriver13]

Watching your videos has taken be back to 1973 when bought my first car a yellow 1962 MK11 sprite. I did all my own maintenance, I ran it for three until I awarded a Company Car. I did notice your samples of the car have many extra fitted possible as standard. Unfortunate my car ended up in scrap yard after a subsequent owner crashed it.

[@paulhall170]

I'd forgotten how much fun it was resurrecting drum brakes; thank God for discs!!

[@kevinsnowdon9797]

I wish KZbin had existed in the early 80's when I was struggling to to do these jobs. Strange that a young chap in the States is producing the most informative videos on tackling repair work on Brit cars. Many thanks. ps sorry if I sound an arse but late mk1 Midgets had front discs.

[@marcryvon]

Thank god, the Miata came for us all !

[@derrickrees8895]

Is that a slight Miss as you drive away ? I remember a sound like that indicating a gasket leak between cylinders on a Minor I once owned ...

[@TERRYB0688]

Nice job Steve 👍

[@jeffstern632]

I understand what you are saying about how long the shoes will last, but with their age, I can't imagine the shoes would be more than $20 per pair and you have the car apart already.

[@harryburford6629]

have you found any 180b 1979 models yet??

[@walkertongdee]

Those parts must be low quality to wear out so fast the rear ones look like new...

[@klobucarpa]

That seems like a fine setup, provided nothing ever gets dirty.

[@michaelvandermarliere7820]

I hope you are not mad at me Steve? I want to be your friend.

[@daveshongkongchinachannel]

Such a pleasure to watch as always.

[@rosscornelison7316]

No beehive springs on the fronts?

[@anthonybrau7399]

Hey Steve...really enjoy your channel. Question...If one plans on keeping the sprite or a like car, would it be possible to replace the drums with disk brakes?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Yes you can swap the fronts for the disc brakes used on the later Sprites but it is $2000 in parts. There are also kits to convert the rear to disc brakes but I don't think you would see much difference changing the rear.

[@PeteMP3]

It always amazes me that you have all these new parts for these old cars. I know nothing about car maintenance. Are these parts still readily available?

[@coom0004]

Pete, ive got a 67 Triumph in the UK and nearly every part is still available, as is for most cars from this era and surprising reasonable cost

[@davemack7908]

Love the Sprites!

[@131R30]

Great step by step.

[@sperryfish]

Good job…..

[@paull286]

what a beaut

[@strokenumber3]

Nice video

[@johngrace199]

I'm curious...was it not practical or does the car have such lower power to making switching to disk brakes un-necessary? Since finding your channel...I've seen numerous 'barn find' videos but nothing regarding what happens to them. Do you sell on your vehicles once you have them operational again? Love the channel...I wish things like KZbin and your channel were around 40-years ago, I think I would have had more confidence doing the more challenging repairs on my first cars.

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Usually I keep them, if I sell one you will see a video about it or you can check the for sale page: www.thisweekwithcars.com/index.php/vehicles-for-sale/

[@johngrace199]

@@ThisWeekWithCars Fabulous...we all need a hobby we're passionate about. Love the videos...cheers, j

[@davidkippen6403]

Great video--in fact, the whole series on this MKII Sprite is fantastic. Keep them coming!

[@bbrut3332]

Great info, well presented. I hope to have an 80 MGB engine and trans available in a few months. If you would be interested in it I would gladly let you have it if you don't mind a drive to a small town west of Shreveport, La. I doing a 3.4l 5spd swap. The engine turns over and is complete from fan to the trans tailshaft. PM me if you are interested. Thanks for all your time and info on these classics.

[@biffick99]

The rear suspension is sat very low. Looks like it could do with some new leaf springs. Either that or you've got a boot load of stuff weighing it down at the back.

[@peterknight4692]

A very detailed and informative video. The flexible pipes never seem to end up in exactly the same orientation when tightened so the connection at the chassis end usually needs to be loosened to ensure the flexipipe isn't still slightly twisted.

[@bobpenner4260]

the car is in great shape. I wonder though about the sills with 2 jacking points. I think that those are from a later model.

[@bobmanzi7712]

As usual great stuff Steve. The cars looking real sweet. I look forward to the next video keep up the good content

[@bmh67wa]

Beautiful car. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[@alangovan1852]

I served my time working on Austin’s

[@frankhaney8535]

I had a Mark I Midget with front disk brakes so I was surprised to see front drum brakes on your Sprite. According to Wikipedia, BMC gave the Mark I Midget/Mark II Sprite a bigger engine and disk brakes in October 1962, so that explains that. It's good to see somebody bringing these cars back to life. Thank you.

[@jeffstern632]

I love watching your videos, but why wouldn't you have just replaced the shoes when you did the brake cylinders?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

The shoes on the car will probably last another 10+ years of driving with as few miles as you normally put on a car like this.

[@datasailor8132]

Steve, I’ve never seen drum brakes like this. The fronts look like double leading shoes and the rear is I don’t know. Neither is the conventional leading/trailing system still found on American vehicles with rear drum brakes. It would be cool if you could do a video pointing some of these things out such as how the leading shoe is dynamically pressed harder into the drum. I had to do a little research before posting this comment.

[@emmajacobs5575]

The rear *is* a normal leading/trailing shoe setup, but all the pivots/adjusters/springs etc are maybe laid out differently from what you’re used to seeing, so they can fit everything within the tiny 7” drums

[@Birdman1334]

Had a MG MIDGIT that needed new back wheel cylinders every spring after winter lay up in a garage.

[@tiporari]

Not just old British cars. My Dodge truck eats rear wheel cylinders every 2 years. Not made as well as they used to be.

[@ianatkinson8464]

😎👍