Round 2 - Barn Find Sprite #2 - Will It Run?

Last round I found the engine was stuck and without a driveshaft I could not break the engine free. Today I install the missing driveshaft, deal with more surprise missing parts, and again see if the Sprite will run.
Don't forget to visit my website for more updates: www.thisweekwit...
This Week With Cars - Episode 00115

[@nikolaslarson6891]

It must be extremely satisfying to have six of those cheeky little cars. You will always be able to keep a pair of them running. Your no-nonsense way of dealing with the different issues makes it a pleasure to follow your excellent videos.

[@mikehamilton9743]

Boy that brings back memories. I owned one for several years but had to sell it to pay tuition. Made a trip to the Grand Canyon in 1963 - for sleeping we leaned the seats forward and laid against the seat with our legs and feet in the boot. Good times!

[@dalamar6228]

That video took me back 30 years to when I changed a broken half shaft on my Morris Minor. Funnily enough, I have a differential to repair this winter on my TVR Chimaera. Not driveshafts this time but a worn pinion bearing and leaks galore. Thank you for the memories and looking forward to the next one.

[@jjmac3561]

Best to put the penetrating oil in before you do anything else on the car, that way it can work it's way in while you rebuild the differential.

[@frglee]

Pretty simple mechanicals compared with so many modern cars. Back in the day British schoolkids would learn basic car engineering from an old Mini or Minor in a school workshop garage. Their A-series engines are described in Wiki as the one of the most common car engines ever made - nice to see they are still giving sterling service all over the World, all parts still being affordable and available. Not bad for something first built in 1951 as an 803cc, 24HP engine to power the tiny Austin A30.

[@ianburit3705]

Hi Steve, another little Gem of a car by its looks. Like all things, it dont always at first turn out as you hoped, but, It will. Be eager to watch round 2 of getting it running. Thanks for the video - Ian - UK.

[@richardwasserman]

The first car that I bought for myself was a 1959 Bug eye. I paid $500.00 in 1967. Still miss it.

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

She’s going to be nice, those wheels tyres and hubcaps are just great ! Simple but stylish and effective.

[@mundanestuff]

Nice work. I reluctantly liked the video. Reluctant only because I'm so envious. Great find. I'll probably repeat that every time you extend this series of videos, LOL.

[@mundanestuff]

BTWs, I received my heritage certificates for my two Bugeyes, both were originally cherry red. Interestingly ones body number doesn't match the chassis number, probably meaning two vehicles were mashed together. Did you get heritage certs for these?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

The body numbers and chassis numbers are almost never the same but the heritage certificate should confirm what they should be. I don’t have them for the barn find Bugeyes but I do for other Bugeyes and cars I have.

[@mundanestuff]

Thanks. I didn't think they would match each other, but match what's on the certificate. One does match the certificate, that is, the chassis number is 6204 and the body number is 6123 just like on the cert, it's a cherry red 58 ( that needs a full restore). But the other one has the body number that belonged to a different chassis number implying the body came from one car and the front came from another. That's a 59. The chassis was originally cherry red as well. Either way, love these Bugeye videos, keep up the good work.

[@stephenhenion8304]

That's the fun part about cars! Chasing down the problem, sourcing all the bits. It was more challenging 40 years ago.

[@kttmmedellin7138]

Nice Woodpecker reference!

[@strokenumber3]

Don't forget to put oil in the diff.

[@daveshongkongchinachannel]

Another great video Steve. As always, I love the way you talk your way through the diagnostic and repair process and each time I learn something new. Looking forward to seeing you get this one running in the near future.

[@team3383]

Notice how mechanics with no electronics or plug in computers for diagnostics is soooo much simpler and straight forward. Makes you wonder why bother with the computer stuff. Unless you like gearboxes that know what you want to do better than you do and other gizmos. Just take things apart, clean them up, renew them, put them back together again and turn the key. Hey presto.

[@daveshongkongchinachannel]

@@team3383 Too right, I have never come across an automatic box yet that gets it right and it still feels so refreshing to get back on my 1998 Honda motorbike and enjoy the instant throttle response from an old fashioned cable connected to 4 carbs.

[@peterscandlyn]

That certainly scrubbed up well!

[@edsalerno2790]

Good to see you working on #2 Frog Eye again. Looks great with just a wash. Hope to see it running soon. Never seen axles come out so easy.

[@cassiemoses6591]

Hi Ed!!!!

[@88SC]

I never knew those things had floating hubs. Cool!

[@marcryvon]

Nice lil' Bugger ! two things though : 1) Oil in the diff - don't forget ! 2: you should open and clean the SUs carbs. They're surely gummed up with old fuel ! Hey, Happy New Year, young man !

[@5idthe5quid]

Just like real life. One step at a time. We tale our victories as they come.

[@r1lark]

Pretty neat setup, like a safety hub - if you break an axle, you don't have to worry about the wheel coming off, right? Just don't forget to put the gear lube in that rear axle. ;-) Engine freed up nicely, good job. Looking forward to seeing it drive!

[@JourneymanRandy]

Amazing there was nothing wrong with the dif. Would be great to see it running soon. Nice work Steve.

[@ovenorway]

You should do a compression test and change the oil before starting

[@cr10001]

Bit surprised the axles were in good nick. Usually they were the first things to break, thanks to BMC design of cutting deep square-bottomed grooves for the splines.

[@btpearce]

I saw one of these cars today at the stoplight in the town I live in. I had no idea what it was , then tonight your video popped up on my KZbin feed . lol. I subscribed so I can see it run when you get it going. :-)

[@edwardpedley7582]

Knew a guy who put a 283 Chevy engine in a sprite. Not much seating room but it was fun and fast.

[@brandonsmith4367]

I think someone already mentioned this but instead of using the penetrating oil, marver mystery oil works wonders at freeing up the seized motor. Try it next time :)

[@jtelliso]

I like a man who is well prepared with spare parts.

[@southpawgarage4718]

Wow, to think they used to make things easy to access and adjust like those drum brake adjusters. Take the hub cap off and voilà! It's so sad how they make things so complicated to work on these days.

[@biffoswilly]

Nice Job

[@graemelliott3942]

Please make a follow up video quickly! You left us hanging 🍺🏁👍

[@DanTyson]

If that's a Lucas c40 generator, I re built them when I was an apprentice almost 50 years ago. Same with the startermotors.

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Yes the tach is driven off the generator on the first Sprites.

[@bobspeller2225]

Nearly a good job, looking good for a start up next time. Good luck Bob

[@parrotraiser6541]

If you haven't already done so, it might be an idea to fill that diff. with oil. It would be a shame to forget to fill it, take it out on the road and chew it all up. It's so easy to overlook or forget assembly process steps, as any number of expensive aircraft Mainenance-Induced Failures have demonstrated.

[@deep6thisdeep6this92]

when watching the first video on #2 it looked like the replacement starter was very slow to spool up.

[@Drvanosdrand]

keep em coming

[@chrisatty]

Enjoyed your video, thanks used to have a Sprite:-)

[@paull544]

great stuff

[@lambrokedrc5998]

#2 what a stinker😁😂🤣 Next time! THNX!

[@TERRYB0688]

Not sure if you use the same term over there but we called them " frog eyed sprites"

[@Klimtalicious]

I've heard them called that, but I'm more familiar with "bug-eye Sprite".

[@TERRYB0688]

Yes Wikipedia say in the UK they where called Frog-eyed and the US bugg-eyed

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

I call a RHD Sprite a Frogeye and a LHD Sprite a Bugeye

[@michaelhunter8644]

I don't know where you found these cars in a barn but if it's in the Midwest or Iowa itself I have never seen cars like that driving around and I grew up in Minnesota

[@MartinSage]

My first job after finding out I have a seized engine is to dump Magic Mystery Oil down all the cylinders and leave it for many days.

[@johndavey72]

There's always a first time. But a missing diff' ?😂😂😂 When you gave her a wash you can see she sits so well . As you say when she gets a scrub and polish she' s going to look spanking! Thanks Steve.

[@tkskagen]

"MARVER MYSTERY OIL" works really well to creep beyond the Piston Rings to help free a "Frozen" Engine. Great little project car!👍

[@jorgennorrman4023]

You'r not folling me ! oil all over the motor !! ;-)

[@craigpests_channel]

Hey Steve! Love the videos! I have a 1959 morris minor and it's only running on the two rear cylinders. Do you know what could be happening?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Do you have two carbs?

[@VauxhallViva1975]

Bad leads on Cylinders 1 & 2, bad points, bad condenser, POSSIBLY bad coil. Fouled distributor cap, rotor arm or plugs on 1 & 2, and don't forget to check that there is a spring behind the little carbon conductor in the center of the distributor cap - people often forget to put that back in, and that results in bad or ineffective spark transmission via the rotor arm, to the dizzy contacts, giving you a weak spark or no spark at all. Also check that this carbon contact pushes into the cap and that the spring pushes it back out again. If it is binding, you will get a weak spark. Also check that the dizzy bearing are good. Worn bearings will allow the rotor shaft to 'Wobble', affecting dwell and timing, and making the engine really hard to fire. Grab the rotor shaft, and try to move it laterally. If it moves more then just a tiny bit, this should also be looked into as a wobbling rotor-arm shaft will drastically affect the timing. Good luck!

[@jasonmoses6207]

Penetrating oil is the bomb!

[@hookyjo72]

I don't know about those kind of starters but when I've had one do that i whacked them with a hammer 🔨 sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't but you might have got to hear it run

[@jeep2003]

Im using a rear axle like that in a car im building im not sure what its from. It looks just like that but the brakes arnt hydraulic they are actuated by a rod.

[@matthewanderson7766]

That would be cool to put a ls in

[@rodney1818]

Can anybody really think of a cooler car than a bug-eyed Sprite

[@lrcb40]

2 frog eyed Sprites?

[@rodney1818]

@@lrcb40 no I did not ask what would make you cooler than a bug-eyed Sprite I asked what was cooler of course having to would make me cooler

[@nedkline886]

why didnt you talke a starter from one of the other sprits , cant believe you did not have one lying around. i like you videos. what happend to the car with the rice issue

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

This car didn’t have a starter. This is one that I had lying around. I will be asking a lot of the starter until the engine starts reliably and it’s best to not ruin one from a working car.

[@wmcbarker4155]

sorry...thumbs down...no captions....... wish could hear

[@paulnewman11]

That’s not an oil pipe. It’s a vacuum pipe.

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

It is the oil pipe to the oil pressure gauge.

[@nadenolam8368]

It’s an oil line, had a 61 midget.

[@johnquilter7620]

@@ThisWeekWithCars Yes but I would still want a oil gauge hooked up even if started for a few minutes to verify some pressure.

[@hollowpoint357sw4]

Oh right, you just happened to have the correct differential for that car just laying around. Maybe you you took it out earlier to make more convenient. I feel you are such a huge fake. Like with that range rover you entered in the cheap truck challenge challenge. 300 dollars¿????🤔

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Apparently you didn't watch my first two videos on that Land Rover or this one either. I had about 10 of those differentials sitting around but most of them were welded for racing. I have about another 15 complete rear ends I could have taken one out of. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZq4ZHiEm6lji80

[@amilton2128]

What a prat

[@hollowpoint357sw4]

@@amilton2128 you are credulous.

[@johndavey72]

@@amilton2128 At least ! 😂😂