PDLJMPR Web Magazine,
April 1, 1996
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The Toadster is a '59 (registered as a 1960, so I guess that's when it was
first sold) Austin Healey Sprite Mk.I, a pretty dignified model name for a
bugeye. I don't know much about the history of lil ole AN5L/18502, except that
it spent some time in Maine, and archaeological digs have determined that it
was born Leaf Green with a red interior. I spent about 30 seconds considering
going back to the original colors, but decided to keep the red. The probably
unoriginal wire wheels and disk brakes, definitely unoriginal 1098 engine, and
a couple of other small details would probably keep the Toadster from winning
at Pebble Beach, anyway. If I can keep up with the chipping lacquer with my
touchup paint, I should have a new paint job in about two years. The Toadster
started out as a parts car for my TR3A. During the winter of 1995, I was
looking around for an organ donor, but wasn't having much luck. I saw an ad for
a "Bugeye Sprite, mint condition" and thought if I had something
British to drive, it would help keep me motivated during the long TR
restoration. The owner and I differed in our definitions of "mint",
but how can you resist a car that smiles at you the first time you meet? So
what if the sills were improperly replaced and you have to lift the doors to get
them to close, and the speedometer says I'm doing 0-60-0 in about one second.
One week later, I'm taking my new buddy around to make some new friends,
starting with the local Motor Vehicle Inspector. It's the only time I've seen
the Toadster frown. We were greeted with "I didn't think there were any
British cars still running" and "Can't you make that horn stop?"
and he went straight for the front end with a three-foot iron bar. One-sixteenth
of an inch of outer fulcrum pin play later, I had become a failure. After
throwing in a few more "nopes" for having headlamp stoneguards, one
turn signal slower than the other, and of course the horn, I was sent on my
way. Anyone who has ever tried to fix one part of a Sprite front end knows what
comes next. New everything. Well, I passed the inspection two weeks later, and
all that's gone wrong since then has been the electric fuel pump (American) and
the coil (American). With everything going so well, I guess I can get rid of
all my tools. Oh, right, I still have that TR someplace.
Dave Garron
bugeye@neca.com
dave@anj.jorg.uconn.edu