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Austin Healey parts spares and accessories are available for Austin Healey 100, 100-6, 3000, Sprite, Bugeye (Frogeye) and other Healey models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

Austin-Healey Sprite - Where to start Frogeye restoration

To all fellow frogeye(ers) - ill cut a long story short. I have a fully stripped and I am now ready to actually starting sorting out the body.

I have possibly started (many years ago) making a newbie mistake by removing both rear wings as my plan was to gain access to the boot floor by removing the wings and the rear center section (which is currently still in place.

The rear bulkhead in general is sound apart from the curved section of the hanger box reinforcement plate in the interior of the car. Front bulkhead and floorpan are also sound. The rear section of the car (where the number plate would go is rotten as is the back half of the boot floor so this part is currently flapping and the front chassis rails, forward from the cross member will need replaced.

So that covers the main structural areas but my question is..... Where to start. Should I:

1) Immediately brace the car and make sure no twist or say has occurred?
2) pick an easy bit to get started
3) remove rear center body and get on with the back end repairs?

Im guessing it really depends on the individual car and the rot thats found but was wondering if any of you out there have and words of wisdom and if there was a "standard" approach to attacking a restoration.

Many thanks in advance

Alan (59 Frog)
a reid

Hi Alan, sorry for the late reply. Best to ask this question on the Midget & Sprite technical board (click on the MG link at the bottom of the page. It is a really active board and you are sure to get a multitude of answers there (some conflicting).
In the meantime please could you check the photographic database of UK registered Mk1 Sprites at www.frogeye.smugmug.com to see if your Sprite is on there.
Kind regards
Gary
Editor of Mascot (the magazine of the Midget & Sprite Club)
frogeye Gary

This thread was discussed between 21/11/2013 and 28/11/2013

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