the national car club awards in association with an …

MASCOTISSUE 430 JANUARY 2020

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: DYNAMO PULLEYS • MORE ON LED’S • QUIZ ANSWERS

AN AERIAL ALTERNATIVE BY PHIL MAYNE

www.midgetandspriteclub.co.uk

GRAHAM BISH BUILDS HIS ARCHER’S FROGEYE

REGULARITY TRIALS BY MIKE DIXON

T H E M A G A Z I N E O F T H E M I D G E T & S P R I T E C L U B

HIGHLY COMMENDED

THENATIONALCAR CLUB

2019 IN ASSOCIATION WITH

AWARDS

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If RH is already insuring your specialist vehicle, they will quote 10% less than the renewal premium for your everyday private car*. RH is best known for its specialist vehicle insurance, but they also provide highly competitive cover to owners of modern cars, along with the pleasing bonus of old-fashioned personal service.

But that’s not all.

RH’s fees for swapping vehicles, policy changes or mid-term adjustments are easy to understand: they’re £0.

Legal cover is a bargain too – if you’re already paying legal expenses cover (£10.50) for one car with RH, you can add as many vehicles as you like to your multi-vehicle policy, with no additional legal expenses cover payable. The cover will apply to all vehicles, with no limit on the total number of vehicles, or the mix of moderns to classics. In addition, every vehicle you add to the policy will earn its own multi-vehicle discount.

There’s even more good news, as UK and European breakdown recovery is standard with the RH package – for classic and modern vehicles.

*You’ll need to meet RH’s standard underwriting criteria and be claim-free in the last 12 months. Your current premium will need to match or exceed RH’s minimum premium (£240), which is periodically subject to change. As long as the cover is ‘like for like’ – that is, directly comparable**, it’s all good! Even if your renewal date is the best part of a year away, RH would be delighted to chat to you now about tailoring some top-notch, cost-effective cover.*****RH reserves the right to request sight of your renewal notice for validation purposes. ***A change in your circumstances could impact any quotes previously provided.

Got a classic policy? RH guarantees to beat your everyday car’s renewal too!by Emma Airey, Head of RH Specialist vehicle insurance

20142 08/19

Call any of the friendly team members on

0333 043 3911 or email classicuw@ers.com

GRAHAM BISH’S ARCHER’S FROGEYE

WELCOMETO THE JANUARY EDITION OF MASCOT

MIDGET &SPRITE CLUB

NEIL THOMASeditor@midgetandspriteclub.co.uk

The statements and opinions expressed in each and every issue of Mascot are not necessarily the considered views of the Midget and Sprite Club. The views expressed by the editorial contributors, letter writers and advertisers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Club. The Midget and Sprite Club accepts no responsibility for the results of following contributor’s advice, nor does it necessarily endorse the services or products offered by advertisers.

THE DEADLINE FOR ARTICLES AND REPORTS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FEBRUARY EDITION OF MASCOT IS...

FRIDAY 10TH OF JANUARY

ISSUE 430

Hello and a very Happy New Year to you all. I hope you have had a great time over the recent festive period.

If you are like me, you will already be planning your activities for 2020 and there are some adverts in this issue with discount codes that you can use to gain reductions in ticket entries. Please make use of them.

Mike Marczynski, proprietor of our regular advertising business, ‘Frogeye Spares’, sent me this photo in. I would love to hear from you with a funny caption. Send them in to me and I’ll publish the best next month.

Quiz answersHow many of you did the quiz last month?

The quiz itself was kindly sent in to me by Zoe Hawkins and Graham from the Wiltshire area. Thank you both. Here are the answers:

1. Matt Goss2. Alex “Hurricane” Higgins3 Alfred Hitchcock4. Anthony Hopkins (Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins CBE)5. Mahatma Gandhi (Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi). 6. Ainsley Harriot7. Mel Gibson (Mel Colmcille Gerard Gibson)8. Melanie Griffith9. Michael Gove10. Alex Horne11. Maurice Gibb12. Amanda Holden13. Audrey Hepburn14 Mel Giedroyc15 Mike Gatting16. Alfred Edward Houseman17. Matt Groening18. Sir Michael Gambon CBE19. Anjelica Houston20. Marvin Gaye21. Anne Hathaway22. Maggie Gyllenhaal

Keep sending your material into me folks. Must be some rebuilds and maintenance jobs going on at this time of year. Also, the club has lots of female members and I would love to feature any articles from you. I’ve heard tell that sometimes there’s a race to get to MASCOT first when it arrives, so come on, send me your articles.Until next month, have a good one, Neil

If RH is already insuring your specialist vehicle, they will quote 10% less than the renewal premium for your everyday private car*. RH is best known for its specialist vehicle insurance, but they also provide highly competitive cover to owners of modern cars, along with the pleasing bonus of old-fashioned personal service.

But that’s not all.

RH’s fees for swapping vehicles, policy changes or mid-term adjustments are easy to understand: they’re £0.

Legal cover is a bargain too – if you’re already paying legal expenses cover (£10.50) for one car with RH, you can add as many vehicles as you like to your multi-vehicle policy, with no additional legal expenses cover payable. The cover will apply to all vehicles, with no limit on the total number of vehicles, or the mix of moderns to classics. In addition, every vehicle you add to the policy will earn its own multi-vehicle discount.

There’s even more good news, as UK and European breakdown recovery is standard with the RH package – for classic and modern vehicles.

*You’ll need to meet RH’s standard underwriting criteria and be claim-free in the last 12 months. Your current premium will need to match or exceed RH’s minimum premium (£240), which is periodically subject to change. As long as the cover is ‘like for like’ – that is, directly comparable**, it’s all good! Even if your renewal date is the best part of a year away, RH would be delighted to chat to you now about tailoring some top-notch, cost-effective cover.*****RH reserves the right to request sight of your renewal notice for validation purposes. ***A change in your circumstances could impact any quotes previously provided.

Got a classic policy? RH guarantees to beat your everyday car’s renewal too!by Emma Airey, Head of RH Specialist vehicle insurance

20142 08/19

Call any of the friendly team members on

0333 043 3911 or email classicuw@ers.com

9th February MG & Triumph Spares Day.27-29th March Practical Classics Car & Restoration Show, 2020.16-19th April Healey Museum Visit (Vreeland, Netherlands). Details Alan Anstead Kent Rep.26th April “Drive it Day” - Destinations yet to be decided by local groups.9-10th May Classic and Vintage Vehicle Steam event at Papplewick Pumping Station, Nottinghamshire. Free entry for pre-1985 vehicles. For pre-booking form please contact Ian Cooke ilcooke@btinternet.com 30-31st May Wollaton Park ‘Autokarna’ and Motor Show. Nottingham NG8 2AE MASC paddock area for all pre-booked cars. £5 per car. A call to all neighbouring MASC groups to join the Notts + Derby area for our biggest event of the year! Contact: Ian Cooke ilcooke@btinternet.com15-24th Sept Richard Lionheart Tour (Roussines - France) visiting places related to King Richard 1 plus much more. Details Alan Anstead Kent Rep.

Send your events details to editor@midgetandspriteclub.co.uk Area Reps, Please remember that you can now add your monthly events on the Club’s website.

Please contact Mike webmaster@midgetandspriteclub.co.uk

EVENTS CALENDAR 2020

EVENTS DETAILS NEEDED FOR 2020 - Area reps please make Neil Thomas aware of any events already in your diaries and any that are planned for 2020 so that they can be added to this section of the magazine and

the website. For the magazine Neil can be contacted at editor@midgetandspriteclub.co.uk For the website Mike Bennett can be contacted at webmaster@midgetandspriteclub.co.uk

REGALIA All available on line, along with other items at: www.midgetandspriteclub.co.uk

Binders £6.50

Key fobs £3.25

Grille badges £21

Badge Bar badges now in stock, £21

Cloth badge £3.25 inc p&p

Golf umbrellas from £19.19 plus p&p

Window sticker £2 inc p&p

DVD £12

RSCC2997

JOIN US FOR THE CLASSIC’S30TH ANNIVERSARY

2020CCD071

www.silverstoneclassic.comOur club’s exclusive Car Club Display Package code is:

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PARTNERS

THREE EXHILARATING DAYS1-3 MAY 2020

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TO BOOK TICKETS:

Simply quote DHF_20_N24DFTP when booking online at www.msv.com/DHFdisplay or when calling 0843 453 9000* to receive a 50% discount on advance tickets and secure your free parking pass so you can display your car on our club stand. Club ticket sales close at 5pm on April 26.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR OUR CLUB

MEMBERS

Featuring race cars from eight decades: Le Mans cars, single-seaters, GT cars, sports cars and Touring Cars.

Plus all-access paddock, historic F1 demos, pitlane walks, passenger rides, parade laps and classic car displays.

*Calls cost 7 pence per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.

JOIN US FOR THE CLASSIC’S30TH ANNIVERSARY

2020CCD071

www.silverstoneclassic.comOur club’s exclusive Car Club Display Package code is:

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NEW MEMBERS We extend a warm welcome to the following new and rejoined members

NOVEMBER > DECEMBER 2019

My uncle bought the GAN1 Midget in 1972 and had owned it until he passed away at the start of 2019. I bought the car from his widow and have slowly been working through the main components with a view to getting it back on the road in spring 2020. Despite how it looks in the photo, it’s in a bit of a mess and has endured lots of ‘interesting decisions’ over the years with ill-fitting parts, wrong fasteners, you name it... Having applied for the heritage certificate, I’ve discovered that the car was originally Old English White, so my long-term plan is to have some of the more urgent bodywork repaired and then have it resprayed back to its original colour. It also came with an Ashley GT hardtop and the Donald Healey (Sebring Sprite) wire wheel and front brake discs conversion, all of which I look forward to restoring. Watch this space!

Richard Potts - 5992

We have had ‘Daffy’ for about 9-years and apart from fitting a roll-bar it has just been routine servicing. We are looking forward to getting involved with the Club and its events.

Cheers

Greg 5952

I’ve owned this Frogeye for about 7 months now and enjoyed using it over the summer (much to my wife’s displeasure). I have to say both my 6 year old daughter and 2 year old son love the car (he is in the photo). I’ve always grown up around a frogeye as my dad got me the first car back in the early eighties (in Sri Lanka). My dad had one in the mid 70’s but had to part with it before I was born and he always regretted selling it off. The first chance he found another he bought it and kept it aside thinking that I would like it someday. I am so glad he did as I had to chance to grow up and experience all the ups and downs of owning a classic. We even managed to buy a second Frogeye to add to the collection in Sri Lanka but I had to part with that when I bought my car here in the UK. I am looking forward to get the kids involved and let them experience a bit of what I had growing up.

Hope to get involved with the club and activities and meet with other owners.

Thanks, Malith

Hello all, having joined at the NEC, here’s my Midget. I own the other cars in the pic too, but no longer own the petrol pumps.

David 5961

GRAHAM BISHMembership No. 1367Hi all. I was pleased to re-join the club at the NEC after being away for twenty-two years! It was good also to be able to keep my old membership number. Although I didn’t sell my Sprite lots has happened in-between. Nothing serious, just life, marriage, kids, houses and a very long-winded restoration.

In 1993 I decided to buy my first classic and it had to be a Sprite or a Midget. I had always wanted a Frogeye, but I knew my finances would not stretch to one. After a search I came across a Mk3 Sprite in Liverpool. Originally Riviera Blue, it had been painted Pageant Blue and sat on steel wheels with nice H-Pattern blue trim. Generally, it was in good condition and drove quite well. Over the next year or so I changed it to wire wheels and fully overhauled the suspension. I drove it regularly and took part in a lot of fun runs and tours. I even used it to woo my wife Marion.

My desire for a Frogeye had never gone away. After reading about Archers Garage making great fibreglass panels, I hatched a plan to create a replica. I purchased an accident damaged Mk2 Sprite as a base and in 1994 visited Brian Archer to collect the back end I had ordered. What a morning! He was restoring the famous Sebring Sprite, S221 and I was spellbound with the cars he was working on. Wheeler and Davies supplied all the other panels and I picked up a good second-hand fibreglass bonnet.

Unfortunately, the Mk2 was found to be very bent and extremely rotten. A dilemma ensued, but the answer was closer than I thought. After a few more years my Mk3 had showed some signs of rot in the boot floor and the inner sills were thin. After further investigation it needed more work than I thought. Decision made; it was going to be my Frogeye. The Mk2 served its purpose at supplying the dashboard and doors to ensure it looked like a proper Mk1 not just a Mk3 with a Frogeye front and back grafted on. It had to look right!

I was now on a countdown to my wedding day, so every Saturday was spent at my friend’s garage. I dismantled it to a bare shell leaving the engine in situ. All bolt on panels where removed followed by countless spot-welds to release the other panels that were to be changed. Soon the body was fully

Car as originally purchased in 1993

Car with wire wheels fitted

Donor Mk2

Stripdown

exposed and ready for the new panels. Unlike other Frogeye conversions, I used the re-skinned Mk2 doors and correct panels to give it an authentic Mk1 look. When the back end was bonded on, I could see my dream coming together. Finally, after too many Saturdays and hard work it was ready to paint. Jaguar Ice Blue Pearlescent was chosen as a nod to the Sebring works cars. The body was now finished, and I parked it in my mother’s garage. I got married and there it stayed untouched for the next twelve years.

With two boys I decided to buy another classic they could sit in. I’d always liked the Austin A40 Farina. So, if it was good enough for John Sprinzel and Pat Moss, then it would do me. That got restored as well and then I moved to Harrogate with my job.

The Sprite was never far from my thoughts and I really wanted to finally finish it off. It was still parked in my mother’s garage back in Liverpool so any rebuild would have to be over a weekend or during time off. I started to take stock of the parts I’d taken off and refurbish or replace them. With the help of my friend Peter Green the mechanicals came back together. Peter used to race and mechanic on Modsports Midgets in the 70’s & 80’s so his skills were invaluable. Over the next few years it came together but re-assembly was time consuming and required lots of fettling.

Now MOT’d, I can look forward to enjoying the car but there are still some jobs to do! The hood and fittings need to be fitted and the correct folding seats need to be re-built. Oh, the 1275 I got with Mk2 is halfway through its rebuild. Does it ever stop?

Hidden rot found Begin fitting new panels Back end bonded on

Painted body

Re-wire

Slow rebuild

Getting new MOT

With friend’s RR Shadow

FROM SCENIC TOURS TO REGULARITY RALLIES

BY MIKE DIXON

It all started with a gentle scenic tour. Three years later we have just completed a rally with 6 timed regularities and 8 special tests - how did that happen?

Scenic tours will be familiar to a lot of MASC members, we certainly meet a few on them. On our first scenic run, duly given our first Tulip book, there was mild panic but after a few miles all began to make sense and we actually started to enjoy it, helped by coffee stops and lunch. There is no time pressure so if one of the stops is at a place you like you can take a little more time there to explore it if you wish. Liz, the team navigator is now a great fan of Tulips and really enjoys using them. We will certainly be keeping a few scenic tours in our annual ‘must do’ list.

Leaving Montacute House on the Bath MC Aquae Sulis Tour.

Photo by Andrew Manston, M&H Photography.

For Scenic tours, you need a reasonably accurate trip meter. However good your trip meter is though, it will ‘drift’ from the organiser’s mileage in the road book, which can be an issue. We soon found that a smart phone app which shows both total and interval distance that can be independently re-set helped, and we have used it for subsequent tours.

No special insurance is required for these scenic runs and they are very relaxed social events, ending up parked in places you would not normally get your car into.

After a few more tours and fewer wrong turns it was time for an extra challenge, so we entered the Bath Motor Club 12 Car Jogularity, which we found out about from our local Wiltshire MASC meeting. This seemed the ideal next step for us as the

FROM SCENIC TOURS TO REGULARITY RALLIES

Bath Motor Club - Jogularity Route Book example.

Jogularity navigation is by Tulips so the road book is the same as tours apart from the addition of timing columns and one showing the average speed you are aiming for.

The initial idea of Jogularity was that it could be done with a standard trip meter but to be honest I think you need a specialist rally trip meter such as the Brantz we have fitted. It shows just total and intermediate distance and as far as I can see is accepted on all UK organised regularity rallies, unlike the phone apps. The Brantz can be calibrated to the organiser’s trip meter by way of a measured distance before the rally, adjusted if required during the rally and works to a 100th of a mile – as we will show later this is not a ‘luxury’ you can be without!

We also fitted a simple stopwatch/clock to the dash where we can both see it as well as getting a second handheld stopwatch.

The 12 Car Jogularity is certainly a step up from scenic tours and the timing challenge, all under 30 mph, some 18 mph, kept us focussed to the degree we missed 2 code boards. These are numbers placed by the organisers on the route you have to note down. Not seeing them incurs, as we later discovered, quite high penalties. Lesson learned!

It is worth noting that as these are timed events and competitive you may need extra insurance; it is included in some policies but if not it can usually be bought from the organisers for about £17 for the event.

This 12 car rally proved to be good fun so we decided to do the HERO Challenge 2 along with the training workshops HERO offered the day before. We thought these would be of benefit as we had discovered we did not really understand the nuances of the timing and not all of the navigation would be by tulips. This pre event training course lasted most of the day and was really worthwhile, being run by two of the leading competitors. We picked up hints and tips and began to better understand how the timing worked – if we could work it out on the road would be another matter!

This rally required a little more car preparation but in reality, it just needed to be roadworthy with all heavy spares and equipment including the spare fuel can securely fastened down – the regs for the event were available months in advance and the organisers were very helpful in interpreting them for newcomers. If you have modified your car it is worth a chat with the rally organisers beforehand to see if they are acceptable. Some additional equipment needs to be carried including a foam fire extinguisher, spill kit, ground sheet and OK/SOS boards all of which are checked at scrutineering. A sound check is also part of scrutineering but we were well under the maximum allowed.

Scrutineering safely behind us on Friday evening, we did the 5 mile measured distance, going round a second time to give us confidence the Brantz was set up correctly. Saturday saw the rally starting with 4 special tests around Bicester Heritage. These involve a short course, as fast as you can around lettered cones on a mixture of tarmac and gravel. These tests were new to us and to be honest a bit daunting, but great fun – more please! It also required the navigator and driver to agree how to describe the route required, including some 360 and even 540 degree turns. We did not disgrace ourselves but there is definitely room for improvement, mainly from the driver. The rest of the day was 6 regularities interspersed with 4 more special tests, link sections and of course coffee and Brantz and Clock/Stopwatch.

lunch. Late arrival at these may mean you do not have much time for refreshments though.

Liz had said we were not going to take any real notice of the timing as the ‘top tip’ from the course was get round on the right route and you will be in the top half of the results table. But before long she was calling out the expected times every 0.2 mile or so and I was under no doubt how much faster or slower I should be going! The Brantz came into its own; shortly after a turn onto a busy road we had to turn left but there were 2 turns, 0.02 of a mile apart. We believed the Brantz and got the right one - not the obvious road but a track into a layby and there was a time control.

As the day progressed, our actual times at check points were getting steadily closer to that expected of us and we even got one zero time error. Then came the first wrong turn and it was a good one, we were lost! At this point we remembered the advice from the course the day before; if all else fails,

follow someone who looks like they know what they are doing - who should go past but aforesaid tutor! We got back to the finish at our expected time but with a ‘few’ penalty points as we had missed a time check point.

It was certainly a really well organised, highly enjoyable day that we both got a real buzz out of, so much so we redid the last regularity route again the next day to see where we had gone wrong – how did we miss that turn…..?

Safely back home we seem to have got the bug. We are booked on a table top rally to look at more navigation techniques and a local night time 12 car rally. We are now looking for similar events for next year and have already booked on a multi-day regularity rally with special tests. I think as a ‘journey’ from scenic tours to regularities we have got it about right, in terms of pushing the comfort zone but still enjoying what we are doing.

My head hurts! Last check of the map before the start of HERO Challenge 2

CAN A CAR RADIO BE INSTALLED WITHOUT A VISIBLE AERIAL?

BY PHILIP MAYNE

The MG Midget / AH Sprite was sold with a car radio fitted as an optional extra, which often resulted in dealers cutting a hole in the front wing or rear wing to fit a telescopic aerial. This can spoil the classic elegant body lines of the car in many people’s view.

Many different types of aerial are now available which take up less space and are arguably less intrusive, which is good news. A car aerial is also a potential target for vandals and an advert to the fact that a radio has been fitted.

But what if you didn’t need to fit an external aerial at all? Impossible I hear you say, as a car radio must have an aerial to receive a signal. This is true, but what if you used a vehicle body panel as the aerial?

Whilst talking to other classic car owners of various marques at a Classic Car meeting, I discovered that this is exactly what Mitsubishi did on their Soporo model. The Japanese probably integrated the idea from another manufacturer, but never mind, this installation was demonstrated to me at the show and the tailgate did work quite satisfactorily as an aerial with AM/FM radio.

I left the meeting and wondered if this would work on an MG Midget using the boot-lid. Well guess what, I can report that it does work using the boot-lid with a modern radio.

How is this achievedThis entailed electrically isolating the boot-lid from the rest of the car and then connecting the boot-lid to the centre core of the coaxial aerial lead. This was surprisingly easy to do as the boot-lid hinge

(item 4) is fitted to the body with 2x 1/4unf bolts each side (item 6) and the boot striker plate pin (item 19) can be modified so that it is also isolated.

To achieve electrical isolation, I used M6 Nylon isolation top-hat bushes and nylon M8 washers, purchased from Ebay. These are a free fit on the standard UNF boot fixing bolts.

The standard hinge does need to be modified by re-drilling the hinge bolt hole to accept a nylon “top hat” bush.

The top hat will also need to be cut down in height so that it falls just short of fully protruding through a nylon washer whilst straddling the boot hinge.

This assembly electrically isolates the hinge plate & hence the boot lid.

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The lock assembly also needs to be isolated, otherwise the boot lid becomes grounded to the vehicle body when the boot is locked!!

The striker plate was removed from the car, examination revealed that the striker assembly is a machined pin riveted to a steel pressing. The rivet head was drilled out and the latch pin drilled and tapped to accept an M6 bolt. The pin was then given the nylon “top hat” & “washer” isolation treatment.

Electrical connection – coaxial cable to the boot lid aerial & radioThe aerial coax cable needs to be stripped back and connected to the boot lid

This was achieved using a crimp eye terminal fitted inside the “nylon isolation bush” assembly so that it connects to the boot hinge & hence the boot lid.

The co-axial cable core is very fragile, so through experimentation I found that the easiest method of achieving a mechanically strong connection was to

fold the core wire over the inner insulator & feed all of this into the crimp terminal.

The Co-Ax shield braid was also crimped into a ring terminal and connected to the car body.

Radio PerformanceThe results are an MG Midget / Austin Healey Sprite with an AM FM radio, which picks up all the main national & local stations with moderate to strong signal strength, without a visible external aerial.

I have not tried this “aerial free installation” with a DAB radio, but in principle I can’t see why this wouldn’t work on these too.

AN ALTERNATIVE DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHTS CIRCUIT FOR THE MIDGET

BY KEN BROOKS

I noticed November’s piece by John Davies about Daylight Running Lights (DRL’s) on the Midget and how he had modified the wiring to provide this functionality. My own car, bought in 1981, is more or less original and has not been subject to many improvements or modifications. Consequently I don’t usually take more than a passing interest in modification articles, but was intrigued by this one.

To make DRL’s work, a circuit is needed to illuminate the front sidelights when the ignition is on, and also to illuminate the front sidelights and rear sidelights when the dashboard light switch is turned on. Put another way, the sidelights need to operate from two sources of power, one from the ignition and one from the lighting circuit. But we also need to stop power running in the opposite direction and operating rear and number plate lights by day, and activating the ignition circuit when sidelights are used when parked.

John’s method uses a relay to switch on the front sidelights but it occurred to me that there might be another less complex method. I also thought there could be a way of wiring that avoided working behind the dashboard, one of the most difficult parts of the car to access that risks a twisted back!

I dropped John a note suggesting that the same effect could be achieved without moving parts by using a couple of semiconductor diodes. In reply he asked for a circuit which was sketched out with a description. At the time my reply was only to suggest an alternative method with no intention of actually testing it, but John was very enthusiastic (and persuasive!) about the idea and asked if I would like to test it in practice.

Whilst daydreaming about the virtues of modifying my car, thoughts turned to possible justification for doing this work. It has to be recognised that the front profile of a Midget is very small, especially with the roof down where the solid evidence of its presence from a head on perspective is principally the grille and bonnet. It’s lack of conspicuity has often concerned me and that’s why I’ve recently taken to wearing a bright red cap!

Let’s now take a look at this alternative circuit. It relies on two semiconductor diodes, D1 and D2.

These devices conduct electricity in one direction only but block the flow in the opposite direction. One side of D1 and D2 are connected together and also to the two front sidelights which are now separated from the car’s wiring loom. The other end of D1 is connected via the sidelights switch. This allows both sidelights to operate as before from the switch because D1 is wired in its conducting direction. Notice that D2 is also wired in its conducting direction and the opposite end is wired to be live when the ignition is switched on. This now operates the sidelights with the sidelights switch off, and gives us daylight running lights.

Could we not have just wired the sidelights to the ignition circuit to save all this bother with diodes? The answer is no, because if we did: (1) the rear and number plate lights would also illuminate which is unnecessary and wasteful. (2) The ignition

circuit would be on whenever the sidelights were switched on, for example, when parking. The non conducting properties of D1 prevent (1), whilst the non conducting properties of D2 prevent (2). This circuit is for negative earth cars. If the circuit were used on positive earth cars the diode connections will need to be reversed. The diodes do introduce a small voltage drop due to the characteristics of semiconductor devices but at around 0.6 Volts it is insignificant in this application. For greater energy efficiency light emitting diodes could be used in place of the existing filament sidelights.

Making even minor changes to the original wiring can introduce risk if not properly designed or carried out carefully, and I have therefore included a 5 Amp fuse to protect the circuit. In the event of a catastrophic fault, like a connector coming apart and shorting to the chassis, or the bridge rectifier failing short circuit, the fuse will blow and the ignition circuit will continue to function.

This implementation is easily installed, does not require any permanent changes to the wiring, and is easily reversed. Much of the wiring can be prepared off the car. I used the following parts:

• Bullet male solder or crimp connectors, 4.7 mm. These are not the same as, or compatible

with the commonly seen red and blue crimp connectors.

• Bullet snap connector for joining cables.

• Blade connectors, male, female and piggyback plus insulating boots.

• In-line fuse holder and 5 Amp fuse.

• About 2.5 metres of cable. This must have good insulation to resist any chafing. I used 2mm cable known as 28/030.

This hardware was sourced from Vehicle Wiring Products.

A Bridge Rectifier. This contains four diodes and was used in preference to discrete diodes because it has blade connections and is already packaged. Mine is supremely over engineered having a rating of 700 Volts at 50 Amps. It was sourced from Reichelt Elektronik in Germany whilst buying other semiconductors but will be available locally from electronic component suppliers.

I have already mentioned an aversion to working behind the dashboard and will now offer an alternative wiring method. With the grille removed, locate the pair of wires going to each indicator and sidelight. Pull out the two bullet connections for the sidelights. On my car these are both red cables. One

of the two female snap connectors now vacated will be used later to pick up the switched sidelights supply via D1, the other will be left unused. Make up two new wires with a male bullet connector at one end and a female blade connector at the far end. Make another but with a piggyback blade connector on the far end. Make up a further longer cable with an in line fuse holder to reach between the coil and front grille. This is terminated with a female blade. All the blade connectors should be insulated with an insulating boot.

Connect the first two cables to the sidelights using a new snap connector. Connect both together using the piggyback and the connect to the + terminal of the rectifier. Connect one of the rectifier AC terminals, which may be marked with a “~” to one of the now vacant loom sidelight snap connectors. Connect the other AC or “~” terminal to the white wire on the coil where there is unused blade connector on the + terminal. This is connected via the new fuse holder. I would have preferred to pick up the live supply nearer to the scuttle and away from the ignition circuit but the coil connection is conveniently close and there is a spare terminal

to use. There will remain one unused terminal on the rectifier because we are only using two of the four diodes within. I secured the bridge rectifier to the central support behind the grille with a cable tie to avoid drilling any extra holes. For an invisible installation, this could all be installed behind the dashboard with slightly different wiring but still applying the diode principle.

It’s now time to test. Ensure there are no exposed terminals. I noticed that the snap connectors could leave some conductor showing and protected them with tape. Heat shrink sleeving would be better. Now, with the ignition off, operate the sidelights switch when the sidelights, tail light and number plate lights should illuminate as before. Switch off, operate the ignition and you should now see the sidelights illuminate. That’s all there is to it!

Ken Brooks (Member 193) kenbrooks007@btinternet.com

Acknowledgement

The author thanks MASC member John E. Davies for his encouragement and suggestions, and for drawing the circuit diagram appearing in this article.

Frogeye, Sebring Sprite and Jacobs Midget Replicas

Morton, Near Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 0NST. 01778 570286 steve@hallsgarage.co.uk

www.sebring-sprite.com

Frogeye Sprite Replica.Based on any Sprite/Midget monocoque.

Our S S (Sebring Sprite) Reincarnation for the Racing Enthusiast Based on any Sprite/Midget.

Our Jacobs Evolution Midget, inspired by the late Dick Jacobs.

Tifosi J.E.M.Tifosi S STifosi Rana

EARLY DYNAMO PULLEYSBY JOHN E. DAVIES

Within limits, the diameter of the pulley fitted to any Lucas C39 or C40 dynamo can vary without any loss of performance. If the pulley’s diameter is smaller than that fitted by the vehicle’s manufacturer, the dynamo will spin faster - but the voltage regulator will ensure that the output voltage remains constant by reducing the current flowing in the two field coils. If the pulley diameter is too large then the dynamo’s output will be too low and the cut-out contacts will never cut-in – but this is a hypothetical situation, never achieved in practice. Racers with flame-proof underpants sometimes fit a large diameter ‘competition pulley’ to their dynamos, believing that if their dynamo spins more slowly, less power will be drawn from their engine. But this is a mistaken belief: the mechanical power a dynamo draws from the engine depends in turn upon the electrical power it is delivering to the vehicle. Any money spent on fancy competition dynamo pulleys would (I think) be better spent on new underpants. Summing up, the diameter of a dynamo’s pulley isn’t usually very critical.

One important exception is the pulley fitted to the dynamos of all early Sprites and Midgets1 with mechanical tachometers driven via a little gearbox at the back of their dynamo. As Nigel Baston has reminded us recently2, for correct tachometer readings this pulley diameter must be 92mm rim-to-rim. Sadly, for the following reasons, many early cars now have a pulley with the wrong diameter ..

1. The 92mm pulleys are rare because they were never fitted to many different types of vehicle.

2. In the good old days, the need to retain a 92mm pulley for our special ‘tacho’ dynamos was never understood in most dynamo reconditioning shops. Today, after multiple passes through these shops, many surviving ‘tacho’ dynamos have a pulley with a random diameter.

3. Many pulleys have been destroyed during attempts to remove them without something like the excellent pulley extractor invented by Paul Hodkinson and described by our Nigel2.

1 These cars are the AN5 and HAN6 Sprites and the GAN1 Midgets.

2 See MASCOT Dec 2019, page 17

4. For a frightening cost (just check the catalogues), most major suppliers sell a dynamo pulley which they swear is correct for our early cars. But so far as I can tell, not one of these pulleys has a diameter of 92mm: most of them are smaller Morris Minor pulleys, freely available for a much less frightening price from Morris Minor specialists. Caveat Emptor!

5. After very long use, the two 1/8” slots (or ‘keyways’) – one straight in the pulley’s centre section and one semi-circular in the shaft of the dynamo - can become so worn and enlarged that the 1/8” woodruff key (which secures the pulley to the shaft of the dynamo) begins to wobble. This situation can rapidly destroy both keyways and leave the pulley disconnected, useless, flapping about.

The worn/enlarged keyway (A) in this pulley is not fit for purpose. Unless a new keyway (B) is cut, the pulley is scrap. Note that the square section of the pulley allows it to be held firmly in a vice while the new keyway is cut (see text, later)

At first sight, a pulley with a worn/damaged keyway can appear to be scrap – but in fact it can be rescued easily simply by cutting a new keyway with the help of a nifty tool called a ‘push type keyway broach’ whose shape is similar to a saw, except the height of the teeth increases over the length of the tool. It is held in place with a special ‘guide bush’ and the depth of the keyway is controlled by a set of simple “L” shaped shims.

Rather than attempting to describe in detail how to use this tool, I recommend watching a 4.38 minute movie entitled ‘Broaching – Cutting a Keyway’ on YouTube3.

Here the pulley is held firmly in a vice, ready for the keyway broach to be tapped gently through with a wooden hammer.

3 https://www.youtube.com watch?v=ZRbOux9NfeU

The broach really should be pushed through the pulley with an arbor press. If a suitable press is not available, the alloy metal of our pulley’s central section is so soft that, if the pulley is clamped firmly in a vice, the broach can be tapped gently through the pulley with a wooden hammer, remembering (a) to lubricate the work with a little paraffin and (b) to hold a hand beneath the broach to catch it as it falls through. This whole operation takes less time than it does to read these words and the result is a pulley good for another 60+ years of life, providing it is NOT immediately mated with its original armature. How to rescue this valuable armature with its damaged semi-circular keyway will be covered in a future article.

I thank my engineer friend Howard Hodson (member of the Veteran Car Club) who introduced me to keyway broaches and who, in the twinkling of an eye, made the special guide bush for Lucas dynamos on his lathe. Without his help I would still have absolutely no idea how to cut a keyway and would probably have thrown away four perfectly good 92mm pulleys. I wouldn’t know how to make a crankshaft for a 1912 Buick either, but that’s another story.

John E. Davies (Member 3443) jed2@cam.ac.uk

The keyway broach is effectively a collection of tapered single point cutting tools arrayed in sequence, cutting one after the other. The diameter of the guide bush is the diameter of the dynamo’s armature shaft. The shims control the depth of the keyway.

CAMBRIDGESHIREAREAREPORT

CAMBRIDGESHIRE Firstly a very merry Christmas and good health for 2020 to all Mascoteers.

By the very seasonal state of the weather, social events take over from those of motoring, all is not lost as the social side of any club is an important factor for its continuance.

So, we have had our ten pin bowls match where Mick showed his superior skill (luck) in attaining the highest score of us all. Diane who organised the event, was best in the girls section at the same time beating hubby Nigel. Another unpopular result was myself beating Maggie, even after she had contributed to further dents in the already somewhat irregular bowls surface, by skying a few deliveries.

However, I think all was forgiven with the meal after at the bowls complex, it was also pleasing that Peter and Holly could join us after a bit of an absence.

I surprised Mick with a spot check on the progress of his ‘Dolomite’ engined Midget – he is almost there after an engine/clutch rebuild, and was contemplating refitting either the existing exhaust system or a very smart unused ‘enamelled looking’ one currently fitted to the rafters of his garage.

As the photo’ shows, Mick is contemplating filling his shirt sleeve with oil, as you do, whilst fitting a new oil filter.

I recently referred to the Higham Ferrers event on Sunday August 2nd, but at our recent club meeting it was agreed to visit the moated Helmingham

Hall instead, home of the Tollemache family for centuries. It is set in a superbly landscaped park.

The Festival of Classic & Sports Cars is organised in conjunction with the Suffolk Vehicle Enthusiasts Club. There is adequate parking and cars can parade up and down the main drive.

Entry fee is c £8/ car on the day (although I have provisionally booked space for our club visit)

The address is:

Helmingham Hall, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 6EF

The Hall is approx 45 miles from Cambridge using the Eastbound A14 then north on A140 signposted to Norwich and in approx 2miles turn right at Earl Stonham onto A1120 and in 1.5 miles ‘you have arrived at your destination’ It may be better to use the pretty route TBA. Nigel and Diane have enjoyed this event in previous years and highly recommend it as a ‘to do’ event.

Happy motoring and socialising

Graham/Maggie

CENTRALAREAREPORT

I start my monthly report with the very sad news of the passing away of member David Clarkson.

I first met Dave when he arrived at a local event sitting in the passenger seat alongside Andy Bird. It was not long after that Dave got the classic car bug himself, bought a Frogeye and joined the club. Andy had met Dave when they sat next to each other at school and had remained firm friends ever since. On trips to Holland and France we all appreciated Dave’s dry sense of humour. Always the one to make light of a situation but someone whom you could rely on whenever help was needed. Dave like me enjoyed history and he encouraged us to visit the Arnhem Bridge in Holland and the WW2 beach landing sights in Normandy. We didn’t need a tour guide as Dave was so knowledgeable he told us all we needed to know. Our sincere condolences go to his wife Debbie and family. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

Our Christmas Party was held at the Tame Otter again this year. For the past three years we have held a raffle in aid of the local Air Ambulance charity. I noticed fellow diners taking a second glance as members arrived with their raffle contribution of various bottles of alcohol, calendars, cake and Midget and Sprite technical books. What had started as a little bit of fun a couple of years earlier had now become a big part of the evening.

Members had arrived early and the room was soon filled with loud chatter and the clinking of glasses. Luckily I had brought along a list of what people had ordered to eat which was just as well as most, me included, had forgotten what we had chosen a month earlier.

Three courses later and the room was brought to a hush before a round of applause filled the room showing our appreciation for Jenni who had served us well all evening.

The table full of raffle prizes now awaited and Jenni was given the task of drawing the first raffle ticket. To my embarrassment my wife Bernie stood up and waved her raffle ticket in the air to loud shouts of Fix! She had the first choice from the prize table and red faced, sat back down and drew the next ticket. One by one winning members raised their hands and collected the remaining prizes and the table was empty for another year. If someone drew a second ticket then they drew another so as many people as possible could join in the fun. The raffle prize total was counted and we had raised £85 for the charity, a fantastic achievement. I have to take my hat off to everyone that was so generous donating raffle prizes. I feel humbled, honoured and proud that I was amongst such caring and generous people. Thank you.

Above Dave Clarkson pictured on a trip to France.

Left Central members enjoying the Christmas meal.

DEVONAREAREPORT

Silly hats, Christmas sweaters, some old, some new, were all on display at the annual Christmas meal held at the Court Farm Inn at Abbotskerswell. Unfortunately, due to illness two people could not attend but that did not stop 15 of us tucking in to another good Christmas Feast, all the plates were emptied!

Secret Santa›s two boxes were well stacked with a wide assortment of parcels which were distributed after all the food had gone. A wide variety of gifts appeared including a few more saucy gifts

A good evening was enjoyed by all and everyone headed home ready for their Christmas.

Write up by David Clarkson as Chris is unwell

JOHN’S JOTTINGS - DORSETAREAREPORT

With the arrival of darker nights it was pleasing to see so many members at the November Quiz night. I’m sure that part of the attraction was that the night’s entertainment took the form of an unusual quiz.

Organised, if that’s the word, by Peter Vallins, the challenge facing members was to identify objects hidden and sealed in plastic bags. Now you might think that it would be easy to do. But Peter had selected obscure tools, car parts and other items to confuse the uninitiated.

A few people identified correctly a hair drier, whilst the majority thought it was a timing light! And when did you last see a special tool to lift a battery terminal connection? Other tools keeping people guessing included a compression gauge, a chain link pin remover, a piston ring expansion tool and a piston ring compression tool.

There were some complaints by the ladies in the room that they could not possibly recognise these things but I’m confident that we have all used

similar tools in the kitchen leaving them lying around for days, if not weeks …

After the Chairman’s word was ruled as final the winners were Colin Archer and partner Shelagh Hunt who generously turned over their spoils of a bottle of bubbly towards the evening’s raffle. A very entertaining evening for all and special thanks have to go to Peter for organising the quiz – he has threatened to do another one next year.

With members due, at the time of writing, to enjoy their traditional festive dinner at the Charlton Arms in mid-December, our January club night is yet another quiz, this time more conventional and organised by Ian Beaver.

As you read this the Festive season and New Year celebrations will be distant memories. But I wish Dorset Spridgeteers and all owners elsewhere happy and healthy 2020 and no mechanical breakdowns to mar their motoring pleasure in the New Year. And the evenings are getting lighter!

John Gully, Dorset Area Representative

Dates for your diary

AREAREPORT ESSEX

The 1st December saw a motley collection of Elves, Santa’s and a nominal Gingerbread person meeting at Beth Chatto’s Garden Elmsted Market for this year’s Santa Run.

Organised by Paul & Helen, Christmas Revelry

6 cars festively decorated with flashing lights and Christmas presents set off on a 35 mile run through the Essex countryside. Covering lovely roads in cold, but mainly dry weather was a great way to end a season of fantastic club runs. On route Gill, Francis’s

co-driver took every opportunity to throw snow balls at people we passed on route, much to everyone’s amusement particularly the Children.

A few days later 26 of us celebrated the Club’s Christmas dinner at The Six Bells Boreham. An excellent meal was accompanied by a carol reflecting personal reflections of owning a Spridget composed by Paul, sung to the music of ‘Good King Wenceslas’.

Pa…ul Mutton looked out,On the feast of StephenAll his tools lay round about,Rusty and unevenProblems with the Sprite last nightThe drive home was cruel

All had failed with the lightsAnd the gauge for fu….uu….el

Bring me Tea and bring me wire,Get my cable strippersWhere is my rectifier,And my little nippersPaul, at once, he had to go,To the motor factorsHe tried his luck at Ernest DoeThe place that sells the tra….ac….ctors

Sir that bit is not in stock,I’ve looked everywhereWe were caught, in deadlock,And Paul began to swearHang on, hang on, wait a bit,His thoughts began to broadenNeeding a complete tool kit,He went to speak to Go….r….don

Anon2019

Tony amused with his Christmas jokes including ‘what do frogs wear on their feet?’….’Open Toad Sandals’. Don’t give up your day job Tony.

The eagerly anticipated annual awards were also presented. The ‘Breakdown Trophy’ passing from Owen after two consecutive years to Anne & Dave who unfortunately have missed most of the season due to mechanical problems. A new category the ‘Detour Trophy’ was presented to Colin & Elaine, whose runs always seem to feature this element of British motoring. The highlight of the evening was Francis winning ‘The Spirit of the Club Trophy’, for his enthusiasm and continuing effort in always pushing the boundaries in any themed runs we hold and for being an all-round ‘good egg’.

Our next club meeting will be on Tuesday 4th February as we all have a well-earned rest over the Festive period. Looking forward to some fun and runs in 2020. A Happy & Healthy New Year to you all.

HOME COUNTIES NORTHAREAREPORT

A trip to The Red lion pub in Evenley (north of Buckingham) to a classic car event was organised by Keith Warner. The event was a Hagerty Insurance classic car event and being it was the 1st December it had a Christmas feel to the trip. Attending was Keith and Ann Warner in their Midget, Mike and Lorna Pope as well as Bill Harding in their Frogeyes, Simon & Jill in their MGA and Bob in his Caterham 7 car. Matthew in his Midget joined the convoy en route. The rendezvous was too locations on off the A41 and Matthew joined us en route north of Aylesbury. Unfortunately, Bob’s Caterham 7 developed a clutch problem and quite rightly decided not to chance any further northward journey and hopped out to return home. Bob later sent a text to confirm that he got home safely by using a bit of adaptive driving. We arrived at the Red Lion pub on the Green at Evenley well before midday, and just had room to park our cars in their medium sized car park to the rear, but scattered around where the spaces were located. There was classic cars parked to the rear, side and the front of the pub, in all there were approximately 30 or so that attended, including a few vintage cars and Midgets. We went inside the pub and enjoyed a coffee and a mince pie courtesy of Hagerty Insurance; there were interesting car owners to engage in conversation as well as the exhibition of their classic cars. It was a special day for the pub and it was over crowded at times, so the tables for food was mostly reserved, so we decided to have our lunch at a large garden centre cafe located

down the road just north of Buckingham. The weather was a pleasant winter’s day with some sunshine, but it was cold, even so we wrapped up well and had our tops down on the Frogeyes and Midgets. Well done Keith, the trip was a success and it was a good journey ending at a very interesting pub with plenty of nostalgia with classic war time memorabilia and housing a small museum.

Bill Harding

Home Counties North West

AREAREPORT KENT

Kicked the month off with a small turning job for Notts & Derby Rep Ian Cooke. Three extended knurled knobs for speedometer odometer setting mechanisms. The material: stainless steel had a previous life being handles from, Kent Masc member, Dave Chalk’s old kitchen units.

Then on the first Sunday of the month a distress call from Geoff Allgood whose Frogeye had broken down at the roadside in Eynsford of all places. Was Geoff trying for a reenactment of the famous photograph scene, beside the Ford-water and Medieval Bridge, of a Frogeye attended by an Automobile association mini-van? Unfortunately this A.A. (my initials) emergency service was not beside a telephone, neither fixed nor portable, to render immediate assistance. I was, in fact, but a mile away taking coffee with John Le Mar as we worked out the outline for a ten day ‘Richard LionheartTour’, from 15th - 24th September 2020, visiting Castles and Chateaux based near Angouleme but not incorporating the ‘Circuit des Remparts’ motor race. There will be a requirement for night driving and walking! Places may be limited! For Sprites, Midgets, & derivatives only: after all it is the Midget and Sprite Club!

I contacted Geoff about an hour after his message was left on my answer-phone: the problem appeared to be either rotor arm or condenser. Alas Geoff had neither, as a spare part, so awaited a tow! I suggested a test that identified the problem as the rotor arm. Geoff was then to call a Masc member living nearby in the hope of getting a serviceable item brought to him. Alas not!

Unfortunately the experience still ended with a tow.

This event brought back a memory some years past: a telephone call, one evening, from a ‘Damsel

in Distress’. The Lady’s Spridget would not start! By my instruction throughout the evening, over a period of a couple of hours, she would perform tests and ring me back until we established that the sole problem was closed contact breaker points. She knew not of ‘feelers’ nor their use. However she did know what an old fashioned ivory handled table knife was and actually had one! It would, being straight sided and of sufficient width, suffice as a ‘feeler’. Having tutored her in the adjustment of contact breaker points she hung up in order to perform the operation. Her next, and last, call was to report a success: with the engine heard running in the background. Being of a certain age that shuns the political correctness nonsense I suggested that for the future she might find a boyfriend or husband. adept at car mechanics. “Oh, I have a husband! He is holding the torch”!

As these problems keep on recurring perhaps I may be excused for re-using a technical article that has been published in Mascot twice before and is often sent to participants of my Continental Tours of past times.

Dry joints and a lack of spark can affect many of us, of a certain age, over the winter months but can also affect our Sprites and Midgets at any time of the year. I have broadcast this information before but the problems still arise and may not be known by newer members.

Firms such as Aldon Automotive and Distributor Doctor are able to provide better quality alternatives to the commonly available reproduction rotor arms which routinely fail and leave people stranded.

Electronic ignition can be fitted concealed in the distributor and replacing the contact breaker and unreliable modern condensers but the rotor arm,

depending upon which sort of electronic ignition is used will still remain. My own choice has been the Aldon / Pertronix ‘Hall effect’ system that has proven reliable over fifteen years and many miles at home and abroad.

Some rotor arms manufactured in recent years have been failing because the typical ‘mix’ used in the injection moulding process now contains more carbon blacking than of old and is more conductive to electricity. It has been found that the rivet which holds the brass contact inlay into the moulding, on reproduction rotors, is slightly longer than the original bringing it too close to the spring clip on the underside. The High Tension (HT) current, averaging 30,000 volts, is always looking for the easiest route to earth and shorts out, from the tip of the over length rivet, through the reduced thickness of the more conductive plastic and the spring clip on the underside of the rotor arm to earth out down the distributor shaft. This results in no spark at the sparking plug and a ‘failure to proceed’ from your Sprite or Midget. The system sometimes rectifies itself on cooling but then repeats itself with increasing frequency until the rotor permanently short circuits.

Distributor Doctor offers ‘Lucas red rotor arms’ which are modelled on the original 1960s design but made from modern materials on the latest machinery to very close tolerances and have achieved a good reputation for reliability. The integrally moulded brass inlay dispenses with the troublesome rivet. The increased insulation properties of the body makes them suitable for use with high voltage ignition coils and electronic ignition kits. The spring clip on the underside, in conjunction with a revised internal tolerance assures a really snug fit upon the distributor spindle even on old and slightly reduced diameter mountings.

Even with the uprated rotor arms it is worth being vigilant and occasionally checking the security of the brass contact.

When fitting a rotor arm consider applying some petroleum jelly to the distributor drive shaft rotor arm seating to eliminate moisture as I have been called upon to work on a car where the distributor drive seat rusted such that it grew so much in size that it cracked the rotor arm that had to be chiselled off. I also tend to use petroleum jelly on most electrical joints to stop them being effected by damp and corrosion.

Part number for Sprite / Midget 25D distributors is DRB101

Part number for alternative 45D type distributors is DRB104

Distributor Doctor can be found at www.distributordoctor.com and Aldon Automotive at www.aldonauto.co.uk.

Electronic ignition systems are easily fitted to Sprite and Midgets and are available for both Positive and Negative earth configurations fitting inside a vehicle’s distributor with no outward sign of conversion. It is easy to carry a spare distributor base plate set up with points and condenser in case of the rare, but not unknown, instance of the electronic system failing at the roadside. Why not also consider carrying a spare coil? I have used a Lucas DLB105 “gold’ coil on both of my Sprites for years, for they are relatively cheaply purchased at the car shows and can be affixed to a suitable bolt in the engine compartment, there being no need to clutter the boot, and be easily accessible if they are ever needed.

Alan Anstead. Kent Rep. www.masckent.org

Another fine display had been put on, by members, at the Classic Car Show NEC in November all organised by Alan Pritchett. This can be no easy task for Alan (his eighth such show) as he has to persuade members to display their cars and hope that he is not let down at the last minute: seeking sufficient members to perform ‘front of house’ on each long day and sorting a rota so that all have some time to see the show. More should volunteer as I always do. It is an ideal opportunity to make acquaintances and meet up with friends. Alan also has to liaise with the organisers etc. If that were not enough he also ensures a constant flow of coffee to lubricate the battered vocal cords of those on the stand dealing with the myriad of enquiries. Alan is handing over the reigns, for next year’s Practical Classics Show in March, to young member Liam Murphy whose ‘Young Members’ Morris Minor stand, deservedly, received an award at the show.

Membership Secretary-Stuart Watson was again busy at the show, and no doubt after, dealing with membership enquiries and enrolments. Stuart has put a lot of time and effort into the Club over the years having been on Committee and a leading light on arranging some of the major Masc events. Stuart is standing down and deserves many thanks for his service.

It was not too bad a day, weather wise, on the fourth Sunday of the month, for the November meet at the Angel, Addington Green. Holidays and family affairs kept many away but we mustered a dedicated nine whom were bolstered by the arrival of potential new member Nick Whitley. Nick brought along his grey 948 Frogeye which has a cut down windscreen and a rear hinged fibreglass bonnet. If, hopefully, he joins us perhaps he will write an article for Mascot about the bonnet.)

Kim and Steve Smith were no doubt quite snug in their 1500 Midget now that Steve has fitted heated seats. Perhaps the seats have medical advantages and he can sit more comfortably now?

Graeme Edwards brought his Frogeye as he apparently struggles with the fitting of new bushes to his Sebring Rep’s rear semi-elliptic springs. Graeme wore his now familiar wooly bobble hat of which I have made mention on many occasions. This reminds me of a recent conversation with Jayne Le Mar about having more magazine content for female members. Perhaps Editor Neil will publish a knitting pattern if Graeme’s wife Barbara can supply one?

Ed Note, I would welcome any contributions from our female members. I embrace diversity.

Ron and Marilyn Edwards failed to bring their Frogeye as its brake warning light had failed. I suggested fitting a Harley-Davidson item as I knew that our East Kent co-ordinator, John Clark, had fitted one so rang him to get his impressions on the Harley-Davidson brake light switch.

John’s Frogeye brake light switch failed after we had bled his brakes, following a rear brake cylinder failing, in the centre of a French village on route to Angouleme, in September 2018.

We replaced the switch with a repro part nearer to our destination, at Surrey Rep - Mike Gorman’s French retreat, before carrying on.

The reproduction brake light switch soon failed after our trip and on return to England. The improvisation that we carried out on the slave cylinder seal remains good to this day

John then tried Harley Davidson part number 72023-51E as fitted to several versions of their motorcycles. John is satisfied with its fit (taper thread) and performance so far.

As an alternative option Dr John E Davies suggests (Mascot Issue 372 of March 2015) Volkswagen Part 113-945-515-H

Darren Tyre announced the date of the season opening London Bridges Run as Sunday 5th January 2020. Darren has to recce the route and arrange detours as one bridge (Hammersmith ?) across the Thames is currently closed to traffic. Following its breakdown: now with a new red rotor arm, Geoff Allgood’s Frogeye is running but still teething problems, following restoration, persist so it stayed at home.

I am led to believe that clutch slave cylinders can now be added to the long list of parts for which there are complaints. It seems that a thread on one of the two ports may now be tapped as metric instead of UNF. So that is one port UNF and the other metric. Can it be that metric threaded bleed valves are now more easily obtained for some applications? If on purchase, and checking, an

incorrect thread is found then perhaps ask at your next meeting if anyone has a lathe as an adaptor is easily made. If no-one ‘pipes up’ a local engineering firm should be able to make one for you.

Alan Anstead Kent Rep. Contact details at rear of Mascot. www.masckent.org

County Estate, “Groot Kantwijk”, Bergseweg 28Q, 3633AK. Vreeland. Netherlands.

Sprite memorabilia collection acquired by Healey Museum December 5, 2019

NEWS RELEASE!!!!!The Sprite room of Ray English from Australia displayed in the Healey Museum

With pride we wish to inform you that the Foundation Healey Museum has acquired the complete collection of Ray English, and this will be displayed in Vreeland in The Netherlands on short notice.

The first negotiations about the acquisition took place in 2017 when Ray was not yet prepared to relinquish of his life’s work. Now, 2 years later, and after

consultation of John Sprinzel, Ray has decided that the Healey Museum offers a good place to preserve his collection for the next few decades.

It is unnecessary the express how thrilled we are about this acquisition. We are not the only Healey Museum in the world but as far as we know we now do have the largest Sprite memorabilia

collection in the world! The personal archive of Geoffrey Healey with lots of Sprite documents from the race history already has been preserved in the Healey Museum for many years.

Together with the Sprite room collection they form a unique collection.

We expect to open up the collection for visitors as of January. A visit by Sprite enthusiasts therefor will absolute be worth the visit!

** I am already working on a group visit to this museum to see the Ray English collection 16-19th April 2020.

Alan Anstead Kent Rep.

NORTHAMPTONSHIREAREAREPORT

To celebrate meeting number six, eleven of us arrived a little earlier than usual for a cosy evening meal. As is typical with such gatherings the topics of conversation were many and varied but some questions were left unanswered like: can you have too many lawnmowers; what is the Land Speed Record for a Sprite and should we try and break it; will there be enough pie for all those who want it? Thankfully the pie-eaters were not disappointed and those opting for a different main course were also well satisfied.

Somehow we then got onto the subject of carrying outsized items in a Spridget but Phil Herrick’s two canoes beat everyone else’s efforts. Technical subjects also got an airing and a hot topic at my end of the table was how to dismantle a gearbox without the internals making a bid for freedom when the covers are removed.

We also discussed what we would like to do next year. Some of these events will involve other areas or clubs whilst others will be home grown efforts.

Local car group Silverstone Social Car Club Meet had been invited to appear in an upcoming TV show and were asked to supply a selection of pre-1980 track focused cars for filming. Mark Oxborough answered the call with his rally replica Sprite, fitted with Ashley hard top, and had an enjoyable day despite the unpleasant weather. Look out for a more detailed account in MASCOT after the programme has aired.

I’m not expecting to see many members out with their cars over the winter as a majority go into hibernation during that time. Others will use the opportunity to carry out maintenance work and upgrades.

Back home the engine top end rebuild is progressing well and the block and pistons have cleaned up well. However, there have been a couple of surprises along the way. Firstly I discovered that I have +0.020” pistons so it’s a 1293cc motor – bonus! I’m sure that the extra 18cc make all the difference. Secondly, when I collected the cylinder head from Knight Engine Services I was told that the head is from a 1300 GT or later Cooper ‘S’ so has slightly larger inlet valves; 1.4” as opposed to 1.31”.

I rebuilt the rocker gear on a new shaft but there was still a little play in several rocker arms so I have purchased a set of forged 1.5 ratio rockers instead. Hopefully, it will all be back together in time for next month’s report.

AREAREPORT NOTTS & DERBY

It seems strange to be writing this now, but Happy New Year to you all!

2019 will probably be remembered mainly for its wet weather, putting our Spridget hoods to the test. Nonetheless there were many events for our local members to attend in between showers.

Early season trips to indoor venues, Restoration Shows at Stoneleigh and the NEC, provided a good excuse to pick up spares and to meet MASC members from other areas. Ideal for planning the event calendars.

I managed to attend all but one of our monthly meetings in 2019, the only one I missed due to being in the Southern hemisphere, on tour in New Zealand, where I managed to spot a few interesting classics. I participated in 14 of 20 events where Notts + Derby members were known to have been present, not to mention the numerous local monthly pub meets to which our group often have a drive on a nice evening.

There have been track events, for watching and actively taking part in – Mallory Park, Curborough Sprint, Silverstone, Cadwell and Donington circuits. Car shows in countryside and architecturally historic settings, providing photogenic backdrops. Our annual Wollaton Park event being the highlight of the Notts + Derby area calendar, where there is always room for more member’s cars in our MASC paddock. (Put Sunday 31st May 2020 in your diary now!)

Scenic runs around the Peak District, across the Vale of Belvoir and along the River Trent, offered the opportunity for those whose cars were under restoration to join in as navigators or just come along for the ride. (I have heard of some crossing the Channel to foreign parts where they drive on the opposite side of the road!)

Some of you have shared your technical views and experiences along the way.

We have even had some of our cars filmed for TV – keep an eye out for future editions of “Bangers and Cash” on the Yesterday channel.

2019 saw two new neighbouring area groups set up – Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire – with whom we look forward to more interaction, as with existing Central, North East and Yorkshire groups.

We also extend a welcome to all new members and would love to meet you with or without your Spridgets.

So whether you prefer to wield a spanner, exercise your right foot, or polish your brightwork, there should be something for everyone in the coming year.

Don’t forget “Drive it Day” this year will be on Sunday April 26th.

Reports and photographs have been recorded for posterity in these very pages of Mascot throughout 2019. If they haven’t then why not? Most of us take photos which your Editor is always pleased to receive, or add a few notes towards the monthly area review.

What ideas do you have for interesting events that you would like to take part in? Let your thoughts and wishes be known for classic car-related goings on in which MASC can play a part.

Ian Cooke Notts and Derby area coordinator ilcooke@btinternet.com

New Zealand Minors

Wollaton Park Autokarna

Work in progress

SCOTLANDAREAREPORT

Last month saw me achieve along standing ambition, the purchase of a Big Healey, in this case a 1963 BJ 7 Healey 3000.

I saw it advertised for sale in a local auction house, Morris Leslie Auctions and fellow club member David Sinclair, who also has owned a Big Healey for years and is well versed in them agreed to come with me the day before the auction to view it and give it a thorough inspection. Apart from a couple of minor issues, it was sound and in fairly original condition and I was successful in the auction the following day and trailered it home the following week. It has since transpired, with the help of the area rep of the Austin Healey Club it has been in Morris Leslie’s private museum for the last 3 years and has a low mileage. In the drive up to the auction house David was telling me his area of expertise was engine building and tuning so I hope he will come to my house next year to tune up the, both the 3000 and the Jensen Healey. The winter will also see me check over the Big Healey for the road.

This now completes my stable of cars and I will have to adopt my late wife’s adage of one in, one out, although if something interesting came along I

might not be able to resist temptation and I note our latest member has an I O W Frogeye of which I will be wanting to hear more.

The slabbing of the area in front of the new garage is at last under way and that should make a big difference in car mobility between garages.

I have received a couple of e-mails from members concerning last months article in cutting holes for the gauges in the dash and I will consider which way to take this forward and many thanks for the advice.

We have recently gained a couple of new members in the Pitlochry/Aviemore area, so although I say it every year at this time we maybe to organise a few drives next year around that part of the country.

A fair amount of time was taken up with a discussion on motor oils at our last beer and blether, with some changing with a 20/50 oil every year disregarding mileage, but there was also a healthy chat about Lucas Oil an American product which although expensive might be a good alternative.

Graham Smith

DEAR MASCOT...HELLO NEIL,

It was good to see a photograph of myself and Sprite in the new ‘members’ section of the Mascot magazine.

It would have been nicer if my name was under the photograph and not someone else’s information.

PATRICK BRUNT

Ed’s note: Apologies for this mistake Patrick.

HELLO NEIL,

This is a bit of a belated response (I joined the Club about 2 months ago!) to the request for a little bit of information about my car/me re an entry in the Welcome to New Members page in MASCOT.Unfortunately I do not have any photos of my Frogeye that include myself in recent years, so if you use/print the photo of me sitting in the car in my parents garden you will see a very much younger version of myself - approximately 37 years ago!.I bought 472 JPJ in 1975 from a chap who lived in Putney, London and used it to commute daily from Stamford Hill to Bethnal Green. During the first 8-10 yrs of ownership I spent quite a lot of my leisure time ‘getting to know the car’ (tools and spares always at the ready) and involved with the A.H Club, attending the regular monthly meeting (Eastern Region) in St Albans and attending many other A.H Club Events. Over the years I did quite a lot of work on the car, bodywork, mechanicals, all usual stuff in keeping an older car going, that was until 1985 when I pulling up outside the entrance to a busy Surbtion railway station to pick up my fiancée and hit the brakes. Nothing happened – my foot went to the floor and I just carried straight on. Fortunately, a quick grab of the handbrake slowed things down

and I avoided hitting anything. With no such thing as breakdown insurance cover we drove home (yes quite slowly) and put the car in my garage with all the intention of replacing all the brake pipes. I am not sure what happened but life events soon took over and any spare money went towards weddings, mortgages, setting up home, children family holidays etc etc etc.Since then the car has just followed me around as we moved homes, but always having a nice dry garage to reside in (top priorities when house buying) and occasionally being uncovered and being reminded of some very enjoyable days motoring and getting up to all sorts of daft and occasionally dangerous driving related antics - and of course thinking that one day I would get everything repaired and properly restored.However, I soon started to yearn after open topped motoring again and rather than sorting out my Frogeye, I became the owner of a A.H Sprite Mk IV, followed by a Caterham 7 and currently a TVR Chimaera. But now, all 34 years later the restoration project has finally commenced. The photo of the car without any shiny bits is her as she headed of for the work to begin. The completely stripped down photo is where we are at today. Now looking at how little, or to be more accurate how much of the body has to be replaced. So there we are, I am back on the learning curve and getting to know the car again, and really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of my dear old Frogeye at some stage in 2020 (fingers crossed) and meeting up with fellow Sprite and Midget owners.

Kind regards

RICHARD HAYDEN

© Midget & Sprite Club. Printed by Quorum Print Services Ltd, Units 3&4, Lansdown Industrial Estate, Cheltenham, GL51 8PL Tel: 01242 584984 Website: www.quorumprint.co.uk E-mail: info@quorumprint.co.uk

CHAIRMAN Mark Hall, T: 01296 660103 E: chairman@midgetandspriteclub.co.ukGENERAL SECRETARY Glyn Polly, T: 07544 302 575 E: glyn.polly@ymail.comTREASURER David King, T: 01453 544202 E: djs.king46@gmail.comEDITOR Neil Thomas, T: 07891 684435 E: editor@midgetandspriteclub.co.ukAREA REP’S DELEGATE VacantMEMBERSHIP Stuart Watson, “Staddlestones”, Thicknall Lane, Clent, Stourbridge, West Midlands. DY9 0HX. T: 01562 883076 E: membership@midgetandspriteclub.co.uk GENERAL MEMBER Alan Pritchett, T: 07720 238810 E: a.pritchett@btinternet.com Anthony Cutler, E: anthony.cutler@btinternet.com YOUNG PERSONS REP Liam Murphy, E: biddysingh@gmail.comFACEBOOK COORDINATOR Richard Wharmby, T: 07814 764546 E: r.wharmby10@virginmedia.comMARKETING OFFICER Clare Nedin, marketing@midgetandspriteclub.co.uk

CLUB ARCHIVIST & Terry Horler, 63 Littledean, Yate, Bristol, BS37 8UQ. T: 01454 881770TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION E: rebelwithasprite@hotmail.comMEMBERS ADVERTISING Neil Thomas, T: 07891 684435 E: editor@midgetandspriteclub.co.ukCAR REGISTERSSPRITES & MIDGETS Stuart Watson, E: stuart@thewatsonz.com T: 01562 883 076(EXCEPT MK1 SPRITES)SPRITES MK1 Gary Lazarus, garyfrogeye@gmail.com T: 020 7700 5696REGALIA OFFICER Mike Grout, 55 Park Road, Spixworth, Norwich, NR10 3PJ. T: 01603 890211 E: miketg54@hotmail.comTECHNICAL ADVISOR Mark Boldry, E: mark26r@hotmail.comWEBMASTER Mike Bennett, webmaster@midgetandspriteclub.co.uk T: 01925 727479TRADE ADVERTISING Gary Lazarus, garyfrogeye@gmail.com T: 020 7700 5696ENQUIRIES E: enquiries@midgetandspriteclub.co.uk / alan.anstead@btopenworld.com

BRISTOL Terry Horler, T: 01454 881770 E: rebelwithasprite@hotmail.comCAMBRIDGESHIRE Graham Kirkup, T: 01223 511835 E: gramag.kirkup@ntlworld.comCENTRAL Dave Warren, T: 07831 101850 E: central.masc@live.comDEVON Michael Ellis, T: 07414 279074 E: michael_ellis@live.co.uk DORSET John Gully, T: 07876 334949 email john.gully@btinternet.comESSEX Tim Wyman, T: 07828 245280 E: essexmidgetandspriteclub@gmail.comHAMPSHIRE Terry Langridge, T: 01252 626063 E: friendlyfolk@maschants.co.ukHEART OF ENGLAND Dave Colclough, T:07543641284 E:dave@colcloughsonline.co.ukHOME COUNTIES Mark Hall, T: 01296 660103 E: markdhall@aol.comKENT Alan Anstead, T: 01322 384050 E: alan.anstead@btopenworld.comLINCOLNSHIRE Jason Elliot, T: 07780 815264 E: dyke-jason@hotmail.co.ukLONDON Gary Lazarus, T: 020 7700 5696 E: garyfrogeye@gmail.comNORTHAMPTON Andrew Parrott, Mob: 07808 158623 E: andrew.parrott@btconnect.com NORTH WEST Neil McLeod, T: 01772 466648 Mob: 07921 089 680 E: neil_mcleod2@outlook.com NOTTS/DERBY Ian Cooke, T: 0115 938 3838 E: ilcooke@btinternet.comOXFORD Grahame Gibbins, T: 01235 530456 E: grahame_gibbins@hotmail.comSCOTLAND Graham Smith, T: 0141 954 8276 E: smith.grahamf@yahoo.co.ukSOMERSET CURRENTLY VACANTSOUTH WEST WALES David Hill, T: 01239 811307 E: david@hill.beSURREY Mike Gorman, T: 01737-552256 E: gorman698@btinternet.comSUSSEX Chris Harding, T: 01342 718860 E: harding.cm@btinternet.comWILTSHIRE Andy Cross, T: 01225 743554 E: andyspeedbox@gmail.comYORKSHIRE Mark Boldry T: 07471 606060 Anita Lachowicz T: 07484 682516 E: spridget.girl@gmail.com

THE WHO, THE WHAT & THE WHERE OF THE MIDGET & SPRITE CLUB

ITTEEOFFICERS

AREA REPRESENTATIVES

MIDGET &SPRITE CLUB

ALSO SEE THE CLUB NIGHTS SECTION FOR NEW AREAS AND CONTACTS

Compiled by Neil Thomas. Please advise me of any changes, errors etc.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL: If you experience ‘MASCOT’ problems upon renewal, please contact the membership secretary or the treasurer straight away.

CLUB NIGHTS3rd Saturday YORKSHIRE AREA. From October to March we meet on the third Saturday from 11.30am onwards

at a Yorkshire pub. Contact Mark Boldry 07471 606060 or Anita Lachowicz 07484 682516 for venue details or email spridget.girl@gmail.com

1st Tuesday ESSEX AREA. We meet on the first Tuesday of the month and from May – September its for a car run, ending in a pub for an evening meal and from October to April we meet at The Six Bells pub, Boreham, near Chelmsford, CM3 3JE. Please contact Tim Wyman tel 07828 245280, e mail: essexmidgetandspriteclub@gmail.com

1st Wednesday CENTRAL AREA. Now meet each month 8.30pm onwards at the Tame Otter, Lichfield Road, Hopwas, Tamworth, B78 3AF, 8.30 pm onwards Contact: Dave Warren, Tel: 07831 101850. Email: central.masc@live.com

1st Wednesday OXFORD AREA. Meet at the Blackhorse Pub, Gozzards Ford, Nr Abingdon. 7pm for those eating or 8pm for those not. Contact Grahame Gibbins at grahame_gibbins@hotmail.com

2nd Tuesday LONDON AREA (CONGESTION ZONE). Meet at The Ace Cafe at 7:30pm together with the Classic Cars Magazine night. Details: Gary Lazarus on 020 7700 5696 garyfrogeye@gmail

2nd Wednesday DEVON AREA. Meet at Court Farm, Abbotskerswell, TQ125 NY Devon. 7.30pm Michael Ellis Michael_Ellis@live.co.uk and telephone: 07414 279074

2nd Wednesday HEART OF ENGLAND. All welcome at the Green Dragon, Sambourne, Redditch B96 6NU 8pm gathering for a 8:30pm start. Further information from Dave Colclough on dave@colcloughsonline.co.uk or 0754 3641284.

2nd Wednesday NORTH WEST AREA. Meet at The Kilton, turn off M6 at Jct 20 onto A50 towards Macclesfield. Pub 4 miles on left. Please note new venue. Neil McLeod email neil_mcleod2@outlook.com Tel 01772 466648 Mobile 07921 089680

2nd Wednesday BRISTOL AREA will meet at Wishing Well, Wapley Road, Codrington, Bristol BS37 6RY. From 8.00pm – or earlier for a Curry enjoyed in peace! Contact Terry Horler 01454 881770 rebelwithasprite@hotmail.com

2nd Thursday NOTTS/DERBY BORDER AREA. The Hunters Arms at Kilburn, DE56 0LU (just off the A38) from 7.30. Ian Cooke 0115 938 3838 ilcooke@btinternet.com

2nd Thursday CAMBRIDGESHIRE AREA. Meet at The White Swan, Elsworth Road, Connington, Cambs CB23 4LN from 8pm

3rd Thursday NORTHAMPTON AREA. The Red Lion, Welford Road, Thornby, Northamptonshire, NN6 8SJ from 8pm4th Thursday LINCOLNSHIRE AREA. Meeting at The Wishing Well Inn, Dyke, PE10 0AF from 7 o’clock onwards.2nd Sunday EAST KENT GROUP. Meet at the Crown Inn, Sarre, CT7 0LF from 12.30hrs

Contact Area Rep alan.anstead@btopenworld.com or John Clark group co-ordinator jrclark@sky.com3rd Tuesday SCOTLAND. Meet at Houstoun House Hotel, Broxburn, EH52 6JS. Meetings start at 7.30pm.

Graham Smith 0141 954 8276 email: smith.grahamf@yahoo.com 3rd Tuesday SURREY. Meet at The Blue Ball, Deans Lane, Walton-on-the-Hill, Tadworth Surrey KT20 7UE.

7.30pm onwards. Contact Mike Gorman, gorman698@btinternet.com Tel: 01737 5522564th Monday DORSET. New Venue: Charlton Inn, Bournemouth Road, Charlton Marshall, Blandford Forum, Dorset

DT11 9NH about 7.30pm4th Thursday SUSSEX. Meet at Bolney Stage, Bolney, RH17 5RL from 19:00. 4th Thursday HAMPSHIRE. Meets at The Millhouse, North Warnborough, Odiham, RG29 1ET. Please ring Terry or

Harriet Langridge on 01252 626063 for details.4th Sunday KENT AREA. Back at The Angel, Addington Green, Kent until further notice. Contact Alan Anstead

enquiries@midgetandspriteclub.comLast Monday WILTSHIRE. Meet at The Barge Inn, Seend, Nr. Devizes, about 7pm. Contact Andy Cross on

01225 743554 or email andyspeedbox@gmail.comLast Wednesday HOME COUNTIES NORTH WEST for members in Herts, Beds, Bucks, Berks, N. London or anyone

interested! Meet at the Chequers Inn, Redbourn, AL3 7AD from 6:30pm. Please contact Mike or Sue Gahan on email mike@mgahan.demon.co.uk or on 07850 488636.

Last Thursday. SOMERSET AREA. Non-regular and occasional meetings and runs arranged throughout the year. Area contact Colin Chorley email: mascsom1@gmail.com for further information.

NORTHERN IRELAND. robertholmes25@hotmail.com. If enough interest, will arrange a meeting. SOUTH WEST WALES. Non-regular and occasional meetings and runs arranged throughout the

summer months. Please contact David Hill on 01239 811307 or email: david@hill.be

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR ADVERT TO: Neil Thomas E: editor@midgetandspriteclub.co.uk

MARKET PLACEWHO NEEDS EBAY? REACH FELLOW MEMBERS IN NEED OF SPARES, PROJECTS, HELP...

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR ADVERT TO: Neil Thomas E: editor@midgetandspriteclub.co.uk

FOR SALE: Using Moss/original part numbers where applicable. Photos available. Sprite3/Midget2 Seats (HAN8 GAN3) also early MGB, black vinyl/white piping, excellent condition £300. Sprite/Midget 1098 Cooper air cleaners AHA842 used but excellent unrestored condition with Cooper labels £100. Frogeye/Sprite/Midget bonnet hinges 14A4684, pair unused £50. Frogeye bonnet stays 14A4691, pair unused £50. Frogeye inner wing side panel, RH SRP2105, unused £25. Sprite(not Frog)/Midget triangular web RH AHA5436, unused Heritage panel £20. Frogeye/Sprite2 & Midget1, rear inner bulkhead repair panels L&R unused £30 pair. Morris Minor 1967 ribcase gearbox unrestored £140. Ribcase bell housing £20. Small items can be shipped at cost, big items buyer collects. Based in NW Kent. Richard 07802 852942 - Member no 4796. richard@yzcreative.com

WANTED: Early 1958 Frogeye driver’s side door latch mechanism with ‘long handle’, (not chrome knob). Richard 07802 852942 - Member no 4796. richard@yzcreative.com

WANTED: Pair of red seats for MG Midget Mk 1 (GAN 1). Must be sound, in reasonable condition, useable, and as originally fitted. I think they’re the same as Frogeye and early Mk ll Sprites (HAN 6). John 020-8947 2631 john@bunnycarter.com

www.ahspares.co.uk

New LED Light Upgrade Kit Available

Available in both positive and negative earth, each kit contains the indicator relay and correct number of LEDs to replace both the exterior and interior bulbs in your Frogeye.

We are excited to introduce our new range of LED lighting upgrade kits for Austin-Healey Sprite MK 1 Frogeye.

LED HEADLIGHT:

XLTG133 Headlight Bulb Kit

LED BULB UPGRADE KIT:

XLTG240 Positive Earth

XLTG241 Negative Earth

MASCOT TEMPLATE - 2018.indd 1 16/08/2018 10:23:35

The Manufacturer of

Wheeler & Davies Frogeye Bodyshells

Frogeye Spares“Knowledge, Expertise & Passion”

Visit www.frogeyespares.co.uk or email enquiries@frogeyespares.co.uk

Virtually EVERYTHING in stock to build a complete Frogeye!

Specialising in new & used parts, complete new body shells, servicing & restoration of Austin-Healey ‘Frogeye’ Sprites.For all your Austin-Healey Sprite needs, look no further for friendly service and competitive prices!

+44 (0)1204 604 017

the national car club awards in association with an …

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