1967 SPRITE

With this third Spridget, I finally got it right. I bought it in Arizona, so it was rust free, and it had been pretty much unmolested, even though the owner at the time had no clue about the car. He had bought it because he was looking for a fuel efficient car for his daily commute. He had a new top, seat covers and a complete body seal kit, but didn't know what to do with them. I bought the car for $2000, realizing it would need a suspension rebuild, a little bit of body work and a paint job. I Waxoyl'd the body with a professional rust proofing gun (6 feet long nozzle, connected to an air compressor) to keep the body rust free.

Specifications:

Engine

1973 block offset bored to 73.5mm for 1380cc, line honed mains
Crank .010 under, balanced with flywheel, clutch and pulley
Hepolite Powermax pistons with 11cc dish
Balanced rods
Stock head with slight combustion chamber valve deshrouding and port smoothening (brought compression ratio down from 10:1 to 9.5:1)
APT VP7 camshaft (slot drive) with matching A+ oil pump
APT valve springs and retainers
APT bronze valve guides (bullet nosed on intake with teflon seals)
Stock intake manifold modified per Vizard
Stock carbs with throttle shaft slimmed down (half cut away)
K&N air filters inside stock housings and stub stacks, #4 needles
Stock single-muffler exhaust system

Drivetrain

Datsun 210 5-speed with Rivergate installation kit (no permanent modifications to car) see 5-Speed Page
New bearings and some synchros
Big Healey clutch slave cylinder instead of Rivergate unit
3.7:1 rear end ('79 Midget)

Suspension

Stock hubcap wheels widened to 5", 165/65-13 tires

Front

Springs 340#, 1" lower
Winner's Circle tube shock kit with Carerra adjustable shocks (set to 2 out of 3)
Polyurethane suspension bushings, trunnion bushings offset (Faspec, Winner's Circle)
A-arm fulcrum bushings drilled and tapped for second grease nipple
Stock swaybar with PU center bushings (Mini Mania)

Rear

Rebuilt lever shocks, 20% stiffer (NOSimport)
Mini Mania axle stabilizer (shorty Panhard Rod)

Interior

Future plans call for some seats with better side support that retain the classic style and comfort. I am considering Mini Mania's Cobra Roadster seats but would like to see/try one before I spend the money. I bought a used steering column to shorten for increased arm room as described in Stapleton's book, but have not been able to figure out how to do this without losing the sliding horn contact.

See more pictures with the new bigger wheels in place.

TECHNICAL SECTIONS (with lots of pictures):

BODY AND PAINT
SUSPENSION
5-SPEED
WHEELS AND TIRES
HIDDEN STEREO

MORE PICTURES...