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The 43 bhp, 948 cc OHV engine (coded 9CC) was derived from the Austin A35 and Morris Minor 1000 models, also BMC products, but upgraded with twin 1 1⁄ 8 inch SU carburettors.
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The front sheet-metal assembly, including the bonnet (hood) and wings, was a one-piece unit, hinged from the back, that swung up to allow access to the engine compartment.
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The two front chassis legs projecting forward from the passenger compartment mean the shell is not a full monocoque. The original metal gauge (thickness of steel) of the rear structure specified by Bilbie was reduced by the Austin Design Office during prototype build, however during testing at MIRA (Motor Industry Research Association) distortion and deformation of the rear structure occurred and the original specification was reinstated. The Sprite's chassis design was the world's first volume-production sports car to use unitary construction, where the sheet metal body panels (apart from the bonnet) take many of the structural stresses. The problem of providing a rigid structure to an open-topped sports car was resolved by Barry Bilbie, Healey's chassis designer, who adapted the idea provided by the Jaguar D-type, with rear suspension forces routed through the bodyshell's floor pan. The car's distinctive frontal styling bore a strong resemblance to the defunct American 1951 Crosley Super Sport. The body was styled by Gerry Coker, with subsequent alterations by Les Ireland following Coker's emigration to the US in 1957. This gave the car its appeal as a result of its much loved cute appearance. But cost cutting by BMC led to the flip-up mechanism being deleted, therefore the headlights were simply fixed in a permanently upright position, giving the car its most distinctive feature. The car's designers had intended that the headlights could be retracted, with the lenses facing skyward when not in use a similar arrangement was used many years later on the Porsche 928. The Sprite quickly became affectionately known as the "frogeye" in the UK and the "bugeye" in the US, because its headlights were prominently mounted on top of the bonnet, inboard of the front wings. Enthusiasts often refer to these later Sprites and Midgets collectively as "Spridgets." The MG-badged version of the car continued in production for several years after the Austin-Healey brand ceased to exist. II Sprite was introduced in 1961 it was joined by a badge-engineered MG version, the Midget, reviving a model name used by MG from the late 1920s through to the mid 1950s. It first went on sale at a price of £669, using a tuned version of the Austin A-Series engine and as many other components from existing cars as possible to keep costs down. The Sprite was designed by the Donald Healey Motor Company, with production being undertaken at the MG factory at Abingdon. It was intended to be a low-cost model that "a chap could keep in his bike shed", yet be the successor to the sporting versions of the pre-war Austin Seven. The Sprite was announced to the press in Monte Carlo by the British Motor Corporation on, two days after that year's Monaco Grand Prix. The Austin-Healey Sprite was a small open sports car which was produced in the United Kingdom from 1958 to 1971. There's been no breakages since.well not in the rear end anyway.although a stonking wheelie did make a mess of the crank on landing but that's another tale.Austin-Healey ( BMC, later British Leyland) The beauty of this conversion is the wide availability of final drive ratios and styles from open to spool.
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The Ford conversion was surprisingly easy in that there was very little machine work required, even with the outer shaft bearings, plus a set of performance driveshafts are available in all sorts of lengths. The reason he did it was that he was forever snapping drive shafts including uprated one's, the welded original diff was still working fine albeit a little tired in a 9.6 second car. That's a mate of mine that fitted the Ford 9" into the original GT V8 axle. Isn't there a Dana 44 or Dana30 that is supposed to be able to be massaged into a Banjo? Wonder if anyone makes a spool for those.
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