Sprite as a DD

[WarGin]

I have an old mk2 Austin healey sprite sitting In my dads garage for the past 5ish years. Title got burned in a house fire a few years back and we've never gotten it redone.
Either the clutch or the clutch pedal is seized (in neutral), and it's not starting but it's getting spark and turning over, I'm assuming its a carburetor problem.
Anyways, as it is now its got 60k on it and its in almost perfect shape except for the aforementioned and a spot on the hood where paint chipped off (maybe 5" circle)
Anyways, do you think it'd be worth it to drop the 300ish bucks it would take to redo the clutch, and another 200 to register it to have something to drive while working on the jeep?
I can take pics tomorrow, it's a thought that's been brewing for awhile. I need to redo the floor pan on my rig but I need a drivable car every day, as I work 7 days a week.
Thoughts?

 

[AlphaQup]

An old British car as a dd is a terrible idea. Old British cars are like boats. Bust out another thousand

 

[WarGin]

The problem is I won't have 1000 bucks for awhile, planning a move and funds are scarce. I can swing 500 bucks but I can't drop a grand on something then shell out more to repair that. This is a car I already have, the brake lines are decent (around here replacing brake lines is pretty much guaranteed on any cheap car), and it'll get 50 to the gallon.
I know the carbs need a tune or rebuild and I think it's just the clutch pedal rusted to it's bracketry, the tranny goes in and out of gear.
And I'll only need it for maybe a week at a time, tops....
Thoughts?

 

[souske]

I would work on getting a duplicate title before I got.the car running. Nothing worse then dumping.money.and time in, then waiting.months for the dmv to figure out paperwork

 

[xjtrailrider]

Is this a 1st gen Sprite? If it is at least it looks happy even when its dead on the side of the road LOL! The 2nd gen on has a less "happy" look.

I think of any antique european car is a hobby and a labor of love but not a good daily driver.

 

[old_man]

You will add Lucas to your collection of swear words.:wave1:

 

[WarGin]

I'm just trying to find the cheapest option available to me.
I just need a car that I will use for MAYBE 7 days at a time, get me to work then home where i can work on my car, then when finished revert back to my jeep, which I infinitely prefer to almost anything . My dad would take the other car when I didn't need it. Meaning 95% of the time, hopefully.

So the options I have are
1 Pretty much work on the jeep then drive it the next day regardless of how much I actually finished doing. I'm trying to avoid this, I need to do extensive floor pan repairs, and I figure since Ill be down there might as well stiffen everything up. I actually have driven cars without a floor pan. It is really, really terrifying
Good on gas, 25-30mpg
2 that AH sprite. It's a mk 2, so less finicky then the bug eyes, but still has its fair share of problems, although this is mostly in the electronics (guages turn signals etc), and I don't really care about that shit. I know the ignition has been replaced at some point. It's getting spark and turning over, so once again assuming carbs. I've determined the clutch pedal and its linkage are rusted, as the tranny will go into and out of gear. Some underbody rust. Nothing major.
Sips fuel, 45mpg+
3 a 94 range rover classic (once again titles gone in that fire) that won't start. Haven't messed with it in over a year.
Has had previous electric issues. Notably while driving the power seats would go all the way back, meaning a good 4 feet, then go all the way forward to crush you against the steering wheel. Has been converted from electric air suspension to regular coils. Full time 4x4, will go anywhere. A brick house on wheels.
Gas guzzler, gets 12. Down hill.

With a tailwind.

I know I can't afford another car. Out of the options I have, I think the sprites the best bet.
I have 500 MAX to spend. I can't get a loan, no credit, self employed.

 

[WarGin]

Also, I grew up either in or around euro classics. My father has won the Greenwich concourse d'elegance. I learned to drive stick in an MGTD, baja'd a beater Bentley threw the woods (got it for 200 bucks haha). My first car was a 71 stang. Now I drive an 84 cherokee with antique plates lol. Classics are in my blood

 

[xjtrailrider]

The MK2 isn't a bad looking/running car. I say go for it!

 

[jdougn]

Go for it! If it's getting that good of gas mileage I'd drive it 'till it fell apart and put the money I saved on gas into my XJ.

 

[nosigma]

You will absolutely love it. Get the title and get it running. Those cars are stupid simple and dont let the Lucas Electrics jokes get to you. I drove MGB's for years and never had a single electrical problem. Very fun car, fairly rare now days. If it has no serious rust your very lucky. Take good care of it.

The electrics use a separate ground wire for each circuit. Take you time and be methodical on chasing down the wiring. Its not a beater to be thrown away when your "done" with it.

John

 

[Vanimal]

25-30mpg for an xj? you must have taken math class with Cal.

 

[Talyn]

You mean meth class?

 

[WarGin]

25-30mpg for an xj? you must have taken math class with Cal.

Carb'd 4 banger manual with no emissions BS.

DMVs been dicking me around with paperwork, so I havent really gotten anywhere. i dont want to fix it until its registered.
Ill keep yall posted though.

 

[WarGin]

Just got a hit on a free MGTD fiberglass kit car on an 85 5 speed Chevette frame.
If I can get my grubby hands on it I'll take pics.
Once again no papers, but this runs and drives, but needs a fuel pump desperately.
And yeah, Chevette, I know xD

 

[collkid]

Just a word of advice, take it or leave it:


How old are you WarGin?

It sounds to me like you need to get some priorities figured out before you start an extensive Jeep build. That being said, I did the same thing in High School, but as it sounds like you're working 7 days a week, I can assume you are out of high school?

Reliable transportation above car build. Period.

Now, when I was building my first Jeep, I was in college while working full time. I bought a $800 Ford Escort Beater, but it was reliable and got me to work/school every day. This is a great option for us who are obsessed with car modification.

Just trying to help.

 

[Talyn]

I'd rather take a Sprite than a Chevette kit car.

 

[Root Moose]

I'd rather take a Sprite than a Chevette kit car.

^^ This.

Get the sprite, mess around with it. When it doesn't run take the Jeep.

I don't see the problem?

FWIW, these cars are demons with 1300cc DOHC Suzuki engines in them...

 

[WarGin]

Just a word of advice, take it or leave it:


How old are you WarGin?

It sounds to me like you need to get some priorities figured out before you start an extensive Jeep build. That being said, I did the same thing in High School, but as it sounds like you're working 7 days a week, I can assume you are out of high school?

Reliable transportation above car build. Period.

Now, when I was building my first Jeep, I was in college while working full time. I bought a $800 Ford Escort Beater, but it was reliable and got me to work/school every day. This is a great option for us who are obsessed with car modification.

Just trying to help.

I'm 21, but I've been on my own and working for 5 years.
I know my priorities, I'm currently planning to move from my apartment to a house with a barn, so most of my funds are tied up in that. I'm just trying to figure out an alternative form of transportation for when I'm working on he jeep. My jeep will probably never be a crazy build and there's no pipe dream. I just don't want to drive around without floorboards because I didn't have time to finish the work when I'm getting rid of the cancer.

If I could find a beater that worked and was worth the money I'd buy it in a heartbeat, but unfortunately everything around here that's cheap needs too much work to be worth it.

I think I'll stick with the Sprite. I'll actually take pictures tomorrow. CT DMV keeps dicking me around with the paperwork for retrieving a list title. This is especially difficult because I'm not sure the car was ever registered in CT.
Either way this is the 4th time I've requested the paperwork.

 

[WarGin]

Here's the Sprite

And here's the actual problem. The clutch and brakes are combined? Never seen it before haha. The brakes work but the clutch pedal won't move, so I'm just going to replace it. Shouldn't be too expensive.