Midas Bronze hillclimb car

Here's my picture of a Midas Bronze hillclimb car, owned and raced I think by Stuart Skeldon (update 2019, surname I think is Skeldon not 'Wooler' as previously posted). Taken at Doune hillclimb, Stirlingshire, Scotland in the mid 1990s at a September British Hillclimb meeting (the car competed in the Scottish championship).

Note the removable front panel - a development, as earlier it had competed with a standard complete body. The car is a GRP monocoque, using an A Series engine and gearbox, front wheel drive and transverse engined.

The car was towed by a matching coloured Maestro van.

Anyone know where the car is now?

Austin 7 special pictures

Some pictures of racing Austin 7 specials. Taken by me at Mallory Park race circuit, Leicestershire, late 1980s (or maybe 1991 or 1992) at a 750 Motor Club race meeting. This was the days of Austin Sevens having their own race series, before becoming a 750 Trophy (not full championship) and amalgamation with similar cars (e.g. Ford 1172 specials). Happy days!

Picture captions updated Feb 2022 with driver’s names. Many thanks to Alan Fairless and Steve Jones for the info, via AustinSevenFriends Forum. Apparently car 31, No5 and 38 are still around, the latter still with the same owner (Alan Fairless). Simplicity is also still around.

No31 - an Ulster replica (Reg Nice's car).

An Austin 7 special, raced by Charlie Marriott

Another Austin 7 special, raced by Andrew Spence

Austin 7 specials ready to go home. The first two look like close to Ulster replicas, 

but with taller radiator shells? No23 looks a lower slung Ulster replica

No5 raced by John Skeavington, No38 by Alan Fairless and red car behind No38 by Jean Rees. Alan Fairless still owns this red car (No38).

Race action - poor pictures! I think the car with the low red cowl is maybe that of Nigel Cowley (built by his father?)

'Simplicity' Austin Seven special (built by Jack French 1949 onwards), seen at 750 Motor Club's 60th Anniversary, Silverstone, July 1999. 

Wiring - slow progress

Been rewiring the car. Slow progress as little time available. Should complete rewire by end Sept, and then start the car again! Getting closer to back on the road.

Meanwhile been looking out old car pictures.

Dashboard repair

I'll describe work done on the suspension and cooling system in another post, but here's info on the most recent work - repairing the dashboard and starting rewiring.
















Dashboard - painted over vinyl, wiring problems and a crude patch over the radio aperture.

I obtained a spare dashboard in better condition - looks like from a MkIIa Sprite (1098cc and disc brakes) with underdash cushioning strip (removed in pic below, also original vinyl covering removed).

Like many early Sprite dashboards this has extra holes for switches and gauges. The two extra gauge holes were blocked with a piece of aluminium pop-rivetted on the rear of the dash (and hoping that the fabric covering wouldn't sink too much...). Rust was removed with wire wool and a covered with a quick spary with matt black paint; the aluminium pastch was sprayed too.

I had some vinyl from an old black-out blind - got from a skip in the 1990s. Raided the old spares box for the correct heater switch - came from a 1977 850cc Mini van I had in the 1980s (all that's left).

Old vinyl used as a template to cut out replacement dash covering. The old dash cover was peeled off after the spring clips were removed. New vinyl stuck on with Evostick contact adhesive (messy job), using lots of clothes pegs to hold down edges and also using new spring clips from Woollies for Trim.

New Lucas switches purchased from Auto Electrical Supplies and Mini Sapres Centre. Let's see how good the non-UK manufactured Lucas components are (bearing in mind the originals were not always perfect, particularly with age). New wiring harness and choke cable from Austin Healey Spares.

Start - car arrives May 2012

Welcome

This blog charts my ongoing restoration of an Austin Healey Sprite MkII and eventual conversion to a standard-bodied Sebring Sprite.

Car as purchased May 2012:

Thanks to Richard Tipper of Cartrans - great job of transporting the car from SW England to SW Scotland.


When blue (from new in July 1961 until late 1990s)

It is a 948cc car, with later front disc brakes (and on later checking the incorrect drum braked master cylinder fitted).

Car had an MoT, solid bodywork - been welded a lot; paintwork a bit rough, plus the A posts are a bit undulating (filler over homemade patch panels?). The floor panels are homemade flat panels rather than the correct parts with stiffening grooves and footwells. Wiring needs fixing too - dash lights and external lights not all working. Fan noisy (loose belt). All OK, picked up these issues when checking the car over before purchase - I wanted a project car!

Once getting the car home noticed coolant loss, incorrect fan belt fitted (longer alternator belt).

Initial jobs to do:

• Replace cooling hoses, water pump, fan belt.
• Sort brakes (replace master cylinder, put in new rear shoes, check over)
• Fix wiring
• Service (oil & air filter changes, lubricate and check suspension, dampers, steering rack)
• Get new MoT.

Shouldn't take too long...