WIP - Customer's "Bugeye" Austin Healy Sprite Mk1

Here's a nice quick build for a Christmas gift--a bone stock curbside Bugeye Sprite. It's an old Gunze-Sangyo kit, first time I've built one, pretty cool so far.

http://www.tigersdenhobbies.com/gallery/rhetts%20sprite/rhett_bugeye_wip1.jpg

Keep us up to date! These little cars are a refreshing change of pace. I'm eager to see more.

Keep us up to date! These little cars are a refreshing change of pace. I'm eager to see more.
I would love this kit myself. Holy cats, John. How many models do you have on the go right now? You make about 20 kits to my one!:grinyes:

I would love this kit myself. Holy cats, John. How many models do you have on the go right now? You make about 20 kits to my one!:grinyes:

I have maybe 8 going at any given time. :screwy:

These are great kits! Quite simple (esp underneath, but it is a kerbside!). My only complaint about them is that the door pockets are represented rather badly.... I'm (very slowly) building one of these too, but with full opening panels & an engine :screwy: :rolleyes: as well as converting another to match my 1:1 Sprite Mk2.

Here's a few reference pics that may be useful, showing the correct treatment for the doors and interior cap rail - only the section above the dash was trimmed in vinyl - the rest was left as polished aluminium:

http://www.paulharkerdesign.com/personalgallery/albums/Sprite/IMGP0937.jpg

http://www.paulharkerdesign.com/personalgallery/albums/Sprite/IMGP0215.jpg

(These are of my Mk2, ignore the cockpit cutout behind the seats, the rear cushion & the non standard steering wheel & gearknob, but the rest is basically the same as a Frogeye :))

Oh, and keep the raised seams / beading on the wings - many other builds on here have removed them, but they're supposed to be there!

This is a fun little car to build. If you are planning to polish the body with a cloth, I would recommend leaving the lights off until the end. The windshield glass also needed a fair bit of sanding to fit properly. You can see mine here for ideas if you need any.
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=565119&highlight=austin

Thanks for the replies guys. And great reference pics. I was thinking I might just slice the door pockets open with a knife...

Thanks for the replies guys. And great reference pics. I was thinking I might just slice the door pockets open with a knife...

No problem at all - let me know if you need any more pics, as I have a huge reference library for the two I'm building. As for the door pockets, just cutting them would work well, and that is what I've done with mine. However, that 'rubber' that the interior trim is moulded in is a pain to work with.

No problem at all - let me know if you need any more pics, as I have a huge reference library for the two I'm building. As for the door pockets, just cutting them would work well, and that is what I've done with mine. However, that 'rubber' that the interior trim is moulded in is a pain to work with.

Hey is the molding on top of the fenders/quarters you said not remove supposed to be chrome? Or body colour?

Body colour.


Here's a few reference pics that may be useful, showing the correct treatment for the doors and interior cap rail - only the section above the dash was trimmed in vinyl - the rest was left as polished aluminium:

I beg to differ! All of the trim around the "cockpit" of Mk1 was aluminium.

Body colour.



I beg to differ! All of the trim around the "cockpit" of Mk1 was aluminium.

Well, I'll stick with what the kit has, which is the aluminum/chrome around all four sides.

I beg to differ! All of the trim around the "cockpit" of Mk1 was aluminium.

:grinno:

All the reference data that I have (mountains of Spridget books, articles & photo libraries, including details / pics of original, unrestored cars & factory standard concours rebuilds) shows the rail above the dash trimmed, and the book that is acknowledged as being the Spridget restorer's bible (Original Midget & Sprite - The Restorer's Guide, by Terry Horler), specifically mentions it being trimmed! I suspect that the cars you've seen have had this trim removed to expose the aluminium underneath, as this is a popular modification.

:)

Fair enough. The fact remains, however, that of the several hundred pitures I have only two cars have that rail trimmed in vinyl.

I got rid of the rail on the wheel arches on mine because it was quite badly molded and made polishing much easier. I know it was meant to be there, but I'm glad I got rid of it.

Paint's on, polished and lightly waxed. Could probably use more wax.

Chassis and interior are mostly together as well, minus those weird rubber door panels. Final assembly over the next few days.

http://www.tigersdenhobbies.com/gallery/rhetts%20sprite/rhett_bugeye_wip2.jpg

http://www.tigersdenhobbies.com/gallery/rhetts%20sprite/rhett_bugeye_wip3.jpg

Paint looks really good, shouldn't take much to bring it up to a perfect shine!