Starting a new basket case

After posting this morning, I really didn't want to hijack Diet's thread so I opened a new one...

I took a couple more pics;

Here is the worse of the body damage on the front drivers side -


Here's the engine, complete with plastic shopping bag in caught in the belt -


And if anyone noticed the air filters missing, they're right where one would expect them, in the boot -


And a beauty shot of what mother nature can do to an interior -


Overall I thought she was in very restorable condition, it's just going to be a while before I can just hop in and go for a spin. I think I'll start by pulling the wire wheels and find someone with a bead blaster to take the old paint off and have the spokes checked out. That'll make way for seeing how bad the brakes are.

It's been almost 12 years since I sold my Sprite mk2 and really wish I had the foresight to have held on to my Bently Manual and all the spares I had collected for it.

Alan

Actually looks like a fun project !!! ... Good luck with it ...

Haha, I didn't see it as hijacking. I was excited to see the pics. :)

It does look like its gonna be some fun!

Thanks Much! Oh, I have been looking forward to this for quite a while. I received my used copy of the Haynes manual today so I've started planning my attack on the brakes and clutch.

The trans is stuck in neutral and will not drop into any other gear slot. A co-worker suggested that the clutch slave may be the culprit but I have my doubts. Any ideas on the gear shift would be appreciated.

Alan

Alan...looks like you have your work cut out for you but it will be fun. Mine is a bit more road worthy but I'll be tinkering with it as well. Is the Haynes manual better than the Bentley? I am undecided yet on which one to get as I will want the most detailed manual.

Mark

Welcome!

Be patient. It will have it challenges and rewards.

to give you some ideas (I forget if you are a first timer or have lots of experience restoring old cars):

I got mine in '91 about the same way (in my case, from a junk yard right before they were gonna scrap it/ part it out). High mileage, covered in crud, lots of rust and everything mechanical was desperately questionable.

$10k and one year later I had gone through it mechanically, with a transmission and rear axle rebuild, carburetors rebuild, "quickie" engine rebuild, new shocks/springs/busings/straps, tires, wheels, radiator, hoses, all gauges rebuilt, new top and everything else a very thorough scrubbing.

Counting some of the re-do required afterwards to get everything right, and a re-rebuild of the engine with new pistons etc, once I had realized that it had transformed from a "rolling resto" to a "full-on resto", it was more like $15k.

I guess that in today's money it would be more (this was only for parts, since I did the work myself).
Keep reminding yourself that, although the car will probably never be worth more than about 1/2 of this amount, it is still cheaper than buying a new Miata, and we get more smiles from folks when driving it!

Welcome to the fold, and do keep us posted on your progress.

Norm "long hard road, but soooo worth it" Kerr

Alan, Looks good. Take the thing out into the yard and clean and spray the heck out of it. Mine was pretty grimy underneath and I regret not cleaning it before putting it in my garage. get some big pieces of cardboard to lay under the car when you scrape the inch thick layers of grime off. Things will break and disappointments found, but this board is here to help. If you get mad, go outside and break some sticks, that's what I do on occasion.

Thanks for the encouragement.

I had my '62 Sprite up to the point of needing paint but otherwise running and road worthy when I sold it (because we moved and needed the space). Since I had a restoration project before, I kind of know what I'm in for. These are like having kids, everyone of them will be different with their own challenges.

This weekend, I plan on rolling her back out of the garage and using some foamy engine cleaner to clean out the engine compartment. I'll have some more pics in the sun with the bonnet off. It'll just be a lot easier to work on her with the hood removed.