Fellow Spridgeteers,
With permission, here is an article from "British Car Magazine" written
by Rick Feibusch, a fellow 'list' member. It's good reading say nothing
about being informative. Rick writes the monthly "Value Guides" in
BCM. Talented fellow!
Enjoy.
WFO Herb
The Austin-Healey Sprite and MG Midget -- Buyers Guide
Overview
These cheap and cheerful little roadsters continued in the tradition of
the
early years of the T series MGs. By the mid-fifties, British sport cars
were gaining in power, amenities and price. The MGA, quite basic by
today's standard, was lightyears ahead of the quaint little wood-framed
TFs
that it replaced. In it's sweeping form, one could see a trace of
Jaguar
and some essence of Ferrari. The big Healeys were growing hairier by
the
year and the Triumph's performance and trim advanced each year as the
price
rose. By the late Fifties, an entry level British sports car was a
second
hand one.
Seeing the hole in the market, BMC had Donald Healey magically fashion a
basic, entry level roadster out of Austin A35 and Morris Minor parts.
The
legendary outcome was cute as a month old puppy, and was a blast to
drive.
With a 948cc A series engine, 4:22 rear end gears and little thirteen
inch
wheels, the Bugeye was no powerhouse but the Austin powertrain, the rack
and pinion steering and the seven inch drum brakes worked in harmony to
provide all of the exhilaration of driving a proper English sports car
for
the price of an economy import.
After the Bugeye, the Sprites and their new badge engineered brothers,
the
MG Midgets, started adding amenities and more power along with the
bigger
Brits. Each year, as the MGs, Healeys, and Triumphs were fitted with
roll-up windows and folding tops (rather than snap-on tops with
take-apart
frames), the Sprites and Midgets eventually got the same. By 1975 the
car
had to be completely reworked to comply with US smog and safety laws.
In
the end, the Midget died the grizzly death of American over regulation.
Fitted with a highly smogged 1500cc Triumph powertrain, a catalytic
converter and big rubber bumpers, this odd little,
built-to-government-spec
bomb would still be one of the only convertibles available for a long
time.
Good Points
These cars are simply built and easy to repair. Most parts are
interchangeable from year to year, so many of the running upgrades like
the
1275cc engines and disc brakes just bolt into place. Sprites and
Midgets
were raced successfully so performance items are plentiful. Many of the
body and trim pieces are being reproduced so a restoration won't have to
include downtime while waiting for parts.
Bad Points
These cars are very small. The earlier cars with side curtains have
more
shoulder room, but. . . . . . . . . . . . Borrow a friend's car for an
afternoon or take alot of test drives and see if you fit. Bring the
wife
and kids and stretch out. If you don't retreat to the minivan and head
for
Texas, proceed with your quest.
Look for serious rust and poorly repaired body damage. These cars are of
unit construction and sloppy or extensive work can translate to an
out-of-square body that can handle a bit strange. A solid Bugeye
complete
front hood can add a thousand dollars in value to a decent car. Don't
look
down your nose at a fiberglass hood though, just pay accordingly. A
nice
car is still a nice car and maybe you can find a steel one later. While
I
will say to try to avoid the last "Spitfidget," Triumph powered cars,
these
are so cheap and of so little demand, that you might find a nice running
roadster for a song. These are still fun to zip around in. If you
don't
insist on downshifting into first all of the time, the first gear
synchro
might last for a while as well.
Comments On Values
There are three distinct categories of Spridgets. The Bugeyes are, by
far,
worth the most - about twice the value of the later series cars. These
later BMC badge engineered clones are all worth about the same and value
is
more dependent on condition than year of manufacture. The last rubber
bumpered "Spitfidgets" have a market and value on their own. There
doesn't
really seem to be much of a premium on originality, except in the case
of
concours quality Bugeyes destined for Japan. In fact, a mechanically
updated car will usually be worth more than an original.
The Bugeyes are hot. Though one can pick up a real nice one for about
$9,000, we have seen superb cars with asking prices in the $15 - 20,000
range. Tom Colby of Speedwell Engineering in San Fernando, CA, a firm
that
has sells performance parts and services Sprites, says that a running,
restorable wreck will cost at least $2,000. Grant Wood of Cars With
Class
in Santa Monica, CA adds that " while very few Bugeyes are worth $15K,
$9,000 will buy one two to three times better than a $5,000 example.
The
super expensive cars usually live in a bag and are too nice to really
use -
and use is a major part of the pleasure of ownership."
On the newer BMC clones, Wood contends that their prices will always be
regulated by the value of comparable condition MGBs. "While the
Bugeyes
are unique, the others do look alot like small Bs. I prefer the later
cars
with roll up windows and the fold away top. While these cars also come
with all of the mechanical upgrades they still are very small. Given a
choice, most buyers would move up to an MGB if the price wasn't too much
more." Colby also prefers the better appointed later models; "The '67s
are
the best of the lot because they are the only year that has the best
equipment and no smog add-ons."
Cheers,
Rick Feibusch
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