Restoring the Dream

Whoever said you can’t restore a British Sports Car? I am sure there isn’t a reader out there who hasn’t looked longingly at his or her dream car sitting neglected at a nearby junkyard. To the average passerby, it looks like just another wreck, but to a British sports car lover, a Jaguar in the worst possible condition still has a sense of charm. Unfortunately, many of these people continue on their way without even considering the possibility of restoring this car.

Luckily for me, I didn’t even have to go as far as this to get my dream car. The perfect car for restoration was sitting right in my garage, a 1962 Austin-Healey Sprite MKII. It is my father’s car and he bought it when it was four years old, back in 1966. Ever since I was a little kid I would sit in the driver’s seat, trying to turn that frozen steering wheel and dreaming of what it would be like to drive this car. My father would tell me stories of leaky roofs, rumbling exhausts, and road rallys. Time passed and the car sat neglected, wheel cylinders freezing up and terminals corroding, until one day last year, not too long after my 15th birthday, I looked at this car, and seeing past all the rust and dirt with eager optimism, planned where I would start. I had to do most of the work myself; my dad had much interest but little time for the car. I, on the other hand, was on summer vacation, and had all the time in the world for it. I started by gathering all the information I could (you can never have too much) and got to work. By doing simple things like replacing rotten fuel lines, some worn brake parts, and cleaning some electrical contacts, I had this car (which had been sitting immobile in our garage for 12 years) running continuous laps around our block. With friends laughing, engine roaring and transmission grinding, I had this 46 horsepower wonder reaching speeds exceeding 40 mph. I had to be careful not to go too fast, however, because I did not yet have my license and getting caught driving this unregistered, unsafe vehicle might prolong the wait before I did get it.

Cold weather soon ended my summertime fun and I was forced to choose between a ground-up restoration or a patch up job. I chose the ground-up, of course, and it proved to be a long winter of cleaning and replacing engine parts (pistons and crank included). I have now thoroughly succeeded in making a big mess and there are few corners of our garage or basement without a con rod or air filter (I just hope I can find them all when I go to put it all back together). Luckily, my parents are very supportive: my dad lends a hand whenever needed and my mom allots funds for “necessary parts”. I found that the key to getting a job done correctly is comparing information, going to machine shops, reading hooks, and most importantly, being patient. If you are breaking wrenches removing a cylinder head stud, chances are, you are doing something wrong and should look for help, be it in the form of books, mechanics, or your dad.

Now that driving season is here and I finally have my license, I look longingly at lucky British sports car owners and look to the day when I have my car completed and can blast by my no longer laughing friends. As soon as I finish the trans, suspension, interior, body, paint,…

By Kevin Bolon