Healey Sports Cars

mods & upgrades for Healey (Nash, Austin, or Jensen) cars, including engine swaps

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Bugeye RX
Dave Bergheimer

(47 posts)

Registered:
05/16/2010 07:04PM

Main British Car:


Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: Bugeye RX
Date: May 16, 2010 07:30PM

Hey all, just thought I show off my own Bugeye Rotary. A friend of mine suggested this motor and it's been match made in heaven. I finally have it running and now working on the brakes. Here is a video of the first start up. [www.youtube.com]
I added a few photos as well. That's for looking, Dave

cool'n III005.JPG
cool'n III006.JPG
guns0188.JPG
Smile001.JPG


B-Fast B-Strong
William Smith

(144 posts)

Registered:
10/17/2009 11:28PM

Main British Car:
Bugeye Bodied Spriget

authors avatar
Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: B-Fast B-Strong
Date: May 18, 2010 09:45AM

Great looking swap Dave,
Neat and clean , you did some clearly fine work there. Can't wait till you have it all painted and I hope you put up pictures in the gallery and some how it was done. What color are you painting it?
William


Bugeye RX
Dave Bergheimer

(47 posts)

Registered:
05/16/2010 07:04PM

Main British Car:


Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: Bugeye RX
Date: May 18, 2010 08:02PM

Thanks Bill. I have a ton of pictures depicting the entire build. I'm still figuring out this site and the how's and how not. I will post some pics soon. I'm going to paint it french racing blue with a satin finish. Maybe a strip. Here a few more pics of the work in progress Thanks again, Dave
detail002.JPG
final install003.JPG
Graduation #1 son004.JPG
gramma011.JPG



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2010 08:08PM by Bugeye RX.


Moderator
Curtis Jacobson
Portland Oregon
(4576 posts)

Registered:
10/12/2007 02:16AM

Main British Car:
71 MGBGT, Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: Moderator
Date: May 18, 2010 09:50PM

Good job... looks like you've mastered the photo "attachment" feature!

Two quick tips:

1) after you attach photo files, and before you hit the "post message" function, you can move the files around. You can also insert captions or blank space between them. Use the "preview" button to see the results. You can keep on editing and previewing again and again until you hit the "post message" button.

2) this forum section allows up to four photos per posting... but we also have a "project journal" section where you can upload up to 100 photos into one great big posting. Some people like to have more editorial control... they can publish their own detailed article there.

We'll definitely want to add this car to the photo gallery when the time is right. We'll wait patiently for shiny paint... but in the meantime, I hope you'll keep posting photos here!


p.s. "French racing blue"? Go figure.


Bugeye RX
Dave Bergheimer

(47 posts)

Registered:
05/16/2010 07:04PM

Main British Car:


Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: Bugeye RX
Date: May 19, 2010 07:18PM

Thanks for the comments and tips Mod. I can't take to much credit for attached photos as the
'attach photo" bar was a big factor in that success.


Bugeye RX
Dave Bergheimer

(47 posts)

Registered:
05/16/2010 07:04PM

Main British Car:


Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: Bugeye RX
Date: May 20, 2010 08:23PM

I the beginning, one day I stumble accross a 1959 Bugeye that was in pretty good shape as it was keep inside garage. It was in the beginning stages of repair and he wanted $2500 bucks. I tired to talk down but he wouldn't budge! I finally got him to agree to an easy payment plan and would give him $200 a month for one year. So $200 later it was on a trailer heading home!
gramma017.JPG
Next a buddy of mine talked me into a rotary motor swap-out, as I was not to happy with the little motor. I then removed the original motor, tranny, drive shaft, wiring, radiator, seats, gas tank, and a bunch of other things I would not need for the conversion and sold them on e-bay. I did pretty well, netting about a grand and some change. Then the hunt was on for a donor Mazda RX-7 motor! After a year of looking I found a 1987 motor and tranny on a local e-bay type site for $350.
sunset327.JPG
It was ON! I spent the next year and 1/2 doing the body work,
Graduation #1 son003.JPG
and perfoming frame mods,
lights033.JPG


B-Fast B-Strong
William Smith

(144 posts)

Registered:
10/17/2009 11:28PM

Main British Car:
Bugeye Bodied Spriget

authors avatar
Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: B-Fast B-Strong
Date: May 21, 2010 09:29PM

Dave,
Your lucky to have a real Bugeye , I found it impossible to find a nice one without spending big bucks. I am just making one with some fiberglass parts I have sourced out of an MG Midget. Here is a little glimpse of my project, as you can see I like blue too, this is Ford Mustang Grabber Blue.
Car15.jpg



Bugeye RX
Dave Bergheimer

(47 posts)

Registered:
05/16/2010 07:04PM

Main British Car:


Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: Bugeye RX
Date: May 22, 2010 08:13PM

WOW William that look slick! Yeah I was lucky but I didn'tt know that until I started to get familiar with model. I probably should have not cut it up, but it was to late when I found out they were kinda rare. Oh well, still gonna be fun to drive!


B-Fast B-Strong
William Smith

(144 posts)

Registered:
10/17/2009 11:28PM

Main British Car:
Bugeye Bodied Spriget

authors avatar
Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: B-Fast B-Strong
Date: May 23, 2010 11:31AM

Dave,
It's Your car and not the first one cut up. Enjoy !
William


Bugeye RX
Dave Bergheimer

(47 posts)

Registered:
05/16/2010 07:04PM

Main British Car:


Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: Bugeye RX
Date: May 23, 2010 06:01PM

The rotary motors are so simple to install and maintain, kinda like a two stroke engine. Keep the air/fuel clean, clear it out before you go and keep it in the rev's. All I did was stripped down the 1987 motor I got, clean it up, check the compression and polish and paint it. The core is small and easy to move around.
motor001.JPG
I removed the EFI and emission stuff and slapped an old school pair of side draft carbs and manifolds,
bugeye 001.jpg
Removed e-dizzy and install 1985 pick-up type dizzy
coins001.JPG
Finally I made a header from a 1/2 thick plate and some 90* elbows.
ROTARY0044.JPG
It was ready for fit up.


J Man
jason adkins
NW OH
(202 posts)

Registered:
01/21/2009 08:49PM

Main British Car:
'61 Morris Minor panel, '70 MGB GT, '74 MGB GT MGB 1.8, unsure yet on the GTs

Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: J Man
Date: May 24, 2010 09:38PM

Looks nice


Bugeye RX
Dave Bergheimer

(47 posts)

Registered:
05/16/2010 07:04PM

Main British Car:


Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: Bugeye RX
Date: May 24, 2010 10:05PM

Thanks J man, its been a long road but I'm very happy on how it is coming together!


Bugeye RX
Dave Bergheimer

(47 posts)

Registered:
05/16/2010 07:04PM

Main British Car:


Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: Bugeye RX
Date: May 31, 2010 11:25AM

A-3 start003.JPG
Did some car tuning, sounds way better, amazing what a few turns of a screw can do!
[www.youtube.com]


HealeyRick
Rick Neville

(489 posts)

Registered:
12/19/2007 05:01PM

Main British Car:
1963 Austin-Healey 3000 Ford 5.0L

authors avatar
Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: HealeyRick
Date: June 20, 2010 09:34PM

Hey Dave,

Just noticed you were from Danielson. When I was just married more than 34 years ago, I lived in Pomfret, My new bride knew I loved Healeys and found my Bugeye for sale in a local newspaper, I bought it for $350 and turned it into this after the expenditure of way too much money:

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j222/healeyrick/Stapleton-14.jpg

Still have the same Bugeye (and the same bride)

I've always been a big fan of rotary Spridgets, Yours looks killer!


Bugeye RX
Dave Bergheimer

(47 posts)

Registered:
05/16/2010 07:04PM

Main British Car:


Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: Bugeye RX
Date: July 09, 2010 09:36PM

[www.youtube.com]
All done002.JPG



rficalora
Rob Ficalora
Willis, TX
(2764 posts)

Registered:
10/24/2007 02:46PM

Main British Car:
'76 MGB w/CB front, Sebring rear, early metal dash Ford 302

authors avatar
Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: rficalora
Date: July 10, 2010 03:32PM

Cool Dave -- it's come a long way. Sounds good too.


Bugeye RX
Dave Bergheimer

(47 posts)

Registered:
05/16/2010 07:04PM

Main British Car:


Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: Bugeye RX
Date: July 10, 2010 08:49PM

Thanks Rob!


Bugeye RX
Dave Bergheimer

(47 posts)

Registered:
05/16/2010 07:04PM

Main British Car:


Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: Bugeye RX
Date: August 08, 2010 03:43PM

[www.youtube.com]

Got it to move and stop under it's own power!

Still needs some carb tuning, timing, and front end tweeks but it's was a huge step!
T-0 We have lift off002.JPG



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/2010 03:45PM by Bugeye RX.


HealeyRick
Rick Neville

(489 posts)

Registered:
12/19/2007 05:01PM

Main British Car:
1963 Austin-Healey 3000 Ford 5.0L

authors avatar
Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: HealeyRick
Date: August 09, 2010 09:08PM

Like the sound of that motor!


Bugeye RX
Dave Bergheimer

(47 posts)

Registered:
05/16/2010 07:04PM

Main British Car:


Re: Another Rotary Sprite
Posted by: Bugeye RX
Date: August 21, 2010 06:47PM

[www.youtube.com]

Finally the first road test. After some issues I finally got it to run good. The thing scary fast and rev's to the moon. I can now move on to paint knowing it runs like a it supposed to. I like to thank John for all his help. He was able to trouble shoot a car 1,000 miles away and walk me through a pretty frustrating time. Bravo dude!
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