Saturday, April 16, 2016

The Rat Rides Again!

It was a nice day around here so I rolled the dice and took the little bugger out for a good shakedown run.
There is still a TON of work to do on it but it's mostly all cosmetic at this point, the mechanical shit is done. I had a blast and the thing runs like a champ. I wound it out a bit in 3rd gear a couple of times and took it on some nice twisty roads, the kind the damn thing was designed to drive on and the engine runs strong.
It's the first time since I have owned it that it ran the way it is supposed to and didn't either over heat or break down on me.
It cost me a shitload of money but it's worth every cent at this point.






For those not familiar with my 25 year long Love/Hate relationship with this fucker, it's a 1964 Austin Healey Sprite that I have driven less than 2500 miles since the day I bought it because it was always broke down.

Look up the word stubborn in the dictionary and you will see my picture.

Now it's tear the dash out, sanitize the wiring and paint it, get the gauges working, new carpets, new interior trim, recover the seats and repaint it, again.
If I'm lucky and The Good Lord is willing, I may actually finish this damn thing before I die.

12 comments:

BWBandy said...

Tres cool.

drjim said...

Whoo-Hoo!

Thanks for the motivation to get my butt in gear and work on mine.

Unknown said...

Nicely done!

Sixbears said...

Good for you! I'd have scrapped it long ago and moved on with my life. Hope you drive the wheels off that thing.

Anonymous said...

I had a Triumph Bonneville in my young man days and we riders of British steel always bemoaned "Lucas" the Prince of Darkness. I nick named it "Stormbringer" after a Deep Purple albumn because nearly every time I got on that SOB, it would start raining!

Irish said...

Enjoy your cruise!

Walter Zoomie said...

Badass. Looks great.

Grog said...

Excellent!

Jesse in DC said...

Congrats... Sprigets are among the most entertaining cars to drive out there. I have been fiddling with British cars for nearly 40 years, and still think so.

Gary in Bama said...

The car looks better than the owner ! If it runs and you have fun screw the rest. Every thing you named is cosmetic, if you got a face lift would you be more fun? Seriously after 25 years drive the bastard till you have to hide from the wife then work on it.

larryw said...

"It's the first time since I have owned it that it ran the way it is supposed to and didn't either over heat or break down on me."

Uh oh, now you've done it. Lucas, the evil prince darkness and electrical systems will surely smite you for such blasphemy.

Glad you enjoyed it while you still could. :-)

Phil said...

I've already done battle with that prick and there is another skirmish coming.....
;)

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