Thank you for the fun video!I am a couple of months away from completing the restoration of my '59 Bugeye. I owned one nearly fifty years ago,and it was so fun to drive!
I loved my MK1 frog eye Sprite, It's not about power, it's not about road holding. It's about how it makes you feel, you cannot help smiling when you drive it! Everywhere you go people smile and take pictures, when you pull up anywhere everyone wants to talk about the car. I drove all over the UK in mine, it would be happy at 60 mph on the motorway. Mine was in Leaf Green with white wall tyres, and she is still running.
Even as a Porsche fan I have to be honest. Seeing nothing but 911's gets a bit boring after a while. These non-Porsche videos are really refreshing. There's so much more about car culture and history to enjoy other than just cars with the engine in the wrong place.
Thank you for posting this video. I'm a big Porsche guy, but a ride in a bugeye when I was in high school was all it took to fall in love with these gems. Thank you again!
Jack, many years ago I drove a frogeye from London, though Spain and Italy to Malta , with one of my best mates. Great trip and your video brings back memories! Thanks for the great content.
These simple cars make you feel like you're part of the driving experience rather than just a passenger. There's a joy in maintaining as much speed as you can through corners and, as your face shows, cresting that hill! Happy motoring!
I was happy to stumble on your site. When I was 21, in 1969, and just arrived in California I had a semi clapped out '57 Sprite Bugeye. I was working for the Honda motorcycle dealer at the time and was a confirmed anglophile. The car wouldn't run cleanly at all but luckily the service manager I worked with was a Brit. He schooled me in the science (?) of synchronizing S.U. carbs. Holy crap it ran great! Later on I got a '65 MGB but then had to move on to more modern cars. I still have the little pouch with the pair of wire pointers plus my UNISYN vacuum tool.....Just in case . Thanks
I have a 62 MK2 Sprite. It is an absolute delight to drive around like you say. A simple car assembled in some brilliant way to make it handle, and feel fast when it's not. I've actually been daily driving mine for a few weeks now, and you start to realize that you don't really need more car. Right now in the middle of summer, it can get hot, but with the roof down its still a good drive. Every one you pass, loves it
I really adore the old brit sports cars, and have had my fair share of them. From MG's, Triumphs, Austin Healys, sunbeams, I really do love and appreciate each and every one for what it is and does.
Fun video. I had an MGB, which was also a perfect country lane car. Fortunately I worked at a car parts store back then, and much of my take home pay was in spares rather than cash. But your message is spot on: You almost can’t get more of a connection to the mechanical essence of a sports car than with a Mk 1 Sprite. That said… the German cars are so much more reliable. I also had a 356, which is a simple, satisfying car, and incredibly well made. If you can accept a lower performance envelope than that of a classic 911, the 356 is an ideal vintage sports car.
Loved the video. As a model A ford owner I can appreciate that it is not always about how fast you get there but the journey. Looking for a Sprite as the next project.
I love my Bugeye Sprite, lots of history, dad gave it to mum as a wedding present in ‘68, I was driven around in the passenger seat in a bouncinet when I was born in 71, found it laid up in the shed when I turned 15, restored it and drove across Australia to meet Geoffrey (and Margot) Healey at the Melbourne Austin Healey National Rally in 1990 Continued rolling restoration and still my favourite vehicle. Currently sporting 1330cc a-series built for torque, disk brake front end, sway bar, uprated lever arm shocks from Worldwide, r-comp rubber and a leather interior. Drives like it’s on rails, stops on a dime, smiles per mile over the top! Thanks for sharing your video :-)
I owned a 1967 Mark 4 version, I believe, and it was a mechanics dream or nightmare, depending who was geting paid. Driving it was and is the most(almost) fun I ever experienced in a vehicle. Country roads, city street, or travelling down the highway were all enjoyable rides in this wiz of a toy car. You get what you paid for and this car delivers.
In the U.S., we call them "Bug Eye" Sprites, but they were and are a fantastic little car. Very simple, but very satisfying car to drive. The slightest thing you do as a driver, has an immediate and direct effect on what the car does. In my mind, this would the PERFECT car to teach kids how to drive and how cars work.
Here in Australia they are also a "Bug Eye". I own a US Bumpered, LHD MG Midget which has a Tifosi Bug Eye front added, and bumpers removed, in order to make a 1500cc Sprite. The front gives it that cute "bug eye" appeal in a better performance package. So much more character than the original Midget. .
I just read that Looong, but great comment... I'm in Edmonton, AB Canada... I grew up in Saskatoon, Sask. One day, while there a buddy took me into his garage and showed me his Bug-eyed Sprite. I loved it and had to own it. I got it for CAN$350.00 and drove it 350 miles back to Edmonton... That was 1968. From then, as I had problems, I fixed them. Like you, fuel Pumps kept failing so, I got an Electric fuel pump... Then, I had ignition problems, so I put in an electronic Ignition... Then the SU Carbs kept getting worse, so I changed the intake manifold and added Side Draft Webers... Woe! That little engine was cranking out almost 100 hp, by the time I finished my modifications... My very first car was a Triumph TR2... I've owned Austin Healeys, Jaguars, Corvetts and many other sports cars, but still have a bond with Bug-eyed Sprites... After the Sprites (I had 2), I bought a MG Midget out of the Showroom as it was so similar to my Sprites, but for the body... It was fun too, but I was tired of working on it constantly... Oh! I also owned a Porsche 912 (4 Cyl), but it wasn't as much fun as the Sprites... To own a Sprite and enjoy it means, you have to enjoy getting dirty and covered in grease... I knew my Sprites so well that I could tune the SU Carbs by Sound (no vacuum gauge) and my ignition I tuned with a Transistor Radio... When the Static stopped, it was tuned... I don't know if there is anything I didn't learn about my Sprites... Awesome little cars :-)
Great to hear, thanks for you story!! I do love Fred and am about to start an engine and gearbox rebuild plus discs at front and adding an anti roll bar. Cant wait!!
Hello - thanks for great video. I am a long term Porsche owner and I have been captivated by this little car for quite some time now. Your video has inspired me to go ahead and buy one! Looks like loads of simple fun - and after 20 yrs of Porsches, I need simple!
My first two cars were bug eyes. I taught myself to drive in it on the dirt roads of the time around MCAS New River, N.C and it completely affected my driving style. Clutches and gears bring out something in me. I flipped it on the night of my 21st Birthday. Two months later, I was driving my second one in a large Midwestern city. I loved that car. And traffic was just a rallye every day! I LOVED to downshift and hear that rolling exhaust come out of the mufflerless pipes. One sunny summer morning, I awoke to find myself sliding along a steel freeway barrier after a long night of ethanol excess. The left front wheel cone was slightly bent which I didn't notice for a time until it became hot enough to smell. On the way to the repair shop, the wheel fell off, no brakes, fortunately the curb was high enough to scrape the bottom when I veered onto the sidewalk and came to rest a couple of feet from a light post. I was devastated. Then I found a 1961 Citroen DS nobody at the time (~1968) wanted, $110. THAT WAS A CAR. And, in my youthful ignorance, they were all 'just cars'. Now, I'd seriously give a toe or two to get any of them back.
Hi, That gem was the first car I bought in 1965 and cost me $500.00 from a guy that lived down the street. I then went to MGBs, Xke 2 of them ,Jensen Healey but the bug eye was just the best. Thanks for the flash back. Jim
I had a 1959frog eyed sprite❤ ( baby blue)in 1970 when 20 and despite owning some quite exotic cars since the frog eye it’s still evokes some of my best motoring memories 😎
Back in 1970 a buddy of mine got one named it Aristotle. Woke me up at 2AM to take me for a ride when he first got it. Bad shocks, bad steering, and no breaks but he loved that car and so did I.
I really like your down to earth, honest and straight forward videos. I have a 1972 MG Midget and had (unfortunately had to sell it before a move to the US) a 964 C2 manual coupe, so this video really resonated with me. One is fun slowly the other exciting and fast, both feel totally alive.
Thankyou for your efforts at this time in our collective lives. It really helps to get to see other enthusiasts working on there cars and getting there hands dirty.
One of my all time favorite sports cars! In 1963, I almost bought one. But, didn’t have all the money and my father wouldn’t help because he thought it was to dangerous due of its size. At least, I became a Porsche guy and have driven them now for 40 years as my daily drivers. Wonderful video!
I feel your mechanical fuel pump woes. I have been dealing with similar from my Beetle. These old slow cars are still a lot of fun though (when they work ;) ).
I used to own and work on both a Frogeye Sprite and a Sprite Mark II. Sometimes frustrating to work on but, as you said, everything is easily understood. My main gripe with working on the Sprite was that many nuts and bolts were often difficult to access. I think this is due to BMC using parts from other cars in their line. When I finally sold the Sprite and bought an Alfa Romeo Giulia Spyder 1600, lo and behold, most of the parts were easy to access and the car was easy to maintain. I still wish I had both the Sprite AND the Alfa and the later Lotus Elan Series 4. Dang- all those good cars but I could not keep all of them, so now I am happy with my 2006 Porsche Cayman S (987.1). I enjoy your channel. Keep up the good work.
It was my first car in college, a used $250 dollar 1961, the last of the Bugeyes as we called them in the US. Originally a sickly yellowish green, we repainted it to the dark British racing green. Perfect! I had a wonderful love hate relationship for 3 yrs before switching to vans. So much fun to drive and such a pain to work on as my hood hinged at the firewall, not at the bumper like some versions. My only fuel issue was adjusting the oil filled carbs on my knees. Jamming 2 or 3 passengers or a 1/2 keg of beer in it with no trunk lid was a challenge and quite painfull but it could be done.. Several years ago I got a 1999 Miata which is a civilized version of the Sprite and just as much fun to drive, but I do miss the that old Bugeye :) Thanks for the drive down memory lane.
Thankyou for your video, having had the pleasure of owning both cars and therefore can totally identify with your opinion. I will never forget the look on a guys face in a 911when I undertook him twice through the Brooklands complex at Silverstone. We were almost touching door mirrors. I was in a Mark 3 MG Midget. The only time I have ever broken down in a Sprite or Midget it has been the fuel pump. In the end I moved away from the traditional SU fuel pump and replaced with a Japanese electronic pump. Sorted. Unfortunately my days in Sprites, Midgets and Porsches are in the past as a serious spinal prevents me from getting in and driving them. So make every moment count the good when they are going and the bad when you are putting them back together again. I had 40 years of fun in these cars so I can’t complain too much. I hope you get Fred sorted so you can trust him to behave and enjoy their unique driving pleasures. I look forward to seeing Fred in more articles.
So good to hear from you and sorry to hear about your health difficulties David. There is a whole playlist of Videos on Fred on my channel, including and engine swap. Do give it a look if you’re interested!
Just one of those vehicles that is fun while not moving very fast. One of my neighbors, two doors down, as a kid had a bugeye. My next door neighbor had a Sprite MkIII. This was in an American suburb. The Northern Ireland immigrants across the street had Renault Dauphins! Neither Sprite was very fast, but you looked great getting there. It so much reminds of my 74 X1/9. I know, this is sacrilege to British car owners, but consider: The original X1/9 was not beast. Yes, the rack and pinion steering, and four wheel disc brakes were appreciated (and not common for the times), but the four speed transmission without overdrive, and the limited power band of the 1.3 liter carbureted engine meant you had to think and plan, because the unfamiliar American would be in the wrong gear without fail. Truly unsuited for the Interstate, and barely suited for main roads as your were limited to about 45 mph on hills. But get out on a country back road, without a number, and you could have a blast, even on those standard 145SR13 tires.
In university I had a 1962 Sprite. It was the first year with wind up windows, but still had the old erector set roof. It was in bright royal blue and I called it Daphne. That was 55 years ago and was so much fun. After decades of boring cars I got a first year 1989 Miata and now have 2003 SLK320 with a manual 6 speed. I would love to have a sprite again but fear that I could not get in and out of it.
I have owned two.. one as a college student back in the early 1970's in London.. then another years later, in Hove near Brighton. Both I (we) restored and truly fun fun cars to own and drive, be it to the shops to get a pint of milk and al oaf of bread or a long touring rally through England - great memories in such a neat little car. One day I will super-charge one of these.....
Good luck sorting out the issues with this lovely little car. As you say, the engine is fairly simple and parts are all available. It shouldn't be too hard to make this a reasonably reliable little car. Without reliability, any car just becomes an annoyance, however pretty or historic it is. Things are far better now, though I have unhappy memories of cars I had back in the 70s that just broke down all the time - often electrical or cooling issues - and back in the day many cars seemed so unreliable in the UK that car club membership was a must. When I was a kid, we lived near Exeter in Devon. I can remember seeing car after car broken down on the A38 roadside on warm 1960s Summer's day waiting for the breakdown vans - most of them fairly new family cars.
My wife and I own a 1960 "Bugeye" as we say in the States. It always attracts a crowd at the local car show in Colorado Springs, CO for the past two years since I got the car back on the road. I had to give up on the mechanical fuel pump issues and just install an electric fuel pump to solve the fuel feed problem to the carbs.
I had that powertrain in a 1961 A40 Farina Mk2.... it was fab, but the car was much better when I swapped in a 1098 from a moggy minor... I used to drive up multistorey carparks in top! Simple, light and above all, fun cars!
I've just agreed to buy a 1960 Frogeye and I am super excited, seeing this video which was really well done made me more excited. As you say its the simplicity. I expect a long restoration but if I could get it looking like yours (well almost would be good) then i'll be happy with that.
I have a 1960 frog, with 1098 and uprated to discs and have put back together from a rolling chissis. Now so much fun to drive. (high days and only sunny says!)
I love the respect and space you get from modern cars/drivers ...trying to get out of a junction in London im my modern car is a nightmare but in my MGA or Willys MB, well what a difference , other drivers give way and become nice humans ... love Fred :-)
Had a 1958 bugeye sprite bought ln 1973,original 35k,wish I still kept it, your story brought back memories, never had a problem & handled great, Michelin x tires might have helped😂
I now own a "big" Healey but I miss my Mk2 Sprite. It was gutless and the brakes were not very effective and you felt like a dwarf on the road amongst the huge trucks and 4WD's. 60 k felt like 100 at that height above the road. But the gearbox was magic to use and always had an answer for the engine and brakes' shortcomings. I loved that car and driving one up and down hilly areas was shear bliss.
I had a 62 Midget, which is essentially the same car, and I loved it. I would love to have a Bug-eyed Sprite. Thanks for the video. I really enjoyed it. :-)
My tr3 went through 5 or 6 mechanical fuel pumps in a very short time ,so I got an inline electronic pump almost 10 years ago & trouble free.I went the same way with an electronic ignition because I couldn't get a good condenser any more. Would love to have another bug eye .
I’m on my 5th FrogEye now (actually 4 & 5 areboth out in the garage) and my only regret is that 1-3 were sold off in my youth before I went off to Scotland. Of course I wish I had kept them all! :) I really enjoyed your video as it’s great to see how you love the little beasties for all the right reasons. I’ve subscribed to your channel and look forward to your future content. Please revisit Fred often and keep us all posted :) Cheers
That brings back some memories ! A good friend in high school(1967,1968) had an old happy Frog,a bit rough around the edges,but the most fun one could have with clothes on,probably many more modern little engines that would enliven it now,but it would no longer be it's happy little self,thus loosing far to much(I've sen one with a Corvette 5.7 stuffed in,but that would really despoil the personality in my eyes!)Just loosing that happy little exhaust burble would be far too high a price to pay.
This is a car I was very aware of as a kid. One look and how could I not! Those headlights! A”Bug eye” we call it is the US. We never had one but my dad was always on the lookout for one.
I'm surprised you never even mentioned the big Healeys. What wonderful cars they were. All the old English sports cars were wonderful machines. The TR3, The beautiful Jags. Even the TR6 Was a great sports car. It's sad that they’re all gone.
I had a chance once to have a good look under a Midget that was up on a hoist. And even as a British car fan, I hadn't had a chance to see an "old school" roadster like this. I was shocked & delighted at how straight-forward and simple it all was! Yeah....I had to own an XJ40, right? Since a Sprite is pretty close to a Midget, it's absolutely understandable why someone would want one. Very similar to the appeal of a motorcycle, really....you only have the stuff you need. Obviously, you have to love the smiley face of it too!
Have owned several MG Midgets, pre-rubber bumper models; one fully restored. Great little cars, loads of fun, sound, looks... had many a great 40 mile drives -- until the piece of crap broke down... always could count on a fuel or electrical Gremlin. I would never plan a drive outside of tow truck range. But all you say is true, they are truly endearing; but I sure love my Porsche!
Wow, yours sure does sound unreliable.. Fred is so simple I hope when fuel issue is sorted he will be good!! I think modern fuel overheats much easier and that's the source of my issues..
I still have fond memories of the one MG, it was gorgeous -- had a once in a lifetime byer come along who bought it for nearly $10K (in 1992)! She was terminally ill, wanted the car and did not care about the cost, make me that offer, I took it -- and ready for this -- she drove it everyday for 5 months, without one breakdown! ... I think it was meant for her.
My first sports car purchase in 1961 was a 1959 Sprite. It was very cute, ran well, and was easy to fix. I once got it up to an indicated 78 mph but 55 to 60 mph was a more reasonable highway cruising speed. Sprites are too small and slow for San Diego freeways so my current British car fix is a 1974 MGB.
I totaly agree. I can compare a 911 3.2 and a Sunbeam Alpine. That Alpine don't break down,has never been restored , but is in a different way a great car. The Porsche is a real drivers car . Loves the highway , loves the curves , brakes & handels realy well. The Sunbeam...open the top ... and start enjoying just the way it is. Nice video.
Am just rebuilding an MGB GT . Its got so much character compared to a modern car , I absolutely love it and I agree wholeheartedly with what you are saying here about the bug eye sprite.
25 years ago, Mom brought home a '69 Sprite that she bought on a *whim*. She loved cars and she'd wind out anything with a stick and clutch. We had a lot of fun in that little Sprite, and I fell in love with that car. Sadly, it stayed behind when we left my father, who was becoming less and less stable (bipolar, alcoholic, paranoid delusional). She passed away from cancer in November 2020, and left me her life insurance. I don't want to fritter it away on meaningless little knickknacks, so I decided to spend some of it on something that would please her, to honor her memory. A bad infection in December put me in the hospital. When I got out in February, I started thinking about that little Sprite from my childhood. I looked online for weeks. Most were mid-60s and bug-eyes. Some were hotrodded racers. And they were all $13-24,000! My dream was still to get a 68-70 in relatively stock condition, something ready to drive yet not a flawless showroom display car, either. Most were also 12+ hours away from me in Michigan or Illinois. Then I found a 69 Sprite just 2 hours away! It was also less than $8k, which leaves plenty of cash leftover for any repairs. That sweet little Sprite is mine now, still wearing the original "Primrose Yellow" paint. Sadly, it doesn't have a top, so I can only drive if the weather is nice, and my state takes 2 weeks to issue a license plate, so I can't drive at all (legally). Oh, and it doesn't have an antenna, rear bumper, or radio antenna, either! So yeah, she's far from mint condition, but her only problems seem to be some easily replaceable parts, which I hope to do myself. Even after the repairs, it will be much more affordable than the $13k+ that most Sprites cost. I think Mom would be pleased :)
I owned a 60 sprite in 1963 until 1964. It was the best handling car I have ever owned except for my 1966 shelby mustang. It handled better than a Porsche 356 spider i drove and better than a A/H 3000. I also owned a 58 Triumph tr-3 and it was way better than the tr-3. It had more bang for the buck than any other car I owned.
I own a Sprite, and yes, you "think" to steer it as the wheel is that sensitive and requires almost no input to turn. But, and this is probably because of it's light weight, it can be dangerous in a fast turn because the slightest cause to bounce will make the entire car leave the road (especially the back end) and you drift while in the air and come back down at the wrong angle, very hard and squiggly. You have to hold the wheel like a bear until the car regrips the road properly and gets back on the correct track. If you panic in that situation... you're a goner. (And it need not even be a sharp curve. I have had it happen going 70 on a highway on what would be considered only a slight curve in the road - when you go airborne at 70 you go a LONG way the wrong way until you come back down) So yes, it steers like a maniac... but it can lose the road suddenly and without warning... so I would agree that it has handling issues you must understand and be aware of to drive it safely. A Porsche has the weight in the rear, and so the back end tends to not bounce and leave the road.
I would come home in my '73 Camaro Z28 which was an amazing performance car just in order to switch into my other preference a '74 MG Mark 1 Midget there was kind of a same comparison I wanted a 911 but they were always just above my budget level
Had a great Bug-Eyed Sprite with the removable hardtop which made for year round fun. Only the MG A gave that same sports car ride for an affordable price as the AH Sprite for the curvy country road Wish I still had them both
Thank you for the fun video!I am a couple of months away from completing the restoration of my '59 Bugeye. I owned one nearly fifty years ago,and it was so fun to drive!
I loved my MK1 frog eye Sprite, It's not about power, it's not about road holding. It's about how it makes you feel, you cannot help smiling when you drive it!
Everywhere you go people smile and take pictures, when you pull up anywhere everyone wants to talk about the car. I drove all over the UK in mine, it would be happy at 60 mph on the motorway.
Mine was in Leaf Green with white wall tyres, and she is still running.
Great video. Getting ready to drive my 1970 MGB in the spring.
One of my favorite British cars ever. I've never heard any other four cylinder sound so good at the exhaust
Even as a Porsche fan I have to be honest. Seeing nothing but 911's gets a bit boring after a while. These non-Porsche videos are really refreshing. There's so much more about car culture and history to enjoy other than just cars with the engine in the wrong place.
Great to hear that Randy, thanks for your feedback!!
A Bugeye Sprite was my first car and I had it for 10 years, every trip was an adventure and I loved it!
Loving Frogeye Fred! The simpler the car, the greater the character!
good point well made Gina!!
When you buy your Frogeye, can I have a shot please Gina!
Thank you for posting this video. I'm a big Porsche guy, but a ride in a bugeye when I was in high school was all it took to fall in love with these gems. Thank you again!
R Racer thank you for watching and for your comment sir!! These cars do seem to elicit a lot of love!!
I love Fred! I've had a 69 Midget since 1979. These cars are so much fun!
Do they have A series engine like a Mini?
After Thought depends which one you get 1275 is the same but 1500 isn’t
Jack, many years ago I drove a frogeye from London, though Spain and Italy to Malta , with one of my best mates. Great trip and your video brings back memories! Thanks for the great content.
These simple cars make you feel like you're part of the driving experience rather than just a passenger. There's a joy in maintaining as much speed as you can through corners and, as your face shows, cresting that hill! Happy motoring!
You're absolutely right!! Thanks for watching the videos Andrew
it smiles back at you .. how could you not love it
I was happy to stumble on your site. When I was 21, in 1969, and just arrived in California I had a semi clapped out '57 Sprite Bugeye. I was working for the Honda motorcycle dealer at the time and was a confirmed anglophile. The car wouldn't run cleanly at all but luckily the service manager I worked with was a Brit. He schooled me in the science (?) of synchronizing S.U. carbs. Holy crap it ran great! Later on I got a '65 MGB but then had to move on to more modern cars. I still have the little pouch with the pair of wire pointers plus my UNISYN vacuum tool.....Just in case . Thanks
I have a 62 MK2 Sprite. It is an absolute delight to drive around like you say. A simple car assembled in some brilliant way to make it handle, and feel fast when it's not. I've actually been daily driving mine for a few weeks now, and you start to realize that you don't really need more car. Right now in the middle of summer, it can get hot, but with the roof down its still a good drive. Every one you pass, loves it
Thank you. You captured the spirit of this car and its impact on the driver. Many of us still love this car after 60 years or so.
I really adore the old brit sports cars, and have had my fair share of them. From MG's, Triumphs, Austin Healys, sunbeams, I really do love and appreciate each and every one for what it is and does.
Fun video. I had an MGB, which was also a perfect country lane car. Fortunately I worked at a car parts store back then, and much of my take home pay was in spares rather than cash. But your message is spot on: You almost can’t get more of a connection to the mechanical essence of a sports car than with a Mk 1 Sprite. That said… the German cars are so much more reliable. I also had a 356, which is a simple, satisfying car, and incredibly well made. If you can accept a lower performance envelope than that of a classic 911, the 356 is an ideal vintage sports car.
Loved the video. As a model A ford owner I can appreciate that it is not always about how fast you get there but the journey. Looking for a Sprite as the next project.
I love my Bugeye Sprite, lots of history, dad gave it to mum as a wedding present in ‘68, I was driven around in the passenger seat in a bouncinet when I was born in 71, found it laid up in the shed when I turned 15, restored it and drove across Australia to meet Geoffrey (and Margot) Healey at the Melbourne Austin Healey National Rally in 1990
Continued rolling restoration and still my favourite vehicle.
Currently sporting 1330cc a-series built for torque, disk brake front end, sway bar, uprated lever arm shocks from Worldwide, r-comp rubber and a leather interior.
Drives like it’s on rails, stops on a dime, smiles per mile over the top! Thanks for sharing your video :-)
Such a cools story, thanks for sharing and for watching the video!! Much appreciated
I owned a 1967 Mark 4 version, I believe, and it was a mechanics dream or nightmare, depending who was geting paid. Driving it was and is the most(almost) fun I ever experienced in a vehicle. Country roads, city street, or travelling down the highway were all enjoyable rides in this wiz of a toy car. You get what you paid for and this car delivers.
In the U.S., we call them "Bug Eye" Sprites, but they were and are a fantastic little car. Very simple, but very satisfying car to drive. The slightest thing you do as a driver, has an immediate and direct effect on what the car does. In my mind, this would the PERFECT car to teach kids how to drive and how cars work.
Here in Australia they are also a "Bug Eye". I own a US Bumpered, LHD MG Midget which has a Tifosi Bug Eye front added, and bumpers removed, in order to make a 1500cc Sprite. The front gives it that cute "bug eye" appeal in a better performance package. So much more character than the original Midget.
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Reminds me of running round that park in my Mums MGB in 70s.
I just read that Looong, but great comment...
I'm in Edmonton, AB Canada... I grew up in Saskatoon, Sask. One day, while there a buddy took me into his garage and showed me his Bug-eyed Sprite. I loved it and had to own it. I got it for CAN$350.00 and drove it 350 miles back to Edmonton... That was 1968. From then, as I had problems, I fixed them. Like you, fuel Pumps kept failing so, I got an Electric fuel pump... Then, I had ignition problems, so I put in an electronic Ignition... Then the SU Carbs kept getting worse, so I changed the intake manifold and added Side Draft Webers... Woe! That little engine was cranking out almost 100 hp, by the time I finished my modifications...
My very first car was a Triumph TR2... I've owned Austin Healeys, Jaguars, Corvetts and many other sports cars, but still have a bond with Bug-eyed Sprites... After the Sprites (I had 2), I bought a MG Midget out of the Showroom as it was so similar to my Sprites, but for the body... It was fun too, but I was tired of working on it constantly... Oh! I also owned a Porsche 912 (4 Cyl), but it wasn't as much fun as the Sprites...
To own a Sprite and enjoy it means, you have to enjoy getting dirty and covered in grease... I knew my Sprites so well that I could tune the SU Carbs by Sound (no vacuum gauge) and my ignition I tuned with a Transistor Radio... When the Static stopped, it was tuned... I don't know if there is anything I didn't learn about my Sprites... Awesome little cars :-)
Great to hear, thanks for you story!! I do love Fred and am about to start an engine and gearbox rebuild plus discs at front and adding an anti roll bar. Cant wait!!
I LOVE Bugeye Sprites. Loads of fun, spent a LOT of time in the mid 70's with a 59. Thanks for sharing your car. Thumbs up!
Thanks!! Love Fred the Frog!!
Having just done a total rebuild on my bugeye, I couldn't agree with this video more.
Hello - thanks for great video. I am a long term Porsche owner and I have been captivated by this little car for quite some time now. Your video has inspired me to go ahead and buy one! Looks like loads of simple fun - and after 20 yrs of Porsches, I need simple!
Yes you do!! Thanks for watching. I really do love my little Sprite!!
My first two cars were bug eyes. I taught myself to drive in it on the dirt roads of the time around MCAS New River, N.C and it completely affected my driving style. Clutches and gears bring out something in me. I flipped it on the night of my 21st Birthday. Two months later, I was driving my second one in a large Midwestern city. I loved that car. And traffic was just a rallye every day! I LOVED to downshift and hear that rolling exhaust come out of the mufflerless pipes. One sunny summer morning, I awoke to find myself sliding along a steel freeway barrier after a long night of ethanol excess. The left front wheel cone was slightly bent which I didn't notice for a time until it became hot enough to smell. On the way to the repair shop, the wheel fell off, no brakes, fortunately the curb was high enough to scrape the bottom when I veered onto the sidewalk and came to rest a couple of feet from a light post. I was devastated. Then I found a 1961 Citroen DS nobody at the time (~1968) wanted, $110. THAT WAS A CAR. And, in my youthful ignorance, they were all 'just cars'. Now, I'd seriously give a toe or two to get any of them back.
outstanding Austin Healy Sprite....they are such favorites of mine...stunning little car
Hi, That gem was the first car I bought in 1965 and cost me $500.00 from a guy that lived down the street. I then went to MGBs, Xke 2 of them ,Jensen
Healey but the bug eye was just the best. Thanks for the flash back. Jim
Thanks for watching a for the slice of your history there Jim!!
Just _look_ at Fred's big dopey smile. Of _course_ you couldn't help falling for him. :)
I had a 1959frog eyed sprite❤ ( baby blue)in 1970 when 20 and despite owning some quite exotic cars since the frog eye it’s still evokes some of my best motoring memories 😎
Back in 1970 a buddy of mine got one named it Aristotle. Woke me up at 2AM to take me for a ride when he first got it. Bad shocks, bad steering, and no breaks but he loved that car and so did I.
Great to her that story!! Thanks
I really like your down to earth, honest and straight forward videos. I have a 1972 MG Midget and had (unfortunately had to sell it before a move to the US) a 964 C2 manual coupe, so this video really resonated with me. One is fun slowly the other exciting and fast, both feel totally alive.
Great to hear you've got the same mindset Andy!
What a lovely little car! Such a happy little face and so simple! Fantastic video!
Thankyou for your efforts at this time in our collective lives. It really helps to get to see other enthusiasts working on there cars and getting there hands dirty.
One of my all time favorite sports cars! In 1963, I almost bought one. But, didn’t have all the money and my father wouldn’t help because he thought it was to dangerous due of its size. At least, I became a Porsche guy and have driven them now for 40 years as my daily drivers. Wonderful video!
Thanks buddy.. I guess your father was right to some extent!!
I have a '60 Sprite. His name is Bingley of Abington. Such a fun car to drive, always gets compliments and on-lookers. Kids love his cute face.
Yes, I love mine like he’s alive.. weird!!
I feel your mechanical fuel pump woes. I have been dealing with similar from my Beetle. These old slow cars are still a lot of fun though (when they work ;) ).
I have a transistorised one in the MGB. So far so good, about 20 years.
Was my first car. Fond memories. But really simple which worked for me as it also taught me the basics of mechanics.
I used to own and work on both a Frogeye Sprite and a Sprite Mark II. Sometimes frustrating to work on but, as you said, everything is easily understood. My main gripe with working on the Sprite was that many nuts and bolts were often difficult to access. I think this is due to BMC using parts from other cars in their line. When I finally sold the Sprite and bought an Alfa Romeo Giulia Spyder 1600, lo and behold, most of the parts were easy to access and the car was easy to maintain. I still wish I had both the Sprite AND the Alfa and the later Lotus Elan Series 4. Dang- all those good cars but I could not keep all of them, so now I am happy with my 2006 Porsche Cayman S (987.1). I enjoy your channel. Keep up the good work.
It was my first car in college, a used $250 dollar 1961, the last of the Bugeyes as we called them in the US. Originally a sickly yellowish green, we repainted it to the dark British racing green. Perfect! I had a wonderful love hate relationship for 3 yrs before switching to vans. So much fun to drive and such a pain to work on as my hood hinged at the firewall, not at the bumper like some versions. My only fuel issue was adjusting the oil filled carbs on my knees. Jamming 2 or 3 passengers or a 1/2 keg of beer in it with no trunk lid was a challenge and quite painfull but it could be done.. Several years ago I got a 1999 Miata which is a civilized version of the Sprite and just as much fun to drive, but I do miss the that old Bugeye :) Thanks for the drive down memory lane.
I hear you about the hood!!! The amount of times I've hit my head!!!!
Thankyou for your video, having had the pleasure of owning both cars and therefore can totally identify with your opinion. I will never forget the look on a guys face in a 911when I undertook him twice through the Brooklands complex at Silverstone. We were almost touching door mirrors. I was in a Mark 3 MG Midget. The only time I have ever broken down in a Sprite or Midget it has been the fuel pump. In the end I moved away from the traditional SU fuel pump and replaced with a Japanese electronic pump. Sorted.
Unfortunately my days in Sprites, Midgets and Porsches are in the past as a serious spinal prevents me from getting in and driving them.
So make every moment count the good when they are going and the bad when you are putting them back together again. I had 40 years of fun in these cars so I can’t complain too much. I hope you get Fred sorted so you can trust him to behave and enjoy their unique driving pleasures.
I look forward to seeing Fred in more articles.
So good to hear from you and sorry to hear about your health difficulties David. There is a whole playlist of Videos on Fred on my channel, including and engine swap. Do give it a look if you’re interested!
Just one of those vehicles that is fun while not moving very fast. One of my neighbors, two doors down, as a kid had a bugeye. My next door neighbor had a Sprite MkIII. This was in an American suburb. The Northern Ireland immigrants across the street had Renault Dauphins! Neither Sprite was very fast, but you looked great getting there. It so much reminds of my 74 X1/9. I know, this is sacrilege to British car owners, but consider: The original X1/9 was not beast. Yes, the rack and pinion steering, and four wheel disc brakes were appreciated (and not common for the times), but the four speed transmission without overdrive, and the limited power band of the 1.3 liter carbureted engine meant you had to think and plan, because the unfamiliar American would be in the wrong gear without fail. Truly unsuited for the Interstate, and barely suited for main roads as your were limited to about 45 mph on hills. But get out on a country back road, without a number, and you could have a blast, even on those standard 145SR13 tires.
My very first car was a bugeye back in ‘68 I only had it for 2 years but I miss it to this day. Exactly right- more than the sum of it’s parts.
Fred is so cute...plus lovely camera work thanks for sharing
Thanks Robert, glad you liked it!!
In university I had a 1962 Sprite. It was the first year with wind up windows, but still had the old erector set roof. It was in bright royal blue and I called it Daphne. That was 55 years ago and was so much fun. After decades of boring cars I got a first year 1989 Miata and now have 2003 SLK320 with a manual 6 speed. I would love to have a sprite again but fear that I could not get in and out of it.
Ha!! They are brilliant cars!!
I have owned two.. one as a college student back in the early 1970's in London.. then another years later, in Hove near Brighton. Both I (we) restored and truly fun fun cars to own and drive, be it to the shops to get a pint of milk and al oaf of bread or a long touring rally through England - great memories in such a neat little car. One day I will super-charge one of these.....
Yes, saw the supercharger kit.. must be awesome!! I'd settle for a 5 speed box right now..
Good luck sorting out the issues with this lovely little car. As you say, the engine is fairly simple and parts are all available. It shouldn't be too hard to make this a reasonably reliable little car.
Without reliability, any car just becomes an annoyance, however pretty or historic it is. Things are far better now, though I have unhappy memories of cars I had back in the 70s that just broke down all the time - often electrical or cooling issues - and back in the day many cars seemed so unreliable in the UK that car club membership was a must. When I was a kid, we lived near Exeter in Devon. I can remember seeing car after car broken down on the A38 roadside on warm 1960s Summer's day waiting for the breakdown vans - most of them fairly new family cars.
Had one of these for 12 months - Wonderful little car!
Glad you agree Steve, I do love it!!
Excellent stuff Jack. My Dad had a FrogEye years back, so I'm very fond of them and really enjoyed that 👍🏼
fab to hear you've had one in the family too Paul! hope all good!!
Just bought one of these last month and I really enjoyed your video and completely agree with your assessment👍
My wife and I own a 1960 "Bugeye" as we say in the States. It always attracts a crowd at the local car show in Colorado Springs, CO for the past two years since I got the car back on the road. I had to give up on the mechanical fuel pump issues and just install an electric fuel pump to solve the fuel feed problem to the carbs.
Good to hear from you Norm.. I think modern fuel means electric pumps are the only way forward for reliability!!
I had that powertrain in a 1961 A40 Farina Mk2.... it was fab, but the car was much better when I swapped in a 1098 from a moggy minor... I used to drive up multistorey carparks in top! Simple, light and above all, fun cars!
I've just agreed to buy a 1960 Frogeye and I am super excited, seeing this video which was really well done made me more excited. As you say its the simplicity. I expect a long restoration but if I could get it looking like yours (well almost would be good) then i'll be happy with that.
Fantastic!! Good luck!
I owned the same Sprite, same color, in the early '60s. The driving feel and its distinctive sound are unique. I've never loved a car as much since!
Great video. One of these is on my wish list.
I have a 1960 frog, with 1098 and uprated to discs and have put back together from a rolling chissis. Now so much fun to drive. (high days and only sunny says!)
Indeed!! Great cars!!
Love that car just for it's quirky looks. Not a daily driver by any stretch, but when the sun is shining, it must be fun.
Yes, fab little car this one!!
Cool little frogeye, I love classic cars
I love the respect and space you get from modern cars/drivers ...trying to get out of a junction in London im my modern car is a nightmare but in my MGA or Willys MB, well what a difference , other drivers give way and become nice humans ... love Fred :-)
Thanks buddy!! Just putting in a 1380 and 5 speed box. Video update soon
Great to see someone articulate their passion so well. Thanks for posting this video.
Thanks for watching dude!
Luv that exhaust note!
I totally understand what you mean. I have a 1968 MG Midget and it's a blast just puttering along. One doesn't need speed and horsepower to have fun.
snarfusmaximus desperately trying to work out how I can keep it!!! Thanks for watching dude!
Who wouldn't love these little cars,there always smiling.
I love your non-Porsche videos! I look forward to every video you make, Porsche or not. Thank you for doing them, and please keep them coming!
Thanks Stephen, subs like you make it worth while!
Had a 1958 bugeye sprite bought ln 1973,original 35k,wish I still kept it, your story brought back memories, never had a problem & handled great, Michelin x tires might have helped😂
73! The year I was born!! Thanks for watching buddy!
I now own a "big" Healey but I miss my Mk2 Sprite. It was gutless and the brakes were not very effective and you felt like a dwarf on the road amongst the huge trucks and 4WD's. 60 k felt like 100 at that height above the road. But the gearbox was magic to use and always had an answer for the engine and brakes' shortcomings. I loved that car and driving one up and down hilly areas was shear bliss.
I had a 62 Midget, which is essentially the same car, and I loved it. I would love to have a Bug-eyed Sprite. Thanks for the video. I really enjoyed it. :-)
My tr3 went through 5 or 6 mechanical fuel pumps in a very short time ,so I got an inline electronic pump almost 10 years ago & trouble free.I went the same way with an electronic ignition because I couldn't get a good condenser any more. Would love to have another bug eye .
Reminds me of time spent helping my brother with his sprite back in the late 1970's - his car and yours could be twins.
I’m on my 5th FrogEye now (actually 4 & 5 areboth out in the garage) and my only regret is that 1-3 were sold off in my youth before I went off to Scotland. Of course I wish I had kept them all! :) I really enjoyed your video as it’s great to see how you love the little beasties for all the right reasons. I’ve subscribed to your channel and look forward to your future content. Please revisit Fred often and keep us all posted :) Cheers
I love old cars like that, keep making the videos really enjoying them.
Thanks LJ, appreciate the support!!
That brings back some memories ! A good friend in high school(1967,1968) had an old happy Frog,a bit rough around the edges,but the most fun one could have with clothes on,probably many more modern little engines that would enliven it now,but it would no longer be it's happy little self,thus loosing far to much(I've sen one with a Corvette 5.7 stuffed in,but that would really despoil the personality in my eyes!)Just loosing that happy little exhaust burble would be far too high a price to pay.
I agree.. modern engine would be cool but you'd loose a lot!!
Love the non Porsche stuff thank for all your efforts..
Thanks for watching chap!!
This is a car I was very aware of as a kid. One look and how could I not! Those headlights! A”Bug eye” we call it is the US. We never had one but my dad was always on the lookout for one.
The headlights do make it!! Thanks for watching Jefferey
I like the video non-Porsche related too. Fun to learn a bit on these old motors. Cheers
cheers dude!!
I'm surprised you never even mentioned the big Healeys. What wonderful cars they were. All the old English sports cars were wonderful machines. The TR3, The beautiful Jags. Even the TR6 Was a great sports car. It's sad that they’re all gone.
Fast becoming one of my favourite vloggers👍 love the bugeye
I have an all original 60 frog and the only time it broke was in the last 10 miles of a 100 mile rally, great little car
I had a chance once to have a good look under a Midget that was up on a hoist. And even as a British car fan, I hadn't had a chance to see an "old school" roadster like this. I was shocked & delighted at how straight-forward and simple it all was! Yeah....I had to own an XJ40, right?
Since a Sprite is pretty close to a Midget, it's absolutely understandable why someone would want one. Very similar to the appeal of a motorcycle, really....you only have the stuff you need. Obviously, you have to love the smiley face of it too!
Good luck with the XJ40 Roger!!
@@Number27 Thank you...so far luck is holding!
What makes it special are the little eyes.
Love the frogeye. Will be adding one to my collection at some point.
You won't be disappointed Richard!! love these little things
Have owned several MG Midgets, pre-rubber bumper models; one fully restored. Great little cars, loads of fun, sound, looks... had many a great 40 mile drives -- until the piece of crap broke down... always could count on a fuel or electrical Gremlin. I would never plan a drive outside of tow truck range. But all you say is true, they are truly endearing; but I sure love my Porsche!
Wow, yours sure does sound unreliable.. Fred is so simple I hope when fuel issue is sorted he will be good!! I think modern fuel overheats much easier and that's the source of my issues..
I still have fond memories of the one MG, it was gorgeous -- had a once in a lifetime byer come along who bought it for nearly $10K (in 1992)! She was terminally ill, wanted the car and did not care about the cost, make me that offer, I took it -- and ready for this -- she drove it everyday for 5 months, without one breakdown! ... I think it was meant for her.
My first sports car purchase in 1961 was a 1959 Sprite. It was very cute, ran well, and was easy to fix. I once got it up to an indicated 78 mph but 55 to 60 mph was a more reasonable highway cruising speed. Sprites are too small and slow for San Diego freeways so my current British car fix is a 1974 MGB.
I totaly agree. I can compare a 911 3.2 and a Sunbeam Alpine. That Alpine don't break down,has never been restored , but is in a different way a great car. The Porsche is a real drivers car . Loves the highway , loves the curves , brakes & handels realy well. The Sunbeam...open the top ... and start enjoying just the way it is. Nice video.
Thanks Steven!! Sunbeams are really cool things too!
There is the saying that sometimes less is more. Well, those words suit the Sprite perfectly. Enjoy.
Actually sold in my Big Healy (62 , 3000 MK 2), in 1964, got a burgundy 60 Bug Eye , and .Miss them both daily.
Am just rebuilding an MGB GT .
Its got so much character compared to a modern car , I absolutely love it and I agree wholeheartedly with what you are saying here about the bug eye sprite.
Cheers Chris, enjoy your MG!!
Recurring fuel delivery issues are often a problem with fuel pick up in the tank, clogged
Had one many years ago. Yes, it's a fun car... And, yes, I spent many a weekend working on it! Not transportation, but a wonderful toy.
The “Bug Eye” Sprite has to be one of my dream cars. They just make me happy. Reliability has kept me away from owning one.
reliability not that bad.. despite what I've experienced ;) and parts are so cheap
25 years ago, Mom brought home a '69 Sprite that she bought on a *whim*. She loved cars and she'd wind out anything with a stick and clutch. We had a lot of fun in that little Sprite, and I fell in love with that car. Sadly, it stayed behind when we left my father, who was becoming less and less stable (bipolar, alcoholic, paranoid delusional).
She passed away from cancer in November 2020, and left me her life insurance. I don't want to fritter it away on meaningless little knickknacks, so I decided to spend some of it on something that would please her, to honor her memory.
A bad infection in December put me in the hospital. When I got out in February, I started thinking about that little Sprite from my childhood.
I looked online for weeks. Most were mid-60s and bug-eyes. Some were hotrodded racers. And they were all $13-24,000! My dream was still to get a 68-70 in relatively stock condition, something ready to drive yet not a flawless showroom display car, either. Most were also 12+ hours away from me in Michigan or Illinois. Then I found a 69 Sprite just 2 hours away! It was also less than $8k, which leaves plenty of cash leftover for any repairs.
That sweet little Sprite is mine now, still wearing the original "Primrose Yellow" paint. Sadly, it doesn't have a top, so I can only drive if the weather is nice, and my state takes 2 weeks to issue a license plate, so I can't drive at all (legally). Oh, and it doesn't have an antenna, rear bumper, or radio antenna, either! So yeah, she's far from mint condition, but her only problems seem to be some easily replaceable parts, which I hope to do myself. Even after the repairs, it will be much more affordable than the $13k+ that most Sprites cost.
I think Mom would be pleased :)
I owned a 60 sprite in 1963 until 1964. It was the best handling car I have ever owned except for my 1966 shelby mustang. It handled better than a Porsche 356 spider i drove and better than a A/H 3000. I also owned a 58 Triumph tr-3 and it was way better than the tr-3. It had more bang for the buck than any other car I owned.
"Doesn't handle"? The Sprite's handling is brilliant. M.
I own a Sprite, and yes, you "think" to steer it as the wheel is that sensitive and requires almost no input to turn. But, and this is probably because of it's light weight, it can be dangerous in a fast turn because the slightest cause to bounce will make the entire car leave the road (especially the back end) and you drift while in the air and come back down at the wrong angle, very hard and squiggly. You have to hold the wheel like a bear until the car regrips the road properly and gets back on the correct track. If you panic in that situation... you're a goner. (And it need not even be a sharp curve. I have had it happen going 70 on a highway on what would be considered only a slight curve in the road - when you go airborne at 70 you go a LONG way the wrong way until you come back down) So yes, it steers like a maniac... but it can lose the road suddenly and without warning... so I would agree that it has handling issues you must understand and be aware of to drive it safely. A Porsche has the weight in the rear, and so the back end tends to not bounce and leave the road.
Did you mention this in your video? M.
Great video. You know there's no point asking me for an unbiased opinion. I've been smitten by them for over 20 years. Gary
Great!! I've just worked out who you are Gary!
Love the Frog! Liking the broad spectrum of cars and you may be surprised to hear that I am not a big Porsche fan but love your blue racer!
Fab, thanks for watching Jon!
Really like to have one of those some day. Thanks for letting us know how nice thy are.
I would come home in my '73 Camaro Z28 which was an amazing performance car just in order to switch into my other preference a '74 MG Mark 1 Midget there was kind of a same comparison I wanted a 911 but they were always just above my budget level
Loving the videos during lockdown, ta
Thanks for watching them all!!
Had a great Bug-Eyed Sprite with the removable hardtop which made for year round fun. Only the MG A gave that same sports car ride for an affordable price as the AH Sprite for the curvy country road Wish I still had them both