1963 Sprite MARK 2 project for sale ~ £3,000 o.n.o. [Now sold] [Donor car with chassis jig and engine stand.]

[N.B. Third and fourth photos above are of Martin’s new shell on the jig]

Purchased in 2008 and used as his everyday car Martin Hull replaced the original 1098 engine with a rebuilt early 1275 with EN40 B crank in 2009. He had intended to rebuild it as a Sebring but his plans have now changed. It comes with the jig he constructed in order to build a complete new shell for his now-completed Mk II ‘Twin-Cam Special’; and also with a bare-shell roll-over jig and the stand on which he ran the engine. The shell is rotten but the bulkhead and transmission tunnel would make a good start, and a shell could relatively easily be built up on the jig using new Heritage panels. The car has a V5, is currently SORNed and there is a Heritage Certificate.

The cylinder head was overhauled with hardened valve seats, but not fully ported; the crank was reground and balanced and it had a 60 thou rebore; this work being carried out by SRD Ltd of Launceston. I fitted a Kent 256 cam with new pushrods and 1.3:1 roller rockers. It has a 1 1/2” SU on an Oselli Torquemaster manifold with a LCB exhaust manifold. The intention was a flexible, torquey motor, which it was. Later MartinI decided to convert to Specialist Components injection, and to this end fitted their Ignition Management Kit, which included crankshaft trigger wheel and ECU. He intended to go on to fit the 5 Port Injection System later. The Management Kit is included, as are the bills for the above. At present it is back on distributor ignition. The new engine subsequently did a happy 9000 miles but when the rot became terminal the car was laid up, in 2013. The engine was last run about 18 months ago and it smoked a little on starting so it maybe it could now do with new valve stem oil seals.

The car comes with steel bonnet, front wings, boot lid, doors, original seats and steering wheel, and a Frogeye dash and Mk II instruments. Full details with explanation of the jig/s with photos by email or call

Martin Hull [now sold – 27 Aug 2020]

[N.B.Third and fourth photos above are of Martin’s new shell on the jig.]