IF, at traffic lights, y'all should take place to run into a bright crimson Mark One Sprite amongst four headlights and a fast-dorsum hardtop,—don't bother to challenge it unless you are operating something actually stiff. Beneath that customised bonnet lurks a healthy Holden engine.
Now owned by Ken Browning, the car was built past John Grant, who plant at Penshurst Motors, Sydney. He bought the Sprite from a wrecker later on it had been written-off.
Before concerning himself alongside the mechanical side, John spent many weeks straightening too realigning the monocoque construction. But before that was completed he began thinking of plumbing fixtures a Holden engine. After preliminary measuring he decided it was feasible if the firewall as well as surrounding panels were modified.
Normally the battery is mounted on a shelf on the firewall which extends forwards amongst the boxes that accommodate the occupants' feet. The battery was re-located inwards the kick too the apartment panel removed back to where the firewall was vertical. The inner sides of the boxes were and then cut in addition to rewelded so that they were parallel to the car'second centre-job, instead of angling inward.
The modifications resulted in a deep slot inward the frontwards part of the body. This corresponds, inwards width, to the sub-frame members. Extra bracing, inward the form of U-sections, was added to the burn down-wall at the top of, together with between, the two boxes too besides underneath the auto to deed as another cross-fellow member.
Some of the interior panelling had to be altered too. The forepart of the driveshaft tunnel was extensively cutting away to brand room for the gearbox—which sat farther aft than originally. After the engine too gearbox had been tentatively positioned, sheet metal was fabricated too welded upward to course a novel gearbox embrace.
Two one 1/ii inward SU carburettors, mounted on a log type manifold push fuel into the motor. One pancake type air filter does both units.
A stock Holden gearbox simply with floor-shift was retained. The cylinder block was bored out to three one/8th inwards—making the capacity 2300 cc—as well as the cylinder caput was thoroughly reworked alongside a port-together with-shine, larger valves, stronger springs together with so planed to pass 9 to ane compression. Mery Waggott reground the camshaft too a duo of Myers form-iron exhaust headers were fitted amongst dual exhaust pipes merging to a single outlet. John built the inlet arrangement which has ii 1z inwards SU carburettors on a log manifold, only because at that place is rattling petty room to spare beside the engine, both carbs draw breath through a U-shaped manifold from i air cleaner.
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A fantastic performer, the primary problem with the Holden-Sprit is the treatment. This volition soon live improved by plumbing fixtures wider rims on the nurture wheels.
The Sprite'second radiator had been wrecked — it belike wouldn't accept been big plenty, anyway —and so a Vanguard cross-period unit took its home. Even so approximately cooling difficulties were experienced until a Sprite superlative header tank was fitted as well as the place of the filler neck changed.
The Sprite bonnet was as well badly damaged. While repairing it John idea he power besides become a chip farther as well as customise. The master headlights were discarded in addition to their vacated locations filled amongst canvas metallic. The bonnet was so cutting and L-section metallic installed to take the dual Lucas set up-up. Perspex covers were moulded to match over the lights and turn over equally shine a business as possible.
Unable to obtain Sprite seats at a reasonable cost, John installed those from a wrecked Minor K. The interior was retrimmed too a console, housing iii gauges as well as switches, was built between the driveshaft tunnel as well as musical instrument panel. A woods-rimmed alloy-spoked steering cycle replaced the original.
Driving impressions left no uncertainty that this engine swap is far more successful than i would think. Because the front end of the Holden engine is no further forwards than that of the master copy 948 cc engine, the steering is little heavier than normal. Actually, the extra weight is almost amidships as well as its bear upon is thence minimised. The woods-rimmed bicycle gives the interior a sporting affect, too the stick-shift is one of the best nosotros have encountered. The blueprint is the normal H-form of a conventional 3-speed transmission. Its activeness is absolutely flawless; in that location is non a fraction of lost effort and potent spring-loading against reverse allows commencement-to-second changes that are almost un-Holden-like. There is exclusively nearly three inches drive, at the knob, betwixt whatsoever of the four positions.
Sever alterations had to live made to the firewall as well as transmission tunnel for the Sprite to accept the Holden motor.
The ability as well as the motorcar'second light weight mean that this Sprite is literally a meridian-gear-only vehicle nether near weather. Although a iv-speed box would render slightly meliorate acceleration, John felt it wasn't worth the problem and expense for a car that serves primarily as a twenty-four hour period-to-day hack. This is not altogther surprising when yous realise that the automobile has virtually twice the ability/weight ratio of production Sprites. A stock Mark I Sprite weighs 12.75 cwt in addition to has 43 bhp to do the work. The Holden-engined version weighs but nether fourteen cwt merely has at to the lowest degree twice the power. Assuming that the engine pumps out even a conservative 86 bhp, Ken'second motorcar has half-dozen.14 bhp per cwt whereas the criterion model has exclusively 3.46 bhp per cwt.
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| The interior is extremely good finished. Gear shift is a please to purpose. |
We were unable to obtain perfectly accurate acceleration times because the nurture axle had a Austin Lancer crown bicycle together with pinion fitted, in addition to the speedometer effort ratio had non been altered to compensate. However, past pacing the Sprite against another vehicle we were able to mark the speedometer and then it was about-enough to correct.
Even if ane takes a sceptical sentiment, in addition to adds another minute or two to permit for wheelspin. the times are nonetheless very impressive. The engine winds upward to 6000 rpm without hesitation in first together with moment gear, the speedometer showing 45 too 75 mph respectively. Foul atmospheric condition prevented us from ascertaining the maximum speed merely it must live inward the vincinity of 110 mph!
As mentioned previously, the increased weight has non seemingly affected the Sprite's steering or treatment. But the motorcar's demeanor was non all it could take been when we drove it—non quite upward to Sprites' common high standard. Over-size v.90 tyres had been fitted to the raise wheels in an endeavour to trim wheelspin. And that they did —merely at the expense of excessive tyre coil when cornering. The job is due to live cured in either of two ways—by re-plumbing equipment touchstone-size tyres (in addition to overlooking the wheelspin) or b-' adapting wider rims to the bring up cycle centres.
We can't aid feeling that this engine swap could well go pop throughout Commonwealth of Australia. Early MkI Sprites are reasonably priced as well as Holden engines are for certain cheap plenty. Off-manus nosotros don't know of whatsoever other agency equally practical for obtaining and then much functioning for what should be a relatively pocket-size marrow.
SPORTS CAR WORLD, OCTOBER 1963
BY WAYNE ALLEN
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