FS: Bugeye Sprite, dry stored over 30 yrs...Barn find? Options

[goose2]

After owning it over 35 years, I think I'm ready to sell my '59 Bugeye Sprite. It's a California car that's been in dry storage for over 30 years and I must face the fact that I'll probably never finish it. I built this car as a vintage style modified roadster during my college years in S. Cal in the early 70's. It was well sorted and used as a daily driver and the occasional auto-x. An encounter with a motorcycle bent the bonnet badly and it went into storage, never to see the road again. I have since had a new fiberglass front end shipped from England, but it has never been installed.

This car has some interesting modifications, all very nicely done. I was formerly in the British car business, raced bugeyes and MG's, and had the resources to do everything right. Chassis mods are minimal and care was taken to make sure all modifications were reversible.

The body is stock, except for the glass bonnet, straight and rust-free. The engine and transmission (4 speed full sync.) are 1600cc Cortina GT, the Formula Ford Kent crossflow. It fits well and makes a nice, well balanced, and fast package. Weight distribution is actually improved over stock. This is putting out about 110 hp with side draft Weber 45 DCOE carb. An additional complete blueprinted Formula Ford "cheater" engine is included....reputedly dyno'ed at 140 hp. This extra engine is un-assembled, all machine work is done, and all the required new parts are there to make it whole. The front suspension has been modified to use tubular shocks with upper wishbones....this radically improves handling and ride and is all bolt-on and easily returned to stock

Lots of goodies are included...a partial list: 4 brand new, never mounted vintage Revolution 4 spoke alloy wheels, very rare glass window hardtop, many new trim parts, badges, etc collected over the years, complete disc brake set-up for the front with new in the box calipers, a pair of "Hollywood" axles from the old Hollywood Sports Cars...nearly unbreakable, a spare 3.90 differential, lots of electrical odds and ends, vintage Mark Donahue Racemark steering wheel, new soft top and tonneau. A big box of Weber jets, chokes, venturis, etc, 2 set of side curtains, roll-bar….plus many boxes of misc. spares I haven’t had time to sort through.

The color is BRG and will need paint, 30 years of storage have left the paint pretty ugly, and I’m sure the motor and brakes are stuck. The motor should free up ok but the brakes will need going through. I'm hoping someone will take over this project and get it on the road where it belongs. I have fond memories of carving through the canyons in this car….an extremely quick and agile ride and very similar in performance to a Kent powered Lotus 7 a friend owned about the same time. I really don't know what to ask for it, I was offered 2k once for the spare motor by a Formula Ford guy, and I turned down an offer for the bare car for 6500 from a guy who wanted to restore it to stock a couple years ago. I expect that the individual bits pieced out would bring well over 10k but I don't have the time or energy for that, and I'm highly motivated to make room in my shop for my 914-6 project. At this point, any offer will be considered. The car is located in Oregon and can be shipped. Any interest out there?

(I know...worthless without pictures, right?....I'm working on it)
Randy