Sprintparts #43 Version 2
Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 5:43 am
As most of you know, earlier this year my race Sprint was severely damaged during a race meeting.
I anguished over what I was going to do to repair/replace the car. After a few months of sitting on the sideline and watching others race it was getting the better of me, I took the decision to buy/build a new car. I considered purchasing a non Sprint as a race car but decided to stay with what I know and has nearly sent me mental some days. I considered another Sprint race car that was available, but the owner had inflated idea of its value, as it needed a new motor, only had a ½ roll cage etc.
Back in late 1983 I built a (red) race Sprint to compete in Series Production racing. After racing the car for nearly 10 years (and winning many races and a State Championship with the car) it became obsolete due to purchase/restoration of the ex “Group C” touring car (this is the car that was damaged earlier this year). I sold the car to a friend who used it for a couple of race meeting before he decided to modify into a rally car. It had extra welding and few other mods but it was never completed. To cut a long story short, the body shell was going to be binned until another friend decided to save it and placed it into storage for over 8 years.
So what does this have to do with now? Well after building the red Sprint nearly 25 years ago it is now back in my possession and about to go racing again.
12 weeks ago I was generously GIVEN my old red race Sprint back as the bases for a replacement race car. I received a body shell complete with a full alloy rollcage.
I removed everything from the shell except doors and front and rear screens. All sound deadening was removed along with anything else that did not need to be there. The boot area, and cabin was repainted and engine bay touched up. Wiring harness was opened and all unnecessary wires removed and any extras added. Roll cage was upgraded (alloy cage is legal due to when the car was originally constructed) now tying the rear hoop supports to the rear suspension pickups as well as braces from the front legs to the firewall. The rear legs and door intrusion bars are done in steel.
The rear axle, front subframe, motor and gearbox was transplanted from the damaged car into this car. When the gearbox was removed it was noted that the rear cross member/mount was bent (compressed) as well as the tailshaft centre bearing mount was crushed due to the tailshaft tunnel being compressed from side impact of the previous accident. A lot other hardware, seat, harness etc was also swapped over. GAZ Shocks supplied us with some nice alloy bodied coil over shocks. When I got the car the paintwork was best described as average. The blue and white stripes where as painted by me in the late 1980’s. The red had been over painted at least 10 years ago, but with very little preparation and never been buffed. It was decided to live with the paint work and do all the build items as priority. Last weekend the car was buffed, and although it will never be anywhere near show room condition it has turned out looking OK as a race car.
The car is now complete, but unfortunately untested, but about to face its first race meeting this weekend. After 12 years of non use and nearly meeting its maker, or should I say “turned into fruit tins” I am now almost as excited/anxious as when I first raced it on the 26/2/84
Circa 1990.
Circa 2008
Before anyone asks, the damaged "Group C" bodyshell is going to be repaired and restored to its 1980's specs to be used in Historic race meeting. i just need a bit of a break and save some money before this project gets under way.
Mark
I anguished over what I was going to do to repair/replace the car. After a few months of sitting on the sideline and watching others race it was getting the better of me, I took the decision to buy/build a new car. I considered purchasing a non Sprint as a race car but decided to stay with what I know and has nearly sent me mental some days. I considered another Sprint race car that was available, but the owner had inflated idea of its value, as it needed a new motor, only had a ½ roll cage etc.
Back in late 1983 I built a (red) race Sprint to compete in Series Production racing. After racing the car for nearly 10 years (and winning many races and a State Championship with the car) it became obsolete due to purchase/restoration of the ex “Group C” touring car (this is the car that was damaged earlier this year). I sold the car to a friend who used it for a couple of race meeting before he decided to modify into a rally car. It had extra welding and few other mods but it was never completed. To cut a long story short, the body shell was going to be binned until another friend decided to save it and placed it into storage for over 8 years.
So what does this have to do with now? Well after building the red Sprint nearly 25 years ago it is now back in my possession and about to go racing again.
12 weeks ago I was generously GIVEN my old red race Sprint back as the bases for a replacement race car. I received a body shell complete with a full alloy rollcage.
I removed everything from the shell except doors and front and rear screens. All sound deadening was removed along with anything else that did not need to be there. The boot area, and cabin was repainted and engine bay touched up. Wiring harness was opened and all unnecessary wires removed and any extras added. Roll cage was upgraded (alloy cage is legal due to when the car was originally constructed) now tying the rear hoop supports to the rear suspension pickups as well as braces from the front legs to the firewall. The rear legs and door intrusion bars are done in steel.
The rear axle, front subframe, motor and gearbox was transplanted from the damaged car into this car. When the gearbox was removed it was noted that the rear cross member/mount was bent (compressed) as well as the tailshaft centre bearing mount was crushed due to the tailshaft tunnel being compressed from side impact of the previous accident. A lot other hardware, seat, harness etc was also swapped over. GAZ Shocks supplied us with some nice alloy bodied coil over shocks. When I got the car the paintwork was best described as average. The blue and white stripes where as painted by me in the late 1980’s. The red had been over painted at least 10 years ago, but with very little preparation and never been buffed. It was decided to live with the paint work and do all the build items as priority. Last weekend the car was buffed, and although it will never be anywhere near show room condition it has turned out looking OK as a race car.
The car is now complete, but unfortunately untested, but about to face its first race meeting this weekend. After 12 years of non use and nearly meeting its maker, or should I say “turned into fruit tins” I am now almost as excited/anxious as when I first raced it on the 26/2/84
Circa 1990.
Circa 2008
Before anyone asks, the damaged "Group C" bodyshell is going to be repaired and restored to its 1980's specs to be used in Historic race meeting. i just need a bit of a break and save some money before this project gets under way.
Mark
looks great goodluck with it 
