Hello all im new here. I have been reading quite a bit here on the HAMB and really diggin it! Created an account but just never posted. Thought I'd tell ya about myself and my car. I'm a young guy 22 in fact. I have a huge p***ion for old cars and have had the great fortune of growing up at a restoration shop, our family business. So I have been exposed to many amazing cars all my life. And I can tell you the p***ion runs deep. The only snag is that I've got some physical troubles that prevent me from taking a hands on role here at the shop when it comes to fabbing and such. Although I always seem to have plenty of other jobs here. hahaha! About the car: back when I was around 10 or so the old man told me, "Son you find a car and I'll build it" So, I started saving when I was 12. (Hoping to have something roadworthy by 16) I finally snagged a car when I was 14. I got a sweet deal on a 1958 Austin Healey sprite. I know your thinking, what the hell! wrong forum! I chose the sprite because it was cheap, and very different! But of course being exposed to hot rods my entire life I knew the Healey couldn't be stock. It went through several evolutions over the next few months.Then a good friend of mine helped to solve the motor dillema. He told me he'd give me a 302 ford and C4 trans if I could use them. I certainly couldn't say no to a free v8! Thats when the project took a jump to the radical side. I had enough money stashed at this point to purchase a rear four link setup and a few other things to get the project underway. The entire car is basically built out of whatever was available around at the shop. In true hot rod fashion. Very tight budget. Lots of random parts and many talented friends came together to make this work. At this point the car had found its direction. It was no longer a oddball english car. It was a hot rod pure and simple. No radio, ac or other conveniences. Tiny english car with an unmuffled v8 built to haul *** not sit on the gr*** at a car show. The project has been going for 8 years now and its nearly done. Just a few more parts on the checklist then its time for interior then hopefully on the road! I was a little apprehensive about sharing my story on here cause im not 100% sure my car qualifies as HAMB material. I can bet many of you guys are going to throw the dreaded street rod card at me. I disagree. I may not have a traditional rod, but The underlying idea is the same. Thanks for your time guys! I wanted to cover what i could in my intro post. So what do you think? (I have more pics and info on our shops' site. But I don't know if posting outside links is ok?)
22?..Your do'n real good!Traditional..no,but you have talent.Glad to see ya picked a decent motor for the car.
Nice ride. Personally I dig those Healys. Have fun and welcome to the hamb. This IPhone app is the schiznizzle!
Welcome! Great looking bugeye. Rodders have been stuffing big American engines into little British cars almost from the beginning. I'm doing a sbf swap into your car's big brother, a Healey 3000 (link in my sig) Mine's a little more traditional than yours, and I've had a bunch of nice comments without being booted off the HAMB. Saw your pics here: http://www.brandysautobody.com/bugeye1.html Nice work as well as the Miata motored bugeye. Please join us here: http://www.britishv8.org , we need some more Healey representation.
Welcome from Texas. Those V/8 Healys are a little more traditional than some might think. Lots of them hot rodded with V/8's in the late '50's and early 60's. Heck, even Elvis had one! V/8
Thanks for the welcome guys! Glad to be here! Rick, First off nice 3000! they are beautiful cars. Secondly, glad you found our website. As you can see we have a nice mix of projects going on. The miata powered bugeye is a customer car. The guy used to be a purist but we have been slowly converting him. He brought us another bugeye to do after the blue car and is considering a v8 in the future. Once mine is on the road I should be able to convince him.
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