AeroSprite! Aero & mechanically modified Austin Healey Sprite: consistent 65 MPG US

[miles]

Hi,
This is a great project. Thanks for sharing. I did a quick scan and didn't see the answer to this question: It looks like you used a windshield from a different car, since the angle of the windshield is so much different. What did you use?

Thanks,
Miles

[tinkerbill]

As an owner of two 1960 "bug-eyes" then one 1961, I cringed when first viewing the modified body but I respect the early attempts at aero & mpg. Such memories! My best mileage with a bone stock car but with a single side-draft SU carb setup off a Morris Minor was 43mpg open road at <=55mph. I was newly married back then and needed to take a long trip from Oregon to Arizona with wife. We was just poo folks back then. Come to think of it, as a retired person with same wife, I'm doing only slightly better now! Thanks for the fond memories. Two of mine were painted yellow for the same reason as yours. Good thing they were quick on a dime when it came to avoiding accidents! P.S. (I even got some "tail" in one once...OK maybe more than once.)

[xpedro01]

Hi Miles;It was 40 years ago, but I seem to remember that a VW bug windshield was the one I used. In those days they had the complete car and you removed the part you wanted. I do remember using a chevy pickup hood to make the tail. Thanks for your interest.

[xpedro01]

Tinkerbill, It was a badly rusted if only 8 year old vehicle when I got it. It didn't have a top, and I could not afford one so the first mod after driving in the rain the first year( it was my commuter car) was a roof cut out of some vehicle at a junk yard because it had the compound curves and the ten dollar price tag I needed. The po folks comment is something I truly understood. Later mods came easily since it was already ruined. At that time it was just a foreign junker, and not a rare bird.

[dodgedartgt]

I enjoyed rereading this thread, as it was posted on the Top 25 of 2014 list.

I noticed that Tom hasn't posted on the forum since late March. Has anyone had any communication with him, or does anyone know of his health? He is afterall, 87 yrs young.

Mike in FL

[LeanBurn]

It would be interesting to see what you have done to the 2000 Insight.

[MetroMPG]

I can confirm Tom is continuing to put most of us to shame in terms of ambitious ecomodding projects!

Confirmation to come shortly...

[UltArc]

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek!

(I hope the coming posts are worth my little girl squeels.)

[MetroMPG]

I would say so. In fact, I think I made one myself.

[gone-ot]

...maybe you just stepped on a mouse (named Mickey?)?