- Seller: Michael M (Contact)
- Location: Portland, Oregon
- Mileage: 11,880 Shown
- Chassis #: OR85302
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 2.5 liter GM 4 cylinder “Iron Duke”
- Transmission: GM Turbohydromatic
I’m a bit of a sucker for an Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite. Not only are they fun to drive, but they’re also the happiest car out there. Their only real weakness is their lack of horsepower. While most people fix this by installing a 1275cc, someone went a very different route with this one. We will dive into that in a moment. The seller needs it out of their garage, so they are offering it here on Barn Finds for $4,500.
While we’ve seen tons of 1275-powered Bugeyes and even some V8-powered ones, I don’t think we’ve ever featured one with a GM Iron Duke. It’s definitely an interesting option, but it looks like someone spent a huge amount of time getting it to fit. The 2.5-liter Iron Duke is significantly larger than the original 948cc and produces two to three times the power. It’s a heavy lump of iron, but having the extra power would be a welcome addition.
Since the car came to the seller with the engine swap already complete, they don’t know what all went into making it fit. The Bugeye’s engine bay is surprisingly roomy, but the engine appears to be sitting behind the front wheels (which is a good thing for handling), so it’s probably safe to assume some metalwork was required to make it fit. The seller notes that the floor pan appears to have been modified to accommodate the GM Turbo-Hydromatic transmission, which isn’t surprising given the size difference between a GM automatic and a BMC 4-speed manual. They also believe the rear end was upgraded to handle the increased power. The engine starts, but won’t idle below 1,300 rpm. Getting it running right might be as simple as installing the included replacement Holley carburetor. The car currently has a 4-barrel carb, but a new 2-barrel Holley with an adapter plate to mount it to the Offenhauser split-plane manifold is included. The 4-barrel is likely too much carb for this engine.
From the outside, you can’t really tell that the engine has been swapped, but once you take a look at the interior, you know that things aren’t stock. The transmission tunnel has been modified to fit the automatic shifter. The dash is from a Mark II, but an original-style dash is included. The steering wheel is also a replacement part, but it isn’t uncommon for the original large steering wheel to get swapped to a smaller one. The seats look to be the correct Mark I style. Included with the car are a rollbar, a hardtop, the soft-top bows, and a new fuel tank.
Someone did a ton of work making this Bugeye into a hot rod, while undoing the work is possible, getting the Iron Duke running probably makes the most sense. It has to be a unique experience with this engine and would certainly be a fun talking point at car shows. The seller suggests it might also make a good candidate for an EV conversion, which is popular these days, and since this one isn’t original, it might not be a bad option. The seller wants it gone, so take a closer look, leave any questions in the comments, and make them an offer!
It’s an interesting abomination! Some work went into this for this engine swap…but an automatic transmission? Yikes!!!! A 1275 BMC swap would have been a lot easier and better in the long run. I don’t think there are too many British guys who would want this but I may be wrong in these times! The rest of this bugeye looks decent but the ‘undo’ looks to be too much work! ( at least for me anyway) and I know these very well!!
Agree. The engine has to weigh a ton more than the original and the transmission doesn’t help things either. If it’s still got got the original 200 lb front springs you don’t want to go barreling into a corner full bore. Our minimum front spring rate on the race cars is 600 lbs and one of our cars used 900 lbs. It’s pictured here with a 100 hp 948 engine with a Ford T-4 transmission behind it rated at 300 hp capable. Think I’d go somewhere else for a Bugeye.