HEMI HEALEY: 478ci Hemi-Powered 1959 Austin Healey "Bugeye" Sprite | EP15

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  • Опубліковано 11 лип 2022
  • No wonder it's smiling... it's got a Hemi. Concealed behind its cute, friendly grin, a massive 478 cu. in. Chrysler Hemi producing 440 horsepower is perfectly paired with a Corvette suspension in this 80" wheel-base 1959 Austin Healey "Bugeye" Sprite. Owned and designed by engineer Vaughn Marian for the past 56 years, son Dave Marian sneaks the Ferrari-yellow roadster out for a drive with Nicole up legendary Highway 74 (as driven in the 1963 movie "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World") overlooking Palm Desert, California.
    ABOUT THE MARIANS: Dave and his brother John grew up building the Sprite with their father, who acquired the body in 1966 on a first-date with their mother. A legacy 56 years strong, the Sprite is like a member of the Marian family, and has evolved for decades to become what it is today.
    Dave's UA-cam: @caddydave
    SPRITE BUILD PHOTOS: / hemi_bugeye_sprite
    •••••
    Created and Produced by Michael Badami and Nicole Johnson
    Directed by Michael Badami
    © Lawndart Limited
    lawndartlimited.com
    JOIN OUR CHANNEL TO GET ACCESS TO PERKS:
    / @nicolejohnsonsdetour
    WEBSITE & MERCH: www.nicolejohnsonsdetour.com
    SUBSCRIBE: / nicolejohnsonsdetour
    BECOME A PATRON: / nicolejohnsonsdetour
    GET TO KNOW NICOLE IN 2 MINUTES: • Nicole Johnson - Off-R...
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    FACEBOOK: / nicolejohnsonoffroad
    INQUIRIES & IDEA SUBMISSIONS: www.nicolejohnsonsdetour.com/c...
    #hemihealey #hemisprite #bugeyesprite #frogeyesprite #nicolejohnsonsdetour #v8roadster
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 2,9 тис.

  • @vaughnmarian573
    @vaughnmarian573 Рік тому +703

    Thank you for producing this spectacular video of our Sprite! I’m just as proud of my sons as I am of the car!

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +103

      As you should be! The 3 of you clearly have a special bond and it's something all dads should have with their sons. The fact that you included them all these decades with this car is admirable... I'm willing to bet that through this tiny little car, you have instilled confidence, mechanical skills and dedication into their constitutions. Bravo, dad! I am appreciative of the very rare opportunity to have driven the Sprite and our team is grateful to you, sir! Your engineering mind is impressive! May your family and friends enjoy this forever! 😊

    • @danamesarchik3633
      @danamesarchik3633 Рік тому +35

      Vaughn, you did a great job raising your boys you must be very proud of them!

    • @drdesmo8489
      @drdesmo8489 Рік тому +40

      Father or Mothers doing this with there kids is what makes wonderful people and magic on this earth. Thank you for letting Nicole and Company make this absolutely awesome video, I bet she is a blast to work with.

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +18

      @DrDesmo I bet you're right! 😂

    • @harryspeakup8452
      @harryspeakup8452 Рік тому +30

      Vaughn, this car does you and your family huge credit. Making such a beast completely sound in engineering terms, keeping it usable and tractable, is one of the most impressive pieces of home automotive engineering I've ever seen. And the fact that you've had it as a family, and have been tinkering with it, for so many decades is extremely endearing.

  • @timothydraper3687
    @timothydraper3687 Рік тому +64

    I like how proud this guy is of his dad, it's what every child (but not every father) deserves, a lucky guy and lucky dad. 🙂

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +5

      Yes..we agree!! Thank you so much for watching!!

    • @danielhoward8354
      @danielhoward8354 Рік тому +3

      Well said

    • @leebatt7964
      @leebatt7964 Рік тому

      My dad taught me to play chess, I frickin hate chess!

    • @darrinrentruc6614
      @darrinrentruc6614 6 місяців тому

      agree

    • @garretlewis4103
      @garretlewis4103 2 місяці тому

      At least you had the right apparel. Head scarf and cat eye sunglasses. The power to weight ratio is probably crazy.

  • @Tonedog88
    @Tonedog88 Рік тому +25

    Being the only non-family person to drive a car representing 50 years of family love and effort....lady, you should feel honored. Nice video!

  • @robertbailey8003
    @robertbailey8003 Рік тому +42

    As a UK engineer who was a young boy when the Sprite came out, I can tell you I love this car and the way you have designed and developed it. It is perfect for its environment.

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +2

      Thank you so much!! Glad you enjoyed watching!!

    • @oldbloke135
      @oldbloke135 10 місяців тому

      To do this on 2D AutoCAD is a remarkable piece of work. The result is definitely something to be proud of. I don't know how you keep your driving license!

  • @tomgardner6294
    @tomgardner6294 Рік тому +135

    The. Scarf, the glasses, the car…so perfect. Only do be outdone by the laughing that accompanied that first burnout..this one really brought the best out of you. Such a great video! And such great engineering to make it all possible. What an amazing car!

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +6

      Glad you enjoyed it..thanks for watching!!

    • @davidburne9477
      @davidburne9477 Рік тому +9

      That cackle sounded like it was straight from the witches of Macbeth. Gold!

    • @1nvisible1
      @1nvisible1 Рік тому +8

      *Power/weight ratio just N of the Challenger Shuttle.*
      *In forty years when his kids give it the "vertical" refresh with the carbon tub frame and stub wings, it will have a flight ceiling of 40,000 feet.*

    • @robertweinmann9408
      @robertweinmann9408 Рік тому +3

      First time seeing one of your videos, which was excellent. With your scarf and shades, you look just like Andrea Martins character Pirini Scleroso. I mean that in the best possible way!

    • @randolfo1265
      @randolfo1265 Рік тому +1

      @@robertweinmann9408 - Pirini Scleroso! (Big fan here)

  • @harryspeakup8452
    @harryspeakup8452 Рік тому +92

    This is so beautifully executed when it could (and most times would) have been a complete abomination. As a Brit with an appreciation of high powered mongrels I very much appreciate it. Hats off to the Marians for making it real and letting Nicole bring it to us for everyone's pleasure

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +5

      How nice..thank you !!

    • @frankish5314
      @frankish5314 Рік тому +5

      So thats 2 of us Brits on here.. Any more?

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +6

      @@frankish5314 Well, there have been comments screaming at us that these are called Frogeye, not Bugeye. I'm willing to bet those folks are Brits... who didn't bother to watch! We clearly state that we call them Bugeye in the US! 😂 Anyway, thanks for watching!

    • @TheGearhead222
      @TheGearhead222 Рік тому +4

      Reminds me of the Sunbeam Tiger or ACE Cobra on steroids!;)-John in Texas

    • @nygelmiller5293
      @nygelmiller5293 Рік тому +2

      @@frankish5314 yes, ME, Nygel Miller. Look out for my long comment, about how I admired these when I was on my way to school!

  • @rldunn38
    @rldunn38 Рік тому +6

    I kept waiting for her to break out singing, 'They tried to make me go to rehab, but I said, "No, no, no"'.
    Beautiful car, equally beautiful work under its skin.

  • @slicksnewonenow
    @slicksnewonenow Рік тому +4

    "Car Guys" are a dime a dozen... But "Car Gals" are as rare as a Blue Moon....😍

  • @oxtoolco
    @oxtoolco Рік тому +48

    I've ridden in this car. It indeed has no room in the footwells. I got my steel toe boots stuck when Dave gave me a ride in it. Excellent video! Dave had his nervous face on.
    All the best,
    Tom

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +5

      Haha..glad you liked it!!

    • @Keith_Ward
      @Keith_Ward Рік тому +3

      Hey Tom! The people you run into in the strangest places! I'll bet you knew they were using AutoCAD like I did long before he said it.

    • @timclaus8313
      @timclaus8313 Рік тому +1

      Got to ride in the Sprite after the 426 hemi was installed. Not likely to forget that ride, ever.

  • @boronsniify
    @boronsniify Рік тому +42

    Great job Vaughan, not only in building the Sprite, but raising such a personable son! Props to you!

  • @timmungenast
    @timmungenast Рік тому +48

    When wretched excess is this beautifully engineered and executed, it becomes Art. This is one amazing roadster, and a very fun video! Nice work all around!

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +5

      Glad you enjoy it! Thanks so much for watching!!

    • @raymondo162
      @raymondo162 Рік тому

      MEH

    • @davidfreeman8074
      @davidfreeman8074 Рік тому +1

      @@NicoleJohnsonsDetour The 80 in. wheelbase and this big engine is seemingly a notch
      MORE pathological puppy beyond Mr. Shelby's gas guzzlin' AC. Awesome build quality.

  • @allanbowes6952
    @allanbowes6952 Рік тому +25

    In the spring of 1962 I was sharing driving to work with a friend who had a white Sprite. The trip was about 20 miles each way. At highway speed 60 MPH or so you felt that you were at 'Warp" speed. Your bottom felt about one inch from the road. This is probably the best refit of a Sprite period. Very well done!

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +3

      Thank you so much for watching and sharing your story. Glad you liked it!!

    • @daveevans5291
      @daveevans5291 Рік тому

      I agree.

    • @darrinrentruc6614
      @darrinrentruc6614 6 місяців тому

      They are cheap for the reason that they shitty cars. I guess removing 100 percent of the drive train,suspension,steering is all they need to be nice cars.

  • @MikeAarset
    @MikeAarset Рік тому +92

    I have a bugeye and this bugeye was done so well. A real engineering masterpiece. Love it. Super impressed

  • @yjsaabman
    @yjsaabman Рік тому +25

    The scarf and the sunglasses are perfect! They just add to the unassuming nature of the car. What a fantastic piece of engineering. Thank you for sharing the car and the fantastic story behind it with us!

  • @peterbonnez
    @peterbonnez Рік тому +1

    Excellent. No loud exhaust, no spoilers, still has it's bumpers. I like that. A pal lent me his for 2 days in the Sierra Nevada mountains of Spain, very similar roads to those you are on. What a lot of fun I had in it, his has a 1293 cc Arden conversion, that was plenty fast enough. This Mopar car would be insane! A friend in UK has a Frogeye with a 6 cylinder 2.5 litre engine from an original JEEP.

  • @robertbutler8004
    @robertbutler8004 Рік тому +2

    Every boy needs a dad as this guy has!!!

  • @58raceguy
    @58raceguy Рік тому +25

    Nicole, you always do such a great job on your episodes. You come across as being easy to converse with and always have intelligent questions. When you first nailed the throttle and started cracking up, you had me laughing right along with you. You were definitely rockin’ the sunglasses too! Thanks for sharing this car with all of us, it’s completely absurd in the most fantastic way. I’m really impressed with the engineering they put into the build. Keep up the great work, we love ‘ya for it.

  • @CLCIII
    @CLCIII Рік тому +4

    That is a 100 plus smiles per hour car for sure! Perfect Los Angelas Crest Cruiser! Love it!

  • @davidtaysom3592
    @davidtaysom3592 Рік тому +1

    My mum and dad had one of these in England in the 60s and it was the first car ever I ever took to the road sat on my dad's lap when I was about 4 years old steering the car love them and still want one really enjoyed your video the gentleman that owns it is such a good sport

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +1

      How nice that you have those memories!! We're so glad you enjoyed watching!!

  • @BobbyTucker
    @BobbyTucker Рік тому +1

    The way your knees come in contact with the dash eliminates the need for airbags! lol

  • @joecausey8508
    @joecausey8508 Рік тому +4

    I love it! The car, the laughing, the woman.... ❤

  • @possumwilliams2940
    @possumwilliams2940 Рік тому +4

    Nicole, your facial expressions and your infectious laughter says it all....I love this little bogeyed sprite and I just adore you 🥰..thank you for the smile ☺ on my face !!

  • @johnmact5548
    @johnmact5548 Рік тому +1

    I lived in Palm Desert and Restored British sports cars in the UK. That's one awesome build, and a great look, Same sunglasses as my wife.

  • @garyt.8745
    @garyt.8745 Рік тому +2

    "You're the perfect size....". No mate! Nicole is perfect in every single way 😍

  • @robertamoyaw8812
    @robertamoyaw8812 Рік тому +3

    What a Dad!!!!🤠👍

  • @exinfernnus
    @exinfernnus Рік тому +7

    The first few minutes I said, "Yah that's cool." Then they opened the hood. I teared up a bit at that point.

  • @ExUSSailor
    @ExUSSailor Рік тому +1

    That is gloriously INSANE!

  • @Gmacrone
    @Gmacrone Рік тому +1

    Wow, another sleeper and the looks on your face were absolutely priceless.

  • @danamesarchik3633
    @danamesarchik3633 Рік тому +8

    Dave what a great treat for all your Dads hard work over this years. I remember when I first saw this project 30 years ago and was amazed at what he was building. Nicole great job keeping all that HP on the road as Dave is not a very good passenger.

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +5

      Haha..I actually thought he was a pretty good sport as a passenger, considering they had never let anyone drive the car before.

  • @cyberburnzy
    @cyberburnzy Рік тому +12

    The car and all the work and love this family has put into it is fantastic. Nicole, you are looking so classy in this video - very Audrey Hepburn! The camera work was great especially those high altitude drone shots.

  • @johnhicks9929
    @johnhicks9929 Рік тому +1

    I`M BACK ! GREAT VIDEO ! MS. JOHNSON , YOU ROCK THE CAT EYE SHADES AND HEADSCARF !! YOU HAD THE BIG GUY HANGIN` ON ! THAT CAR IS REALLY ENGINEERED TO THE MAX ! LOVE YOUR VIDEOS ! 478 HEMI HEALEY , I`M IN HEAVEN !!

  • @rayfoster6980
    @rayfoster6980 Рік тому +1

    In ‘63 my dad bought my mom a new Sunbeam Alpine. She always wore a scarf and the coolest shades of the day. You pulled that look off just as well. As a kid my twin brother and I rode with dad on 2 round trips from the LA area to Clearwater Florida in the Alpine It ended up being my first car and the first of many little British sports cars including a Bug Eye. Those were the days, great job on a great car.

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому

      Awesome..thanks for sharing!! Glad you liked it!!

    • @caddydave
      @caddydave Рік тому +1

      2 kids with dad in an Alpine coast to coast had to be an amazing experience!

  • @DMJ52
    @DMJ52 Рік тому +5

    In the UK we call this car a Frogeye Sprite ….. very nicely engineered project, super job.

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому

      I know..I think Frogeye and Bugeye both describe the car!! Glad you enjoyed it!!

  • @ChucklesGarageOfficial
    @ChucklesGarageOfficial Рік тому +24

    I support this kind of irresponsibility

  • @jeffprice6421
    @jeffprice6421 Рік тому +1

    That noise coming out of that car is crazy. Love this.

  • @radsk8rbigollies594
    @radsk8rbigollies594 11 місяців тому +1

    I like how it is still the exact same size and still looks like a real sprite. It is respectful to the original aesthetic but extremely custom and hot rodded. Job well done. Cool- Cool- Cool!

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  11 місяців тому

      We're so glad you enjoyed watching!!

    • @caddydave
      @caddydave 11 місяців тому

      Is it safe to say it changed your life? :)

    • @radsk8rbigollies594
      @radsk8rbigollies594 11 місяців тому

      @@caddydave Um, sure. Consider my life changed!😜

  • @maxxwellbeing5208
    @maxxwellbeing5208 Рік тому +5

    Awesome sixties shades and bonnet look. And the car...you can see it squatting down with pure power... What a cool build, total sleeper... they're totally sitting on a motor and transmission...

    • @timclaus8313
      @timclaus8313 Рік тому

      This is the automotive equivalent of a WWII fighter, strap on an engine and be gone....

  • @davethehippieman2665
    @davethehippieman2665 Рік тому +3

    The level of WOW in this Bugeye is off the charts.

  • @dougoverhoff7568
    @dougoverhoff7568 Рік тому +1

    Back in the 60's my brother and his friend bought a '54 Austin Healey that had a 327 Corvette engine. That car was so awesome!

    • @kimlground206
      @kimlground206 Рік тому +1

      That would have been a 100-6 or 3000 conversion. Very popular and almost bolt-in.

  • @trollerguy
    @trollerguy Рік тому +1

    You are a Queen, you presented this man's car like a pro. I will be watching for others.

  • @scccp
    @scccp Рік тому +4

    I worked my way through law school doing mild restorations of Austin Healy Bug-eyed Sprites and 100s. Did do one Jag. This brings back memories of working in the non-air conditioned garage behind my apartment on many hot and cold days. Great job on the car and the video. Thanks to both of you.

  • @tomcolegrove5491
    @tomcolegrove5491 Рік тому +10

    A short 21-minutes ago I said, "Oh! Look! Another Nicole Johnson's Detour video!!!!" It was over all too quickly (in more ways than one!). Thanks for the ride-along.

  • @eking4962
    @eking4962 4 дні тому

    Fantastic build and amazing video! As a retired Naval Submariner and a manufacturing engineer at an engineering design firm, i highly appreciate the complexity and thought put into this build, bravo!

  • @markadams7597
    @markadams7597 Рік тому +2

    Wow, just wow! Quiet but deadly. Mopar or Nocar!

  • @Trentyist
    @Trentyist Рік тому +16

    That is just fantastic. Beautifully engineered. I live in the UK. Frog eye sprites are few and far between now but they are always a head turner when seen out and about. I really enjoyed watching that.........thanks and best wishes.

  • @alanmorris1996
    @alanmorris1996 Рік тому +3

    you’re not beautiful … you’re MORE than BEAUTY !!! And you know it !!

  • @michaelmartinez1345
    @michaelmartinez1345 Рік тому +1

    What a masterpiece of engineering!!!! Wow!!! This car is something else!!! Intense acceleration and an OMG moment, every time the gas pedal is even slightly depressed !!! I especially like the final scenes of driving up SR 74 coming out of Palm Desert... I used to take that highway to visit my folks when I lived in Orange county... I would pick up SR-74 in Mission Viejo and take it all the way to Palm Desert, then turn to the West on Hwy 111 Twd's P.S. .... Follow the same route in a reverse direction on the way back home... My folks lived in Palm Springs back then... A beautiful drive it is... Brings back a lot of memories....

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +1

      Yes..it's a beautiful drive for sure. Thank you so much for watching..we're glad you enjoyed it!!

  • @GPL1968
    @GPL1968 Рік тому +2

    This has to be the ultimate wolf in sheep's clotheing. Love it.

  • @anthonycollingridge970
    @anthonycollingridge970 Рік тому +19

    Its a three quarter scale Cobra!!! Fantastic execution and hats off to the owner and his Dad.

  • @DraQuul
    @DraQuul Рік тому +19

    This was great on sooo many levels. I loved the car, the engineering that went into building it and I thoroughly enjoyed watching you two make this very entertaining video. Excellent job!!!😉

  • @kensbackshop6399
    @kensbackshop6399 Рік тому +1

    Kudos to the 3guys who built this amazing car,,,,,,that is one super sleeper for sure,,,,awesome guys

  • @philipashford8102
    @philipashford8102 Рік тому +1

    MISS NICOLE YOUR"E A BLEESING DOING THESE VIDEOS IT SHOWS A LOT OF THE CLASSICS THAT ARE RARELY SEEN & YOU HAVE A BLAST TALKING ABOUT THE CARS & HISTORY ENJOYING EVERY MINUTE & HAVING A TOTAL BLAST THANKS AGAIN

  • @allanpolk2681
    @allanpolk2681 Рік тому +3

    What a beautifully put together car.
    Everything is seamlessly matched and so well done. The ultimate
    sleeper. Nice.

  • @jimmybarr9411
    @jimmybarr9411 Рік тому +3

    I love this guy, so calm and collected, super down to earth.

  • @terencegillespie6675
    @terencegillespie6675 Рік тому +1

    DAMN! . What a wow project and such a nice work of art. Early 60’s high school… there was this huge guy and he had a midget Healy Sprite. I saw him driving it several times and then it was always just parked on the lawn at his parents home. Mind games. There are no small fun cars now. Fabulous car. Super project. So sneaky. WOW! Nice vid, too.

  • @conceptsken1
    @conceptsken1 Рік тому +2

    GREAT JOB FATHER AND SONS IN THE GARAGE, VERY NICE WORKMANSHIP!

  • @spicydragon3881
    @spicydragon3881 Рік тому +3

    This was an ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC video! Your Sprite is both beautiful and pure insanity and I loved every second of it. When my parents got married they had a Sprite and it stayed in the family until I could drive. It was truly, like yours, a member of the family (and even with original Lucas wiring I think it got yelled at less than I did at times). Truly, hats off to your dad and the entire family for the time and incredible engineering (and patience) that went into this. Bravo.

  • @umbertoyltp
    @umbertoyltp Рік тому +15

    You even found '59 style sunglasses and scarf!
    I saw Hoovie owning an original restored Austin Healey which had a tiny engine delivering 43 horsepower!
    Thanks to the overall weight it still was a fun car, but not exactly burning rubber!
    The Healy was designed to be a very affordable sportscar as Jeremy Clarkson would say ;-)
    I love the father and sons lifetime effort and knowhow to evolve this sweetie pie into a contained monster fit for people who may have to drop their shoes, haha!

  • @johnbecay3859
    @johnbecay3859 Рік тому +2

    i love these cars that a family keeps for generations and keep working on. they have so much more cred than cars that people bang out and then go on to the next one.

  • @paulmccool378
    @paulmccool378 Рік тому +1

    Highway 74 is the perfect road for a car like that. Nicole gets bonus points for knowing it was the highway in IAMMMMW.

  • @stuartb9323
    @stuartb9323 Рік тому +17

    What an awesome little car!
    Everytime you guys nailed the throttle, I was laughing along with you both.
    That look you had going on Nicole reminded me of a photo of my Mom back in 1963. Same cat eye glasses, and that scarf was on the money!
    You've got my Sub for several reasons 🙂

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +2

      Awesome...thank you so much for the sub. Glad you enjoyed watching!!

  • @944tim
    @944tim Рік тому +3

    this guy looks like a superhero type. I half expected to see a cape. This family has built a wonderful vehicle, please thank them for allowing us to see it. On a related note, I saw an MGB cut in half the long way and widened out. You can probably find it online . Another good episode Nicole!! MGB=Jim Stabe

  • @CS_247
    @CS_247 Рік тому +2

    " I have chickens! And kids!!" 😆 Classic. What a great shoot and what an awesome car. Nicole is like a ray of sunshine. 😍

  • @dustbat
    @dustbat Рік тому +1

    My first wife bought one of these. Not QUITE like this one! It cost me my 65 GTO, that is another story. I see a lot of smart in this car, amazing and leaves me wonder struck. This is by far the best car video I have ever seen. Others should use this as a standard. Love girls reaction on light off.

  • @jamespink4202
    @jamespink4202 Рік тому +3

    Absolutely superb! "If some is good, and more is better, then too much is just enough"! Just marvelous! I thought my friend had a quick Frogeye with a 1750 Alfa motor...

  • @oldschool8432
    @oldschool8432 Рік тому +5

    Awesome car, awesome interviewer an awesome builder

  • @danfinelli81
    @danfinelli81 Рік тому +1

    I would compare driving the car to wily coyote strapping a rock to himself! What a badass car!

  • @shackcf
    @shackcf Рік тому +2

    I have no idea how you found this treasure. I was a BMC/Leyland, Peugeot, Citroen mechanic in the late 60's & early 70's. Until they were no longer imported then I switched to other imports. This was a great video!! Thank you very much. Had to be a blast!! 😉👍👍

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому

      Thank you so much..we're glad you enjoyed watching!! Yes..it was a blast!!

  • @christopherward5065
    @christopherward5065 Рік тому +3

    What a great toy! The engineering is superb. It sounded incredible and looked perfect. The classic body shell over a space frame is pure racing car. Well done!

  • @John_Morrison
    @John_Morrison Рік тому +6

    That is truly awesome, best thing I've seen in months. The engineering is top notch! I would love to pull in to a service station and ask them to check the oil. (as if they even did anymore) Or better yet a classic english car mechanic who doesn't know about that car.

  • @wagonmaster1974
    @wagonmaster1974 3 місяці тому

    Years ago [like 35 years ago] I stuffed a MOPAR 340/4-gear into a '59 Austin Healey 100/6. Drove it like half a dozen times. It was insane quick and completely unpredictable for handling/stopping car. It was unregistered, uninsured, had a bootleg license tag and the original brakes for the car. I wish I had the resources when I put the Healey together. Would have turned out differently, for sure. Took it apart and sold the parted pieces. Too much. Way fun, but dangerous.
    Thanks for uploading this video. This video shows the vision is still alive. Glad to see that!

  • @SoCalChoppas
    @SoCalChoppas Рік тому +1

    Wow, just Wow....great build. Nicole awesome job and the scarf head covering...perfect for the ride!

  • @sportswolf1
    @sportswolf1 Рік тому +7

    What a great car but the best part for me was the chemistry between the two of you. I'm still laughing. This is my favorite video this week.

  • @scottimusgarrett15
    @scottimusgarrett15 Рік тому +7

    I love Bugeye Sprites, and this is just too much fun! Who needs a stinkin' Cobra?!😂 I would like to see it with custom offset/width wire wheels to make it even more of a sleeper in profile! That being said, it's still awesome! Thanks, Nicole!✌️❤️🙂🇨🇦

  • @TheAdamwest29
    @TheAdamwest29 Рік тому +1

    Nice!! My Dad fwd me this video as I also have a sprite. 1960. Red. This is some wonderful engineering marvel - as I imagine Healey would agree.

  • @aaaaaaab11
    @aaaaaaab11 Рік тому +2

    Beautiful car love the Hemi.

  • @billmcgarry3300
    @billmcgarry3300 Рік тому +6

    Wow! That’s Crazy…and well engineered. Makes my 327 powered Healey 100 and my 289 powered Tiger look very Tame!!
    Excellent quality video production.
    Thanks Nicole!

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому

      Glad you like it! Thanks for watching!!

    • @MrGaryGG48
      @MrGaryGG48 Рік тому

      You're on my "train of thought, Bill." A neighbor of mine many years ago, stuffed a Mazda B13 Rotary in a "Buggy/Frog Eye" and thought he had a miraculous beast of a car. 🤣 He had no idea!!! When I first saw this episode on the list, I was thinking, "Nicole has lost her mind!!" After watching the rest of the video, I have to agree that the Marian family guys have engineered this thing down to the last nut & bolt. The result is phenomenal. 👍 (...we're still watching Nicole closely! 😂 )

    • @wagonmaster1974
      @wagonmaster1974 Рік тому

      @@NicoleJohnsonsDetour Right there with Bill. Back in the 80s, I had an automotive shop. Did inventive mechanical things.
      I stuffed a 340 MOPAR drivetrain into a 1959 Austin Healey 100/6. Drove it probably half a dozen total times, three times on the street, before I took it apart. One of the more frightening vehicles I have ever piloted! It was clearanced with a yardstick and a set of calipers. Ok, not quite so rudimentary, but no cad program was available.
      Hats off to Vaughn and his boys for using their heads and expertise to build this frog righteously!
      Respect to David for trusting Nicole to the wheel and for Nicole treating it well. Very good driver!

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому

      @@wagonmaster1974 Thank you for sharing and for the kind words!

  • @billnlori3149
    @billnlori3149 Рік тому +3

    What an absolute beast of a sleeper!! Love it. The sun glasses were totally on point lol!!

  • @rgs4x
    @rgs4x Рік тому +2

    In 1961 my family friend Bob Knapp Palo of Alto California was one of the first guys to put a V8 Chevrolet Corvette engine in a Austin Healey Sprite. It was featured in the August 61 Issue of Hot Rod Magazine. Page 61

    • @caddydave
      @caddydave Рік тому +2

      We have that issue of hot rod! That was the article that started my dad down this road with this body…. Bob Knapp had a son named Robert… I think he lives in Colorado. I’ve tried to contact him, but the numbers I’ve found don’t seem to work. Do you know how to reach him?

    • @caddydave
      @caddydave Рік тому +2

      From memory , Bob had an auto parts store that was located somewhere in Palo Alto on the El Camino.

    • @rgs4x
      @rgs4x Рік тому

      @@caddydave We know him as Robbie Knapp and we have not heard from him in years.

  • @DIYBFF123
    @DIYBFF123 Рік тому +1

    The front of that car is just pure HAPPY!!!!!❤❤❤❤

    • @caddydave
      @caddydave Рік тому +1

      Its hard to imagine a more cheery shape…. You don’t have to be a “car” person to recognize the big smile!

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому +1

      Yes it is...just makes you smile!!

  • @43JohnDeere
    @43JohnDeere Рік тому +4

    I suspect many are out there trying to dream up a car to build just so they can be featured on your channel....the turbocharged Subaru VW Bug engineer guy is still the number one most hilarious reaction to your driving...Hemi Sprite guy is probably the most calm so far. Soon you could have a compilation video of terrified reactions.

  • @capnchip
    @capnchip Рік тому +6

    Really cool! I was a dealer for these things back in the day! Still love them! This car has everything...but ...seat belts! With no top an accident would absolutely send you into the next county on the fly! OUCH!

    • @george344
      @george344 Рік тому

      Just don’t crash🌝

  • @johnnygavita
    @johnnygavita Рік тому +2

    He's been so alert the whole time. He doesn't let loose very often.

  • @davidberry6046
    @davidberry6046 Рік тому +1

    Ah, memories! My Dad bought a baby blue 1959 Sprite in 1961, while stationed in San Antonio, Texas, @ Brooke Army Medical Center. I was 15 at the time, and my Dad taught me how to drive with this Sprite, so it was literally the very first car I ever drove, and boy, did I love it! Unfortunately, he later traded it for a Triumph TR3, but man, do I have some great memories of driving an Austin Healey Sprite in the 60s. Thank you for bringing back those memories.

  • @Motor-City-Mike
    @Motor-City-Mike Рік тому +3

    That's a new one -
    Most Bugeye/V8 conversions I've seen over the years were small block Fords - narrow and light, easiest to get in place.
    I've seen one with a small block Chevy, but the difference in weight made the driveability pretty poor.
    But this is the first large displacement, large V8 I've seen in a Bugeye...
    Go Healy go!!!

  • @davect01
    @davect01 Рік тому +5

    You always find some great rides and owners ☺️

  • @henrikcarlsen1881
    @henrikcarlsen1881 Рік тому +2

    This was a good one. The car, the chemistry and the outfit. All great.

  • @MrShepardDog
    @MrShepardDog Рік тому +1

    The car is a rolling work of art...!

  • @DC-mj4lx
    @DC-mj4lx Рік тому +4

    Another awesome episode! You have a great knack for telling the story, not just a car review or screaming drive. Thank you so much to you and your team. I also enjoy that you always treat the owners and their cars with such respect.

  • @LosZonga
    @LosZonga Рік тому +5

    Another awesome video, magnetism and such a well designed car. Great content, congrats to the builders, such a great inspiration and history.

  • @carstenrehder4531
    @carstenrehder4531 Рік тому +1

    Badassed Dad ever ! And holy moly, what a cool car, he and his sons, created. Im stunned.

  • @glennoropeza3545
    @glennoropeza3545 Рік тому +1

    I love nothing better than an over size engine squeezed into an undersized car! But a 7.7 liter engine in a car that was designed for a 800cc car is beyond incredible!

  • @craigr13666
    @craigr13666 Рік тому +3

    I'm on my lunch break. And this popped up on my recent uploads. You just made my day, because I had a thought this morning, wondering when there might be a now episode of Detour! 😁😄😃

  • @lewismocaby3646
    @lewismocaby3646 Рік тому +4

    Awesome,absolutely awesome!!! My grandparents had 4 bugeye Sprites until about 20 years ago when they moved to my great grandparents farm and decided it was time to downsize. I really didn’t get the appeal of these cars, having been at the Dragstrip since the age of 6 mos. old but in recent years I’m starting to understand. Definitely a cool platform to build from,great video.

  • @jnucleo
    @jnucleo Рік тому +2

    This was a great respit from the mad, mad, mad, mad world we live in today! That is one of my favorite movies of all time, great choice for a road trip! As an engineer and motorhead, I really appreciate the work the Marian family put into this over the top Bugeye. Well done!

  • @The_Repair_Shop
    @The_Repair_Shop Рік тому +2

    I love your laugh when you did that burn out. Pure joy

  • @Zundfolge
    @Zundfolge Рік тому +3

    This thing is ridiculous in all the best ways. Very nice build.

  • @campbellpaul
    @campbellpaul Рік тому +6

    Great video! I always wanted an Austin Healy Sprite. Thanks for the upload, Nicole!

    • @NicoleJohnsonsDetour
      @NicoleJohnsonsDetour  Рік тому

      You're welcome..thanks for watching!!

    • @scooterbob4432
      @scooterbob4432 Рік тому +1

      My high school dream car. Now retired, the only Sprite I have is the soda pop.

    • @campbellpaul
      @campbellpaul Рік тому +1

      @@scooterbob4432 We both live in an indifferent world, Bob!

    • @scooterbob4432
      @scooterbob4432 Рік тому +1

      @@campbellpaul Sprite is my wife's favorite drink, Paul. She wouldn't believe me that there was once upon a time a sportscar named Sprite until I showed her the picture. She said it looks like an ugly frog.

  • @markdavid4897
    @markdavid4897 Рік тому +1

    A great car, driven by a lovely woman. The headscarf, white rimmed sunglasses and attitude are so 1960's. I really enjoy this video.

  • @johnkendall6962
    @johnkendall6962 Рік тому +1

    LOL The way she reacted the first time she floored it.