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Dear list, I will be fitting a 1275 within a year to my Bugeye Vintage racer (yes that's legal in the groups I race with). I feel I should improve the cooling system at the same time. There are some very expensive aluminum radiators from the specialty shops, but ISTR suggestions of some aluminum radiators from modern cars that make good swaps. I didn't find anything when I searched the archives, so hear is is again. What subsitutions have people tried that work well, don't take a lot of monkey buissness to fit and plumb and are cost effective?... MORE
Group, I just joined this group a couple of weeks ago and my doctor gave me some bad news yesterday. I can't get in the bugeye with my bum pelvis and hip I injured in my head on collision. I guess it's got to go! It's rust free and runs like a bear. I have two extra engines complete from clutch to fan. Two extra trannys and a set of racing carbs. I have to digest the news and maybe think of some way of entering the car without messing up my future hip and pelvic transplant. It may... MORE
Sorry Colin, Our kids only go to school 8 1/2 months a year on this side of the pond and a most of it is in being "Politically Correct", "non sexual discrimination", "Pro Teachers Union", "A Kennedy can do no wrong," etc, etc, etc. Reading, writing, and 'rithmatic are extra critical activities. The fact that a US Gallon is 4 quarts and an Imperial (as in United Kingdom) Gallon is 4 liters, and since they are teaching everything else, nobody can read when they grab the quart oil can that says it is only .9.... Liters. It's a good... MORE
I would like to send out a thank you to all of you great guys and gals out there that have sent a kind note. I have shown them all to my daughter. She had a bruised lung and a cut on her forhead just behind the hair line )thank goodness) that went all the wqay to the skull and 5 1/2 inches long. She is doing much better, I hope to someday meet some of you at a rally. Have a great day all, and I am so thankful that God was watching over my daughter. Greg The... MORE
I just replaced my BE seats and foam kits from Victoria British. Blue on Blue Bugeye standard. Woops, just means last August. I don't know what their price is now!! The kit went on pretty well for an novice upholstery guy. the best way to get excellent gass millage is to lie about it!!!! Gas story - I drove from Corvallis, OR to LaGrande, OR a distance of 350 miles. Wanting adventure I stayed off the freeway I5/I84 and crossed the mountains over to Prineville. I filled up in Prinville and As I was leaving town I checked my... MORE
Some strange things going on here. :-) First off, stock Bugeye springs have 15 leaves. The stiffer "rally" springs that Moss sells have 10 leaves. Your left spring is only using 4 leaves, as the bottom three are just being used as spacers. But why I wonder? Putting the three short leaves under the rest raises the spring mount by the thickness of the three leaves which would make the left side of the car lower than the right, assuming the equal "springiness" in both left and right springs. Hmmm...... The only really hard part about disassembling everything and... MORE
I still think 15 is way too little for the amount of work it is doing " at highway speed". I keep records of my vehicles MPGs and here are some other examples. Wifes 1275 Sprite 35 My RBB 32 with moderate Hwy driving in o/d. 1970 350 4 speed Chevelle 24.3 1988 5.0 Mustang GT 5 spd 28 1962 Pont. Bonn. 389 4 spd 18.4 1963 Pont GP 389 4 spd 18 1967 Chevelle SS396 4 spd 15 1974 Buick 455 18 1978 Transam 400 4 spd 17 8500 lb 4x4 dually 454 4.56 gears 11.4 1970 302... MORE
Hello bugeye gang! I'm a rookie here. I have a 1961 bugeye race car. I purchased the car from an older gentleman in Kansas last August. It came with two extra engines and trannys.It's rustfree equipped with a rollbar and racing suspension. Lot's of race parts. I just bought a master cylinder on e-bay today and that's all it needs to be race ready. Unfortunately last November I was involved in a head-on collision in Ireland with a government offical and broke both hips and 26 other fractures. The doctor doesn't think I will be able to get into... MORE
It was stated that the roll bar bits are way heavy and the car bits it gets welded to is one step away from gum wrappers. Can't get decent heat on the roll bar stuff without burning through the car pans. Calls for backing plates where it get bolyrd on. Pa "Paul Asgeirsson" 14561... MORE
I have heard several different version of "how to properly tighten and shim the front stub axle nut" for use with 1275 drum brake equipped (upgraded stub axles for vintage racing) and timken tappered roller bearings with no center bearing spacer (I've also heard a modified spacer should be used - thoughts?). Also anyone have a source for replacement shims? Peter at Worldwide, Moss, VB? Thanks Keith Lawrence 1956 Turner 803 - "it's all sprite on the inside" "kal8man" 14499... MORE
Hi, Mike... got your bonnet message last night but to tired after working the evening to reply. Greg Hahs is an engineer by profession and quite the guy when it comes to fabricating in accordance with his list posts. You wanna email this guy with your problem as he IS doing a front tilt fibr eglass bonnet (Speedwell "Walker") as we speak. While you can get external "holdowns" for your bonnet from Moss and the other usual suspects, you may not want to go with anything external which may "mar" the appearance of the car. Some think the external... MORE
Hi Group, Just put new ARP head studs in my 948. Torqued them to 60 pounds per ARP instructions with proper lube etc. While giving my car a quick test run I had the head gasket start leaking from the front cylinder out under the thermostat housing. Also I was told to just put teflon paste on the threads of the ones that go into the water jacket and only torque them into the block a little over hand tight. That doesn't seem very secure to me. I've noticed tiny bubbles appear out the threads of the water jacket... MORE
Barz, Don't assume that "Nobody wants to help", just because of a few vocal people who don't like your ideas. Be patient with them, they just are passionate about their LBC's and they get to be, just as you are about yours. I am sure there are plenty of us on the list that would love to see progress photos and know more about what you are doing. I won't do that to mine, but I am interested in yours and will be glad to help where ever I can. Remember the photos of the BE being turned into... MORE
Thanks Chris. That confirms what I have read. I may be close to the 40 degree mark with mine. In all honesty I don't wear them for street driving. They will be great when I autocross it though. Phil Nase http://home.ptd.net/~nase "Phil Nase" 14421... MORE
Yeah...food for thought, eh? I too was going to remove the rollbar my BE came with and take my chances, as I like the look of the car without the bar. We were thus pretty shocked to find it welded as well as bolted in. I mean I might expect this on a race BE but certainly not a street machine. Now, in view of John Carey's remarks I'm not even sure welded is correct in a race machine....'cause John knows his stuff. Anyway, we're not about to "unweld" it so this precludes what might very well have been... MORE
John. I presently have competion belts in the car, but am considering a five point system. Thanks for the idea of a five point roll bar. I will start the installation and hopefully be completed this weekend. I was very envious last weekend when we finally had some nice weather here in NY. That guy in the Spitfire looked like he was having fun. Michael Iver28 Rifton,NY. 61 BE "Iver28" 14376... MORE
Well I bit the bullet and purchased an Edler 8 port cross flow head. It is off being finished and a custom set of (bunch o bananas) extractors built. When it is married to the block and dyno tested I will post the results for the group. Graham Russell, the demon tweaker that prepares and installs these heads for Ken has been getting solid 140HP+ and ~120 Ft/Lb in road prep and 160HP+ in race prep. BTW, a couple of weeks back someone ciculated Marcel's web link showing flow test results that were only so so for the Elder... MORE
I'm hoping to talk Mike into doing at least the initial setup. The DCOE's came off a 1050cc Abarth race engine so they might be close. "Larry & Sandi Miller" 14358... MORE
Thanks everyone, since I was upside down last year in my previous bugeye, I want the protection of a Roll Bar. I will most likely bolt it in considering the thickness of the floor pan. I could then weld the base at the four points of contact? Michael iver28 61 BE "Iver28" 14343... MORE
Michael, Tell us all the gory details about rolling the car. What were you doing? When did it happen? what happened? how did it feel? how was the car? how were you? was it a surprise? could you have avoided it? How? Roll bar? Shoulder harness? How fast were you going? Did you beat the other guy? What did you tell your wife? Inquiring minds want the full story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bob in San Diego "Robert D. Gardner" 14352... MORE
While in racing applications roll bars have obvious merit, I've always wondered about the unprotected/unhelmeted head vs. the rollbar in a serious "shunt" or rollover in a street car. At the risk of being overly graphic, the image of a watermelon being dropped from a few feet comes to mind. Of course, with the correct belts/harnesses and a helmet, the risk is quite different. "PRW" 14341... MORE
Just wanted to thank all who have helped on this topic. I don't always get time to respond quickly. I initiated this question. How embarrising. The VIN plates @ VB were under my nose and I didn't recognize them. Maybe because they are called "decals"!!! When I was a kid I built many plastic AMT model car kits ( anybody remember them?) AND ....... decals were those things you soaked in warm water and slid off onto your model to put flames or racing stickers on. Go figure .... guess it's a British thing. Learning new stuff every day.... MORE
My congratulations to those of you who have uncovered that I am new to Sprite race preparation. I have learned from your comments that this group may be a little "less forgiving" about details from newbies than the MG race group that I have experience with. However, I am in need of a later model 948 engine for rebuilding, preferably in New England so that I might easily retrieve it. I have learned that there were 3 heads on various 948 engines, and I wish to use either a 12A185 or 12G202. Your assistance is truly appreciated. Henry him10@...... MORE
I am preparing a Bugeye for H production and found that my "C' motor is not suitable for racing. The "CC" engine has an improved design. I have a complete 1100 engine to trade or will purchase one outright. All help appreciated! Henry Moore _him10@... _ (mailto: him10@... ) or call me thru my office toll free 1-888-267-0559 him10@... 14068... MORE
Here's something I posted on the Spridget list a while back... "I'd like to make a recommendation for all of you folks needing trans rebuilds. especially Spridget boxes. Tim at mgtrannys@... in West Bend, WI has many, many years of British car experience, and has been doing my race car trans rebuilds for years. I think you'll find his prices extremely reasonable and the quality of his work exceptional. (And for those of you that live any great distance from WI. you might find it cheaper to ship it to Tim for your rebuild rather than take it to... MORE
