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Listers, An opportunity to clean some garage clutter. I am looking to purchase lever shock absorber cores (used units). I am traveling with truck from Madison, WI to Alber...err, Alburk... ummm Albuquerque (yeah, that's it) NM, and back the weekend of Feb. 28 thru March 3 (?). The route will be through St. Louis, Oklahoma City, Amarillo, I think... and back (maybe.. unless the weather's nice;-) Seeking mostly front cores. Price based on application and condition. (need not work) This will be a "mad dash", so not much time for deviation. Got any? email me, or call 800 362-1025... MORE
Is there an especially good site out there that has a lot of detailed pictures showing ORIGINAL bugeye features, engine details, suspension, interior, and part colors, satin, flat, or glossy, etc.. I have disassembled my entire bugeye and want to start refinishing the individual items that I have removed. Everything has a lot of surface corrosion and the PO had stripped and resprayed the car decades ago with a non-stock color. Thanks, Gary Bouffard 59 Bugeye 59 TR3A Gbouff1@... 6021... MORE
G'day Chaps, I have a question id like to put to anyone who will listen. i have a picture on my gearbox page, which has pictures of the following parts i'm describing, to aid clarity if its unclear... http://www.iinet.net.au/~sun/dlhome/ then click on the picture of the ribbed case gearbox on the left. In the gearbox assembly there are a number of small springs, the ones i'm asking about are the ones pictured as 35 and 50 (22G317 spring) My symptoms are as follows: second gear synchro graunching. so far i have done the following: New Baulk Ring Synchros (38... MORE
G'day Hamondale We have fitted the Frontline kit to Dr John's Bugeye. See pictures: http://www4.tpgi.com.au/jcadsl/bugeye.html The only modification, as already mentioned, was to drill a hole to reposit ion the brake pipe - in the same place as the 1500 Midget. The kit fitted almost perfectly. Almost because the lower bracket wasn't a perfect fit inside either of the wishbones. Could be the wishbones are sli ghtly distorted due to age, or perhaps the Frontline jig is a bit out. Not a big problem, a little percussive persuasion and they went in all right. Can't comment on handling improvements,... MORE
Cap'n, Thanx for all of the front end info, appreciate it. My printer is still chuggin away. Sounds like I still have some homework to do and calls to make. I have 185-70's all around for tires. I prefer the look of short sidewall tires, but needed a little extra tire height for ground clearance with the exhaust, and did not want to spend the $ to go up in wheel size/down in sidewall height. My car is nominally at the stock ride height, having swapped out the stock front coils w/TR-3 coils of the same free height and... MORE
Hamondale...now the 2nd part of the message 'cause I accidentally hit the "send" key before I was finished!! :) Had I know Peter C. and Worldwide were around at the time I was looking at a source for good lever shocks, I probably would not have gone over to tubes to begin with. Certainly, I would have gone back to levers on my recently aquired BE had I known Peter was around but by the time I knew of this list and Pete's shocks, I'd already bought and installed the new Gas-Adjust GR2's. Nobody that I know of has... MORE
Hamondale.... I use a wheelrite all around tube shock conversion 'cause that's what came on my BE when I acquired it nearly two years ago. It came with some pretty stiff tube shocks on it. These were even too stiff for the 5.5" wheels shod with 175/70 T/A's so I went over to Gas-Adjust GR2's. Much better. No problems and much better ride over rougher surfaces than standard lever shocks which are, as you know, single "rate" rather that variable "rate" in terms of "response" to uneven surfaces. The Wheelrite conversion used to be sold by FASPEC and I... MORE
I'm ready to repaint my 59 Bugeye. Does anyone have a source for paint? I am trying to use the original Leaf Green color. Or is there a suitable updated paint source? Thanks. Dale. "nladale " 5972... MORE
Anyone have a current paint code/mix formula for Leaf Green? (GN15) Gerard Gerard 5975... MORE
Willy, You as well as " Portland Bob" have gone right to the heart of the issue, a strictly tech. line of postings is rather dry to ingest. I don't care for the post that merely says " What do I set my points at" or " I need a nice heater box, cheap". I want to get a little familiar with the people I share my expertise with as well as my time. If the purist want a strictly tech line let them buy a good referrence book and bury thier nose into it. Let's see the purists... MORE
But then you have not received his off list emails, and since neither you nor John Carey have a "Bugeye", nor anything close to it, he is probably one of your few sources for a "custom" built car, which in case of an accident, your insurance co. will deny since it really isn't a "Bugeye". A V-6 nor a 1380, 5 spd, and mazda rear end is not going to help someone with a heating problem with a vertical raidator. You mention that he has stopped posting, to the list yes, but he has been sending "Flamming" emails off... MORE
Hey.... It worked, right? The proof is always in the pudding, Bob! :) I think you would have done better without the 9" front runners 'cause that's hell of a lot of drag however, you did have that extra low rear end for "quick". I wonder how much quicker it would have been with more "normal" front tread (straight line acceleration) but anything gained with a more narrow footprint may been lost "in" the corner? Hey...it went like hell and you had a ball, right? In my book, this is what counts. Cap'n. Bob (Ret'd) '60 Frog PilotRob@... 5945... MORE
Hi, John... I would go with 155x78's which will put all the tire right under the wheel. Bring the pressures up to around 32lbs. for the autocross and it should stick like glue. Staying with the 78's will keep the original car's "tossibility". Some guys would say go wider but the original suspension was built with the more narrow footprint in mind. Also, wider tyres eat up hp and can be less than ideal in the wet, in any event, as far as road use is concerned. I use 175/70 Comp T/A's on 5.5's and a 3/4 front bar... MORE
-actually looks like 65 with bugeye front end....have seen this before Mike "ashtin49 " 5880... MORE
Hi List, I just found this Bugeye list this morning. Looks like a useful group of individuals to (virtually) know. I spent ~30 minutes reading some recent postings. Looks like good information and knowledgeable folks here! As to me, I have a 1959 Bugeye that is far from stock. My plan is to eventually turn it into an autocross/Sunday driver. I've done lots of mods to the car, including IRS, tube frame, rack and pinion, four-wheel disk brakes, roll bar, etc.. Next up is a new engine. Probably rotary, but my options are open to all suggestions. I'd love... MORE
Doh! I now remmember where I saw that number plate. It was John Sprinzel's personal Sprite. But when I saw it, it had a had a permanant hardtop and different front end. It's nice to answer my own posting Gary L 58 Frogeye "Gary Lazarus " 5860... MORE
Phil, It depends on how you plan to use your Bugeye or how hard you intend on driving it. If you're going to drive it to shows, around town, or on short trips, just replace or re-condition the original suspension. A good set of springs, either new or good used ones, and original lever arm shocks in good working condition are just fine. I have a set of springs from Moss, and good shocks on my Bugeye and they work fine. I had to use a wedge under the spring to bring the back end down a bit as... MORE
Hello list, Need some help or ideas/feedback regarding rear suspension. Since I am ready to tackle this area, I figured I would try to get some suggestions/ideas from the fellow members that have upgraded or are contemplating to upgrade their rear suspension. Since I need all new replacement parts like rear springs, shocks etc. I figured this might be a good time to venture out and see if there is a better set-up that is available for this type of car. Seeing that I am not restoring the car to it's original condition for shows etc, but I would... MORE
Hi, Steve... First of all, welcome! :) I cannot help you on an original radio. Mine is a portable, modern unit which is completely removeable from the car so... hopefully, another lister more familiar with this will pipe up, in this respect. Same with an air conditioning unit, I am afraid...sorry. On the cooling.....bone stock system... Original 948cc Sprites were not well catered for in this respect. In summer temperatures in heavy traffic, they had a tendency to overheat with the two- bladed steel mechancal fans. They do a little better with the 4 bladed later steel fans. They... MORE
For the sake of clarity are you referring to the bumper within the front coil spring ( at the top) ot the one which fits under the shock arm? If this body piece is rusted out what shape is the rest of the car in? Brad "British Classics" 5817... MORE
Hello all: I need some help. I'm rebuilding the front end and putting a Frontline System in and found that the mount for the Rebound Rubber Bumper is rusted out. It appears that this is a stamped metal piece that is spot welded in underneath the Dampener mount. It also appears that the dampener actually bolts into this stamped support, but won't be able to tell until it is out. I've looked through several parts catalouges, tried AH Spares Web site, but couldn't get connected. Seems like this component may have to come from a donor car? I could... MORE
Hi Pete, Yep, I'm here too, so same info as on the Spridgets list. The only thing I'd add is that it's sound from your second posting, that your BAE dorrplate does sound like it is original and that your chassis number is most likely withing 200 to 800 digits of the original chassis number. It's usually dificult to read after all these years, but you can sometimes foind the chassis number written on the back of you dashboARD (USUALLY IN YELLOW CRAYON) and also under the mat on the rear bulkhead/jumpseat. If any of that is original, you... MORE
G'day Jim How've you been? I also favour the "tap a thread" method for removal of the bush. I have a tap slighly larger than the hole (9/16" UNC if memory serves) but with a nut screwed onto the tap. Firstly screw the tap into the bush. Then wind up the nut. As you wind the nut down the tap, the tap comes out with the bush still on it. And the "oilite" or sintered bronze bushes should be lubricated, or else they can make an orrible squeal and wear badly. Yes, the good book says 24 hours. But... MORE
I have a '59 Sprite with an unusual chassis number. Both the plate on the inner wheel arch and the right door frame match, but the number BAE 36047 does not match any of the references I am aware of. Appreciate any information that anyone in the group may have to shed light on this anomaly. Pete Towell Merritt Island, FL "Pete Towell" 5802... MORE
Removal of a pilot bushing can be accomplished in one of 3 ways. A. use a tap lightly larger than the shaft and just screw it out. (I recommend this one) B. fill hole with grease and use a wooden dowel the size of the shaft and as you drive the dowel in the hole with a hammer, the bushing is forced out by the grease. C. use a hack saw blade and a great deal of time and cut it in 2 places and use a punch or a chizel to break the bearing pieces out. I had... MORE
