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The Auto box was quite big fitted to the 1275 engines. Early ones were made at Longbridge then we made them on our AP Leamington site along with Lockheed Brakes and Borg & Beck clutches. I was working in the transmission J&T drawing office at the time. I designed some of the tooling for the box and also the Lancia box that followed it. When I think back to how much stuff was made and scrapped off for insignificant reasons, stillages (100's at a time) of the stuff, sometimes just because the plating wasn't just correct !!! (I wish... MORE
Hi list, In my last digest Cap'n Bob mentioned that "we" should be able to identify the origion of a motor by the ID plate #. I was given a 1275 that is attached to (most of) a front wheel drive automatic transmission that is too large to be a Mini. I would love to know what it was out of. The motor # is 12H185-H10894 Is there a site on the internet that has that kind of information? Thanks for any guidance, Curt "cfisher1a" 8368... MORE
Hi Aaron, Welcome to the list and the joys, trials and tribulations of Bugeye ownership. Many of us have owned these cars since we were teens, but seems few young people your age have much interest or knowledge of their existence unless it is passed down to them, as it is in your case. You are lucky. The car does look like a worthy project, but yes you have a lot of work ahead of you. If you wish to do a disc brake conversion, you should use all the components from a later Spridget. The original A-arms can... MORE
Hi, Aaron...welcome! :) Your reasons for having your Frogeye are/ were exactly mine back when I was 17 years old (1959)...and they have remained so ever since. So obvously, like me, you are an intelligent guy! Putting a disc brake conversion on your Frog is excellent thinking...good move my friend...as stopping more often than not, is not an option. Either the earlier "dual" 7/8" or later "dual" 3/4 master cylinder will work but, the pedal pressure (for both clutch and brake) will be a bit higher with the earlier 7/8", though not overly so. Use a 7/8's on my... MORE
Listers, one and all. For the past few years we've had a group of enthusiasts gather in Madison WI (USA) for a bit of post-Thanksgiving turkey Sprite dismantling and/or rebuilding called Save Our Sprites. These "events" take place the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving (Nov. 28,29 this year) and are viewable over the internet through some video magic. (details later) We hope to improve that this year with faster service for better interaction. In the past, those who wanted to contribute, but couldn't attend, offered food and beverage from their locality. We've had some great variety from scrapple to... MORE
Hi ! My new engine is finaly inplace. I replaced my 948 with a street tuned and bored 1275 (1310) incl a refurbished ribcase that works realy well. When we got out the smoothecase we saw how bad it was. The new engine started up very well and the first test drive was extreamly exiting hearing the new roaring sound from from the bigger exhaust. This will be close to taming a wild stallion iam shore. Everything in the engine is now very new and tight, how many miles will it take for it to loosen up and realy... MORE
I have a 60 Bugeye, and am looking for a chrome shifter, (The actual shift arm that the gear shift knob screws onto). I am running a ribcase and going to be switching over to a 5 speed, and Paul needs the shifter to weld to the Datsun shifter so it looks stock, and is the right height. The P.O. claims that my transmission was rebuilt and I want to have everything ready to just pull the engine out, switch clutch, transmission, etc, and put it back in. Contact me off list. Thanks Bob, Troutdale, OR "Robert Webb" 8296... MORE
Chas, This is not a difficult prooceedure, but does require aome mechanical skills and attention to detail. I don't know your skill level, so remember the brakes are your life line. That said. both the cylinders should be done at the same time. The mastercylinder has one reservoir for both brake and clutch, but the is a cast divider that will preserve fluid to the clutch if the other side drains. After removal and disassembly the bores need to be honed, not bored. A brake hone is available from your auto parts store. Your problem will be finding one... MORE
It seems my 59 Bugeye Master Cylinder has given out. It leaks into the cockpit. I am not quite sure what the next step is to fix the problem. Should I buy the rebuild kit? Where? How hard is it to get it out? I have never bored out a cylinder before. Should I? Do I need special tools? I am a bit confused because the clutch still works?? Maybe it has not run out of fluid but the resivor seemed quite empty. Should the clutch cylinderr ne redone as well? Any and all suggestions regarding the best way... MORE
I have a 1959 Austin Healey Sprite that I am looking to sell. The car is about 97% rust free (pass. side floorboard has been fiberglassed) and in Texas for at least the last 25 years. Pictures are here: http://cloud.prohosting.com/spridget/Sprite/ Car is currently in a rolling shell state. (engine/tranny removed) Included are three complete engines (948, 1098, 1275), two trannies (smooth and ribbed), two rears, two dashes, two radiators, early seats (pans bad), late seats, 10 wheels and everything else to get the car running (about two of everything). I have owned the car since '88 and it was... MORE
Hot Rod Bugeye Built By Phil Chiles For Phil Chiles My Father built this car in 2002, it was a great source of pleasure for him to be able to get out and dash thru the country roads with a car that would do what he wanted it to do. The coil over suspension made the chasis tune able which he was very good at. The Twin cam motor from a ford Escort provides plenty of horsepower. The Miata gearbox provided a smooth way to transfer the power to the wheels. The fuel injection what replaced with something that... MORE
Biff... The combusion chambers came stock with a certain cc capacity from the factory. This then, is the important number in terms of what is used for figuring compression ratio along with other factors of course. Eduardo, Aptfast or any of the other "usual suspects" would have the exact original factory "numbers", sir. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 8247... MORE
I have to confess to being a huge hypocrite for the sake of a cheap chuckle. I'm a firm believer in the "it's your car, do whatever you want with it" school. We're not exactly talking Bugatti Royales here, afterall. I had the good fortune to meet DMH on a couple of occassions. It was my impression that he was always interested in modifications to his cars that were well thought out and well executed. I'm a member of the Nasty Boys and as I speak am in the middle of purchasing a Fiberfab Jamaican that was set up... MORE
Pat S. Re the Fiat and five speed. Where are you located? I'm in Nebraska. What do you want for the engine and trans? Do you have any pictures of the installation? Thanks Bill Ady William A Ady 8217... MORE
Well ! mines is not a bugeyes, but It's a 73 Midget that I bought . It came with a Fiat engine with the 5 speed tranny. I 've never tried to start it up or anyrhing. I just went ahead and start building the Toyota 4AGE and intend to put it in the place of the Fiat. If anyone would like to take the Fiat engine and trans please let me know. Pat. "Pat S." 8202... MORE
THE WIFE SAYS THIS HAS TO GO! This car has spent most of its life as a race car. It was raced in the Bulova Sundown Endurance Races. I purchased it in 1980 and raced it in Vintage Car Racing until 1993. Motor was checked and freshened up after last race in 1993. Met my wife in February of 1994 and I guess her love for snowmobiles, put my car in storage ever since. I have kept this car maintained by starting it and bleeding the brakes yearly. I stripped the paint and had it professionally repainted in 2002.... MORE
I assume you're talking about a Fiat twin-can 124 engine. So very much nicer than an A-series/Datsun. Faster, smoother, lighter, more reliable. Please get that FiatEye back on the road. It must be a wonderful car. "Jeffrey Holmes" 8189... MORE
the motors are great more reliable than a t c and much the same design tranny is 5 speed and just the thing for a sleeper to send the upstart alphas home for a tune up scratching their heads in their string gloves [ apologies to the purists ] ed law "Ed Law" 8188... MORE
Hey Ed, Been mostly lurkin for the past year picking up information about bugeyes. I've had a '60 bugeye in the garage in need of some work for longer than I care to mention (either no time or no spare cash). Anyhow I thought your Fiat comment was interesting. My bugeye has a Fiat engine and 5spd in it with dual side draft Webbers. I had a '68 Mustang, 289, 4 spd when I bought it and have to say the bugeye was just about as fast (chirped the tires in 3rd). Didn't drive it much since it was... MORE
Hey, Guys, just wanted to report that all of your info and help paid off. We finished all of the corrections to the engine, transmission, slave cylinder push rod, etc. just in time to participate in the 3rd annual Cape Cod British Car Club's "British Legends Weekend". Successfully completed the 80+ mile tour of Cape Cod on Saturday (fantastic route), rained out on Sunday, plus another 183 mile ride yesterday. First real Bugeye drive for me since 1970. What a hoot. Bugeyes should be standard issue to everybody who really wants to smile for extended periods of time, even... MORE
feedback. I'll plan to salvage the entire hydraulic system and the rear brake assemblies in case I decide to go one or both of those routes sometime in the future. So to recap, I'm salvaging the complete 1275, gearbox, diff. gears, half shafts, front brakes and suspension, sway bar, rear brakes, handbrake components, and radiator. What am I overlooking? "Howard Collins" 8174... MORE
90mph? Oh, yeah...and easily, too. 1293 Cooper S cam advanced 4 degrees, Total Seal rings, 3.7 and 5 speed, alum head, LCB, 1.5 rollers, Med. bore LCB, 1.75 RC40 single box, "light" Westerns...cruise very happily at 4K all day long. But....you'll find me at 3K goin' 67.... fast enough for me, the police, DMV, my insurance co. and the FAA who own my Federal Certificates/Licenses & Ratings!! :):) Really....being a responsible person in adult matters is getting a little boring. I'm getting a little tired of behaving my self all the time....it's wearin' me out, OK? :):) Cap'n. Bob... MORE
Disc brakes - absolutely. Buy the spindles, hubs and other brake parts off a disc brake car and it's a bolt on conversion. You may want to use the later 3/4" master cyl for less pedal effort, but the original 7/8 will work. Some here will try to sell you on a 5-speed, but you've got a rebuilt 4-speed, and there's nothing wrong with that. Engine mods, you can go all the way to 100 or 140 or more HP, but a properly running 1275 is plenty to keep with modern traffic. No point in swapping the cam, as... MORE
I'm one of those who went to the 3/4" single master cylinder and I like it. I also have a 1" slave cylinder but I'm not sure which slave the 73 has. I have the later brakes which are dual piston as opposed to the single piston of the Bugeye. That will require you also using the backing plate and springs, etc. of the later brakes. The parking brake, except the handle, including the rod is the same. Keep the radiator and crossover pipes in case you ever decide to switch to a horizional radiator. Wisbone/Spring pan is stronger... MORE
Hi, CB... For sure the application could use a 5 speed, considering the diff may be the original 4.22 ratio, rather than the later 3.9 or even later (1500) 3.7. A larger diameter (155X13's) tire, would also be helpful in this respect, as well, assuming stock rims. Not only will the 4.22 appreciate the 5th gear, but your clutch will appreciate the synchro on 1st gear as well. Seriously, the Datsun 5 speed transforms the car. Not necessary but real nice to have. Runs more quietly, too AND...rebuilts (if you ever need one) are much less expensive (40%+-) than... MORE
