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I'm in the process of rebuilding my motor(1275+). I had the crank lightened (wedged,-2lbs), balanced and polished during it's stay at the machine shop. The block was cleaned and new main bearing were installed. When I test fit the caps, with 40lbs torque but without the Thrust Washers, the crank turned smoothly with little effort (I used assembly lube). I removed all the caps and then reinstalled them with new Thrust Washers from VB; now the crank needs about thirty pounds (approx) of force to start it rotating. It still moves smoothly but requires some effort. There is no... MORE
Jim C. My factory maint. man. shows crankshaft end float (taken at the main bearing) at .001-.003 Main Caps @ 60 Rod Caps @ 35 Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 25441... MORE
Martyn.... BTDT. You poor ba$ta-d....and I speak from experience. What we did was pull the tank, pull the sender, find youthful human being with really thin arms (my mechanic's 16 year old was on hand, thank God) and get in there with a long needle nose pliers (or whatever) and wrench the clogged up filter netting right off the steel fuel feed line. This will take a lot of patience to finally get a grip on the stupid thing to the extent you have the leverage to disloge it from it's pipe, unless you get lucky...which I hope you... MORE
Jeff Holmes states: "Naw" Could be, Jeff. But I know a guy who raced a Spridget up at Lime Rock that had the exact problem I speak of....now this isn't a racing application as far as we know...but we don't know otherwise either....this could be a street tuned motor for all we know...lister didn't say and probably doesn't know.... excessive rocker clearances with otherwise good bearing clearances reasonably good oil pressure which could flood the valve area in a hearbeat. That's why I asked this lister if he had oil going by the lower engine seals and out the... MORE
I put mine up. Bob, Troutdale, OR 60 Bugeye "Robert Webb" 25415... MORE
Right on, John... This was Biff Jones idea as well....from the pictures on your site, it's obvious these motorcycle mirrors fit right in with the Sprite's looks and configuation. They're there, but they don't "stick out"....they go with the lines of the car....you don't "see" them. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 25411... MORE
G'day mate. After deliberating for a long time about the need for extra mirrors - and I think there is one - I was told about a beautiful set of mirrors that are made for Harley Davidson motorcycles. They bolt onto the rear windscreen bolt, just as they come out of the packet. I've uploaded some photos into the file called "John's Bugeye" in the photo section of the website. The pro's - they work well, they look the part, they don't get into the road of the door, they bolt straight on, no drilling or modifications are needed,... MORE
Drag, Don May....non-turning T/O bearing ...."bearing" upon pressure plate. You will also notice with the stock carbon throw-out bearing that the starter will turn the engine over faster if the clutch is not depressed during the start, except in real cold weather when the drag of extremely thick transmission oil causes more drag than the throwout bearing/pressure plate drag situation. Then...start with the clutch pedal depressed of course Much less drag with "roller" types now available in place of original carbon types. The "rollers" allow the T/O bearing face to turn (less drag) as it engages the pressure plate....... MORE
Don, You were likely over extending the clutch pressure plate. I don;t recal the pivot point balance, but the 1/8 inch at the slave doesn't mean equal travel at the TO bearing. Gerard "gerardchateau" 25389... MORE
Kevin. When the oil starts to puke out of the valve cover oil filler cap, quickly take off the cap and check for two things. First see it the valve cover is actually full or almost full of oil and bubbles are causing the oil popping out or check for too much positive crank case pressure by putting your hand over the open oil filler hole and sealing it up for about 30 seconds and lifting your palm. Do you get a gigantic "WHOOSH" of pressure or just a little "fiffft" of pressure. Then report back to the LBC... MORE
I did the same thing with the seat backs in my bugeye. The "horns" were eaten back and rough and the lip across the inside was the same way. I couldn't find any replacements localy and the upholsterer was waiting for the seat backs so he could finish the seats and the car show was a week away. A seam came loose in the seat back a couple of months later so I took them back to the upholsterer. He took the material off and repaired the seam. When I picked them up, he told me that he would... MORE
Tim There's good news and bad news here. The good news is, I have seen a quarterlight mounted mirror, which I think is what you're looking for (see page 86 Terry Horlers excellent book - Original Sprite and Midget). The bad news is, I don't know where you get them from! The only thing I can suggest is to trawl ebay for one, or start getting out to some autojumbles. Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 25373... MORE
Think I have solved this and the problem I had shifting into first and reverse . . . before pulling the engine and trans to check I thought I would at least try one of the longer push rods, you know those POs have welded on an extra length to put off installing a new throw out bearing. The one I had from my parts car had only about an eight of an inch longer weld on the end than the stock one. Once I installed it all is working now, smooth shifting is back and shifting into first... MORE
Hi, Tim.... I was in the same predicament when I picked up my BE. Like you, I hate drilling through the car's panels and creating holes where there were none. On my PO'd '74 Spridget the holes were already there and a blacked out Baby Turbo went beautifully with my two-tone semi-gloss black and metallic medium blue Maaco paint scheme! But like your car, the BE had no side mirror to begin with. So what I did was have fabricated a mounting plate for a spun aluminum Raydot, encompassing two holes drilled in the plate which utilized the already... MORE
Don...going through old mail and came across this. Maybe I've got something to learn here... I respect the other guy's right to see things his way and his point of view... I neither argue or debate...rather I discuss...and in a friendly way. This is the USA after all, not Iraq, Libya or other lands controlled by governments which are intolerant to a greater extent than us, in certain respects. No human is perfect. We all make mistakes. We try to correct them when we can. Governments are made up of humans. Will somebody please tell me what the USA... MORE
Hey... Don't knock the Perry's for your mechanical abiities! :):):) You got it in, right? And you like it, right? DONE!! First time around for anything is always a bit of a pain, in any event. Ask any girl....(flame suit "on"!:). OK..serious stuff.... David...are you running 3.5 or 4.5 aux venturis in your "45"? 'Cause the larger the aux venturi, the later the main system comes in so the longer you spend in the "progression" stage and the "finer" it's tuning must be throught out the period it's carrying acceleration between idle and the beginning of the main system.... MORE
Those who have checked out my bugeye bonnet restoration photos may have noticed that I chose to form the missing sections of end flange and sheet metal with fiberglass. I realize that many have advised me to cut back and replace with new formed metal pieces . . . that is not within my expertise nor budget, lots of time I have. I might as well buy a new fiberglass bonnet for the cost involved for new metal work and welding so I sought the advice of some folks at TAP Plastics and went with fiberglass. My logic with... MORE
Don, I'm a member of that exclusive club, I'm a full time wing and boot rear valance filler/sander at the moment. Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 25352... MORE
You'll have to just take a looksee. Accident damage? Rusted out? Best scenario - the shock mounting bolts are loose. allowing the wheel to tip inward. Could be rotted out shock rubber bushes. Look for the simple and cheap first. Good luck. "Jeffrey Holmes" 25347... MORE
"She's so stuck up, she'd drown in a rainstorm." "It's so dry, the trees are bribing the dogs." "My cow died last night, so I don't need your bull." "He's as country as cornflakes." "This is gooder'n grits." "If things get any better, I may have to hire someone to help me enjoy it." "I'm 'bout as........" * "Nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs." * "Busy as a moth in a mitten." * "Happy as a clam at high tide." Notice to Northerners moving to the South: * Save all manner of... MORE
Forgot some LBC content . . . bought a new sprite in 63 and drove it from San Diego, CA to Greenwood Louisiana and back, a good four thousand plus miles. If I had not been so young and dumb I would have looked into having Preparation H sponsor my road trip. Don "Don May" 25346... MORE
The slope of the vehicle which tends to lean to the left is an aid in cornering. A pure performance upgrade. The factory was spitting spridgets, sprites , and midgets out by the thousands for the hopes of entering one of these brave little cars in USA's NASCAR some day. Matt Pfeil 76 NASCAR Midget (And if you believe that I got something else for you!) "matthew pfeil" 25342... MORE
and there is still a slight sag in it. No one but a Spridget driver would notice it and it seems to have absolutely no impact on handling. I guess 40 years of driving just puts a twist in the old body. Man, can I relate! Jack Texas "austinbud2002" 25333... MORE
It seems that nobody will tell you that the problem is caused by the driver's weight (|), and 40 years of sag. Anytime the sprite is driven, it has a driver. How often does it also have a passenger, ie; weight on the drivers side and nothing to counter-balance the car. I agree with the suggestion of reversing the springs fron the passenger side to the drivers side. That will even it out, in another 40 years. Lower the passenger side, I have enough problems with my MK I and clearance of the exhaust system without lowering it. The... MORE
My Sprite (1961 Mark II) is lower on one side than on the other (drivers side is lower). Anyone any ideas why this might be? Any comments appreciated. Tim "timandshelagh" 25323... MORE
