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Gerard Thank you, that was most helpful. It was an 8/39 which I guess is a ratio of 4.8 - is that good/bad? I'm afraid it doesn't really mean anything to me! Bearing in mind, these diff's were given to me by a guy who used to race Spridgets in the 60's. Thanks, Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 25136... MORE
Tend to agree with you. Shortly after I bought a new 63 sprite I drove from San Diego, CA to north Louisiana in it . . . the fun of driving it on that trip ended about mid way across Texas in 90 plus temperatures and high humidity. :-) Give me a van with comfy seats and air conditioning for those long trips and my spridgets for local fun. Don "Don May" 25155... MORE
Don, First I would be very reluctant to do it without jack stands. I don't know what sort of floor jack you have, but sometimes they can fail suddenly. If you so it that way take other precautions. That said, when you do it, I would keep one with very slight pressure on the brake, this will simulate some road friction and keep the wheels from backlashing should something unexpected happen. (your foot will also be ready should you jack give you a surprise.) Gerard "gerardchateau" 25132... MORE
Should be OK though you'll probably only get one wheel turning and just hope it doesn't fall of the jack when you are doing 6500 revs in top. Also some possible issues with lubrication if you are jacked at an extremme angle for too long. "Jeremy Cogman" 25122... MORE
Wake me up please. Our '73 RWA 1275 cc has a neg. ground where as the '59 Bugeye has a pos. ground? Correct?? Looking for battery cables in Brit. Vic and they have corn-fused me. (8-3051, 8-4300 and 10-337) Thank you, Bill French frenchww@... 25134... MORE
Sorry to say, but I still think it is the synco. Bill French '59 Bugeye "73 RWA frenchww@... 25128... MORE
I am going crazy with metal glaze and compound curves. A bugeye bonnet is nothing but a mass of compound curves . . . thank you listing to my vent. only my bald head exceeds it. Do you know how hard it is to shave your head? flat razor blade . . . hard round top of head . . . well, sides of head, nature took care of the top. Don "Don May" 25139... MORE
Unless a PO has changed it over to negative ground the bugeye will have a positive ground. The 73 RWA came from the factory with a negative ground. as from factory: 59 Bugeye . . . positive ground 73 rwa ..... negative ground. Don "Don May" 25138... MORE
Don't know. The car was not driven for almost a year and I do not know what all the PO did to it. The guy I bought it from bought it running, drove it home and a couple of times around the block, did some work on the battery pan, put in a new radiator and hoses then got too busy at his job to do more so never took it off the no-op license and let it sit for almost a year, then when he tried to drive before selling it discovered he could not get it into... MORE
Don, Have you watched underneath to see if you have enough travel on the slave cylinder pushrod while someone else depresses the clutch? You may have air in the line or perhaps your TO bearing is worn down to nothing (or worse*). Another possibility is a worn pivot on the clutch fork. You should feel the kind of movement (wiggle) and freeplay (travel) you have in the clutch fork while the engine is off. *I picked up a '71 once where the TO was worn down so far, it actually fell off the clutch fork when I wiggled it.... MORE
Hi David, The engine mounting plate is identical to the Spridgets as are the rubber mounts. Because the frame is completely different in the Morris, the frame to rubber mount bracket is completely different. The Datsun engine has the motor mounts near midway in the block, so new mounting points to the frame are required. Also, they are not symetrical like the Spridgets, so two differnt length frame mounts are necessary. Paul A. makes the motor mounts and so there was no need to reinvent the wheel. I just purchased them from him. Placement is a matter of position... MORE
There is another lister here (who I also know personally) who has installed a Toyota engine in his '62 Sprite, You may want to engage him in you inquiry. His name is Drew. Somewhere, I have a couple pix of his project. Gerard "gerardchateau" 25095... MORE
I should see you and the car there as I am going down to Palo Alto Sunday in the yellow 74. Do they sell any parts at this meet? Wish had a swap meet section. I need a front clear lens for the bugeye bonnet and usually there are good prices on them at swap meets. Don "Don May" 25101... MORE
I'm still trying to put a Datsun/Nissan A14 engine/5spd tranny in a 71 Midget. I have seen pictures of one in a 76 or 77. It looks like it comes from the factory. The Datsun engine seems to be an almost direct copy of the Spitfire engine, but with improvements: 5 main bearings, good oil seals front and rear thrust bearings integral with main bearing(it won't fall out!), aluminum head with great intake ports, etc. The 5 spd tranny is butter smooth and quiet. May not get you the horsepower a RX7 will get but it can produce 100+... MORE
I am in the US. It is a little hareder to find those engines. A chevy 350 maight be a little too much work. A guy has a 1500 engine that he is willing to sell. Is that a bolt- in application? "livelarg" 25067... MORE
Any sub 1500 4 cyl triumph engine should fit with no mods as its the same engine, 1300 spitfire would be best, better than the 1500 one the midget had in fact as the really had over stretched the original design. If you were in the UK then you could use dolomite engines. Dolomite 1850, TR7 2 litre, dolomite sprint 2litre 16v would all be possible. 2.0,2.5 Triumph 6 cyl motor would possibly bolt to the box, and if a jag XK motor can fit then one of these will! If you are willing to chop it about to... MORE
Interesting experiments, Paul. The most simple well-working PCV system I ever had came on the '67 engine 5 main bearing engine which I installed in place of the 3 main bearng which came in my PO'd '64 MGB. Factory PCV valve (rubber diaphragm) intake manifold mounted breathing through the liquid/vapor flame arrestor mounted on the front of the timing case cover with matched vented/filtered oil filler cap. Replaced the diaphragm once and filtered cap once in a while. And introducing a little water into the intake manifold once a year will help keep things clean. There are also a... MORE
If you are certain you are getting enough travel out ot the slave cylinder to disengage your clutch, then the first thing that comes to mind is that your clutch disc is stuck to the flywheel. How long has it been since it was driven and working properly? Was the fluid loss the reason for the failure and was it from sitting to long? Three other posibilities: * First motion shaft is stuck in or has to much friction with the pilot bushing. * Clutch pressure plate spring/s have failed. * Throw out bearing has come off the fork.... MORE
I am having problems with clutch not disngaging on my 1275 midget. T save cylinder dumped allm of its fluid. I have replaced cylinder and it is wirking correctly however clutch is still not disengaging completely and I am unable to get any gearsw when engine is running. Have changed slave cylinder for smaller bore 1098cc one to get more throw on cluthch lever to no avail. Car is running a five speed sierra box with roller release bearing but this seems o.k. Any suggestions as to why clutch still won't disengage properly before Iresort to removing engine and... MORE
???? ... There is only one Bugeye. -g "gerardchateau" 25035... MORE
Drew, I haven't actually done this, but I have rebult a couple sets. I would suggest every other leaf, but you probably don't want ot remove more than between two and four leaves. It will probably take some experimentation, but obviously the lengths you remove will make a difference how many as well. Check with Larry Miller. I think he may have done thos before. If you get a difinitive answer, let me know. P.S. Still waiting to hear more about the white Bugeye. Gerard "gerardchateau" 25034... MORE
Don, your hammer might still get some use for driving fasteners - in my part of the world, a hammer is known as a 'Manchester Screwdriver'! David "David Jacobs" 25029... MORE
I have a general question regarding tire pressure versus tire size. If significantly wider wheels and tires are installed on a car do the recommended tire pressures change? If so by how much? At the moment I am concerned with my MGTD but when my Bugeye is on the road I will have the same concern. When I bought the TD the PO had fitted wider chrome wires and tires and it is a bit skittish to drive at times, but maybe that is the way it is anyway. Paul Brown San Diego "oldcoventrian" 25021... MORE
Hi Ideally as other posters have stated, you'll need a BMHIT Certificate to tell you exactly what the colour of your car was. However, with a little detective work I'm sure you can figure it out yourself, unless of course a previous owner was very thorough in his re-spray that he completely repainted the entire shell. The OE colours for the Mk I Sprite were as follows: Old English White (WT3) Seats/Trim Cherry Red or Black (from Jan 59) Seat Piping White or Black (from Jan 59) Cherry Red (RD4) Seats/Trim Cherry Red Seat piping White There should be... MORE
I wish . . . couple of them knocking them off today. Have an idea what a large acorn falling 20 feet sounds like hitting a bare metal bugeye bonnet? It is very strange behavior for the last 15 years they usually just pick the things bring them down and bury them. This year it is like a feeding frenzy, eating parts of acorns and dropping the rest, breaking off whole ones and letting them fall to the ground and the acorns are still green and not ready to drop on their own. Koyaanisqatsi . . . Don "Don... MORE
