Message text written by INTERNET:Gbouff1@aol.com
>I will be looking at a '59 sprite bug eye this weekend. It's rough
according
to the owner and has been stored outside under a tarp for the past 3 years.
Engine was rebuilt 6? years ago and 3 years ago it was in an accident that
damaged the nose to make the car undriveable. He has a spare nose with
good
sections to make one good one out of the two. He also said that the floors
had holes, but the body is straight and not sagging.
My question to anyone with bug eye (frog eye)experience. What should I be
looking at?
I'm pretty good with a welder, dolly and hammer. (My TR3A restoration made
sure of that) and I do a fair job on the mechanical end.
Are there parts that are difficult or impossible to find that I should
makes
sure are on the car?
I don't know if it is the stock engine. Are some engines better than
others?
And anything else that you think I should examine.
<
Gary, the Bug-Eyes (Frog-Eyes) are cute cars and fun to drive (but not on
the highways) but things to watchout for are since car is a monocoque
design, body rust can seriously impare the integrity of the vehicle. The
transmission hump adds considerably to the the body stiffness but rotted
floors and sills can let the car sag to the point that the doors no longer
close.
The rear suspension is a solid axle mounted by quarter eliptical springs.
These are half of the springs found on the TR3. There is a stack of leaves
clamped to the body just behind the seats that support the back of the car
and locate the axle. Any rust in this area can let the axle come loose so
look carefully there.
Since this is the basis of all Sprites and Midgets many parts will bolt
right in. The stock engine is 945cc (I think) but since the 1275 is still
the same block it will drop right in. Another common conversion is the
dual braking system from a 70's Midget. The best way to do this is to
transfer the entire braking system over including the vertical links. This
will give you disk brakes and a dual circuit hydraulic system and save for
some firewall mods it bolts right in.
The stock hood configuration is hinged at the rear but many owners like to
convert them to hinged at the front. The problem with this is the hood
doesn't have the structural strength in the front to support the weight of
the hood and it will easily deform so watch for that.
There are two transmissions used on Sprites, a smooth case and a ribbed
case but I forget which one is better. But you can't see the transmission
until you pull it so this is a bit acedemic.
But they are cute and handle like go-carts (and about the same size) and a
neet addition to a fleet. If only I have the room...
Cheers
Dave
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