[Spridgets] Bugeye Bonnet Help

[Ron Soave]

Mark,
I’m so sorry you’re going through this. We race with a guy who can’t use his left leg from chemo treatment. He designed and made a pneumatic clutch that is hand operated. I’m imagining a similar thing with a telescoping tube, small electric air pump and a bleed-off to lift the bonnet but that’s gonna take a lot of design work, fabrication and development to get the travel you’ll need. A front tilt with dampened stays would be easiest, sort of like power rear hatches that are on SUVs and minivans now. Call Tom Colby at Speedwell and tell him what you’re trying to do and see what he says. He sells the best fiberglass bonnets as well that knock off like 50 pounds if you wanted to really go nuts. 

Ron Soave

> On Aug 20, 2023, at 12:12 PM, Mark via Spridgets <spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:
> 
>  I have this weird problem.  I have a Bugeye that I have had for years, it runs and drives great but only gets used a few times a year.  My problem is raising the bonnet.  Thanks to a COVID vaccine reaction I lost my brachial plexus nerve in my right arm.  So essentially I am limited to the use of one arm (left) and one arm isn't enough, for me, to raise the Bugeye bonnet.  I can still use my other motor functions to shift and drive the car fine.  I am thinking that I need some sort of device to attach to the ceiling to lift it up with mechanical assist.  I am resisting the temptation to just use a multi part block and tackle with a loop around the chrome handle.  My other thought is to tilt it forward with a kit form somewhere, I think there are several out there.  I haven't ever used a forward tilt and not sure how much "lifting" is needed?   I can get help when I really need it but would rather be able to do it my self on my schedule.  Suggestions?  
> 
> Mark
> Nashville
> 58 Bugeye
> ------------------------
> 
> spridgets at autox.team.net
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