Sorry Miq, you technically own 1 Bugeye and 1 Sprite MkII with a bugeye
bonnet, but they are similar enough %^)
I also own a bugeye and have a few things to add to Miq's list. By the way,
don't let Miq's posting scare you off - these cars are very easy to work on,
mechanically. I'd say rust is your biggest enemy. I also concur with the
hood sticks. These are very hard to find. Most things are available - like
the mechanical tach gear reduction box ($100). The bolt on sidescreens (wind
up windows are for wimps!) were about $175 a pair, last I checked.
As far as body shape, check where the rear springs attach to the body, in front
of the axle. If this area ever rusts out, you will be in deep shit as the
springs are quarter eliptic, which means that one end bolts to the body and
the other end bolts to the axle. The MkIIb (or is it MkIII) Sprites changed
to a half eliptic (both ends bolt to body with the middle bolted to the axle).
What this means is that this little area of the body is under a lot of stress
and if this area succumbs to rust, it will be difficult to rebuild it.
The other body item I want to add is that some old Spridgets have a tendency to
sag in the middle. Take a look at the side of the car and look at the gap
surrounding the doors. If the gap between the door and door pillar is greater
at the bottom than the top, it could mean that the car is sagging in the
middle. It could also mean that the doors are screwed up.
These cars are around 30 years old and most have led a hard life. The
most important item to look for is a decent body with little rust. I have
found that fixing mechanical things on Spridgets is a breeze. Fixing the body
and structural members is not.
good luck
--
steve valin
steve@sgi.com "It's completely lodged inside you now"
(415) 335-1379 -Thinking Fellers Union Local #282
|