Does your car have the strengthening gussets in the door
frames. Open a door and look at the rearward section of the
door frame, NOT the door itself. . Find the striker and go
down to the bottom. At least the earlier '58's had gussets
welded in from the factory. They're pretty big, you won't
miss 'em if you've got 'em. That's a feature that wouldn't
be changed by some DPO. Does anyone know when that was
eliminated?
George Procyshyn
----- Original Message -----
From "Robert Duquette" <RobertDuquette at Sympatico.ca>
To: "Spridgets" <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2000 7:33 AM
Subject: Re: My '60 might be a '58!
> This one's got me too. I keep looking ... and it should
be getting easier
> ... but can't find one on my UK spec car.
>
> If I ever do find it, I will post a picture so that
everyone knows exactly
> where on the car that one should look.
>
> Robert Duquette
> Ottawa ON Canada
> http://www3.sympatico.ca/robertduquette
> RobertDuquette@Sympatico.ca
> '65 RHD BRG Sprite
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gerard Chateauvieux <pixelsmith@gerardsgarage.com>
> To: Brad Fornal <toyman@digitex.net>; Wiedemeyer
<boxweed@thebest.net>
> Cc: Rich Hill <richard.hill@sri.com>; spridgets list
> <spridgets@autox.team.net>
> Date: June 12, 2000 10:51 PM
> Subject: Re: My '60 might be a '58!
>
>
> >I don't know what year this practice began (probably
MKIII or IV Sprite)
> >but it definately does not exist on the Bugeye. I'm
guessing it became an
> >issue as part of the Federal standards.
> >
> >Gerard
> >
> >At 6:29 PM -0500 6/12/00, Brad Fornal wrote:
> >>I looked on the 60 and didn't see it. I looked on the 65
and it is there,
> >>right
> >>behind the shock on the mounting plate.
> >>
> >>Wiedemeyer wrote:
> >>
> >>> Everyone's been talking about the serial # being
stamped on the front of
> the
> >>> right front shock tower (although I've not been able
to find it on any
> of my
> >>> '63s), so you might try looking here for the
definitive # for your car.
> >>>
> >>> Bob
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: Rich Hill <richard.hill@sri.com>
> >>> To: spridgets <spridgets@autox.team.net>
> >>> Date: Monday, June 12, 2000 12:09 PM
> >>> Subject: My '60 might be a '58!
> >>>
> >>> >We were filling out the form for the Heritage
certificate last night
> for
> >>> our
> >>> >Bugeye and found some interesting discrepancies on
the numbers. There
> are
> >>> 4
> >>> >numbers on the Bugeye body that should be close --
not the same, but at
> >>> >least close. Our VIN is AN5L31698 (January 1960)
while the numbers on
> both
> >>> >door posts (and the engine, actually) are in the
27400 range. I had
> always
> >>> >assumed someone changed the VIN for some reason and
our car was really
> made
> >>> >in late '59 (corresponding to the 27400 range).
However, the fourth
> >>> number,
> >>> >and the only number not held on by screws, is the one
stamped into the
> body
> >>> >on the top of the passenger footwell. On our car,
that number is 5180.
> >>> >Horler says this was most likely stamped when the
body shells were
> produced
> >>> >and is close to the car number. 5180 and 31698 are
obviously nowhere
> >>> close!
> >>> >5180 would put the date of manufacture at around
October '58. This
> does
> >>> >explain a few things about our car -- the apparent
original primrose
> yellow
> >>> >paint (discontinued early '59), the lack of the big
rubber standoffs on
> top
> >>> >of the inner fenders (added around car number 6000),
and the long door
> >>> >handles. Turns out the door post numbers (and the
VIN of course) are
> held
> >>> >on by screws and one of them (the right door post)
has one phillips and
> one
> >>> >flathead -- someone's been playing with numbers!
> >>> >
> >>> >I don't think any serious (i.e., front clip) bodywork
has been done on
> this
> >>> >car. I've looked but haven't found any evidence.
> >>> >
> >>> >So, is there a definite way of determining if the
body is a '58?
> >>> >
> >>> >How close should the number stamped into the body be
to the VIN?
> >>> >
> >>> >Horler mentions a tooling hole in the rear
crossmember added at about
> car
> >>> >6000 -- what am I looking for there?
> >>> >
> >>> >The change from 9 stud windshield to 2 was around car
5500 (more or
> less).
> >>> >Ours has two studs, but any bolt on pieces could have
been changed
> (hey,
> >>> >someone changed the numbers!).
> >>> >
> >>> >Unfortunately, it looks like most of the early
changes (box section
> behind
> >>> >the seats, etc.) were worked out before car # 5000 so
those won't help.
> >>> >
> >>> >Thanks,
> >>> >
> >>> >Rich Hill
> >>> >'58 AH Sprite (we think -- it was a '60 until
yesterday)
> >>> >'79 MG Midget (completely sure of that!)
> >>> >
> >>> >p.s. if it is a '58 now we have one from the first
and last year of
> >>> >Sprite/Midget production
> >
> >
> >--
> >
> >G G Gerard Chateauvieux
> > E A
> > R R pixelsmith@gerardsgarage.com
> > A A
> > R G Pixelsmith on Duty
> > D E
> > S http://www.gerardsgarage.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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