You can avoid pulling the engine to replace the ring gear
if you get one of them new-fangled gear-reduction starters,
which engage from the front (i.e. the unmolested side of the ring
gear). They are fairly expensive (I think I paid ~225 for
mine), but it's worth it to save pulling the engine. I got
mine from Winner's Circle (www.spridgets.com). One word of
warning: the bottom starter bolt is replaced with a stud
(because of the location of the engagement mechanism), so
I was unable to use it on my 5-speed-equipped bugeye without
furthur cutting on the transmission). I'm using it in my
Seven (1275 + ribcase), and it's a beautiful thing.
-Hans "crank me up" Huber
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