Thoughtful upgrades for a BE

We've owned a yellow 'some years it runs; some years it don't' 1959 BE since 1971, and one other that has never been on the road since we bought it in 1971. We're assembling the non-runner (the 1960 silver Sprite), and have incorporated a few upgrades/modifications on them both over the years. I'll try to summarize what we've done, and would appreciate the thoughts of others on this same topic - with the modifications cited not applying to one or the other BE, but identifying the sum total:

1275 cc engine
spin-on oil filter
Weber 40 DCOE
header
Pertronix ignition
Datsun 210 all synchro five speed
front sway bar
front disc brakes, and matching changes to rear drums
sleeved master cylinder, to match clutch and brake changes
stainless steel pipe from header to standard Sprite muffler, with inlet/outlets changed to match
rear panhard rod (still to be installed)
wider rims
rollbar and three (or four point) seatbelts - still to be designed and installed
currently, lap belts
LED tail/brake and signal lights (AN ABSOLUTE ESSENTIAL)
a very expensive replacement wiring harness on the silver BE that is being assembled
added cigarette lighter/power take off to the plywood mount behind the 'chicken bar' handle on the dash
Rustchek

We don't have a front bumper (it was apparently optional in Canada) but I would like to add some form of Nerf bar (if anyone has advice- please provide).
The front shocks on the Silver Sprite were rebuilt, and I (memory failing) had the rear springs on the yellow sprite either replaced or re-arched. And I'd like to add 4-way flashers at some point.

If I won ten million dollar lottery, I'd look into changing the engine to a 1380 cc 'big block' with a twin-cam BMW motorcycle cylinder head and EFI. I'd also be dating Sophia Loren.....

Barring that, what have others done to build their personal 'modern' Bug-Eye?

Thanks!

Sounds like all good idea's. I'd add a change of the heater valve so that you can control it from inside the cockpit and I would look for sway bars in a pick and pull salvage yard to make "nerf bars" that will spring back.

Kurt.

A few upgrades on my 59

Seam welded frame
Reinforce frame rails
Reinforce sway bar mounts
Reinforce control arm brackets
Reinforce center front plate to ¼”
5 link rear suspension with rose joints
Reinforce Panhard mounts
4 wheel dics brakes with 4 pot front alloy calipers
Brake, fuel, oil Teflon stainless lined hoses
Coolant hoses Silicone
5/16” Copro/Nickel fuel line pipe instead of 3/16’
Brake tubing Copro/Nickel
Rear adjustable coil over alloy shocks
Rear 1/2” tube sway bar
Front 7/8" tube sway bar
1380 big bore engine with 10.5 compression
Ported head with 1.44 intake Rimflow & exhaust valves
SPVP3 billet cam
45 DCOE Weber
Maniflow ceramic coated header
Aluminum flywheel
Moldex billet crank
Billet rods
1.5 titan roller rockers
ARP bolts
Mallory Unilite distributor
16 row oil cooler
4:55 gear for the 210 5/speed gear box
Sebring seats
14lb glass mat battery
Gear reduction starter
6 quart oil pan
Remote oil filter
Adjustable oil pressure valve
Denso alternator
Relayed wiring harness with main kill switch
Serck Motorsport alloy radiator with 11” Spal thermostatic controlled fan
Speedhut tachometer, speedometer, in the likeness of the originals.
14" Minilites with Dunlop Direzzas
Heat reflected shielding in transmission tunnel
304 stainless exhaust and muffler

It's minor, but if you're going to LED exterior lights, why not switch out the panel lights for LEDs, too? It's one less "rock in the rowboat" for the car's electrical draw.

Also, headlight harness that draws power from the battery directly would be helpful if you want to upgrade to halogen headlamps up front.

Bugsy IV will be getting
Speedhut GPS Speedo and Matching Tach
Upgraded Wiring Harness w Relays
a DPDT Mini Switch mounted under the dash so Radio can be powered without Ignition circuit being powered
Electric Fan with Frontline Auto Temp switch in bottom Radiator Hose
Front Tilt Bonnet - Gerard's Kit - Hardware awaiting install
5 Speed 210 Kit from Gerard - Hardware awaiting install
Convert Rear back to Lever Arm Shocks and replace front LEver Arms w new from Peter C
Replace saggy Springs w new stock - Hardware awaiting install
Front Discs and Upgraded Rear - Resleeve Master in 3/4" Brass - Hardware awaiting install
14 " VTO Wheels and sticky tires
1275 of course - rebuilt or purchase as a rebuilt already I know where there is a stash
Delete Front Bumper - I have one with overrider hoops available - will need cleanup and possible rechrome
New Grille from AH Spares - it's really shiny' - Hardware awaiting install
OEW Paint and Red Interior - Interior and Carpet awaiting Install
Twin 6" Red Stripes
New Red Everflex Tonneau and new Red Top - BE Guy - Tonneau Returned as color did not match
License Plate Trick Mounting Hardware - BE Guy - Hardware awaiting install
Ignition Guillotine Switch - No it cannot be mounted with dash in the car - I tried - Hardware awaiting install
New Muffler got to find that nice Harley 19" sportster Muffler again
Rebuild Total Front Suspension and go to stock sway bar, new bushings all around - Hardware awaiting install
New Radius Arm Bars installed. - Hardware awaiting install

I'm sure other things will happen along the way but I enjoy this list so far.

Agree with SaxMan on headlight relays. Much brighter headlight's and easier on the old Lucas switch's. More relays if your in the mood. [ horn, fan and windshield wiper motor]

Kurt.

I was visiting a friend in ND. a while back and in his shop he had a bunch of th bosh style relays on plug pig tails with bulit in fuse sockets! Rated at 30 amp on them .
he gave me 4 of them there going on the bugeye along with my new 1 wire small form alternator
see ya regulator !

Oh yeah I left out conversion to Alternator
Headlight Relays definitely
And Gear Reduction Starter with a Clocking Mounting Plate - Awaiting Install
Goes with the 5-Speed Kit

Agree that an alternator is a good idea but on a BE you will loose the tach drive from the generator.:blue:

Kurt.

Ah yes matching Speedhut Alternator to go with the Speedhut GPS Speedo. Fixes issue with unreliable convertor boxes to adapt Datsun Drive to work on Smiths Instruments and resolves Tach issue and gauges look sort of like BE Guages anyway.

Jim - could you elaborate on your Speedhut alternator comments?
Sawman - advice regards bulb replacements for the instruments?
Reading the above comments, I feel like such an under-achiever! Sigh!
We're installing the gear reduction starter on the Silver Sprite so we don't have to cut holes in the transmission bell-housing; the yellow sprite makes do with the stock starter, and associated excavation in the bellhousing.
Regards relays and such: we're putting in the Advance Autowire wiring harness kit, and it has relays that NASA would be jealous of. However, I wonder if I might have been further ahead by buying a stock replacement wiring harness and then adding some select relays, as the Autowire kit is a kit, and takes a fair bit of work to install. But I also know diddly-squat about relays.
The BugEye Guy has a neat alternator/tachometer conversion, but it's still a wee bit rich for my blood at this point
One point I'm ahead of the rest of you riff-raff on is that the prototype shifter cupola that Jeff built out of fibreglas has been installed, and I think it looks and works as well as is possible. Jeff has joined the BCF, and we'll hopefully be able to figure out how to post some photos.
I've purchased the adapters from Creative Spridgets to replace the rear drums with Nissan discs, but won't worry about that upgrade until she's complete and on the road.
I'm also thinking about external mirrors (the ones that bolt through the windshield mounts) as my flexibility is irrevocably deteriorating.
And an upgrade that is so natural that we've all forgotten is: tyres!

Jim_Gruber said:

Ah yes matching Speedhut Alternator to go with the Speedhut GPS Speedo. Fixes issue with unreliable convertor boxes to adapt Datsun Drive to work on Smiths Instruments and resolves Tach issue and gauges look sort of like BE Guages anyway.

Click to expand...

I really wanted to keep my original gauges when I did the V8 swap into the big Healey. You can see how I handled it on my build page in my sig. I had a cable made up to connect the Ford T5Z tranny to the speedo but couldn't get the ratios right. I looked at Speedhut gauges but they couldn't match the off white color of the original gauges. I finally solved the problem with a GPS driven device that I was (and still am) a beta tester for. It's just gone into production: https://www.classicautoinnovations.com/classic

Speedhut makes a nice GPS Speedo that is similar in appearance to the BE Speedo. Several folks have used and I'm sure someone will post a photo. They also make a matching tach. Cost for the pair around $375 IIRC but they do do a 20% Off Sale several times a year. So converting to alternator. Tach on a BE is Cable Driven. That no longer works. And going to a new Wiring Harness without the Regulator Wiring so harness is simpler. Tach uses inputs off of the coil to calculate REVs same as is done with all Electronic Tachs. My decision was for appearance sake to go to matching GPS Speedo and Tach.

nomad said:

Agree that an alternator is a good idea but on a BE you will loose the tach drive from the generator.:blue:

Kurt.

Click to expand...

Well yes and no I found and rv unit and replaced the electronics with a board from Spida .
my poor tach .. Started as a mech then a poor electric and now a really nice solid state still with original bugeye can and face, works great!

Back in the sixties cars didn't come with four way emergency flashers. I picked up an add on unit from a local store and installed it in Little Mo. There has been a couple of times when I have had to put it to use. I was glad i had it as I was on a narrow road on a hill.

Leather seats are nice. Electric fan. Oil cooler. Nice aluminum radiator. I went with the front bumper minus the over riders.
Chrome bumper supports. Upgrade lights. Rubber mats are nice. Tach that reads up to your rpm ranges is nice too.
lighten crank,alloy flywheel and harmonic help it spin faster. Nice head really helps them breathe.
I am a fan of the twin SUs. Look great and work even better.
I like the tube shocks but really not necessary.
A Lucas tinted windshield and day/night rear view mirror is a nice un-noticed touch.
Lucas bugeye specific wind wings are snazzy addition that works.
Tonneau cover is helpful.
polished windshield frame and cockpit surrounds add bling.
Make it your own and you will not be disappointed.

I think my favorite from behind the wheel is the wheel skins leather wheel cover . Just feels nicer than the hard plastic-or whatever that stuff is

I forgot to mention:
- tonneau cover (finally got one this summer; and I have a right hand drive one for sale if anyone is interested (I picked the wrong part number)
- braided stainless steel brake and clutch lines

Future:
- roll bar (not concerned over rolling the wee beastie, but getting t-boned)

David/Gundy: where are the wind wings available from?

twas_brillig said:

I forgot to mention:
- tonneau cover (finally got one this summer; and I have a right hand drive one for sale if anyone is interested (I picked the wrong part number)
- braided stainless steel brake and clutch lines

Future:
- roll bar (not concerned over rolling the wee beastie, but getting t-boned)

David/Gundy: where are the wind wings available from?

Click to expand...

I love wheelskin covers. Quality stuff.
I think someone makes some new wind wings. The Lucas variety is VERY hard to find.

So do the wind wings really help?
after a 80 mile ride at speed my neck gets sore from buffeting
would they help? And where do you find them?