• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

Bugeye generator color

Rut

Obi Wan
Country flag
Offline
My Horler is gone and mr google shows a variety of colors, mainly black and engine green. Which color is correct for a 1960 Bugeye?
Thanks, Rut
 
OP
Rut

Rut

Obi Wan
Country flag
Offline
Rick,
Thanks, that’s the way I was leaning and I disassembled the generator and prepped it for paint. It’s a Bugeye with a 1275 and 5 speed and I’m trying not to have any glaringly wrong things visually that slap you in the face.
Thanks, Rut
 

Jim_Gruber

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
My Generator on Bugsy IV is Black. New Alternator in Lucas Case is Black. Rut I also sent you a PM earlier today.
 

HealeyRick

Yoda
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Rut,

I saw these on Facebook the other day, a bugeye belonging to Ben Kenion. As a former Sprite concours judge, I can tell you this is one of the most accurate cars I've seen in about 40 years:

25299246_10212909871514699_1190136274534877037_n.jpg
25348440_10212909870194666_3972690311041071572_n.jpg

25348478_10212909870154665_2318958318126465013_n.jpg
 

nomad

Yoda
Offline
Looks pretty darn correct to me, Rick, but what about the heater valve? :rolleyes: Not a concourse guy but that one doesn't look right somehow.

Kurt.
 

HealeyRick

Yoda
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Looks pretty darn correct to me, Rick, but what about the heater valve? :rolleyes: Not a concourse guy but that one doesn't look right somehow.

Kurt.

Good question, Kurt. I don't have my references nearby, but I've always seen them in natural brass. It could be they were painted black at the factory, which would've peeled off quite quickly as soon as hot water started passing through the valve and the brass began to expand and contract.
 
OP
Rut

Rut

Obi Wan
Country flag
Offline
Rick,
Thank you, thank you, thank you! That is exactly what I’m looking for and it answers other questions I was getting ready to post.
Thanks, Rut
 
OP
Rut

Rut

Obi Wan
Country flag
Offline
My Generator on Bugsy IV is Black. New Alternator in Lucas Case is Black. Rut I also sent you a PM earlier today.
Jim,
Thanks, I responded to your pm earlier today.
Rut
 

JPSmit

Moderator
Staff member
Silver
Country flag
Offline
IIRC the engines were painted with ancillaries like the generator installed - just a pass with the spray.
 

nomad

Yoda
Offline
I've encountered quite a few of the early heater valves and they all had hand wheels like the old water valves we grew up with. Not a knurled hand wheel like that one. Not worth the trouble to look but just nit picking!

Kurt.
 

HealeyRick

Yoda
Silver
Country flag
Offline
I've encountered quite a few of the early heater valves and they all had hand wheels like the old water valves we grew up with. Not a knurled hand wheel like that one. Not worth the trouble to look but just nit picking!

Kurt.

Kurt,

You're right, the early cars did have the garden faucet style wheel, but they later changed to the one you see here. I'd have to check my parts manual to see the change point but I'm too lazy. BTW, this bugeye is a gold level concours car and the interior is a knockout with original rubber floor mats:

25399091_10212909870074663_5734477810082394558_n.jpg
 

Jim_Gruber

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
John Kuzman in Cincinnati has a very fine BE also with Leaf Green mats. Those seem to have survived better than the other colors.
 
OP
Rut

Rut

Obi Wan
Country flag
Offline
I've encountered quite a few of the early heater valves and they all had hand wheels like the old water valves we grew up with. Not a knurled hand wheel like that one. Not worth the trouble to look but just nit picking!

Kurt.
My original heater valve was like the one pictured and I had a few from parts cars that varied in minor things like the knob and height. I rebuilt the original including a new seat cut, packing, and washer, but alas, it went up in the fire with all of the other restored parts. It was no more than a puddle of melted brass.
Rut
 

nomad

Yoda
Offline
Wow, Rut, takes a pretty hot fire to melt brass! Maybe that one is original.

Rick, those floor mats alone ought to win that car every concourse! Was that car at the Sprite 50th at LOTO? I didn't stay at the hotel but seem to remember a very nice Concourse BE in the lobby. Don't remember now if it was leaf green or not.

Kurt
 

Nelson

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
The Sprite in the lobby was Miss Agatha. It belonged to Jack Laird. He sold it a while back. I believe it went to someone on the East coast. I remember that it was very well done but I don't recall the color.
 

Jim_Gruber

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
Miss Agatha was purchased by Bill Mayer and trailered in a rather interesting adventure from FL to San Diego, which involved needing to purchase a different Tow Vehicle along the way. Bill subsequently sold Miss Agatha to a woman from TX IIRC. Not sure if he has heard anything about Miss Agatha lately.
 
OP
Rut

Rut

Obi Wan
Country flag
Offline
Wow, Rut, takes a pretty hot fire to melt brass! Maybe that one is original.


Kurt
Kurt,
We were at the end of a 3 Mo drought and the pool house/shop was all V groove pine paneling. When the power came back on from the outage it started a fire in an outlet, the best that the fire investigators could figure out, but since all of the copper, aluminum, and brass was melted they couldn’t be 100% sure. The fire was so hot that it broke windows in the house, melted gutters and roof shingles, blinds inside the garage, engine stands, carbs, manifolds, SS headers, transmissions, etc. When the oxygen cylinders exploded it shook windows in the neighborhood and blew out a side wall. I had 2 Lincoln mig welders and it melted both of them! Have you ever seen magnesium wheels burn?
Rut
 

nomad

Yoda
Offline
Wow, Rut, oxygen cylinders would probably add to the heat. Haven't seen magnesium wheels burn but the local welding shop went to weld a lawn mower deck once not knowing it was magnesium so the locals got to chuckle about it for a while! :highly_amused:

Seems that my poor memory puts the LOTO Sprite at leaf green or blue. Nice car.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
vette Need BugEye Generator Austin Healey 7
vette Need BugEye Generator Spridgets 4
I Bugeye generator/alternator conversion question Spridgets 7
5 Tach Drive Generator for a Bugeye Spridgets 2
Rut Bugeye generator Spridgets 8
TulsaFred Bugeye Generator rear bush issue Spridgets 8
longbridgehealey generator from 948 Bugeye Spridgets 2
TulsaFred Bugeye tach drive generator Spridgets 2
I Bugeye generator help Spridgets 45
M Bugeye generator brushes Spridgets 1
toysrrus Bugeye Generator Part info. needed: Spridgets 2
John Moore Bugeye Generator Spridgets 17
R Bugeye ignition switch Spridgets 2
T Music Video with a Bugeye, plus a hill climb video Spridgets 1
D For Sale 1958 Bugeye Sprite Austin Healey Classifieds 3
Todd78d Bugeye carpet Spridgets 7
L For Sale original Bugeye SU H1-1 1/8 Carbs Spridgets Classified 0
Todd78d Bugeye choke linkage Spridgets 5
J Installing Adapter Hubs for Wire Wheels on a Bugeye Austin Healey 5
R Wanted Bugeye ignition switch Spridgets Classified 2
drooartz Replacing Bugeye windshield rubber Spridgets 6
CARSINC 1965 Sprite Bugeye Spridgets 5
drooartz The great Gordon Murray has a Bugeye! Spridgets 0
W Bugeye Tudor Wash Bottle Decal Spridgets 0
R Bugeye drum brakes Spridgets 7
SNClocks Moss Motors 5-speed install in a Bugeye Sprite Spridgets 2
SNClocks Bugeye Alignment Spridgets 4
R Wanted Looking For A Rear Glass For A Bugeye Hardtop Spridgets Classified 0
S For Sale Bugeye wheels, steel with round holes set of 5 available Spridgets Classified 0
D Wanted Bugeye bonnet (hood) fiberglass or steel Austin Healey Classifieds 0
M Wanted Need 59 Bugeye Dashboard. LHD. Spridgets Classified 1
J Finally getting (re) started on the Bugeye Spridgets 27
drooartz Restoring Penny the Bugeye Spridgets 22
drooartz Bugeye jack points to remove rear axle Spridgets 18
B Wanted Bugeye front bonnet fender mirror like this Spridgets Classified 5
SNClocks Bugeye axle limit straps Spridgets 5
R Wanted BUGEYE SHIFT LEVER Spridgets Classified 6
R Bugeye Starter Switch Spridgets 7
Lin Bugeye Axle Hub & Bearings Austin Healey 1
G For Sale 1960 BugEye..Very Good..$20,500 Austin Healey Classifieds 0
Lou E Finally a Bugeye of my very own Spridgets 41
5 Sold My 1960 Bugeye Spridgets 10
SNClocks Goings on with our new Bugeye Spridgets 1
F 59 bugeye spring bushing bolt Spridgets 8
Rut 3 point belts in a Bugeye? Spridgets 9
JPSmit gluing a panel on to a bugeye Restoration & Tools 2
I Bugeye oil leak help Spridgets 4
I Bugeye lack of power Spridgets 1
I Bugeye charging issues Spridgets 8
I Bugeye smoking Spridgets 9

Similar threads

Top