1969 Spridget owners, please respond

[200mph]

Interesting question re: 1969 model year Sprite/Midget front fenders.
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I always thought the change lowering the park light/turn signal position on the front fender was made for the 1970 model year as part of BL's "restyling", along with the thinner bumpers, black rocker panels, new taillights, etc.
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The 69 Sprite I bought has the old style bumpers but the NEW style front fenders. One other 69 owner I know has the same setup.
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Since fenders are easily swapped between Spridgets, it could be a DPO swap. Can anyone else confirm if their '69 came this way, or with the older style fenders?????
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Thanks,
Mike

 

[JPSmit]

quite possibly you have a face lift car. In October 1969, a number of small changes were made. I was just looking at "Original Sprite & Midget" and while I couldn't find the reference to the front signal lights, the sides were lowered. Post October, the numbering went from HAN9 and GAN4 to start at (approximately) HAN10-86377 and GAN5-91407. The MK designation did not change

 

[200mph]

Thanks JP. "Post October 69" cars are 1970 models, HAN10, and do have the full "facelift".

My car is an HAN9L/ and was built late 1968 as a 1969 model. The ONLY aspect of the facelift that it has are the front fenders, and I find that curious.

I have noted that VB catalogs the later front fender for model years 1969-74, and not just 1970-74.

 

[JPSmit]

looking at the book it seems to imply (without actually stating) that some changes were phased in.

 

[200mph]

The book does list a number of US Safety changes for the 1968 model year (pages 100-102) but is silent on 1969, picking up again with the 1970 facelift changes (chapter 6).

Clausager is not an infallable source. His book shows lots of photos of VSX568M, a 1972 or '73 Midget that has appears to have the early, and therefore wrong, front fenders.