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Bugeye Restoration Finally Started

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Keith_M

Keith_M

Jedi Knight
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I am finally starting the restoration of my bugeye. The body has been sitting for 20+ years, and most of the parts are in boxes. My first chore is to get both suspensions off the body so I can send it off for bodywork. At this point, I plan to have the entire thing sandblasted and then assess the options. My first question for the collective wisdom is about my rear axle. It doesn't look right to me. There is no place for the rubber bumper on the top, and the part that the spring attaches to seems too short. I don't know much about this car; I bought it for $300 25 years ago. The rear axle may not even be original to the car.

I've attached pictures.

IMG_4271-s.jpgIMG_4276-s.jpgIMG_4282-s.jpg
 
Is it possible the axle is upside down (flipped)?
 
Trevor Jessie said:
Is it possible the axle is upside down (flipped)?
Click to expand...

I don't think so. The rebound straps wouldn't attach if it were flipped, and the breather hole is up like it should be.
 
from just the battery box and various other spots a relatively rust free start....always liked the 58's cause so few made..
 
bug_sixty said:
It seems in order to me.. The support arm bracket is a 58 only .... so you probably have that year car..
Click to expand...

Well, that may explain things a little. The title says it's a 59. Not sure what you mean by the support arm bracket...


The VIN is HAN5L17684. I've been looking for a chart that gives the build dates by VIN, but I haven't found one for sprites yet. Anyone know of one?
 
bug_sixty said:
OPPS had that completely wrong sorry... The arm is the later style... upper rear axle bar going to the wheel well
Click to expand...

Shouldn't there be a place for a rubber bumper on the top?? I'm still not convinced it's the correct rear axle housing...
 
Looks fine...When the bumper is in place there isn't a whole lot of space between the two and maybe only a few inches when sitting with normal load.... These are noted to hit the bumper a fair amount of the time.... Much less so than taking out the muffler etc on the big one...haha
 
Below is a picture of a bugeye rear axle that I found in an earlier BCF post. Next to it is a picture of mine. They look different to me...

DRUM_STRAP.sized.jpgIMG_4282-s.jpg
 
It looks like you have the radius arm in the wrong hole, unless this is how earlier cars were assembled. Mine is like pic#1
 
Keith,

Here are some shots from a '62 Mk 2 rear end which is the same as my '61 Bugeye, both with bumper above the radius arm attachment point. I do think your bumper brackets have been removed, because by the look of the lower mounting bolt, it may have had telescopic shocks that replaced the original, and they may have interfered with that bracket. What shocks were fitted to the car ?

Regards
Lew

IMG_0004.jpgIMG_0005.jpg
 
To me it looks like it was cut off. There is a small amount of rust on top and the bolt holding the radius arm is definitely "cleaner" then the others below or you have an earlier rear axle? Really solid car though!
Paul
 
Eric Dymock's book "The Sprites and Midgets" has some information detailed. Bugeye chassis numbers started at H-AN501 and finished H-AN5-50116.

In 1958 only 8,729 Bugeye Sprites were manufactured.

In 1959 there were 21,566 produced, in 1960 there were 18,665 and in last year of production, 1961, only 39 cars were produced.

Therefore. iI'd say that the title is correct and yours is a 1959, since 17,684 would have been in the first half off 1959 production.

Regards
Lew
 
Thanks for this info Lew and Paul. I think you're right in that the mounting bracket has been modified, possibly to accept a tube shock conversion. The car had no shocks when I bought it, which further supports that idea. Indeed, the rear axle was out of the car when I bought it; I installed it 25 years ago so I could roll the car around. I was planning to use an extra set of rear shocks from a 1966 Sprite, but I see that the bugeye rear shocks are different.

I'll look closely at the pictures you've sent and see if I can fix my axle housing. Otherwise, I guess I'll be in the market for another (as well as some shocks).

Paul, the car IS fairly solid, but there is some bondo. The sills and door posts have been replaced. We'll see how things look after sandblasting!
 
Looks like a pretty solid starting point, all things considered. Should be a fun project, and good to see another Bugeye heading back to the road.
 
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