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Bugeye Sprite defrost vent installation question

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tim66ah

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Just painted my B.E. and getting ready to install the dash. Figured I'd install the defrost pluming. All in but at windshield, how do they attach? I have no holes to mount them...
 

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There should be 2 screw holes for each vent.
Rut
 

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Thanks, that's what I thought. Now to drill holes through my new paint... This car appears to never had them installed as well as no washer jets. It was an Oklahoma car from new.
 
The heater was an option and I don't know if the holes should be there regardless. Look under the cowl and see if there's any evidence of previous holes. You may want to investigate another way of attaching your vents if no evidence of the original holes can be found...possibly a strip of wood or Starboard glued to the underside, slotted and drilled to accept the screws holding the vent. We use this technique quite often on boats to mount things on fiberglass when using 'wood' screws.
Rut
 
Is there enough flange to even use 3M type trim adhesive?
 
Thanks for the ideas. I looked underneath and no holes ever existed. Should I leave the heater out? I only drive in the summer. When it's cold enough to need heat I put will put it away for the winter.
 
The defrost is pretty anaemic at the best of times. That said, will you drive it in the rain with the top up? in which case you might need it - condensation happens quickly.
 
No plans for it to see rain with top up. I don't plan on using the top. Its just an accessory to make the car complete and just in case..thing. I may leave the defrost ducts in place like the previous owner. I'll give some thought..
 
How hard is the paint?? You might be able to use a small tube that has been sharpened to cut through the paint and keep it from chipping out when you drill the holes. It would require a test in a spot that isn't going to be visible such as under the cockpit trim.

Kurt.
 
I suggest that you install the heater etc., just so you don't lose the pieces and so it looks complete under the hood. DId the car come with the heater etc.? If so, I figure it should've been set up for the defrosts.

And questions for my stuff:
- with a British Heritage certificate, do they advise what options a BE would've had?
- can anyone advise as to the type of screws (thread pitch; diameter, anything/everything) that were originally used? AH Spares doesn't list them and I'll be danged if I know where ours ended up. I was thinking of drilling the plastic vents and through bolting with something (ideally stainless) that duplicates the original head design.
Thanks, Doug
 
I have just bought a 1960 Bugeye. But have been on the Triumph forum for several years. I just went out and removed one of the screws and it looks to be a # 6 Phillips head sheet metal screw about 3/8 inch mine were painted but look to have been chromed originally.

The options are marked on the back of the dash. Mine has an H I believe it means heater.
 

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Not having the heater installed sure makes things easier to get to in the engine bay. Especially the battery. All my components are painted and stored in a large plastic tub for a future restoration. I installed blanking plates over the heater box opening and the round fresh air inlet behind the grill. All air has to go through the radiator which helps cooling.

I haven't had my top on in over 20 years. I've been caught in the rain on occasion, but I just try to drive it when the weather is nice.
 
won't be phillips it will be posidrive but, at that location and that size, I can't imagine anyone but a complete fanatic would see the difference
 
thanks guys! Doug
 
If you ever get caught in a Midwest cloudburst you will appreciate having a car with defrost vents as well as a passenger with a wipe rag! Add to that heavy modern traffic that thinks it should never have to slow for anything and you have a real pucker moment till you can get off the road!!

Kurt.
 
This thread reminds me of one winter when I had to drive the VW a few times. Had to carry an ice scraper, for the INSIDE of the windshield.
 
You mean that scraping the inside of the windshield ISN'T normal?
we don't get much winter here, but I like to have a credit card handy for cleaning the inside before the defroster has warmed everything up or sometimes when a blast of snow/whatever comes through the vents. Anyone else remember having plastic sheets with black adhesive on the edge, and you put those on the inside of the side windows to provide a form of double paning so you could see?
And - particularly in our flat windscreen dune buggy - I like to have a spare windshield wiper lying on the dash, for clearing the rain drops etc. Also the BE a couple of times with no top, and 'inappropriate' conditions. Doug
 
Whatever you do -- make sure you do it before the windshield goes in. Trying to screw in the vents with the windshield in the way is not a lot of fun. It's not impossible, but it's a lot harder than it should be.
 
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