Figuring out year of a bugeye

[bugedd]

I went this weekend to look at a shell to build, supposedly a 59. One thing it has that my 60 does not is a windshield support from the middle of the cowl to the top of the windshield. That made me wonder if it was one of the early cars that used the thin windshield posts.

Also the beading that is on the fenders was unique. The bead wasn't simple and rounded like mine. It had detail, a raised center giving it a hump in the middle of the bead. Any idea if that is a detail from a particular model year?

I probably will pass on it, the outer skins behind the rear wheels is rusted bad, behind that the inner crumbled in my hand, and the rear seam at the rear end below the license plate area was rusted through as well. A bit more cutting then I care to do. But that detail on the bead was very cool.

 

[mightymidget]

Never seen a brace like that before, some later models Midgets and Sprites have a torsion stringer in the middle of the windsheild, but never seen a Bugeye with one.
You didn't get a photo of the beading did you?

 

[sqbsprite]

Sounds like the bead is correct. Most have been sanded smooth over the years. There should be a ridge on each edge and a slight hump in between. Mine are sharp on the rear of my MkII. It was the same on a BE I restored that had only been painted once.

 

[ichthos]

Thee beading you described is correct. I took my car down to bare metal. The beading detail is no longer that visible not because I sanded it, but because the paint is much thicker that what came from the factory. Not concours, but I was more worried about rust. For what it is worth, my vin number is 21339, and it was produced in November of 1959. What is the vin on the shell you are thinking of buying? Somewhere I know I have see a list showing the vin numbers and the years they were produced.
Kevin

 

[jlaird]

List is in the "Orginal Sprite and Midget".