Fip up bonnet

[Taz]

Has any one done a flip forward bonnet on a sprite. I have seen them on the bugeye, but none on a later model. I think I may try this on mine. The purests will flip but I like to do things different

Taz

 

[Trevor Jessie]

I can see doing a fiberglass version, but I would think that a steel version would be too heavy. www.speedwellengineering.com have some nice looking fiberglass units.

 

[spritenut]

A friend of mine bought a 69 Sprite with a forward tilt front end. What a mess! Way too heavy, it twisted when opening and closing, and rattled when shut. His had no lcokdown.
It's long gone.

Frank

 

[Bugeye58]

Remember that the Bugeye has a one piece bonnet to start with. Doing a flip front on a Spridget using an original front end would be a nightmare.
My race Sprite has a fiberglass front clip, with a removeable bonnet, and I can remove it as a unit. But, it only weighs about 20 pounds.
Jeff

 

[Taz]

I have looked at the Speedwell bonnet. If I have any money left over after the 5 sp converison I may go in this direction. Or I may look at the fiberglas fenders from The Winners Circle. Just a thought. It will be a long winter, I have to have something to play around with.

Thanks to every one

Taz

 

[spritenut]

If you want a decent fiberglass front end, check out Spridgetech. They have some nice stuff.
I had to throw out the weiners circle glass bonnet I bought.
Maybe it was fair for a beatup race car but it was not even close for a street car.

 

[aeronca65t]

Taz:

Welcome.

Just as an alternate idea, I'm posting the "quasi-Super-Sprite" nose I built for my racer earlier this year (top five images). It uses normal box-Sprite front fenders with the headlight crowns cut off. I have intended to install headlights in the grill if I ever use these for street use. Right now the car has stock fenders back on (so I can race it in the normal class), but I may slip these slant-nose fenders on for a few vintage events in '05. The hood (bonnet) is the normal, rear-hinged affair.
I did see a box-Sprite with the stock fenders and hood bolted together for flip-up use, a few years ago. I would not do this though: I think that the front fenders add small amount of stiffness to the chassis and I'd hate to lose that.

 

[Taz]

Seem s like most are against the idea. It would be heavy. The front end is comeing off anyhow to fix some very minor rust.Your #11 look good.

Thanks Taz

 

[Taz]

I have the front fenders and front piece off of the car. Even with the hood it is not any heaver than my friends steel bugeye front end. I still may make it a flip up bonnet. I will take pictures as I go along. as of right no I think it will work. We will see!!

Thanks to all that offered help
Taz

 

[Taz]

Well I have to agree with most all of you. The steel front end would be to heavy and probley not worth the hassle. I'm going to just put it back in the stock setup.

Thanks again
Taz /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif