Help with 60 Bugeye - major drivetrain issue...

[Jim_Gruber]

Mike,
time to find another rear end. This one is toast. Time to start asking for help on this forum and AHexp.com and Mgexp.com for a rear end to fit aSpridget with quarter elliptic springs. Check eBay as well. Someone on one of those lists has a spare. Won’t be cheap to ship. On second thought this looks like it’s just the pumpkin that is fubar’d. I’ve got a spare 4.22 from Bugsy that i’m not using. I swapped mine out for a 3.9 pumpkin. And it’s already in a styrofoam molded shipping box. $150.00 plus shipping cost.

 

[mikeamondo]

Hey Jim! Thanks for the info... I'm really thinking I'd like to swap for a 3.9 if I can find it... much more in to top in cruise comfort than power off the line.... Should the 3.9 or the 3.7 bolt right up or is there modification needed?

 

[Rut]

Mike,
The 3.9 and 3.7 fit just like the 4.22, but they cost significantly more than the 4.22. https://www.ebay.com/itm/MG-Midget-3-7-Differential/273884466504?hash=item3fc4c94d48:g:faUAAOSwuENc~z3Y
Rut

 

[HealeyRick]

If you have a stock 948 motor, I don't think a 3.9 is a great idea. It's going to make a slow car slower, tougher to get up hills and require a lot more shifting. Stay with the 4.22.

 

[mikeamondo]

@Rut -- Car is a 1275 .... however, as you mention the cost may make the decision...

@Jim_Gruber -- How big of a difference did the 3.9 swap make for you? I feel like at 60 mph or more the old boy is screaming his nuts off.... I've got a local contact who may have a decent number of Midget parts... but if I can't find one locally, I'll PM you on the 4.22....

 

[John Kuzman]

Mike -

I have a good, used original 4.22 rear end out of my '59 Bugeye setting on the shelf in my shop. It ran fine when I swapped it out for a 3.90. The 4.22 is yours for the cost of shipping.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

OK John you win, Mike, I added the 3.9 at the same time I switched over to the 5 Speed. 80 mph is now about 3800-4000 RPM. And first gear is a lot more useful with the 3.9 and 5 Speed. You aren't shifting 50' after you let the clutch out. The 5 Speed on the 210 tranny is lower than on a BE 4 speed.

Mike, John Kuzman is a buddy of mine from when I lived in Dayton. Once Bugsy gets back on the road I need to take a trip South to Bonita Springs, FL this Fall and go cruising in lower FL. For reference I paid $200 for my 3.9 pumpkin from another lister on this forum.

 

[Joe Schlosser]

I ran my 948 at highway speecs with the 4.22 for years with no issues. Several runs from NY-Baltimore way back when I was younger. Even withthe 1275 I prefer the 4.22 due to the back road driving around me. Car is never going to be a LD driver any more.
With the 4.22 60 mph is about 4K Rpm. Yes it is screaming and maybe I abuse the motor but is strong and in 50 years of street driving I have yet to ruin a motor due to revs. For that matter no issues with stock rods and crank up to 8K in race motor.
As it has been said all the diff assemblies fit all sprites from BE through the last A series 1275 motor.
I suggest you take John up on his offer. It sounds like a great deal. How far are you form him for a pick up to save shipping
Now the question is why was your rear damaged like it is. My thought is that one of the bolts came loose and broke the bearing carrier. This is very strange. the carrier to wheel bolts are very strong and do not just shear off. Have to back out and his something to break.
Did the PO have the diff repaired??

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Joe with the damage to the pumpkin that Mike Posted, do you see any chance of the carrier assembly having an issue? I'm thinking some cleanup, paint, hylomar, a gasket made from Gasket Material( took about 30 minutes to make a complete gasket, you'll need a leather punch kit from Hobby Lobby about $5.00 and then you can punch out nice bolt holes for the pumpkin bolts along with scissors and an exacto Blade. The gaskets that Moss provides are very thin paper almost tissue paper like and rip easily. I ruined three and ended up making my own.

 

[Joe Schlosser]

Jim
I doubt there would be any damage to the mating faces of the diff to the axle. Everything that happened was inside and the faces would not have been exposed.
The question is what caused the bolt to back out. It appears to have a lock tab. The damaged axle was most likely the result and not the cause if the other damage.
As for the gaskets I never had any issue with the commercial gaskets. I probably changed the diff out 2X a year. The old Pocono configuration needed the 3.7 ratio, the 3.9 was run everywhere else.

 

[mikeamondo]

Mike -

I have a good, used original 4.22 rear end out of my '59 Bugeye setting on the shelf in my shop. It ran fine when I swapped it out for a 3.90. The 4.22 is yours for the cost of shipping.

Wow! Thank you! I'll take you up on that... I'll PM my contact info and you can let me know what the shipping might run.... Gotta love this community. I don't know much, so I don't have too much to offer, but I did take some videos as I removed the pumpkin... thinking about stringing them all together as a 'learn as I learn' video for youtube.... might help someone someday.

As far as the old one, I think I'll tear it apart to a. learn a bit about how it all goes together and b. see if I can figure out what broke first. I have no idea if the PO had any work done back there or not. It's possible... he certainly had some mechanical skills.

 

[John Kuzman]

Mike,

I should be able to package and ship the 4.22 either later today, or tomorrow morning. I would guess that you will see it Saturday or Monday. I will send you the shipping cost information and tracking number by PM.

 

[mikeamondo]

Mike,

I should be able to package and ship the 4.22 either later today, or tomorrow morning. I would guess that you will see it Saturday or Monday. I will send you the shipping cost information and tracking number by PM.

You're amazing. And my new best friend.
Thanks again!

 

[John Kuzman]

Mike -

You have a PM.

 

[mikeamondo]

Hey all... I finished installed the rear end provided by John... thanks again man.. super generous of you! Well, it all came together fine and I was able to take the old boy for run around town... so far it looks like I got it all back together OK! I did start to have some grinding when putting the car into first, which is new, however, that seems common, from what I've read, and also I'm hoping unrelated to this thread, so I may start a new one on that issue, rather than tack onto the end of this one...

Thanks for the help! I did make videos of this job, which I intend to put up on youtube... need to edit them all together tho. I'll post the link here when it's done.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Your car will grind when going into first as it is non Synchronized. You need to be at a complete stop in order to put it into First Gear. Get into the Gabito I’d shifting into Second Gear and then place into First. Doing that allows the Synchronizers to Synch up or something like that. Will make the tranny last longer as well.

 

[Bayless]

Glad to hear you got it done. Do post the link to your video.

 

[Joe Schlosser]

Glad you have it back together and back on the road.
As stated before 1st gear is non synchro and is designed for you to come to a complete stop before putting in gear. It is possible with a lot of practice to drop into first when rolling but you take the chance of chipping the reverse cluster.

 

[nomad]

I have several 4.22's and now have a pretty good idea of what they are worth. Also 3.7s. With a strong 1275 in a BE they work for high speed cruising.