Lost out on Bugeye

[mightymidget]

The Bugeye I thought I was gonna get fell apart because of paperwork. really dissappointed! So I live in South Carolina and need to shop for Midget or Sprite. Where can I look besides the forums to find a ample supply of British cars for sale perferrably near South Carolina.

Also like alot of people now, I am in sales so income is almost non existant so I will be looking for a running driver that isn't a solid piece of rust. any year since I can not afford a nice one right now. I just was looking so forward to having a British car again, what should I expect to see for prices for a driver

 

[jlaird]

Ebay and Cragslist.

 

[drooartz]

Also Auto Trader Classics (https://www.autotraderclassics.com/) -- that's where I found my Bugeye. Get in contact with your local club too, as you'd be surprised what might be local to you.

Driver Spridgets can be all over the map as far as prices. If you search the completed auctions on eBay you'll get a pretty good idea of the prices they're going for. Non-Bugeye Spridgets are one of the best deals out there in classic motoring, fun and inexpensive.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Try this link. Searches all e-Bay and Craig's list

https://www.jaxed.com/cgi-bin/mash.cgi
Can sort by Make, Model, Year, and a Filter as needed

 

[198686d]

Hemmings

 

[JamesWilson]

Non-Bugeye Spridgets are one of the best deals out there in classic motoring, fun and inexpensive.

And, if I dare say so here, so too are Spitfires.... Great fun, cheap. Not like anything I own now.... :frown:

 

[jvandyke]

Non-Bugeye Spridgets are one of the best deals out there in classic motoring, fun and inexpensive.

And, if I dare say so here, so too are Spitfires.... Great fun, cheap. Not like anything I own now.... :frown:

Rivals back in the day and still are? I'm not "seeped in lore" enough to know but I like the (early) Spitfires as much as Spridgets. Nice lines, flip up bonnet....

 

[GeeBee1]

And, if I dare say so here, so too are Spitfires.... Great fun, cheap. Not like anything I own now.... :frown:

Rivals back in the day and still are? I'm not "seeped in lore" enough to know but I like the (early) Spitfires as much as Spridgets. Nice lines, flip up bonnet....

<span style="color: #990000">Are you guys missing Dale and running over to the Spridget Forum already</span>

Pat

 

[jvandyke]

I looked at two MKI Spits and could just have easily gone that route. I actually like the lines a bit better than a square bodied Midget, but then I look at my car and love it so, no complaints.

 

[drooartz]

When I was first looking, my choices were between an early Spitfire and a Spridget of some sort. Just sort of wound up with the Spridget side of things. Both still provide great amounts of fun/dollar.

 

[pakiwi]

I have to say I wasn't a Spitfire fan, but more like the lines of the GT6, MGB GT or the Midget. The Midget won out with getting a very good rust free 73 with less then 16000 miles on it.
I think I would still consider the other two for looks.

 

[jvandyke]

The GT6 I like, for some odd reason I don't care much for Bs or MGB GTs. Something about the lines of a B, just too bland and "tub" like. I'll take a Midget over a B any day. BEs are really cool looking but their price was too steep, availability limited and somewhat less practical so they weren't really on my radar when I was shopping last spring, I was ready to buy what tugged my heart first (and it was almost a Fiat X 1/9!, and would have been if anyone else in my family would have tolerated it, all of them screamed "ugly" right away, there's no accounting for taste I guess). In fact, I was iffy on the Midget until I took the wife for a test ride and the first words out of her mouth were "I'm so glad you're buying this car, it's the cutest thing I've ever seen".

 

[scoutll]

I considered a spit, ONLY if I couldn't find a suitable Spridget for an affordable price. I do not dislike the Spitfire, just like the Spridget styling a lot better. My main complaint against the spitfire has always been the rear suspension..

 

[nomad]

Agree with scout11. I have a friend who was lucky to survive a roll over in a spit. He got a little to spirited and the wheel tucked under. Otherwise I always liked the looks of a spit and the flip up bonnet.
KA

 

[drooartz]

I just about bought a Mk1 Spit out of Arizona, but it was sold before a friend down there could go look at it. Funny how little things like that change your course.

 

[scoutll]

"I'm so glad you're buying this car, it's the cutest thing I've ever seen".

GRRRRRRR!!!! It p***** me off everytime someone comes up and says "Oh, what a cute little car!" They are not "CUTE". They are the Jack Russell Terrier of sports cars. It may only weigh 10 pounds, but it thinks it weighs 100!

It's not only a motorcar, it's also part of my wardrobe.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

So hinge the bonnet on the BE forward. Got a BE Bonnet on Bugsy my '68 Sprite and it does hinge forward. Hinge brackets easy to make with simple hand tools and a drill press. Cost <$40 for all materials.

 

[WALTER]

Bryan,
If you don't want to hear "CUTE" why are you driving one of the smallest cars on the road?


It seems to me Spitfires would look 10 times better without the seams over the rear fenders. I'd rather my Sprite didn't have the seams it has.

W

 

[toysrrus]

Hi There mightymidget,

Where in SC do you live? I`m going to be moving to the "Greenville" area hopefully by June / July this year; If my house ever sells (LOL).

Best Wishes with your find. The "Hunt" is just as much fun as the purchase! I`m in search myself for a TR3 or Bugeye.

Let me know if you come across one in the cond. your looking for as well.

Thanx,

Russ

 

[bthompson]

I must add that I never knew of the historical BMC/BL rivalty before I got Nigel, but I never really liked the design of the Spit, even as a wee lad. Michelotti's design looked like a Triumph that <span style="font-style: italic">really </span>wanted to be a Fiat when it grew up, and the later revisions just made it worse. The Kamm tail added too much fadeaway behind the rear wheels: it looks visually frontheavy to me. The higher bumpers took the charm out of its 'face,' too. The sheetmetal's character is just more Italian than British. Spridgets have that minimalist British "just-wrap-the-body-around-the-grimy-bits" look about it, which I find wonderfully eccentric. The bugeye notwithstanding, the design is very very subtle; the hint of a fin, the slight smile of the grille. Yep, I'm a BMC man. Even <span style="font-style: italic">with </span>a Triumph engine.