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Lots involved when fitting Bugeye to RB car

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RickB

RickB

Yoda
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Well the radiator conflicts with the passenger side light bucket so something different required there.
Back to my MK1 Midget parts car.
Radiator from it goes with Bugeye front just fine.
But it had a hole in the bottom where the drain used to be.
But the shroud would interfere with the front of the Datsun 210 engine.
But I hacked a hole in the seam of the top tank while removing the shroud.
Ok, off to South End Auto Wrecking where they have a radiator shop - BillM recommended it so how could I go wrong?
It's Saturday, about 11:30 Am and I walk the think in and ask how long to fix it up.
Call me at 3PM he says.
So he calls me about 3 and says it's done, come pick it up.
I drive down and he has fixed both holes, removed the rest of the shroud, plugged the hole where the temp sensor was and painted the thing up after a good flow and pressure test.

$60.

Now if it would stop raining long enough to get the thing put together.

I put the little beehive turn signals on, that helps.
Haven't started wiring yet, haven't finished mounting the new radiator yet, haven't installed the light buckets yet.

This is great fun!
 
And when you're done, your moron neighbor will probably back into it.
 
Rick
You should live down here in the flatlands! Hasn't even starting raining yet (but it looks like it soon will-
Billm
 
Up here, nice day all day. Went to a Jag club meet, windows down, heat off, 68 on the deck when I got home.
Almost 1900 local, 58 and raining fairly hard.
Go figure.
 
Pouring out here, I'll have to settle for what's done is done for today. Maybe there will be a break or two tomorrow.
 
Rick: I would'nt think there would be a problem with the 1500 radiator hitting the turn signal housing. I'm using one in a early car. I would be afraid you won't get enough cooling out of a early rad for your 1500 Datsun. Mine is out of a 76. Is there a difference?

Kurt.
 
Whoops---Had'nt kept up. Thought you were just putting early fenders on--not a BE front.

Kurt.
 
Still raining, but I'm a little desperate to be working on it so...
 

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Rick-
Keep that tent up for a while- the weather report is saying "rain" for the next 5 days straight! (glad that Friday and yesterday were nice!!)
BillM
 
Came in about 15 minutes ago.
Got a lot done, but not finished by a long way.
Really tired now, tomorrow's probably going to be a mental health day.
 
Believe it or not - 12 hours later and it is STILL RAINING!!
Seriously people we have only had something like 6 days this year over 60 degrees.

I spent yesterday installing the MK1 radiator, installing the 4 lights and figuring out how to power them up.
I still don't have turn signals working, might need some help with that.
Parking lights come on and headlights come on so that's a positive step, I have to get some more bullet connectors today and wire things up a little more properly.
 
Question:
How do I hook up turn signal lights?
I have the little beehive lights and found a wire that lights up the bulbs.
These are very old and just look like they have three black wires.
They also seem to ground from the base of the fixture so hooking up positive battery to a wire produces light.
I suppose hooking up positive battery to another wire should also produce light and that's what I would hook up to a wire on my car that pulses when the turn signal lever is activated?
Is that how it works? Or is it the same wire that is for parking lights?
 
Yes, but the brighter of the two should be for the turn signal.
 
Ok, that's what I thought but it was driving me a bit crazy plus I was cold and a bit damp.

I'll get out there in a while and have at it again.
 
nomad said:
Whoops---Had'nt kept up. Thought you were just putting early fenders on--not a BE front.

Kurt.
Click to expand...

Me too ! I thought Rick was looking for fenders as well - How did I miss this change of plans & where did you get the BE clip from ?
 
Thanks for reading my mind, Rick...I'd been wanting to ask you what problems you run into putting the Bug nose on a RB! Other than the 1500 rad problem, are there any interference issues with the bumper rails? Do ya just hack off everything forward of the rad supports? Keep us (well, me) posted and take lotsa pics!
 
Worked myself weary on it again today, but got it ready to drive.
MGB headlight rings do not fit well, they are a bit too small in diameter.

Yes, we hacked off everything forward of the radiator.

The inner fenders have a bend and about an inch of steel that is in the way on the outside of the radius. I hammered this back to form a channel.

My radiator was way too wide and the cap was right behind the passenger side headlight opening.
I switched to a MK1 Midget radiator. It's inlet and outlet were about 1" but my motor is more like 1 1/2. Made for some interesting adapting.

The wings wanted to stick out on the sides quite a bit.
I used the threaded holes on the top underside by the hinge and down the side and bolted one of those things you turn and the threads on the end turn in or out to make the thing longer or shorter. This pulled the sides in just right.

I had a lot of trouble with the grille, it doesn't fit well at all.
Have to look at that some more.
 
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