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This past Sunday I reacquired my 1961 Bugeye after selling it in 1974. It was sold to a life-long friend to acquire a Healey 3000 with a back seat for my daughter. The friend sold it a year later to his little brother who kept it all these years. Last week I got a call out of the blue asking me if I wanted it back. I couldn't say no.
I bought it in 1973, running but needing rod bearings. It was white with a red interior and a hardtop painted flat black. I repainted the car in the original white, painted the hardtop white, and put a black interior in it. The seats were recovered; everything else in the interior was just painted black. It was 1973, remember. It was a daily driver through the winter and sold in the summer of 1974.
While I kept in touch with my friend through the years, I hadn't seen the Sprite since the mid 1970s. When I saw it last week it was dark metallic blue, retaining its white hardtop just as I had painted it. The interior I installed was still there along with the black spray painted dash. It had acquired a 1098cc engine with HS2 carbs but retained the smooth case gearbox. Sometime, around 30 years ago, 1st and 2nd gears blew. The engine and trans came out; the trans was taken to pieces and put into 2 5-gallon pails. The hood was off its hinges. It sat that way, stored in a couple of places, until I picked it up Sunday.
I'm not yet sure what I want to do with it. I have done some extensive restorations in years gone by, but I may be lazy and just bring it back to presentable running condition and have some fun with it. New paint, though. I do like the blue.
I have some questions, which I hope the forum members can help with.
First, the transmission. I think I will just get a rib case box. There is a photo of the rear engine plate, which measures about 0.325" thick. Is this the thin plate or the thick plate? About how much is a rebuilt rib case trans, or am I better off to source one locally (Milwaukee) and do a rebuild?
Second, the clutch. There's a close up of the pressure plate showing how the spring protrudes through the housing and marks as if the housing has been ground down. This cannot be correct. Is it a consequence of having the wrong engine plate? My plan is to just put a whole new clutch in it, but I was wondering what is up with this one. There is a circular groove of about 10 degrees radius inside the bellhousing right where the starter mounts. It's just like a thin cut, not wide like the grind marks on the pressure plate.
Third, the carbs. These are 1 1/4 carbs on a single heat shield. The heat shield has been crudely hacked out around the exhaust manifold boss (cast) where it connects to the exhaust pipe. Is this a mismatch of years causing a clearance problem? I've seen individual heat shields in the Moss catalog. What do I need?
I've learned a lot in going through old posts and will appreciate any help or suggestions offered. And, I'm glad to have an old friend back home.
Jim
These are photobucket pics; is this the best way for this forum?
I bought it in 1973, running but needing rod bearings. It was white with a red interior and a hardtop painted flat black. I repainted the car in the original white, painted the hardtop white, and put a black interior in it. The seats were recovered; everything else in the interior was just painted black. It was 1973, remember. It was a daily driver through the winter and sold in the summer of 1974.
While I kept in touch with my friend through the years, I hadn't seen the Sprite since the mid 1970s. When I saw it last week it was dark metallic blue, retaining its white hardtop just as I had painted it. The interior I installed was still there along with the black spray painted dash. It had acquired a 1098cc engine with HS2 carbs but retained the smooth case gearbox. Sometime, around 30 years ago, 1st and 2nd gears blew. The engine and trans came out; the trans was taken to pieces and put into 2 5-gallon pails. The hood was off its hinges. It sat that way, stored in a couple of places, until I picked it up Sunday.
I'm not yet sure what I want to do with it. I have done some extensive restorations in years gone by, but I may be lazy and just bring it back to presentable running condition and have some fun with it. New paint, though. I do like the blue.
I have some questions, which I hope the forum members can help with.
First, the transmission. I think I will just get a rib case box. There is a photo of the rear engine plate, which measures about 0.325" thick. Is this the thin plate or the thick plate? About how much is a rebuilt rib case trans, or am I better off to source one locally (Milwaukee) and do a rebuild?
Second, the clutch. There's a close up of the pressure plate showing how the spring protrudes through the housing and marks as if the housing has been ground down. This cannot be correct. Is it a consequence of having the wrong engine plate? My plan is to just put a whole new clutch in it, but I was wondering what is up with this one. There is a circular groove of about 10 degrees radius inside the bellhousing right where the starter mounts. It's just like a thin cut, not wide like the grind marks on the pressure plate.
Third, the carbs. These are 1 1/4 carbs on a single heat shield. The heat shield has been crudely hacked out around the exhaust manifold boss (cast) where it connects to the exhaust pipe. Is this a mismatch of years causing a clearance problem? I've seen individual heat shields in the Moss catalog. What do I need?
I've learned a lot in going through old posts and will appreciate any help or suggestions offered. And, I'm glad to have an old friend back home.
Jim
These are photobucket pics; is this the best way for this forum?
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