Proper length for sprite front shock arm

[djk]

I'm making progress on my restoration; got the engine and tranny in, and then lowered the car to make it a roller. When the car came down, we noticed that there was a severe inward tilt on the front wheels, so the bugeye looks cross-eyed! Someone suggested that my front shocks are from a later model, and might not be the right size. Can someone with a bugeye measure the distance between the upper fulcrum pin and the middle of the crown nut attached to the shock body? If it turns out the shocks are right, do you have any idea as to why my wheels are tilted? The top of the front wheel is leaning out and the bottom of the wheel is in more. Picture cartoon slitted cat eyes.

Thanks!
-Debra

 

[Morris]

Debra,

You, like all of us at one time or another, have put your upper trunnions on backwards. Welcome to the club!

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Turn the trunnion around 180 degrees. Common mistake and an easy fix. Most all of us have done it at least once.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Photo finish!

 

[PeterC]

Yep. Had a guy trailer his car 50 miles to show me I sold him the wrong parts.

I bought him a beer for his troubles. He just couldn't "see" it.


Peter C.

 

[djk]

Whew! Thanks for the tip. That sounds like that should fix the trick.

 

[jlaird]

Hmmmm, the Backward Trunon Club. I'm a member as well.

What did I miss here? Who is dkj, I know west coast, and Debra.

Do tell, she is doing her own work? Outstanding.

Tried to look her up in the new members area but had no luck.

Welcome, welcome.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

She is the one that rolled her sprite and is rebuilding it. She has a blog somewhere.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Here it is:
https://blog.brokenroads.com/

 

[jlaird]

Know nothing about Blogs but that link has a prob.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

It is working for me.

 

[bugimike]

Didn't work for me either Jack!!

 

[Trevor Jessie]

It takes a few minutes to load, but it works. I think the server that it is on experiencing high loads for some reason.

 

[bugimike]

Thanks, you are right it just took some patience!! Pretty cool!!

 

[jlaird]

Boy, is slow. Looks like fun stuff to me.

 

[djk]

Yep, I'm Debra in San Francisco, who's rebuilding the bugeye. I am getting help from the great Healey community, but a lot of the work is solo. Needless to say, I'm always extremely overwhelmed but enjoying myself and learning a ton.

I'll look into my service to see why my blog is loading so slowly. I've just updated it today with photos from last weekend's work.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brokenroads/sets/72157604102609160/

Next on my list of things to do: wiring, the brightwork, cleaning up the carbs and generator, getting the exhaust header fit and welded, and of course, reversing the trunion caps!

Thanks for the help and advice, and for following my progress. I'm pushing hard to be done by the end of April.

 

[jlaird]

And it looks like it is comming along well. You/someone is doing nice work.

 

[vagt6]

Debra, nice work on the car!

Don't feel "overwhelmed" when you get stumped by a trunnion or similar. Most of us here are not, and have not been professional mechanics and have learned on the fly.

It seems you are enjoying the journey, possibly the most important part of this hobby.

Good luck to you, keep posting your progress!