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Shell differences

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M1chael

Freshman Member
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Hello folks,
I am new to this Spridget mess and new to the forum. I have aquired a very mechaniclly sound '67 Midget with a the usual rusty body. I have a couple of unibodys to look at that have no id numbers on them. How can I tell the difference between the years and series. Is there a panel that can be measured or some component that is different for each series? I know mine is a GAN4L which is the same as a HAN9L. So when I look at these things, how am I going to ID them?
Thanks in advance,
Mike
 
Hello and welcome to the forum. I am no expert on the body differences except maybe the early cars had 1/4 instead of 1/2 springs and the later cars were rubber bumper cars among hundreds of other little items. there are many books and sites that can help and this is a good place to start
 
Thanks, these are bare shells with nothing on them. I am aware of a difference in windshield mounting and the front sub frame, but I am hopeful someone has an easy method for identifying the different years.
Thanks,
Mike
 
Metal dash with a crash pad and a fold down top is 67.
The steering column hole in the tub was just a hole under the brake cylinders

In 68, the dash was padded, fold down top but the steering column now has a 3 bolt hole and has a pronounced hump. 68 had only 2 wipers.

69 same as 68 but with 3 wipers and side marker reflectors, no body holes.

70 same as 69 but they started with side marker lights, holes for the lights.

71 pretty much the same as 70
72-74 have 3 wipers, side marker lamp holes and round rear wheel arches.
75 on went back to square arches but have heavy frame reinforcements for rubber bumpers, the park and tail lamp holes are noticabely different and there is a depression in the fron engine bay cross member for the 1500 engine.

This is the best I can do without consulting the books.
 
Hey Mike, are you looking at the two bodies that are on the atlanta craigs list that are in marietta.
 
I have seen the pictures on craigs list. the one you can see looks like an early car with twin wipers and early pedal box and no reverse lights on either body. so they are 67 or earlier I think. but 1400.00 is too much IMO. but it cost nothing to look at them.
 
I agree, they aren't priced realisitic. I am going to ride over there tomorrow morning and I will take pictures and write down the numbers off the engines.
 
I went and looked at the bodies and one is a 1958 to 1962 mkI,mkII sprite or mkI mg and the other is a mkIII sprite or mkII mg 1963 to 1966.Some restoration work has been started, some to go. All in all, a 5 out of a 10. I do not know how to tell if the older shell is a bugeye or not. He also has a 948 and two 1098 engines with 2 transmissions. Also two mkIII sprite dashboards one in good condition and one in fair condition.
Bernie is his name and he can be reached at 770-499-7638, during reasonable hours EDT.
 
bugeye has no trunk - or front fenders, they are part of the hood.
 
then square bodies for sure - post '61
 
Hi Michael,
If you look on the passenger side front shock mount there might be a chassis number stamped. You could date the body by this.
 
Interestingly enough, there was a round tag stamped 394 attached to the right shock strut of the newer shell.
Mike
 
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