LocostUSA.com

If they were not so expen$ive and hard to find now I would drop in a 1300 Alfa and modern transmission.
The 1300 is significantly shorter in height and length than the larger engines and revs like a bike engine.

_________________
If I must be a one-man PC free zone, so be it!

For what it's worth, credible 4 bangers IMO are abundant. I have kept for a while in my garage a 1500 cc DOHC Mazda which I thought would be a potential upgrade for my first Seven (currently running on a 1,9 L Jetta). The Mazda engine was light. Half of the block was aluminum. My thought then was that I could perhaps rebuild it. I could make an adaptor plate and bolt it to a Samurai 5 sp tranny. That is run a Mazda starter. I believe that a 1500 or 1800 DOHC Mazda Protege might be a nice and affordable candidate for a hypothetical bugeye . I paid $500 CAN for the entire Mazda drive train in a scrap yard. I remember that the donor had been rear ended and had less than 30,000 K which meant that after all I could run it without a rebuild:cheers:

Raising the dead, for Christmas!
Since I am back to being employed and a fairly steady income I'm making some feeble attempts at a couple of my "If only" projects.
"If only" I still had some of the donor cars I used to, "If only" I had more time, "If only" I had more money, etc.
So the 'Glass Bug-Eye yearning is still bugging me even though I already have "Too many" projects.
Seems the only body part not fairly readily available is the cowl/firewall section.
Anyone have one to spare?
Need not be perfect and do not need the rest of the body tub, so parts from a rusted hulk should work.
Just looking for a buck to duplicate in fiberglass.
The later Spridget firewall could be used but the cowls are wrong.
Not an imminent project, but I've found that asking around and patience can eventually turn up almost anything.

_________________
If I must be a one-man PC free zone, so be it!

I've driven 2 VW's a total of 500,000+ miles between them.

For that motor, talking a Rabbit (carb'd), or CIS, or Digifont, or something else? We tended to get the 1.8 and 2.0 I4's here if memory serves and 1.9's for the diesels?

And I can then assume that the narrow V6 would fit, albeit for a lot more money? And if I am really crazy the 5 cyl engines?

_________________
***************
Geek49203 aka
Tim Wohlford
Louisville, KY
Hayes front, S10 +2 rear, Lalo body.

Any progress?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KFh_HsL-V8

Hmm, how did you know that just today I was told a neighbor wants to get rid of all his Spridgets?
I believe one may have the early cowl I would need for a tube-frame and fiberglass Bugeye build.

And there is the possibility of my getting another Suzy 13B, entire one owner but has been sitting car.
I need another ten years of health and a sponsor!

_________________
If I must be a one-man PC free zone, so be it!

Which reminds me, one can get most of a TR3 body in fiberglass, and I was thinking similarly with my Triumph Rocket III powerplant. I wonder if they'd let me into All British car meets?

_________________
Locost builder and adventurer, and founder (but no longer owner) of Kinetic Vehicles

Reminds me of the time I took my Noble P4 to the Monterrey Vintage Races.
I was directed to the Ferrari parking area despite NOT having any Ferrari badges on the car.
As I was easing into my spot I saw a guy running my direction, and I do mean RUNNING, with cameras bouncing and tripod in hand.
The look on his face when he realized my car was "Memorex" is unforgettable, the very definition of "Crestfallen".
He did not say a word, took a couple of pics and walked away.
Over the weekend I got a lot smiles, people posing with and in the car, offers of silly trades*, great fun.
Last I heard that car is now in Texas.

*Maybe I should have taken the LM004 deal?
Car was my Demo so I could not really sell it at that time.

_________________
If I must be a one-man PC free zone, so be it!

If anyone is really interested in doing this I can take a template of my cowl and ship it to them. The cowl is just bent steel, it is not formed in any appreciable way. Construction the same as a Lotus clone cowl would be fine to replicate the shape. I will likely have it off this winter if I get around to pulling the engine and doing repairs.

_________________
MG midget bodied Locostish car in progress

The only other item I can think of that might be an issue is the windshield and frame.
I have never seen reproductions.
I think an even lighter than original tube frame Bugeye would be more fun than the law allows.
No need to chop up an original.

_________________
If I must be a one-man PC free zone, so be it!

I'm no Bugeye expert. I do know that a Bugeye bonnet will mate up to a MKII Sprite body. All Sprite after the MKI and all MG Midgets are the same. I would expect that any "used" MKII (onward) or Midget windshield assembly would work. Don't quote me on that. There are a lot of those around for cheap money. It might be worth the try.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

There were slight differences - the Mk1 Sprite had its own windshield, the Mk2 Sprite/Mk1 Midget had a windshield, then everything after used the same. The Mk1 and 2 Sprite/Mk1 Midget windshields bolt through the sheet metal into nuts under the cowl and the later ones have a rectangular post that goes through the cowl and is secured by four larger bolts on the inside.




Curious how much lighter a tube frame can get than a regular Bugeye or quarter elliptic Spridget body. Once you remove the hood, cowl, and fenders, one person can easily lug around the front half of the body. The back is a little more difficult since there is a bit more there but one strong person or two regular people can easily lift it. I'm guessing it isn't much more than a typical Locost frame.

_________________
-Andrew
Build Log
Youtube

This has been mostly an idle moment daydream, with some back-burner "If I find the time" intent.
I need to visit the neighbor to see if he's going to be reasonable on prices.
I think most of his cars are the later 1500 powered versions.
Pretty certain none are Mk. 1/2.
Still have a Locost to pay for so cannot rush this.
I should at least put together a list of the vendors needed to make it happen.

_________________
If I must be a one-man PC free zone, so be it!

Let me see about the neighbors collection.
Mk. 1/2 cowl and firewall are different than later cars.

_________________
If I must be a one-man PC free zone, so be it!

Andrew. I knew there were differences. However I am to believe that the cowl contours are similar, if not the same between the MKI and all others. If one is using a fiberglass body and tube frame chassis, then using the later windshield should be doable with a little bit of work. No? I am, of course, assuming originality is not important in such a case.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766