The flip nose movement is growing.
As our population ages, lifting a conventionally hinged nose is becoming less popular. Access and service are easier once you flip it forward. Lifting a flipper open is no longer a strain. It’s easier to flip than grunt.
And thus many of the cars we build-out and modify leave our shop with a front flip kit installed.
The problem is that the Bugeye nose was not designed to be supported by it’s chin, and if you have a heavy bondo-ladened nose, you are loading it in a manner that makes it tough to control precisely once it hinges on the front. It works, and there must be hundreds of flip nose cars out there by now. But if you are building your car and you haven’t painted the nose yet, I strongly recommend you reinforce the nose up front so that flip hinges become more precise.
You can see in this photo above how this particular car has an x brace on each side of the radiator shroud, and it works great to stabilize the nose so it lands in the same place each time you close it, with minimal flex.
Below is another photo of an “X” brace within the radiator shroud , and this works quite well too! Either of these reinforcements will help you when you are ready to join the flip forward movement!
If you’re interested in converting your Bugeye to have a front flip nose, you can click here to purchase the kit. And of course, we are happy to pick up your car anywhere in North America, (sort it out) and make it a flipper for you!
