Our “Intro to Bugeyes” series continues!
We periodically get asked how to open a Bugeye’s bonnet, so here’s a video for for all new Bugeye lovers that will grant immediate access to the Sprite engine compartment! With VIP access, you can check your hydraulic fluid, charge your battery, admire your power plant, and enjoy the utter simplicity of these fantastic little cars.
The original Bugeye bonnet was hoisted in the manner shown in the video above, with hinges close to the windshield. But as the human bodies of our drivers continue to age, the noses seem heavier than ever, and lifting the nose from the front bumper area sometimes forces a trip your local chiropractor.
Thus the flip-forward has become a very popular upgrade for anyone with tired vertebrae and/or discs (the spinal kind, not your vented rotors). Flip kits are also popular for anyone just looking for easier access to their engine.
Please take a look at our flip forward conversion that we sell in our catalog (shown below). I’ve just converted my own car “Gumby” to a flip forward configuration, and I’m sorry I didn’t do it sooner, because it’s so much easier to open the bonnet. For those of you who are purists, keep in mind that racers made removable and flip-forward noses way back in the early ’60s to quickly access their engine for repairs, so history supports the notion that a bugeye nose can be lifted with ease once the hinges are relocated forward.
If you’re interested in converting your Bugeye into a flip-forward Bugeye, click the photo above to order your own flip-forward kit! Or, should you have missing or broken bonnet mechanism components, click the photos below or click here to access our full catalog!
And keep in mind that flip forward hinges have to be properly mounted on the front frame so that the nose aligns when you lower it. We make these conversions all the time, and we would be happy to pick up your car and convert it for you!
