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(if a car is not pictured here, it has been sold)

Turn-key, ultimate five-speed 1959 Bugeye for sale!

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We’ve sold more than 400 Bugeyes, and we know how to upgrade the cars without spoiling the DNA. This car is no exception, and if you are looking for the ultimate interpretation of a Bugeye, give this one serious look. This Bugeye showcases what we have learned from the 400 cars that came before it… here is a sorted and exceptional, show-winning, modified Bugeye that you can drive anywhere!

We set out to create the ultimate Bugeye with this one, and “Jesse” is the result. Everything on this car is the best of the best. We took Jesse’s 1275 and equipped it with a supercharger and new carb, exhaust header, rear disk brakes, new chrome wire wheels, new custom leather seats and dashboard, new powder coated windshield frame and new glass, uprated Dunlop tires, and more! Every component of this car was upgraded and improved. If you are looking for the most hassle-free and upgraded Bugeye in the fleet, Jesse is the car for you!

If you grew-up with a less than perfect Bugeye (when you had no money but lots of time) and now you have (no time and) a few extra dollars to invest in the ultimate nostalgia machine, call us to discuss this one-of-a kind dream machine!

We’ve been on a mission to make Jesse an immaculate show-stopping machine!

Jesse is painted Nevada Beige, a great original color seldom seen on Bugeyes, which we have coupled with brand new custom red leather seats with color-matched piping, a matching leather-clad dashboard and dash bar with the same piping, and even a custom red leather key chain. We also fitted a custom red hardura floor covering with contrasting stitching and a custom beige wool heel pad. This makes for a spectacular car that turns heads everywhere it goes. The paint shines beautifully.

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Be kind to your Bugeye Sprite gearbox

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I love old British transmissions. While the lack of synchronizers in first and reverse may dissuade some drivers from them, in practice, when shifted correctly, non-synchronized first/reverse gears are just not an issue. So what is the proper way to shift a Bugeye or Spridget transmission to keep from grinding the gears?

Excessive grinding over the years has completely destroyed the teeth on this gear. This is an extreme example, but it’s not uncommon to see teeth worn or missing as the direct result of improper shifting.

The easiest gear to grind is the unsynchronized first gear. It is perhaps reflex for some drivers to attempt to engage first gear while rolling through a stop sign, which invariably results in grinding. The fix is to come to a full stop and engage first. Alternatively, you can roll through while staying in second, which I do much of the time when driving my own cars. In the video below, taken earlier this year, I discuss a little bit about not only how to shift your Bugeye, but what RPMs to best shift at.

Another thing I have noticed from riding with a lot of new classic car owners is that they will sometimes accidentally catch first while shifting from second to third. The gates are pretty close together and the shift pattern is tight, and if you aren’t careful when shifting from 2nd to 3rd, grinding is the result. It’s easy to avoid doing this; simply keep a tad of pressure to the right as you push the lever forward, and the shifter will jump over slightly so it easily aligns with the synchronized third gear.

The original shift knob is a pretty accurate representation of how tight the shift pattern is on both smooth case and rib case transmissions. If you need a new original shift knob for your Bugeye, you can buy one by clicking the above photo!

The other cardinal rule is to be gentle with the shifter, and to use light pressure. With good timing, the gear box will almost draw the shifter into gear, instead of the driver applying excessive force. The goal is to shift quickly, but gently. Challenge yourself to be 100% grind free.

If your Bugeye’s transmission is grinding, seek help! Either your driving style needs a small adjustment, or something is wrong with your driveline. A failing clutch slave cylinder or master cylinder can cause you to grind in multiple gears, as the hydraulic pressure isn’t enough to fully disengage the clutch. An improper or worn slave push rod can also cause this, as can a bent clutch fork. Each transmission only has so many grinds in it before they fail. If you keep grinding, your gears will (sadly) come to look like what you see in the above video.

Of course, the best way to avoid grinding a non-synchronized first gear is to install a fully synchronized five-speed Ford gearbox, which has the added benefit of an overdrive gear for an improved highway driving experience! Click the photo below to order one today!

Should you wish to retain the original feel of your four-speed gearbox but need to fix or replace the gearbox or any other related component, we carry a full line of driveline components to get your Bugeye back up and running! Click the photos below to learn more about some of our products, or click here for our full catalog!

Rebuilt smooth case transmission
Sprite/Midget remote slave bleeder
Rebuilt rib-case transmission

Brake line of the month

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More important than perhaps any other system on your Bugeye, the braking system is one that requires constant attention in order to operate at peak efficiency and prevent catastrophic failures. Nothing is more frightening than a car that cannot stop. In addition to the traditional shoe adjustments and leak hunting, there are other, harder-to-spot issues that can create just as big of an issue, like in the photo below, taken during a recent inspection.

Next time you get under your car, take a good look at your brake lines, particularly over the rear axle. On “Marvin,” the car shown here, we noticed a compressed segment, perhaps from an old tie-down strap that had compromised the steel line.

This small, seemingly inconsequential pinched section on this brake line is a prime area for a catastrophic leak to develop. A pinched hard brake line will also restrict flow, causing that brake to not function properly.

We replaced it for the new owner, to ensure optimum strength and integrity of this all important piece of safety equipment.

In addition to the pinched line, original brake lines (or even steel replacements that have been in the car for long periods of time) can become brittle, especially at fittings and tight bends, and are at risk of fracture. This brake line fitting broke off during its removal from a brake union.

As our fleet ages, it’s worth taking a serious look at the overall quality of the hard brake lines on every one of these classic cars from this era. The old steel lines are looking more and more corroded these days, and we’ve been changing many hard lines in our building. The kit that we sell works well to remedy this need and you can find it linked in the photo below. Our hard brake line kit is made from a copper-nickel alloy that is easier to bend and flare than steel, has a higher burst rating, and most importantly, is corrosion-resistant!

Our hydraulic hard line/brake pipe tubing set provides a full kit of copper-nickel brake lines to replace your aging steel parts! Click the photo above to order. Clutch hard line not included, but available separately. Click here for the correct clutch hard line for a 7/8″ slave cylinder and click here for the correct line for the 1 inch slave.

And if you prefer to have us rebuild your hydraulic system, please give us a call. We’ll be happy to retrieve your car anywhere in the country and bring it to our shop for a spa session!

Rear differential decoding

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This week, we had a client of ours ask us about which rear axle ratio he had installed in his Bugeye. On a normal classic, determining this would involve jacking the rear wheels off of the ground and counting rotations on your driveshaft per 1 wheel rotation; however, on Bugeyes and Spridgets, it’s as easy as looking at the side of the differential carrier!

An example of one of the styles of rear axle “stamp”. This is from a 3.9 axle ratio from a later Sprite.

On each differential carrier, near the top above the hole where the rear brake union mounts, there is a flat boss; on that boss, there is a stamped number. This is the number of teeth on the pinion (the lower number) and the number of teeth on the ring gear (the larger number). In order to determine what ratio you have, just divide the larger number by the smaller number, and you have your ratio!

This is another way the differentials were stamped. 9/38 is a 4.22 rear end ratio, stock for Bugeyes and Mark II Sprites/Mark I Midgets.

Bugeyes and Mark II Sprites/Mark I Midgets came from the factory with 4.22 axle ratios. Over the years, a lot of people have swapped in optional ratios from later years in an effort to keep RPMs down at higher speeds; 3.9 seems to be the popular swap as they were available for longer, but later 1500 Midgets could have 3.73 or even 3.55 ratios installed. The video below (shot all the way back in 2011!) explains how to tell what ratio is in your car, as well as some examples of RPM ranges for the different ratios.

If you find yourself swapping your differential, we offer other parts you will need to finish the job right! Click on the photos below for some examples or click here for our full catalog!

Rear axle hub seal kit (all Spridgets)
Differential pinion seal (all Spridgets)
Differential pinion Speedi-sleeve (all Spridgets)

Why tube shocks rock

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This week, we performed a tube shock conversion on this cool Bugeye called ‘Cinnamon.” We did this because this is a performance car with a performance driver, and the lever shocks were not keeping the tire on the road uniformly while going over bumps, particularly during spirted driving. It’s really hard to have two mated lever shocks (they often have different damping left and right). Tube shocks are always uniform so you get symmetrical performance left and right.

The tube shocks will better dampen the bumps and ensure the tire contact patch is always optimized, and the increased negative camber will also improve handling. Reliability and longevity, as well as control and performance… these are the benefits of our front tube shock conversion kit. And Cinnamon will enjoy these benefits going forward!

We go through tons of lever shocks in our building. 

Great shocks are required for a wonderful ride in any Spridget, but the original lever shocks are a serious wear item, constantly aging-out and leaking. Even the rebuilt ones are not as good as they used to be, and we’ve had to struggle to find a great and reliable source for the lever shocks we sell. 

Should you want to keep your stock Bugeye stock, we do offer the best rebuilt front lever shocks available, which you can purchase by clicking the above photo.

I love the way the correct lever shocks ride. They are the perfect balance of performance and comfort on a tiny car that needs all the comfort it can get… but lately we’ve been moving in the direction of this tube shock conversion simply because it eliminates the dependency on the old-fashioned lever shock design. While these are a little more pricey than the lever shocks, if you think about changing your lever shocks every three years or so (which has sadly become the norm), it’s a great way to economize in the long haul because the tube shocks should last 10 to 20 years.

The front tube shock conversion upon installation. Hey, want slotted and vented brake rotors? Click here to get yours!
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