The original Frog Eye was sooo much cuter.
I think your one has those horrid Rostyle wheels by the look of it ? .
Still it's pretty cute compared with most of the modern offerings... Good luck with it.

Del

I could quite happily see myself in that! I'd also change the wheels and put some spokes and spinners on the lady! If I could find a nice convertible Alpine Sunbeam Tiger! OOOOOhhhh aaarrrrr!

Oh yeah! Triple windshield wipers! Seat at same height as curb so you can just drag your numb lower half onto the sidewalk after a roadtrip! Engine spaces so small my mechanic refused to put his hands on it and would just describe what I had to do while I used his rack and tools in exchange for a 12-pack.

Don't know what Del's talking about "Rostyle wheels"; the ones on mine looked the same and were no problem. Well, they might have been had I not been so consumed with the Lucas Electrical problems -- 4 voltage regulators, 2 generators, 4...or 10 batteries, lights going dead at midnight in the middle of Mojave Desert, that tell-tale acrid scent of wires shorting out. Ah yes!

Have fun!

Methinks thou dost impugn my perpsicacity...

Check here .

Del (The perspicatious cat)

Don't say the 'L' word! I was the proud owner of three triumph heralds. I had a convertible 948cc for the regular driving experience, A 948cc hard top and a coupe I used for spares! I lost the convertible to the famous Lucas wiring loom flame out behind the wooden dash! She will be missed! The hard top and the other were sold to a mate who then drove around Spain! Later, He scrapped them both! They were great, you could open up the bonnet and tinker with the engine while sat on the front wheel! Lots of engine space (then again it was only a 948cc)

I had a '66 Midget with a '68 1275cc engine swapped in. With the baby moon wheels, so it looked better. The problem was that a Brit sports car of that vintage wants some of your time every weekend. With a new family I had no time so the MG went - it was cheaper than selling the wife!

A few years ago my neighbor got into restoring Triumphs. I started to get the bug but he put me off it. "You know what you'd be getting into. You still don't have the time. Be smart and buy a Miata."

That's what I did. Runs great and is reliable. Now he won't let me bring the Miata over to the house - he's afraid his wife will decide she likes it better.

So much for a nostalgia trip!

I always thought my Bugeye Sprite was a little underpowered, even with a built 1275. So I did this: http://tinyurl.com/67n82u

Now it moves.

jhammond

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I bought a 2 year old Midget in 1978, and drove it for 13 years as my primary transport. Yeah, about every two years I had to redo the entire electrical system, but otherwise, I have never, ever had a more enjoyable car. As to being underpowered, I once had it up to 90 mph (down hill, with a good tailwind), and it scared the hell out of me- the front end was off the ground (no steering control!). But, you are so close to the pavement, you get the SENSATION of speed without the risk. Never had a rust problem, the upholstry was original (I did finally have to replace the top, once I remembered it had a top...), and although the paint was starting to fade, a good wax job every couple of weeks would keep it bright...And it was a joy just washing and waxing the car on a lazy Saturday afternoon!

An interesting point- when properly tuned, I would get 35 mpg highway with this car- yet it most likely would not meet modern smog regulations. How can one emit more nasty stuff burning one gallon to go 35 miles, than when one burns 2 gallons to go the same distance???

Del, I haven't a clue as to what sort of wheels I had on the car, but I did run Michelin tires, and had one set with over 70,000 miles on it with good tread still- had to replace them due to sidewall failure...

OMG! What a beautiful BugEye! jhammond, you apparently had so much more time on your hands than I did! All I did was spend every spare hour just trying to keep my '67 Sprite running. Looking at those photos actually gave me goose bumps remembering the days teaching myself auto mechanics -- after the clutch master cylinder failed on my way home from the happy seller's house, I had only enough $$ left for a Chilton manual and a bottle of cheap Earnest & Julio.

As I recall, the dual carburetors were in line over the exhaust pipe, and when the needle floats would stick, hot gas would spew onto the hot pipe. What kinda design is that?

Oh, Del, no impugning of your perspicacity intended, though the Wikipedia link doesn't include support of your inference that Rostyle wheels were questionable. After reading Ca1ic0cat's reminiscence, I realized why Rostyle wheels were not among the other misadventures with my Sprite -- it had baby moon hubcaps over basic steel wheels, too.

Years later when the Miatas first came out, I immediately recognized the sound and look of transmogrified Midgets. However, I knew I'd graduated to a more expanded American consciousness when I wouldn't again settle for a car that had no room for anything beyond one friend and a wallet in the console, even with dependable wiring.

Mr. Truman Brain, you sound like my brother who keeps at least 3 Alfa Romeos on his property in order to have one that runs.

Yeah, Merm it was more time than skill, and therapy as well. When I finally got it on the road in 2000, I turned in about a half a car worth of scrap metal to the recyclers - all stuff I tried that didn't work. The pictures actually aren't current. I broke that Vega rearend a couple of times, so it now has a narrowed Ford 8" rear in it. The wheel wells have been mildly tubbed with 245-50R14s in the rear.

jhammond

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