2021 Challenge.. Blind "bugeye", Riggamort

That’s awesome. I have a feeling this project will be fun to watch.

Apexcarver said:

So, you look like you are missing the brake/clutch dual master. I would suggest ditching the factory style dual setup for fabbing an aftermarket or a later spridget. One factor is that the car from the factory was a single circuit braking system, which means you got NOTHING if a line blows. Also, you will need to match up the master cylinder sizes with whatever brakes are on that rear end.   If the fronts are still factory drums, thats a suicide machine!  I am curious what the front suspension and upright is, if its factory or not. 

 

not suicide for drag racing  you only need to stop once and let everything cool off so those brakes while heavy will work.  
Yes  you can update to disk brakes on the front. Later Midget / Sprite  disk brakes are a bolt on.  Since they work with disk f drum r stock you can use the brakes you have. But if you grab something off a later  car it will have the tandem MC arrangement. 
     Locally there should be someone with a barn full of rusty Sprites and Midget parts if not I know some. 

Auto crossing?  Well , maybe one pass!  Let everything cool back down, bleed the brakes and run again. You want something that will hold up to pass after pass?  You're not going to with 13 inch wheels.   But 15 inch with extremely low profile tires?  Sure it can be done cheaply  

In reply to frenchyd :

Don't be a fool.  Upgrade the brakes.  Yeah I joke about brakes only making you go slower but no, stopping is a good thing for all.

Not running is an inconvenience. Not stopping will kill you. 

For the brakes, you will basically need whole front suspension corners. The kingpins and spindles are different drum to disc and getting the kingpins off the control arms usually doesn't work out. They get seized in there super easy. 

You can play with oil weights in the lever shocks to tune it some. I went the expensive way and had some custom valved from a specialist on mine (no challenge budget).

Waiting for more pics of the rear end, but the brackets and leaves look stock. 

Can you take a wheel off the rear for a pic of the rear brakes? I'm suspicious... I need to look at my axle again, but it doesn't look that different to what I'm seeing in your pics to my memory...

*Edit, not stock, thank dog

This has GOT to be the coolest thread to come along in . . . like . . . forever ! Who knows what you're gonna find as you poke through that ride. Not really the same at all, but Todd and I stumbled a "dedicated" MGB race/Auto-Cross car and had to buy it , never been registered/titled/insured once in over fifty years. We found twin 1.75" SU carbs and six inch lengths of wood 2X4s being used as lowering blocks in the rear along with all of the usual mods that folks do to race cars over the years.

You're in for a WONDERFUL time; post photos of everything ! ! ! 

I have all the front end from my MG.  It's probably to heavy to ship.   Cost would be basically nothing.  I'm not sure when we would be in michigan next but we aren't that far away if you can't find anything local.

The brakes bolt onto the back of the hub.  I was planning to cut the stock disk off and clamp a different rotor in.  I may still have the Civic rotors I sourced for this.  The stock calipers are actually pretty good dual piston.  They could be modified with spacers to fit vented rotors.  

In reply to nocones :

I think there are kits to do this with I think spitfire parts?

Spridget mania I think...

Edit, nah, looks like larger unvented with mgb calipers.

You can get good race pads in stock sizes for the spridget disc setup though.

Stolen from the other thread because it is awesome.

wheelsmithy (Joe-with-an-L) (Forum Supporter) said:

Stolen from the other thread because it is awesome.

 

So

Much

This.  
 

get a couple led's for headlights for drag racing at night.  

Psh, just put a couple of spot/driving lights in the grill like the Nash Healey;

" . . . just put a couple of spot/driving lights in the grill"

That could well be the answer !

5" headlamps moved out to the edge of the bonnet, with clear covers. I've seen pics of this and it looks good while also improving aero.

The original Sprite Mk. 1 design called for retractable lamps, cancelled for cost reasons. 

As of this moment I don't know what engine/trans/rear-end is in it, although it is definitely 5 lug and definitely a narrowed axle.

At first glance I had also thought you had a Ford 9 inch (every 8 inch I’ve seen has a smooth pumpkin) but the more I look at it the more I think it’s derived from a “banjo” rear end possibly from an early MG?

The axle in this race-prepped MG Midget looks similar for example: 

I can see the resemblance to a Ford unit since it uses a similar front loading carrier and and the rear looks kinda like a 9 inch. But taper of the axle tubes are more gradual than Ford axles, and the proportions seem a little different.

Sweet build though, I agree with others here, I wouldn’t change it other than to seal with some clear coat, and maybe blending the eyelid surgery a bit. I like where this is going!

OMG that IS a stock rear axle. Blue car is of a Bugeye I build a few years back.

The e-brake linkage on the axle and where it goes into the diff seals the deal.

In reply to NOHOME :

Nah, that pic with the "last open road" license plate frame visible is of my car so there was a stock visual comparison for him to go off determining what was under riggamort, its not a pic of raggamort.  (you posted a stock comparison pic compared to my stock comparison pic  )

THIS is the only pic of Riggamort's axle in the thread and the plug isnt right for it to be stock. 

This is the only other picture I have of it,and it's clearly pretty blurry. Would someone 5 lug swap a stock rear? I also remember the drum brakes taking up most of the wheel (14" wheels in rear).

I kind of doubt it, it wouldnt work very well with the way the stock hubs are made, but could be done to a double bearing hub...  you would also have to have the holes make on the axle...   Its just not worth the effort at all....

Heres what you would see with the wheel off, and another with the wheel, drum, and axle removed (if it had double bearning hubs and longer/larger wheel studs installed)

FOLLOWING PICS FROM MY CAR, NOT Riggamort!

Heres a stock rear hub, you can kinda see why 5 lug drilling one wouldnt work out, there is also sculpting on the back side that would make it sub-optimal. 

In reply to Apexcarver :

OK, feeling better now.

Wow is this interesting. I'm definitely in the minimal modification to get it safe camp. 

Very cool!! 

In reply to RichardSIA :

That sounds like a lot of work.

In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :

There are many aftermarket noses for Sprites/Midgets that have been sold since 1959. All in fiberglass. Many very pretty, especially the Speedwell as pictured. Some not so pretty.

Haven't actually put hands on the Bugeye, but I did finish up the cribbing and find a filing cabinet by the trash today for whatever light metalwork needs to be done.. whoo!

In reply to classicJackets (FS) :

The first thing I would do is buy a pair of tall engine stands to use a a chassis rotisserie. ( they do not count towards your budget ). But what they allow you to do is work on the chassis easily. Welding upside down and having sparks, slag, and molten metal drop on you is a real bummer. On a pair of engine stands you rotate the chassis to where it's comfortable to work on rather than crawling around try to awkwardly get to something.  
 The Sprite  is easy. Since it's narrow and small.  The great thing is you can set it on its side and roll it out of your way when not working. Saving important floor space. 
 Harbor Freight and Amazon are the easy button here.   They are both cheap and they ship.