Jeff,
While chassis #8283 is listed by Terry Horler in "Original Sprite and
Midget", it is listed as the "first car fitted with hard top and sidescreens"
not the point at which they became available. Both the Service Parts List(s)
and Anders Clausager, in "Sprites and Midgets, The Comple Story" list the
change as chassis #5477. This is the same point at which the windscreen
frame and hood frame changed. From this point on, a car could have been
fitted with a hardtop, and if so it would have come with sidescreens fitted.
They would have been an option on cars without a hardtop. It was possible
to purchase a hard top from a dealer and fit it to any car with the newer
style windscreen. It was also possible to fit sidescreens to an earlier car,
which had been fitted with side curtains. Chassis #8283 was just the first
one to leave the factory with these fitted.
Also, while Horler lists sidescreens as becoming standard, replacing side
curtains (as you noted), this is believed by the Concours Committee to be
incorrect, as no supporting evidence is found in the Service Parts Lists. In
fact, later Service Parts Lists covering up to the Sprite Mk II and Midget Mk
I, list sidescreens as optional for all AN5's and as standard for all AN6,
AN7, GAN1 and GAN2's. I believe that sidescreens are what is sometimes
refered to as a "phantom option", or "standard option". In other words, an
item fitted to almost all cars in order to increase the profit on each unit.
Whether this was done by distributors or BMC is not clear, but this was a
common practice in the sixties with many makes of cars (not just British).
Most Bugeyes that were shipped to the US had sidescreens rather than side
curtains, were fitted with a front bumper, tonneau, heater, tachometer and
windscreen washer(s), all items which were listed as optional. This becomes
a very interesting area, the problem is, very few people have a dealer price
sheet (window sticker) for a car. Most Heritage Certificates show heater,
rev. counter, windscreen washer, front bumper, laminated windscreen, tonneau
cover, etc. under 'details of equipment', but we do not know if a charge was
made for them. Does anyone have a Certificate with sidescreens listed? If
so is it in conjunction with a hard top, or as a seperate item? Does anyone
have original price lists or bill or sale wich lists these items?
Bruce Gearns
In a message dated 97-11-15 18:26:45 EST, jchurch@exis.net writes:
<< Rick,
They became original when the hardtop became available on chassis # AN5-8283
(December 1958). They could be ordered as a option (to replace the
steel-framed, Vynide covered versions) after that. From chassis AN5-34558
(March 1960) on they became standard equipment. Source - "Original Sprite
and Midget".
Jeff Church
AN5-11627
Definitely a real Healey
-----Original Message-----
From: rickfisk <rickfisk@concentric.net>
To: spridgets@autox.team.net <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Date: Wednesday, November 12, 1997 8:56 PM
Subject: Side Windows
>Hello all,
>
>Was digging through my Sprite parts tonight and came across some old
>side windows I forgot I had. The plexiglas and rubber seals are shot
>but frames are still in decent shape. The front window is fixed and the
>rear slides. On the top inside the frames are stamped "WEATHERSHIELDS
>REG" with "DESIGN 883598-600" stamped underneath. Does anyone know if
>these are original AH parts or aftermarket? Just curious.
>
>Rick
>'59 Bugeye
>(A real Healey) >>
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