Well, you already have a bunch of replies saying "don't do it," but I'll
say something anyway:
Don't do it. Unless you really want to because you're the tinkerer/inventor
type.
Speaking as somebody who daily commutes in a sidescreen car (11 miles, city
streets, parkways and urban freeways) in Minnesota, which isn't Calgary,
but it ain't LA either, I wouldn't trade my sidecurtains for roll-up
windows. I like the interior room, and I like not having quarterlights. And
I don't even have any seals on my curtains, and I've been fine. Ask anybody
in this part of the country what our weather has been like lately, too. The
northwoods is going to turn into rainforest is this keeps up. The curtains
work OK, and take only a moment to install. I do have a boot lid that makes
them easier to get to than they would be in a Bugeye, and I do get to park
in a garage, unless I'm late enough to have to park on the roof. I've
parked the car in driving rain many times and the interior has always been
dry.
If I were going spend the money in a commuter bugeye, I'd get a hot motor
and a Rivergate 5-speed conversion, disk brakes, and a hidden stereo. Maybe
invest in a hardtop. Or, if I really needed the weather protection, I'd buy
that decent runner '73 Midget for commuting, spend a few hundred getting it
sorted, and keep my Bugeye pristine for the weekends. It would cost about
the same as adding roll-ups, and you will inevitably want another Spridget
anyway; we all do.
If you do want to continue however (and it is YOUR car) you will have to
deal with:
The doors aren't the same at the top, as has been pointed out - the
sidecurtain cars have a rounder top profile and more importantly the size
of the semicircular "cutout" at the top front of the door is a different
size. If you add quarter windows and a later windscreen, it will be taller,
necessitating a taller top. You might be able to use the top from a roll-up
window/stowaway top car. ( '64 I think.) You're going to have to add some
sort of quarter window even if you modify your existing doors, because any
glass long enough to reach the windscreen won't fit inside the door. Then
you have the issue of door handles. If you have your windows rolled up, and
you are on the outside of the car, you need to be able to get the door
open.
The way to go would have to be: Buy a later car with decent doors and
A-pillars. Fix the inevitable rust at the bottom of the doors and
A-pillars. Use the later doors and windscreen, modify the scuttle using the
later car's sheetmetal so that the later doors will fit. Then you have to
do some bodywork the get the rear of the door top to match the profile of
the body. Use a top (and top bow) from a 64 Sprite, the rear bar attaches
the same. You might have some snap location differences. I'm sure there are
some other things I haven't thought of. Like trying to get your interior
to look like it wasn't patched together.
Alternatively, whatever happened to "Pieces"?
Phil
'61 Midget
-----Original Message-----
From: Birch [SMTP:birch@cadvision.com]
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 1999 7:43 PM
To: spridgets
Subject: Sprite Side Windows
Thanks for all the responses on the body support question. Now on to
another one.
I plan to use my 60 Bugeye Sprite as a daily driver/commuter and would
love to replace the detachable side curtains (sliding windows) and
restructure/replace the doors to provide rollup style windows. Has
anyone considered, seen, heard of or done this? I was thinking there may
be a newer sprite/midget door that may be close enough to try a
remanufacture. I have a spare set of doors to try this with. Any
suggestions?
Ken Birch
1960 Bugeye
Calgary AB Canada
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