Early Homebrew Double-Lever Bug (pre-1918)

 

 

Early Homebrew Double-Lever Bug (Pre-1918)

 

Here’s an interesting EBay find.  Its a homebrew double-lever bug that was converted to single lever somewhere along the way.  The buy-it-now price was very low so I bit the hook.   The design elements suggest an early build, around the first generation of Vibroplex double lever bugs.  After clean-up, the bug looks quite nice and performs very well on the air 90% of the time.   Some of the adjustments become loose after a bit of operating so I have to periodically check them on-the-fly.  All the parts are nickel plated.

Note some features of this bug which hint on it’s vintage:

  • Full hinge style pivot like a pre-1919 Vibroplex, vs post 1919 dog-ear hinge
  • Square frame, like an early Norcross Vibroplex (pre-cloverleaf), without lower ears for mounting screws
  • Mounting holes on the terminal side of the frame exactly like an early Vibroplex Double-Lever, but converted to single lever
  • Shorting bar and dash contact location between the frame and terminals just like an early Double-Lever
  • Lever spring mount on the side of the frame like an early Vibroplex Double Lever
  • Early style dampner just like a pre-1909 Vibroplex
  • Square dot spring like a 1905 Norcross Vibroplex

To view more detailed pictures of this interesting bug, click here.