The Eagle has landed!

Well, not quite, but the Bugeye is finally home from the body shop and it looks great! Ricky (Tony Barnhill's painter and body man) did a great job fixing problem spots and they wet sanded the entire car with 3000 grit prior to buffing. I was prepared to fork over some serious cash for the work done, but he refused to take anything, but I left money despite his objections. Can't wait to clean everything up and start reassembly of the few parts left to do.
Rut

I think you mean Tony Barnhill (The "Autoist").
Nice,but sad to hear his name again.

Pics Rut, we need pics

AngliaGT said:

I think you mean Tony Barnhill (The "Autoist").
Nice,but sad to hear his name again.

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Yep, don't you just love auto correct and a good proof reader? Tony turned several of us onto Ricky including Jack Laird...really miss them.
Jim, the car is still on the trailer and I'm making room to park it today. I'll post some pictures and then start the clean up to get rid of the inevitable dust and light overspray that seems to coat everything.
Rut

Finally back home tonight after being away all week. Forecast looks favorable for behind the wheel time w Bugsy this weekend. Need to get engine rear seal kit install started.

Forecast down here sucks, but the Bugeye is in the garage and we’re headed to the Orange Beach to do hurricane preparation, move the boat, etc. This storm is really going to hurt Cruzing the Coast in Biloxi!
Rut

Rut,
We may pass each other on the road. Leaving this morning to head home and be ahead of the weather. Hopefully the storm doesn't develop into to much.
Marv

Marv,
Didnt see you, but got the boat out yesterday afternoon. We’ve got a new boat and it’s a good bit larger than the old one, but in my infinite wisdom I decided to use the same old trailer since it’s listed for 26’. Everything went well until we started pulling it out of the water and noticed that all 4 tires had less than the optimum amount of air in them. We were so lucky that a news crew was there and they wanted to interview me while filming me, the boat and the trailer...some friends got to see me in my finest moment, but I missed the news. We should have nothing more than a little storm surge and possibly some embarrassment if anyone sees me.
Rut

I wish I had better pictures to so, but still raining. I feel like I'm starting over and I'm pulling everything to clean or repainted.
Rut

Gorgeous!

Looking Good Rut, Questioning whether or not Bugsy gets a respray this winter or Drive Ugly and focus on getting new engine and tranny installed. I think the prevailing wisdom is get the new engine and tranny installed, especially if I want to think about selling a house and moving to warmer climes. Thinking retire end at of August. May need to go ugly to Elkhart Lake

Jim,
Go ugly and install that new drivetrain! Paint is way over rated...move South where we paint cars cheap!
Rut

Jim_Gruber said:

Questioning whether or not Bugsy gets a respray this winter or Drive Ugly and focus on getting new engine and tranny installed.

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Drive it ugly. I faced this same decision when I started the work on Penny. I went the other way and 2 years later I have a beautiful body shell and a pile of greasy parts still to restore. Drive it, sort it, and you can always do the body later.

Just found a local place that does aluminum polishing and anodizing, ive dropped off all of the aluminum for the bugeye. Can't wait to see how it turns out!
Rut

View attachment 50794We have those places in Dayton. Will get cockpit trim all polished. Might be cheaper just to order new top of door trim.

Guys you confirmed driving ugly. Sourced Aluminum from Lowes last night so I can start prepping and cutting tranny so it fits under the battery shelf this weekend. Started reading all of the How To Install Docs. And I do think Bugsy looks quite nice in Blue Base and Gray Primer Coat in places. My BE RestoMod. Old Grille painted with Chrome Paint even looks good. New Triple Chromed Grill and new AH Badge and Sprite Arrow, and new Bumperettes, and new Red Interior will wait until new paint goes on. Then the question becomes do I simply install new engine and tranny with Alternator and GR Starter and live with idiosyncracies of present wiring harness. There is some sort of issue with Left Turn Signal when I initially turn on where it blinks funny and feeds back to my SpeedHut Speedo and turns Speedo backlighting on during the day. Only does it when I first power up the car for 2-3 seconds and first time I use the turn signal. Sure it is something in the old harness as Generator lamp also comes on when I turn on Headlights as well and I just had that generator rebuilt. Need to check Charging Voltages. Battery appears to be is staying fully charged. So order new wiring harness and install this winter or wait till after paint and live with weirdness that is Lucas.

Jim,
My POA would be to install the engine, tranny, etc. and everything that makes it run correctly including a new wiring harness. Whatever it takes to do it right. You’ll be taking everything off when you get to the bodywork and paint stage, but you’ll know it all works correctly.
Rut

Probably Right Rut. Trouble shoot along the way. Present Harness is such a POC. All Colors have faded to one and the same.

Jim, that is the perfect "rat rod" Bugeye to take on a long trip where you will have monster pick-ups picking up rocks and tossing them at you.

Always a conundrum---nice paint to polish and worry about or a car to not worry about and just drive the wheels off of. One wants a good looking car---but!

Kurt

And it was a glorious day in SW Ohio today. Took the back roads to Yellow Springs, OH , Home of Antioch College, for the Fall Version of the Yellow Springs Street Fair. Tie Dye is still in full fashion in Antioch and there must have been 20 booths where one could make a fashion statement. A lot of unusual looking people, lots of tattoo statements, and an occasional whiff of an herb that is not legal in Ohio. Sunny, 75, trees changing colors and leaves coming down. Took all back roads and got lost along the way to the point where I needed to get the phone out and call out Google Maps to
find my way home. An absolutely 9.5 LBC driving day and all the more reason to "Drive Ugly." Rain in the forecast tomorrow and My 210 Tranny is about to gain an extra temporary access hole in the bell housing so I can clear the battery shelf.

Glad to put this new engine in. After romping all afternoon Oil pressure 40-45 lbs and at idle though 25 lbs. This 948 engine is a bit tired. Still, unknown how accurate a 60 y.o. Combo Gauge actually is and the 25 lbs at idle 1,500 rpm remains encouraging. although a train of oil drops follows me up the driveway. Time for new power - soon

Sounds like a day to remember.