Beginning restoration, advice please

[Patti59]

Newbie here. My Bugeye is about stripped and ready for blasting. I have been researching this forum and other sites to help me decide what I want to do. Oh, all the wealth of information out there!! I finally have a plan. I have a good 1275 engine and ribbed transmission to install. I will do a negative earth conversion, front disc brake conversion, and maybe change the gear ratio to 3.7 or 3.9.

Any advice or recommendations as to what other things I need to consider or do? I will get Gerard to rebuild master cylinder, but I need to find disc brake setup to swap. No British cars in salvage yards around here. Ebay has them occasionally, but what would be a good price? Same question about the rear differential too?

What model # speedometer and tach do I need? I have the working originals, but I don't think they are the right ones for my plan.

Iris blue or cherry red? Decisions, decisions!!

Pat

 

[smaceng]

Hi Pat,
Welcome to the club!
I changed my BE to a 3.9 from the 4.2 and I like it a lot. Easy to find diffs, as it was used in a lot of the later cars. The disk set up should be available for $150 to $200. You will still have to rebuilt though. Do you have a speedo and tach now?
The tach is only common to the BE and the Mk2s as it is driven off the generator. These do come up on ebay from time to time. If you need the #s, I can get those for you from Horler's book. The gauges can be costly to rebuild.
I like the Iris Blue myself.....very few Cherry red BEs out there, I don't know why, as red can show well!
Good luck, and let us know how we can help!
Scott in CA

 

[Whitephrog]

Pat

What was the original color of the car and interior?

What's your motivation to convert to negative ground?

Where are you in Tennessee?

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Is this the car that was in Louisville? Or the original one you started with? (Patti posted on another forum previously)

 

[drooartz]

Welcome, Pat!

The 3.90 is a good match for a well built 1275 and rib case. That was the route I went when I did the Tunebug. Ideally you'll want to swap over to the later style rear drums as well, though it's not totally necessary.

https://www.drooartz.com/index.php?page=61

I'd go with Iris Blue as it's a favorite color of mine -- though I like all the original Bugeye colors so I'd probably put the car back to its original color if I was doing the full thing.

As for gauges, I'd keep the originals in the car and convert the tach to electronic operation. There are a couple companies that do this, and there are also some instructions around for a DIY option. I like the look of the original gauges in a Bugeye.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Pat,

I'm about to start a restoration on Bugsy II, a '59 I found in Toronto that was taken apart 25 years ago, had lots of metal welded in, bodywork finished in lead, not bondo and sprayed with aircraft preservation primer. The front suspension is installed but that's the only thing left in the car. No interior, wiring harness, no engine, no tranny, it's all in boxes. I'm picking the car up in 3 weeks and essentially I bought a Sprite in a Kit. Hard metal working stuff, rear bulkhead repair, floor replacement, outer rockers, trunk floor are all complete. Bonnet got a replacement lower valance and trunk had major dents and road rash fixed again in lead so theoretically it's just a case of sand and paint and put back together. I know it won't be that simple but all of the parts and pieces are there with this BE.

I will be going with a 1275 that needs to be rebuilt(rings and valve job) that I have as a spare in the back of my garage. I am getting a 5 speed as a partial trade for Bugsy my '68 Sprite. Will get a kit from Gerard for the 5 speed, and a resleeved Brake Master as I convert to front discs and later backing plates.

Trevor, I'm still interested in the discs from off of that '68 you are taking apart along with the backing plates and the sway bar. PM me and we can talk on those.

Will be going negative ground and adding an alternator. Will leave rear end alone for now and stay with 4.22. Will send shocks off to Peter C. and do a total rebuild of front end as I convert to disc brakes.

There is a new interior panel kit, although 25 y.o. that came with the car and dash was recovered in Cherry Red. Will need a new seat kit that matches the interior panel kit. Will be curious to see about color matches. Thinking White with a pair of twin Red Stripes. Haven't decided on paint I'll go with yet. Since John Kuzman down in Cincinnati is about to start a rebuild on another BE we may have a set of BE's going into paint at about the same time. He's thinking DIY, I've done Rustoleum DIY before. That's a way down the road.

Looking forward to picking the car up in Toronto April 6th and see exactly what will be involved in reassembling this Sprite in a Kit.

P.S. There are lots of people who have parts cars in various states of disassembly. Some I know have spare garages full of Spridget parts. Post a note out to this list and other Spridget Lists and I think you will quickly find a source for a set of front discs and backing plates for the rear end. The parts are there and typically at more reasonable pricies than on E-Bay from a list member.

 

[drooartz]

Also, keep an eye out for a parts car near you. The one I found when I was doing the Tunebug provided all sorts of needed parts -- and I was able to sell the shell and a few other bits on to other folks who needed them.

https://www.drooartz.com/index.php?page=36

 

[Jimflorida]

Good luck with your restoration. My quick advice: I used Gerard for my brake mod and 5-speed kits and was very pleased. Hap does a great job on any engine jobs. I have used British Sports Car Restorations (a Moss reseller) for major parts buys as they offer a 16% discount off Moss prices. I have gotten many needed used parts by just asking about their availability on the forum--there are a number of folks that have parts you might need.

Color? You can never go wrong with red, in my opinion (although red paint will set you back a few more dollars than other colors). I finished mine in off-white with red stripes, red top and red interior.

Jim

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Jim, Since that's the paint /color combo I am considering can you post pics? What paint was used and interior pieces came from...?

 

[Jimflorida]

Hi Jim. Here are a couple of pictures. I used the PPG Deltron basecoat/clearcoat paints. The red is the Deltron DBC medium scarlet color. The old english white, I believe, I just had matched from an existing color. I used the PPG DCU 2021 clear. I really like the color combination.

I got the interior from Moss. Red seats, red carpet, and red top. Maybe if I was going to do this again, I might spring for the leather seats rather than the vinyl (I've spent so much money so far, what difference would it make??)

Jim

 

[bug_sixty]

Question to all, I have seen NEW 3/4" masters for sale through different vendor of recent... Is resleeving still the best option?

 

[Gundy]

Hi Pat,
Sounds like you have a pretty good plan in place. 1275/ribcase/disc brakes is standard practice.
Color choices are very personal. If you like it, it is the right choice.
The speedo can be problematic due to wheel/tire combos and rear ratio choices.
Companies make about anything you want.
I'm using a Smiths from another car for speedo and a custom Smiths for tach.
Blue Max posted pics of some electronic units that look stock bugeye but have tailored functions.
Again, personal choice.
My speedo is accurate and the shift point for my engine is near high noon.
Still looks period...sorta. Personal choice.
I like the 4.22. But I'm nuts. The speedo was showing 10mph off with the 3.7 rear.
Baby blue IS easy on the eyes.

Pics please.

 

[Gerard]

Hi Jim. Here are a couple of pictures. I used the PPG Deltron basecoat/clearcoat paints. The red is the Deltron DBC medium scarlet color. The old english white, I believe, I just had matched from an existing color. I used the PPG DCU 2021 clear. I really like the color combination.

I got the interior from Moss. Red seats, red carpet, and red top. Maybe if I was going to do this again, I might spring for the leather seats rather than the vinyl (I've spent so much money so far, what difference would it make??)

Jim

Jim,

Your car is looking fantastic. Looks like you have a nice work space too. How 'bout some pix of the engine bay?

 

[Gerard]

Question to all, I have seen NEW 3/4" masters for sale through different vendor of recent... Is resleeving still the best option?

I'n not sure which vendor you mean, but if the cost is pretty close to the same (which I believe it is), you will still have the corrosion issue to deal with sometime down the road. The brass sleeved ones which I supply will never have that problem. Given the sometimes questionable source and quality of metal castings today, that could be sooner than you think or expect. Also, I don't know if the replacement seals are the same for the repops as the original Lockheed. It has happened in the past the non-original MC's had proprietary seals, which sometime down the road become unavailable. I don't know the case regarding what's being made today as they have only been available for about a year.

BTW, most everyone that has done this upgrade is blown away by what they get back, not only for performance, but for appearance. For anyone that has some doubt, here's one I just got back this week.

 

[Patti59]

Whitefrog

The car is leaf green with tan interior. I am in west tn by the TN River.

 

[Patti59]

Trevor, yes my BE was in Louisville. It is my second. My first was lacking a lot of parts. This one has everything including the top frame and side curtains.

 

[Patti59]

Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement. I look forward to future chatting and problem solving when I get deeper in my project.

Scott,
I have the original gauges, but know that they won't work correctly for my set up. What #s do I need with the conversions I plan?

 

[Jimflorida]

Hi Pat: I am finishing up my renovation of a 59 Bugeye. If I understand your questions--with the upgrades you plan, you should be able to use the original Speedometer. I changed to an alternator too, and was planning on taking a later electric tach and modding it to use the original Bugeye tach face, which some others have done, but after a lot of reading about the conversion and taking apart several tachs, I just bit the bullet and sent my original tach off to Palo Alto Speedo to have them do it. They did a good job.
Jim

 

[Jim_Gruber]

As an alternativeyou can do a Digital Speedo using a Sigma Cyclometer for < $50. Mounts up on the dash right next to the mirror right at eye level. I used both for Bugsy my '68. Very small and out of the way.

 

[Patti59]

Thanks, Jim

In using my original speedo, I know to convert it to negative ground, do I need another cable, if so what size for the new engine/transmission? And any calibration for 3.9 rear end?

Pat