Richmond VA 1960 Bugeye Bringing Miss Eva back to life.

[hcallaway]

It was completely blasted. (Except what is enclosed space.) What you see is what I exposed taking off the exterior panel. I have not even started cleaning up and treating any bare metal. On my rear rocker there was some minor pitting. The inside panel has a replacement going in.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

It is the enclosed spaces that often rust from the inside out. I'm just suggesting you check with your welder friend before making the patches too small.

 

[hcallaway]

I completely understand. Thx

 

[nomad]

When I did my Midget I cut off that entire mud trap behind the rear wheels...inside and out. The only reason the factory made them that way is that they were spot welding everything and couldn't have welds on a cosmetic panel. I also only used the factory replacement panel for a pattern because I though they were too thin. Formed both sides out of heavier material and fitted a patch straight from the flat trunk floor out to the outer panel. One strip for a brace and I expect it will never give rusting problems again.

Kurt.

 

[hcallaway]

Started working on tacking up the lower drivers door pillar.

Fits good but not near as easy as the passenger side. Not having all the screws is part of my issue with fitment.
Placed an order with McMaster Carr and should have the hardware this week. Tack weld in case I need to adjust.

Trial fit on lower post pillar cover.

 

[hcallaway]

I decided to replace both sides on the rear wings and interior (closing panel) trunk to wings.
Frog Eye Spare also had the rear lower panel I need. Rear Valance. It will be cheaper than fabricating one.

 

[hcallaway]

You made me change direction on my passenger side.

When I did my Midget I cut off that entire mud trap behind the rear wheels...inside and out. The only reason the factory made them that way is that they were spot welding everything and couldn't have welds on a cosmetic panel. I also only used the factory replacement panel for a pattern because I though they were too thin. Formed both sides out of heavier material and fitted a patch straight from the flat trunk floor out to the outer panel. One strip for a brace and I expect it will never give rusting problems again.

Kurt.

 

[nomad]

Well, its a suggestion.....good luck!

Kurt.

 

[hcallaway]

Drivers side lower rear patch patch panel.

Fit is OK will have to be tweaked pretty good.

Removing the closing panel that is on the back side of the quarter.

I left some of the old quarter to get the angles correct.

After I get the inter panel tacked. I will remove the rest of the quarter. Then work on the other side and get it to the same stage on both sides.Then I will work on the lower rear valance panel.

 

[hcallaway]

Rear panel from Frog Eye Spares. Ordered and once they gave me a freight rate to OK, the panel arrived in 2 days from England. Prices were great as both lower quarters and the rear valance were about the same cost as just the two patch panels domestically.

It will cover a multitude of sins.

 

[Rut]

Looking good! I was surprised at how much less, even with freight, that the panels were from AH Spares as well as some of the other suppliers across the pond.
Rut

 

[hcallaway]

Getting back on track. 90% done with passenger door pillar.

 

[hcallaway]

Drivers Side Door Pillar Finished

 

[hcallaway]

Bonnet is off to fab shop with the English Wheel. I made a template for the opening. He is going to roll the lower valance.

 

[hcallaway]

Decided to clean up the MGB. It was 17 years ago that I restored this car. My wife asked me to start getting it back on the road. The three sons said today on Mothers Day is a great day to start.



Removed criter remnants with carpet shampoo. Do it twice and it should be good.

 

[hcallaway]

Just a wash and dry. Detail it after we clean the seats.

 

[anarchy99]

I envy your garage space and 4 post lifts... If I'm ever driving my sprite out that way from Virginia Beach area I'll have to swing by to lend a hand

 

[hcallaway]

Come by any time. The lifts really free up floor space. In a 36 x 60 I can get 9 cars in half the garage. 6 on 3 lifts with 3 in front. 3 lifts @ 2K each. 6K is cheap for storing them.

 

[anarchy99]

Agreed, even if theres not a car on the bottom stack, it frees up a ton of storage space storing the cars up high like that.

 

[hcallaway]

Brett Hamilton Race Cars is an old customer of mine and we have become friends for the last 24 plus years. He generally stays away from jobs that I need to get him to do.
It is great to see him work. All he expects is a clear idea of what you want done and to not waste his time. Race car guys expect to get their projects done asap and they tie him up. His work ranges from cars for Amelia Island or building Henderson fenders from the 20's.
Replacing the front bonnet valence.

He beat the top of the bonnet opening to get it into the proper shape.

I made a cardboard pattern and we had a new grille to use as well.

The he sheared a strip of 20 GA CR steel and using a brake he bent it into what some call a Z pattern except squared. This is actually the first of two grille openings. The first one was shaped as an angle and then he used a stretcher - shrinker to get the shape of the lower U of the opening. Brett did not like the way it was going to merge into the panel. He scraped it and started over.