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And Bugsy Spoke for the first time in 18 Months tonight

Jim_Gruber

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I wrapped up installing Bugsy's Wiring Harness tonight. I finished hooking up fuel line and proceeded to start testing wiring and circuit after hooking up the battery.
1) 3Amp fuse to start in the main power line, attach positive battery cable - no smoke
2) Try Running lights - Front and Rear Power up
3) Test Brake Lights - Both lights work with Running Lights On or Off
4) Try Heater - Fan turns on
5) Try Wipers - Wipers work
6) Change Fuse to a 20A - Headlights work on High and Low Beam - Blue Indicator for High Beams Works
7) With Ignition On - Try Turn Signals - No Joy there Bummer. Tried changing LED Flasher Relay and tried swapping the Green and Green/Brown Stripe still No Joy -
Will trouble shoot this weekend
8) Red Ignition warning lamp is illuminated as it should as engine is not running
9) Car is in garage, on jackstands, grabbed the Fire Extinguisher and saod to myself WTH, pulled the choke out, pumped the gas pedal, and pulled the Start Button
10) Bugsy cranked for about 15 seconds and gave a sputter, and another sputter, and then that joyous sound began to reverberate in my garage VROOM, VROOM, VROOM

18 Months of time and effort and he's talking again.I am totally Chuffed!!!!!!!

OK some issues - Alternator Warning Lamp is staying on, Genernator is likely not charging - Need to measure voltage at Battery with engine running
Electronic Tach that connects to the - Coil Wire is not working either - It is fused so I'll crawl under dash tomorrow
Fuel Gauge is not illuminated and Fuel Sender did not move - Fuel Sender is at the end of the green Wire attached to A4, That Wire also runs a bunch of other stuff so Trouble Shooting will be required on that as well.

Ran the car up through the gears, in 5th gear on jack stands is interesting to say the least. Some vibration from the rear of the car but no idea what.
No noises from tranny, was rebuilt by Glenn's Automotive in St. Petersburg. Glenn discovered one of the gears was in backwards. Not sure which one but one side has a slight ridge on it and it will fit either way. Reassembled correctly and now full engagement and meshing of the gears, The whirring sound I was hearing from the tranny is gone. Could not figure out what was causing the noise, As I was mating the 210 Tranny to the engine, I went to lube the pilot bushing and the pilot bushing came out in my hand. Reassembled with Red Locktite. No extra noises. And expensive loose Pilot Bushing but I feel better about my tranny.

Have the weekend available for trouble shooting as Kate is out of town. Will work through trouble shooting list and see if I can figure things out with Genernator, Tach, Fuel Gauge. Considering this is a new wiring harness and nothing smoked I am super happy. Now to fix issues with electrical, install drivers seat, and a shoprt 2 mile jaunt around the lake to check out brakes and steering. Who needs doors or a windshield to do that. A Great Evening!!!!!

PS I took a video of Bugsy's first start but a 147 Mb 1 minute video was not going to load here. Thanks to all for your help and advice. Been a long 18 months of Bugeye Withdrawal.
 

drooartz

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Excellent progress! :cheers:
 

JPSmit

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a most wonderful sound! congrats
 
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Jim_Gruber

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Thanks, more trouble shooting this pm. seats and doors next.
 

Boink

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Fantastic! Congrats.
 
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Jim_Gruber

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Updates from this afternoon
1) Genernator is charging 14.3 volts, removed excited lamp from under dash battery reading 12.6 volts. Still cannot figure out why alternator warning lamp remains on.
2) Got Tach working, Fuseholder had come apart - a nice victory there
3) Fuel gauge not getting power properly. I think there is a ground issue. Was able to get power going and gauge working whike standing on my head, needs more work but confident I can make work.
4) was getting some exhaust leakage on manifold, issue goes away when header warms up. Tightened up all header nuts - Fixed
5) Did not get to turn signals today. Need to make up some long test leads

Good progress in problem solving today. Back at it again tomorrow and Sunday.
 

pdplot

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When I rebuilt a TD back in the 1970's, my direction signals didn't flash. It was a defective brand-new flasher unit. I replaced it. Problem solved.
 
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Jim_Gruber

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I needed to move Bugsy to sweep up and clean up the 3rd bay of my garage yesterday as I was upgrading my workbench. Everything needed to come off of the old cramped workbench and since workbench was coming out Bugsy was in the way. Rather than simply roll him outside as it was spitting rain I took him off jackstands, placed a bucket seat, unbolted of course on the floor of the Drivers side, turned the key, engine went Vroom, Vroom, and I pulled him out of the garage. For some reason only in my mind Bugsy did not stop at the end of the driveway, but he turned left and gave a mighty roar from the loud pedal and took of for a two mile tour around our lake, without a windshield, doors, or seatbelts with his driver exercising his right foot on wet streets and going much faster than the posted 25 mph speed limit. With wind in my face along with some stinging rain drops 25 mph felt like 50 and I even got Bugsy to hang his back end out around one left hand turn on the wet street and **** It Felt Good! Lots to still fix and reassemble, electrical problems that need addressed, half of them I already know the solution just need time under the dash today. But **** It Felt Good to drive Bugsy after 18 Months. In fact, it felt so good that after the 3rd bay was cleaned out, new workbench put in place, boxes of parts and pieces reorganized, I needed to put Bugsy back in the 3rd Bay. And you know what, he backed out of the garage with my help, turned out of the driveway and did the tour of the Lake all over again with his maniac driver grinning from ear to ear. YEAH!!!!!
 

JPSmit

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clearly the auto-pilot works just fine! :cheers:
 

hcallaway

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Great to catch up on your build! I am getting close to getting mine on the road. I have never ridden in a Bugeye; however, as a kid I had plenty of experience jacking a good friends Midget when his sister would come home after a date and park the car.
 
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Jim_Gruber

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Think I've now got a handle on Fuel Gauge issue and why it's not working. A sneaky, partial ground issue that I stumbled across. Do not think I will need to drop the tank. Once that is resolved, horn installed / wired in and USB Charger/Voltmeter wired in I/m done with Under the dash work and floor insulation can go in, Carpet, upholstery, and seats, and rehang the doors. And a zillion other things to get Bugsy back to normal driving conditions. Not too much time can be spent in the garage this time of year with Temp / Humidity Index today at 110 but Driving Season really starts here in October. And I hope to have Bugsy ready to go.
 

Pat MM

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Congrats! Be glad it's not 110 degrees Fahrenheit like it was here yesterday! The Bugeye is waiting patiently, sideways in the back of the garage, waiting for the Morris Traveller to get finished, so it can plan it's escape...
 
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Jim_Gruber

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Hope both are ready to go in case those wildfires get close. Trust me every day in Aug and September with humidity well over 100 degrees, And then the rain comes this time if year with fabulous lightning and thunder. Last night 2 1/2 " in less than an hour. Rainy season will end here in another 30 days, High temps will drop about 10-15 Degrees, nights drop from 75 to 60's and LBC Driving Season begins.
 

Pat MM

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Thanks Jim,
That's some rain we could use, the insane humidity, yuck. The only rain we get this time of year is ashes. We live a few miles outside the Walbridge Fire evacuation zone which has mostly been removed now, but the smoke here is pretty solid. Today it got up to 64 degrees F and the sun was an orange disc in the sky. Such wild weather swings!
Last year we evacuated one morning at 4:00AM in wild winds and swirling smoke (with power out for hours which means no well water to soak everything before leaving) and weren't able to take any cars from the garage as my wife was having a rough time and didn't want to be in separate cars. She was fine with leaving her freshly painted Karmann Ghia behind, let alone my projects! Hard decisions, but not.
Northern California never used to be this way. We used to enjoy many months of nice weather for fun convertibles. The good old days I guess...
 
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