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Richmond VA 1960 Bugeye Bringing Miss Eva back to life.

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An update. Motor is at Machine Shop. I told them no hurry, but that was based on we will call you in 3-4 weeks. That was about 6 weeks ago. Figured I was waiting on Refund Check from Treasury Department to help determine my budget. I will call next week and start pushing. Car is almost ready to go to body shop. I am down to one screw holding one of the door hinges and it is rounding off. PB Blaster was my last resort until I go to drill it out. Not what I want to do. (I am now reconsidering to just leave in in place, but lack of adjustment worries me. I did fit perfectly when I mounted both doors as I was fabricating on the body panels.) I was lamenting how my speed of restoration was slowing and was somewhat out of my control to one of my buddies. He decided to cheer me up and give me a loaner for a few months.

1970 Z28 LT-1 360 hp 4.11;1 Rear 60K Numbers Matching.
The car is fun in a straight line. The motor has been reworked so I am guessing it is over 400 hp; however, with the 4.11:1 rear gears it is turning a lot of rpm's at 55 mph.
After about 20 minutes of driving I remembered what I like about automatics in muscle cars. I also remembered that GM and other makes during that time period were not much in the handling department. I think that my other cars are more fun to actually drive and enjoy. With a 1275 in the Bugeye it should be close to the fun factor of my Miata.
 
If you go back in the Archives of Class Motor Sports you can ready Project Modern Midget. Rebuild of a SWA Midget with a little bit of engine mods and brake / suspension upgrades compared to a 1.6 Miata. By the time they were done the Midget was turning faster lap times than the Miata around their Test Track. A credit to the original designers of this fabulous LBC. I can't wait to see what Tim Suddard? does a with the Bugeye he owns that he will turn into a Project Car one of these years.
 
Before reinstalling the gas tank, buy a new sending unit from BugeyeGuy.com. They sell a really nice one where the float will not fill will gas.
 
The first Blocking was 6-7 hours of hard work. He used a heavy filler primer. We let it sit for 3 days to really harden and then I used 220 to do the first block.
It was the first time I really got the concept of doing it the right way.

Very few high spots before I got to any of what would be the paintable surface.

My doors were perfect with out any high spots.

Taking it all to bare metal is time consuming, but it is truly the only was to build it back unless the car is 100% solid.
 
Notice the dark green acid etch primer.

The rest of the car and under the bonnet will be primed with a much less aggressive filler primer. I should be able to sand with 320 before getting close to paint.
The same 320 will block out what has already been blocked with the 220.
 
Is there something in the fenderwell to grab hold of. I'm not familiar with exactly how tis fastener works. I thought a Dzus Fastener used some sort of locking key to turn to lock and unlock the fitting. Could you add a little more detail on how this fastener works. Thinking pin goes through into the plate you welded to the inside of the bonnet. How challenging is alignment to get in the correct spot.
 
Jim_Gruber said:
Is there something in the fenderwell to grab hold of. I'm not familiar with exactly how tis fastener works. I thought a Dzus Fastener used some sort of locking key to turn to lock and unlock the fitting. Could you add a little more detail on how this fastener works. Thinking pin goes through into the plate you welded to the inside of the bonnet. How challenging is alignment to get in the correct spot.
Click to expand...

The fastener will have a plastic collar that will be on the Dzus to keep it from falling off when not engaged. A small flat head screw driver from inside the wheel well is turned a quarter turn will lock the wing on the bonnet. It is naturally adjusts when the bonnet is closed. The holes line up. You can adjust the pressure of the fastener by the tension set on the spring or by the depth of the Dzus fastener you use. I will have better pictures when I install the bonnet after painting.
 

Final sand. Scuff with red scotch pad on the engine bay and then a sealer and paint.

Under side of the bonnet is complete. One more box checked. It is amazing that I am still finding areas that need to be addressed. The more you sand the more you find.
 
Started working on the dash. Filling most of the holes. I plan on using Speed Hut GPS based gauges. Speedometer with turn signals and fuel gauge. Tachometer. 2 2" gauges - Oil Pressure and Water Temperature. I will have an ignition switch on the face of the dash. Lights and turn signals will be mounted on the bottom of the dash.

Mount 16 GA backer panel. Tack the holes from the front. Fill and grind.



Weld and grind. Weld some more and grind some more.
Support Staff.
 
Acid Etch Primer

Primer

Much cleaner looking.
I think you should be able to tell that I am not that concerned about it being 100% original. I guess I am making it more user friendly with upgraded seating and smoothing out the body, yet trying to give it a vintage look. I think the paint job will show my direction.
 
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