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Help me put together a plan for my Bugeye

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It'd be a shame to spend $$$ on body and paint work only to find that some after market holes weren't filled or some thing in the in the body needed tweaking on a frame rack. Also, if you want good reflection lines then the door hinges and seals and bonnet hinges, latches, buffers all need to be in top shape and in place before the final body work. It is also advisable to have all your chrome and trim renewed and tested as the body work progresses.
 
drooartz said:
I'll add that I'm less concerned about not being able to drive right away (right away = over the next 3 years realistically) than I am about picking the plan that gets me through the restoration in the most successful manner so I can enjoy many years of driving.
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If driving it over the next few years is not an issue, then my vote goes squarely on option 1. Strip it down, get the bodywork done, and then rebuild everything. It's a lot easier to get a bodywork done and paint everything the same color if it's stripped down, and it's very satisfying to rebuild, replace, refurbish everything and put it on a freshly painted, clean body. I did this with my BT7, and I have never regretted it even though it took 5 years. That's the approach I'm taking with my bugeye. (besides if you do it that way, we will both be doing a complete restorations at the same time, and everyone knows misery loves company)
 
Drew,
I guess a lot of people do this when they first buy their LBC. Plan on a rolling restoration and fix the obvious problems first. My Bugeye looked great and passed the magnet test, leaked oil out the rear of the 1275, weak hydraulics. Got it home and washed it and noticed a few small cracks in the paint...cracks got bigger and more numerous and I realized buffing was not going to fix it. I messed around with it and got the brakes and clutch working, but it was not the car I wanted it to be. I started taking component groups off to restore a little at a time and next thing I knew the car was stripped and on a rotisserie. I wish I had planned it that way from the start and I would have read and studied more, researched the forums more, followed the blogs of successful restorations and decided what I wanted. I'm finally to that point and while I don't want a concours car, I do want it right and well preserved. It's going to be dipped, stripped, and E-coated prior to final body work and paint. I think it has to do more with the person than the car and what they will accept as a finished product...it would bug me to no end to know there was a rusted area with bondo where there should be metal.
Rut
 
Well today I contacted a recommended local body shop for an initial estimate on the bodywork I need done. I need to get a feel for what the cost will be to handle the bodywork first. I'm currently leaning in that direction, but we'll see what I can come up with as far as a rough cost.
 
I vote for option 2. Driving the car for awhile, while upgrading as you can, gives you a much better feel for what's really needed. At the same time you may learn to take on a little more of the work (like body work) as you go and save some bucks. In any event, go with what YOU want to do!
 
My car sat in the garage for 30 years. I got inspired one day and after a week it was in parts. It took a year to do the body, suspension, brakes new and used whatever I had on the rest to get it on the road. The next winter I did some interior and outside trim. I drive it in the summer and work on it in the winter. This winter I am hoping for shocks and some more interior. My biggest mistake was I didn’t take before pictures.
 
Drew, based on your track record (MGB, Bugeye, MGB, Bugeye, bike, bike) I'd say do plan #1. You're probably going to get "bored" with the Bugeye before your finished and want to move on to a Daimler SP250 or a Europa or some other "car of the day". If you work on the Bugeye piece-meal it will still have most of it's value rather than if it's in a million parts. (At which time I will swoop in and offer you pennies on the dollar to take it off your hands). Seriously, either plan will work but personally not driving it for a couple, three years would drive me nuts. Good luck, Bob
 
Bob Claffie said:
Drew, based on your track record (MGB, Bugeye, MGB, Bugeye, bike, bike) I'd say do plan #1. You're probably going to get "bored" with the Bugeye before your finished and want to move on to a Daimler SP250 or a Europa or some other "car of the day". If you work on the Bugeye piece-meal it will still have most of it's value rather than if it's in a million parts. (At which time I will swoop in and offer you pennies on the dollar to take it off your hands). Seriously, either plan will work but personally not driving it for a couple, three years would drive me nuts. Good luck, Bob
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Technically it was (full history here):
Land Cruiser - Bike - Bike - TR4 - Bugeye - Bike - Midget (parts car) - Bike - Bike - Bike - MGB - Land Cruiser - Bike - Bugeye - Bike

I realize no one will believe me -- fair enough -- but I feel like I'm at the beginning of a more settled time with my little fleet. In many ways I'm back to where I was when I had the Triumph Bonneville and first Bugeye, and that was the best little fleet I've ever had. It is certainly my intent to keep this fleet long term, though I'm wise enough to realize that situations change.

I go back and forth on which approach to take with this car. I'm not in a huge rush either way, still gathering info on the various costs involved.

Thanks again for all the comments and insights. Helpful stuff.
 
I think your history is better than mine, Drew, I never can bring myself to sell and just keep adding!!:highly_amused:

The limiting factor has become the limited space!!!

Current: 66,65 midget 64,60 sprite 57 berkeley 64 lotus elan. [parts car's!]


Kurt
 
nomad said:
I think your history is better than mine, Drew, I never can bring myself to sell and just keep adding!!:highly_amused:
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I've tried expanding my fleet on a couple occasions, and I'm never happy with it. Limited space and finance always do me in. I'm just happier with only one old crock to maintain. Modern bike, old car, daily driver. That's my sweet spot.
 
Quick update: got a first rough estimate on bodywork for the Bugeye, and while expensive (no surprise there) it is within what I have available and about what I expected.

As of today I'm leaning towards getting the bodywork sorted out first. I've got resources to pay for it right now, and I'll feel better knowing that big project is behind me.
 
Drew,
Glad to hear your plan is moving along...that was my vote and I'm doing mine in a helter skelter way! I'm so slow on welding and body work it's pitiful!
Rut
 
drooartz said:
Quick update: got a first rough estimate on bodywork for the Bugeye, and while expensive (no surprise there) it is within what I have available and about what I expected.

As of today I'm leaning towards getting the bodywork sorted out first. I've got resources to pay for it right now, and I'll feel better knowing that big project is behind me.
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Go for it! (One caveat - Make sure you know what you want before you send it - I didn't get the mirror holes filled - and ordered the mirrors after the body work was done - so they look good and are shiny enough that the car goes faster because of it but they don't work.)
 
Well sounds like your plans are set, but I will weigh in anyway, I am another of those who gets more enjoyment out of a running restoration, I have nothing against restored cars, I have nothing against working on cars, I rather like it, but working working working and not driving driving driving is not much fun for me, plus I am somewhat goal oriented, and the ultimate goal being to get the car done, I am kind of a freak to live with when doing a total restoration, but after doing one on my TR250 I realize that I like to tinker and improve more than nut and bolt restore, probably goes back to my formative years when I drove Sprites as daily drivers, goal was almost always to get it fixed and back on the road as soon as possible, or it was walk or ride a bike to work.

I just bought an old BMW 2002 a few months ago. The paint is presentable, as is the interior, but it hadn't been driven for years, I am having great fun getting it going, puttering around with it and making improvements, last weekend I adjusted the valves, they were way out of whack, all too tight. Now the car runs better, never done a valve job before where I could feel an effect on how the car run, but great fun to spend an hour or so wrenching then feel the results, plus just knowing you made it better, countless other jobs like that have been done since I got the car. When I had my old Healey 100, I did major things like rebuild the motor, tranny, front suspension etc, but the car was never off the road for more than two weeks at a time or so.

But it is obvious (and interesting to me) from the comments here that everybody has their own thoughts on how they enjoy their cars, and since it is your car, it is your choice.
 
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Wanted to thank you all again for the discussion, was very helpful as I thought through what I wanted to do and worked towards a decision. And a decision has indeed been made...

...we're going all in, stripping the car down and sending it off to a local body shop. :eagerness:

Got a good recommendation from a friend for a shop he's used a few times, and had a very nice chat with the owner. Initial rough estimate is in the same order of magnitude that I have saved up, so I decided to make it happen. I'll work on getting the car stripped down and documented over the next month or two (weather/heat depending) and then get the car down to the city for a meeting with the shop to set up a plan and develop the real budget.

I'm excited. I really want to do this car right and have no excuses hidden beneath the paint. I know it'll be expensive, but it'll be worth it.
 
Drew,

I think you're making the right choice. There are a lot of things that you can do that will be free or low cost that will prepare you for the arrival of the completed tub. You can start working on refinishing the rear axle, springs and other suspension parts as well as the front suspension, steering rack, etc. That way, when you get your tub back, you can bolt on the suspension pieces and roll it around. You can then start doing your brake and fuel lines. This will allow you to make progress while getting the funds together for the motor and tranny. It also helps to come up with a list of your needs and watch the Moss sales for when those parts go for a discount.
 
Next thing I need to do is get my documentation together so I can keep good notes on dissassembly and on what needs to be taken care of during the bodywork.

I'm excited, lots to do and -- if I'm honest -- many year to come. That's okay, I should have many good years of driving once it's all completed.
 
drooartz said:
Next thing I need to do is get my documentation together so I can keep good notes on dissassembly and on what needs to be taken care of during the bodywork.

I'm excited, lots to do and -- if I'm honest -- many year to come. That's okay, I should have many good years of driving once it's all completed.
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I predict you will drive the car in 2014. Just sayin'
 
drooartz said:
Next thing I need to do is get my documentation together so I can keep good notes on dissassembly and on what needs to be taken care of during the bodywork.

I'm excited, lots to do and -- if I'm honest -- many year to come. That's okay, I should have many good years of driving once it's all completed.
Click to expand...

Recommend lots of large zip lock bags with note's in them along with the parts. Then put the bags in separate box's to group for the part of the car they belong to. Before photo's for where hydraulic lines, hoses, and wiring are supposed to run. When removing things put all fastener's back where they came from after part is removed, if possible, to keep track of them.

Kurt.
 
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