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Getting to know my Bugeye... Bad & Some Good

John Moore

Luke Skywalker
Offline
For the past week or so, I've really started digging into my '61 Bugeye. I have the SU's, Distributor, Front End and MC sent out to professionals to be redone. The plan still is to get it running and try to drive it to access it mechanically.

Last night I was down in the foot wells getting the bonnet pins out. Good! They weren't frozen. But the "bad" was realized it looks like the DPO made a home made harness. It's a rats nest of crimp connectors under there. So a new harness is in order. I had planned on that anyway, but what worries me is that if I don't have the original in place for reference it will be difficult. Electrics aren't my forte. Tho' I did replace the harness in my B without incident.

My floor pans from underneath the car look OK. A few rust spots and holes here and there but nothing too frightening yet. However, the pans in the footwells just didn't look "right" and last night I figured out why. Apparently the DPO, cut out sheet metal and put it over the original pans and on at least one place on the DS inner sill. Not good. But if there is any good news in this latest discovery, is that the DPO installed this sheet metal with screws! LOL! On my MGB I had the same thing happen, but the DPO welded new metal over rust and that was a major pain to cut out and replace properly. I was able to get a few screws out last night, but hopefully in the next day or so, I can get it all out to see what horrors lurk beneath. I can weld, cut and grind and I was expecting to replace the rockers and doglegs anyway.

Makes me wonder what other "fun" things I'll find. But really, considering I got a complete bugeye for $500 I can't complain.... yet!
 
Re: Getting to know my Bugeye... Bad & Some Good

Take a look at https://www.britishwiring.com

Probably a better product than from the usual suspects...
 
Chris,

That's who I bought my MGB harness from and the quality, workmanship and customer service was exceptional. Tho' I have heard the company was recently sold. I did get a quote from them awhile ago, I guess it's time to place the order.

Like I said, I'm just concerned not much of the original is left for reference. when I removed my B harness, I clipped all but the last inch of wire from each componet. That way when the new one went in I was able to color match the wire in addition to using a digram. Looks like the bugeye harness is a bit more simple.
 
Got my harness from Moss. Actually it comes in three parts/part numbers. Body, headlights, dimmer switch.

Worked great, no problems.
 
John:

It is a very simple harness and the color coding is the same.

Pat
 
Yup. That harness has NO mystery in it, John. Too few "thingies" to be complex! You'll be FINE.
 
Re: Getting to know my Bugeye... Bad & Some Good

I really liked my britishwiring harness. Get the more expensive wrapped cloth , it just looks sooooo much nicer. Sounds like you got a great purchase for $500.
 
Ask whomever you get the harness from about the instrument bulbs. Several new harnesses for Bugeyes I've seen are using a newer bulb socket and a different bulb. Not a bad thing, the bulbs are brighter and more available from typical parts stores. GE#194, but it is different.

Peter C
 
KC - I definitely will order the cloth harness, but I got PVC wire on the inside.

Peter - Good point about the bulbs! I'll add those to my order, it will save some headaches later.
 
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