Newbie here

[Doogie]

Hi, I'm a newbie to the Austin Healey Bugeye. My wife and I just recently completed the restoration of a barn-fresh 1922 Ford Model T, which I absolutely love. One day, during the restoration about a year ago, my wife peaks up from the sandblasting cabinet and says "I don't think our next car should be a Model T". I was agast. Our "next" car ?!. COOL!

So I told her she could pick out the next car, and she decided upon a British Sports Car. Her first love was a 3000 MKIII BJ8 (4 seater) , but they were WAY out of our price range. So then we started getting used to the idea of the cute little bugeye, and just purchased one (in completed dis-assembled state) to restore.

I hope I don't come off as an idiot, but I surely would appreciate asking some really stupid questions here on the forum during the restoration forthcoming. I realize I am no way near an expert, but my wife and I have fun doing these little projects together, and look fun to cruising around in a little bugeye.

Are there any members here near Cincinnati Ohio who may be able to help me out by letting me look at their bugeye's from time to time? I'd greatly appreciate it as I go through the boxes and boxes of parts and wonder "what's this?"

Thanks,

"Doogie"

Doug Menkhaus
Cincinnati, Ohio

 

[Steve]

Welcome to the forum!! I wish my wife were as accomodating. It sounds as if you are going to have your hands full for a while, but at least you will have plenty of help and ecouragement.

You might want to introduce yourself on the Healey board too, there are several bugeye drivers on there who would be happy to help you.

 

[Basil]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Doogie:

I hope I don't come off as an idiot, but I surely would appreciate asking some really stupid questions here <snip> <hr></blockquote>

Why should I be the only one to come off that way (and I own the place!)

Seriously, I think you will find a pretty friendly lot here so don't be afraid to ask anything about your great little car!

Welcome to the BCF!
Basil

 

[PC]

Welcome to the party Doogie!


PC.

 

[Bugeye58]

Welcome aboard, Doug. There are quite a few of us Bugeye people that hang around here. The Bugeye and the early Spridgets are essentially the same car, so information should be plentiful.
I'm about six or seven hours north of you, in southern Michigan.
The Bugeye is a fairly straightforward restoration, and parts are readily available, and relatively cheap.
There is no such thing as a stupid question!!!
If you have a part you can't identify, chances are at least one of us has had the same part fail at least once!
Jeff

 

[aeronca65t]

Welcome from a former Bugeye owner (and present Sprite vintage racer). I'm a big fan of Ford "Ts" and "As". At some point I'd love to own/build a Model A Speedster but the Sedans are great too.
By the way, Bugeyes are pretty "basic", so much of the knowledge you learned on the old Ford is pretty transferable.
Oh and don't forget....our Brit-friends call them "Frogeyes" or "Frogs".

 

[Mark Beiser]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>"Originally posted by Doogie:
my wife peaks up from the sandblasting cabinet and says "I don't think our next car should be a Model T".

"my wife and I have fun doing these little projects together, and look fun to cruising around in a little bugeye."
<hr></blockquote>

I think I'm in love, does she have any sisters?

 

[Trevor Jessie]

There is a British car club in Cincinnati. They do a great show every year. There is also a club in Dayton as well. They should be easy to find on the Internet. I'm assuming that you are familiar with the usual suppliers of parts? If not speak up, and we'll have a bunch of suggestions. Are you going to make this a stock bugeye, or do a few mods (like disk brakes)?

 

[Doogie]

Well, thanks for the welcome everybody! Over the weekend, I picked up the Bugeye, and dragged it back home (after trailer wiring shorts and a tire blow-out..that was a pain!). It came with a bill of sale, but much to my demise, I found the body had been dipped (yeah!), but there are no serial number plates either on the body or in any of the boxes.

I did find one number on the body. It's above the right front wheel well, simply stamped into the riser, it "36431". Does anybody know how that corresponds to any type of "VIN" number? If it's the serial number, what would the preceeding numbers be,, should I perhaps want to get a plate made. (Do any vendors sell the plates /stickers?) Or, better yet, does anyone have a bugeye they are parting out that has the plate(s) with a title?

As far as the above questions, yes, my wife has a sister, but she's married. Yes, I plan on doing the disk brakes up front, but plan on sticking with the 948 and smooth case tranny that came with it. My first step is welding on a multitude of patch panels (that came with it), floor pans, etc... ( as soon as I learn how to weld! . I just inventoried the parts, and am missing just s few things, like front springs, speedo, and a few others.

We're excited, and can't wait to get going, but the cold temps will allow me to sit at the computer for a while and "research" this little project. ..and get out into the garage and make space for it. I'm fortunate enough to have a 3 car garage, but the Model T takes a bay, the wife's car takes another, and now the bugeye is spread out in bay 3, so it looks my Explorer sits outside for another year in the cold!

I have a theory about this stuff.

(1) Take it apart
(2) Clean / Repair / Replace broken or worn out parts
(3) Put it back together.

Step (1) already accomplished, and I've only had it for one day!



Doogie

 

[regularman]

Hello, doogie! I'm new here as well. Is it your first LBC? If so, you might be fresh meat for the MOWOG gremlins. I would imagine things were easy to get to on the T Model. Thats not always the case with LBCs.