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Progress while we were out.

jlaird

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Monday Miss Agatha did her big strip show. I am told she is a beautiful lady under all that nasty stuff.

Rust, bottom of battery tray. Two places that can be fixed real easy and reskin both A posts. How's that for a 48 year old. She had a hard live but I feel preaty sure it was that then a long period of storage.

Yesterday she was on a rotisiary and gigling a lot, a bit more cleaning and blasting to get all the undercoat off and the two part primer goes on all over.

Then enamal for the underside, cockpit, and engine room. A clearcoat will be used on the exterior.

The body shop in Owens Crossing, AL. says oh shoot, this is an awfully easy one, how about 3 to 5 weeks. But I would expect 6 to 8.

Tony took a couple of pics yesterday of the naked lady, will share when he sends em on.

Can't tell you guys how excited I am, even the wife noticed. I feel as if I am now really starting.
 
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Congrats, Jack
I thought a found my ideal bugeye project (only a few miles from my house), but he sent me some pictures, and now I'm concerned about the condition of the rear bulkhead/ spring boxes. However, it is a AN5L1499. Which makes it an early car. He has most of the original equipment/parts, but I'll probably bastardize it if I buy it. Sorry, but I need my 1275 and 5-speed.

I was talking to my father the other day, and he was suggesting a low sheen/matt clearcoat for more of a period look. He is set firmlt in the base/clear camp, except for engine bay/underside/trunk. For those he likes a harden acrylic enamel (I think).

Anyway, I need to get talk my wife into letting do another car and then I'll go look at it in person.
 
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jlaird

jlaird

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Trevor, go look first. Might not be worthwhile.
 
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Ahh, but if I go look and it's not worth while I won't be able to stop looking for others. Honestly, it looks promising in the pictures but not quite for his asking price. However, I think it includes a factory hardtop (or at least a period aftermarket item). If they started numbering at 501, then this car would be one of the first thousand built. Anything particular to those cars that would be of interest/difference?
 

GB1

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Jack - sounds great, I am dying to see the picks.

Trevor - The windshield was different, it had snaps on the front to hold the top.
 
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jlaird

jlaird

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Rust, check rust, and check again.
 
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I can tell the car has been resprayed. Origiinally it was white, then red, and finally green. It has been in dry storage since the mid 70's. I do not mind replacing rusty panels, as long as the majority of the structural panels are solid. What I do not want to do: repair accident damage, or major structural rust. I'd like to end up with a solid and straight body. I have access to my father's shop for all the body work. My midget was one of my learning projects and I think I'm ready to tackle a project that will be a keeper.
 
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jlaird

jlaird

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Oh me Trevor, a body shop in the family, how nice.

And another Bugeye is saved. Good on ya.
 
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OK, so if I buy this project should I mothball the drivetrain/front drum spindles, or sell them on ebay for a few pennies?
 
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jlaird

jlaird

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Mothball till everything is done, never know what you will need.
 
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Right, good advice. But I mean after the project is finished. When I get older will I want to put the car back as a originally built? Would it help me should I ever need to sell the car?
 
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jlaird

jlaird

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Good question, I would keep anything orginial but then that's me.
 

drooartz

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I'd vote for keeping the original stuff. Numbers-matching doesn't mean much now for our LBCs, but in the muscle car world it means huge price increases. Not like a 948 and smooth case take up all that much room, anyways. Not worth all that much now, and if you do want to revert later you'll be glad to have them handy.

This will be my approach if I ever go the 1275 route. Build a little crate, in goes the motor and tranny.
 
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I'm trying to rid myself of my pack rat ways, so I really need justification for everything I keep. I guess I'm getting ahead of myself... I haven't bought the project yet.
 

GB1

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I would keep the original stuff as well, wish I would have heeded my own advise.

I received the rear brake shoe springs from Carl (many, many thanks!!!) The rear end is just about completed, so hopefully this weekend I can start connecting up the engine.
 

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drooartz

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Just think, you could be restoring 1950s US cars, and need extra barns for just a few bits. You could probably fit all the bits to a Sprite (minus body) in a small Rubbermaid shed. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Come to think of it, that's a good idea...
 
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True, my father has had a '39 Buick scattered about his garage/shed for almost 2 years now. The front clip takes up about as much room as a sprite tub.
 

GB1

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Good point, I agree /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif
 
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