Thinking About My First Bugeye

[genep52]

Hello everybody. Am thinking about buying my first Bugeye -- something to tool around town in on the weekends only as a second car. Don't need a show car, just something that sounds reliable and decently priced. Saw this one on eBay (https://bit.ly/1dnahzl) and it might be what I'm looking for. Any thoughts on the car or what the bid should be?

 

[bugedd]

A Buy It Now for $9500 seems a bit steep to me, and for a driver I'd want a 1275 with at least a ribcase, if not a Datsun trans, and front disc brakes. I would think you could find that out there for that price.

 

[aeronca65t]

The guy that owns Minimania has one with a Datsun trans for $6500

 

[JPSmit]

Welcome - and, excellent choice! Probably worth spending a bit of time around here figuring out what you want/need (assuming you don't already) - not sure how knowledgeable you are? Might also be worth joining a local club as they often have very good deals come up - with "known" cars. Ebay doesn't seem like the choice it seems to be.

 

[drooartz]

A Bugeye is a great car, possibly my favorite, so great choice. As to that one, really hard to say without seeing it in person. A lot depends on body condition. Mechanicals are simple, but rust is always a complication.

There are plenty around, though, so no need to rush into any one car.

 

[AN5Sprite]

Bugeye = :banana:

If you take your time and look you could wind up with a great car for a great price.

That car you link to on ebay has some things going for it but the price strikes me as high and this pic would cause me to walk away:
https://www.spritespot.com/gallery/Bugeye/15_G

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Steve appears new floors were installed but looks to me welds not finished. Is that what you are seeing

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Other thing I didn't like engine compartment not same as body color. 6-7 BE's on eBay right now and the cars commanding bigger $ all have finished engine compartments.

 

[AN5Sprite]

Steve appears new floors were installed but looks to me welds not finished. Is that what you are seeing

Floors look to have a thick coating of some form of spackle on the underside. Notice how every raised or lowered stamped area is filled in flat... Doesn't look like paint or undercoating to me. Looks like trouble.

I'm also turned off by the black under-bonnet. Not fun to live with and not easy to fix.

 

[Gerard]

Floors look to have a thick coating of some form of spackle on the underside. Notice how every raised or lowered stamped area is filled in flat... Doesn't look like paint or undercoating to me. Looks like trouble.

I'm also turned off by the black under-bonnet. Not fun to live with and not easy to fix.

Agree... looks like bondo to me. Here's what a correct floor looks like. I also detest cars w/black engine bays. unless that's how they came from the factory (many American cars)

 

[BlueMax]

I thought original floors were painted in a red iron oxide primer as well the boot not a colored bead liner?

 

[Jim_Gruber]

I agree about trouble underneath whatever that is that has been applied to the floors. Was tough for me to see from my cell phone. Under carriage doesn't need something to trap moisture and cause rust.

 

[bug_sixty]

I wouldn't necessarily go to the dark side on this one...My BE has the OEM floors... before my ownership the lifting of the car by whomever was done at various times under the foot area leaving huge dents... So the bondo deal here could simply be a quick fix to make the underside more eye appealing. FYI, I just left mine dented because at the time of my restore the boards weren't available.. The metal was stretched too... So, I just bead blasted so on and painted with Imron...

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Yes but in that one photo there appears to be a large crack in whatever material is under there. A cavity to hold and trap water = rust. These cars rust soon enough, might as well not create an opportunity for that to happen by trapping water in there.

 

[aeronca65t]

Here's the one on Minimania. Need more photos and this one is Datsun-powered......but price is more in line. ~1960 AH Sprite~

 

[Gerard]

I thought original floors were painted in a red iron oxide primer as well the boot not a colored bead liner?

Ummm, I think the context was the shape of the floor pans, not the finish... :chargrined:

 

[macsprite]

Steve, Jim, Gerard et al, let me respond, since it is my Bugeye in question.

The floors do indeed have a seal coating on them, not a bad idea really with the condition of roads in some parts of the country. The welds are complete. The only floor holes are the correct holes for the seats and inside seat belt mounts (since there was no tunnel mounting points). The photo that you are referring to is of the front footwell section of the floors only, which were replaced with a flat panel, not the stamped footwell. The rear floors have all the correct stamped channels and are in great shape. Do you really think someone would go to the trouble and fill these ? LOL. I'lll take some more floor shots tomorrow and add them to Spritespot. See the inside before carpets pics of the floors on Spritespot. The floors are 100% solid and the remainder of the car is also rust free. I have detailed that there have been other rust repairs - new spring hangers and outer rockers that I can see, and a few other patches in the wheel arch area. These are shown in the photos on Spritespot. How many sellers do you know that would give this full disclosure? Nothing to hide here.

The black under bonnet seems to be an American thing, why do you guys do that ? I had never seen this on a Sprite from other countries but see it often on cars here in the US. It would not be my choice on a full restoration, but as I have explained to Gene, the car was 80% complete when I purchased it. I have corrected the things that were wrong and finished it without starting over. I have also indicated that there are some poor paint match sections and that it is a good 10 footer.

The car has many, many new parts (down to the nut and bolt level) and is correct with a few minor exceptions, which you may or may not be able to pick. See if you can, if you like a challenge ! I have been totally up front about the condition of the car. It is a solid Bugeye with an original 948, smooth case and new drum brakes all round. It is not and will never be a concourse car. If it had a 1275, ribcase, disc brakes etc, it would be worth more $$$, like the $12-15K cars often seen on eBay and other sites. It is not like some of the crap cars I see sell on there for $6-7K, its somewhere in between.

Regards
Lew

 

[nomad]

Here's the one on Minimania. Need more photos and this one is Datsun-powered......but price is more in line. ~1960 AH Sprite~

Has Datsun transmission AND engine. I LIKE IT!! Trans in 4 speed though.

kURT.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Lew\,

Thanks for the clarification. Yes lots of really good things going for this car. Bugsy I was like that for me. Would never be a Trophy Winner but a solid everyday sriver that was well sorted after 10+ years of ownership and constant tinkering as needed to always make it better. Hope you get your asking price and I will ammend my previous comments.

 

[macsprite]

Hi Jim,
Gene bough the car at the Buy it Now price.
Cheers
Lew