• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Want to Buy: Bugeye

Share this page

NutmegCT

NutmegCT

Great Pumpkin
Bronze
Offline
Subject says it all.

Looking for that "solid body, solid frame, solid engine and drivetrain" car that needs lots of TLC. Poor paint, ratty interior and aged parts are not a problem; corrosion and poor corrosion repairs are.

The closer to original (or NOS), the better.

Tom
Connecticut
 
How far are you willing to travel? I do not know of anything at the moment, but I'll put "the word" out to our local Healey Club and also our British Car club if you are willing to travel.
 
Tom:
Don't discount the newer "box Spridgets".
Bugeyes are cuter: we probably all agree on that...But the newer cars (right up to the '79 Midgets) aren't really much different under the skin.

I've owned a '58 and a '78. In terms of actual driving, there are far more similarities than differences.
And the newer cars are much more likely to be be in good shape in terms of the unibody (unless you find a real nice, restored Bugeye....that could be as much as $15K or more these days).

There are plenty of newer "box" cars (1275s and 1500s) in nice shape for $2500 to $5000 on eBay and similar places. I actually bought a dirty but fairly presentable '73 on craigslist a few months ago for $250.

And if you're really stuck on the cute little "Frog-nose", a Bugeye nose will fit on all Spridgets, right up to '79. There are even fiberglass replica Bugeye noses available from various places.

I'll admit that Bugeyes are my favourite Spridgets, but the newer cars are a better value, costwise.
 
I'll keep my eyes open as well. I'd second Nial's comments with one caveat. Later Spridgets are certainly a better value. The 74 I just stripped cost $900 with a sound body and running motor (for most people it wouldn't have been a parts car). They can easily be 1/2 of what a Bugeye in similar shape goes for.

That said, I've got a Bugeye and sold the 74. If you're really after a Bugeye, nothing else will do.

If you're willing to travel/ship, you shouldn't have any trouble finding a good car. Keep an eye on Classic Car Trader, Craig's List, and eBay. Bugeyes come up all the time, and there's probably someone here in almost every major city in the US who would be willing to look a car over for you. I found the Tunebug outside of San Diego, and had a BCF member do a look through for me that was invaluable.
 
I have an old aquaintance (who I had never actually met until Sat. the 2nd who has a bugeye, a 1098 and a 1275 sprite that he is thinking of selling. I have not seen them, nor do I really kanow their shape, but he told me he'd let everything go for $3,000. He lives 45 min. away, but it sounds like a good excuse to go look at all his toys, he is into the old mgs. He has 3 of them and he'd like to free up both room and money. So, is KC to far away.
 
NutmegCT said:
Subject says it all.

Looking for that "solid body, solid frame, solid engine and drivetrain" car that needs lots of TLC. Poor paint, ratty interior and aged parts are not a problem; corrosion and poor corrosion repairs are.

The closer to original (or NOS), the better.

Tom
Connecticut
Click to expand...

You might want to go to our Classifieds and post a "Wanted" ad. Its free after all,

Basil
 
kcbugeye1275 said:
I have an old aquaintance (who I had never actually met until Sat. the 2nd who has a bugeye, a 1098 and a 1275 sprite that he is thinking of selling. I have not seen them, nor do I really kanow their shape, but he told me he'd let everything go for $3,000. He lives 45 min. away, but it sounds like a good excuse to go look at all his toys, he is into the old mgs. He has 3 of them and he'd like to free up both room and money. So, is KC to far away.
Click to expand...

Where in Kansas? I might be interested.
 
He actually lives on the Mo. side of Kansas City. I live on the KS. side.
 
Back
Top