Where to start on Bugeye body?

[Darel]

'61 Bugeye.

Currently stripped and waiting for me to make a decision on how to proceed - or, more appropriately, waiting for me to grow some balls and send it to the sandblaster's.

When it comes back from blasting, I'm going to weld in some crossbracing and start cutting out the rust. Just from a cursory inspection, I already know I'll need both floors, floor bracing, both rockers, probably inner rockers, outer door pillars and possibly inner door pillars as well.

My question is, in what order should I work on replacing these parts? I'm afraid if I cut one part out, the whole monocoque will be thrown out of whack, and I'll never be able to get any of the other parts square again. Do I do the rockers first, then floors, or will I need the floors in place to attach the rockers to?

A significant amount of this car below the waistline will need to be replaced - what do you guys recommend?

While I'm at it, are there any really critical places I need to put crossbraces for when I cut this metal out? I.e. across door openings is a no-brainer, but what about stringers between the door pillars or something?

Thanks!
Darel

 

[spritenut]

I weld an angle iron across the top and bottom of the door openings after I get the gaps correct with the old doors on, jack it to the correct shape and weld it there.
Do the rockers first, 1 side at a time, do NOT cut out the tunnel until both rockers are welded in place. Next is the floors.
If the rear spring boxes are OK, leave them alone. If you must replace them, do 1 side at a time and take all kinds of measurements before cutting it out and keep comparing it to the untouched side while putting it back together.
As long as the shell is stripped of engine, tranny, and interior, the braces across the doors will hold it in place.
I have cut them in half and made one out of 2, I had a 58 that was non existent from the middle of the doors down, and I put it back together.
Good Luck.

 

[rlwhitetr3b]

Don't you want to weld in the bracing before it is removed from the frame?

Or are you going to send it to the sand blasters on the frame?

 

[Darel]

No frame on a BE.

 

[john_j]

No frame on a <span style="font-style: italic">Spridget</span>.

EFA

 

[Darel]

My bad.

Stupid follow up - assuming my door pillars need to be replaced (there is a small amount of rust on the very bottom, I'm assuming I'll find worse after blasting), that should be the first step, no? Then weld my bracing to the new pillars, then the rockers?

My tunnel is actually OK, as is the rear floor support and the floor bracing. I'll need the two floor brace extensions that run up the rear floor support, though. I'll probably cut all of it out in one piece and replace it with the floor though, seeing as it's only $30 more to get all new floor bracing vs. just the rear brace extensions.

Thanks for the info guys!

 

[JPSmit]

Darel, just listening to your situation, you might want to consider one of 2 things.

1. don't get anything media blasted until you have made your necessary repairs. Grind and cut away what you need and then media blast the refreshed shell. I have not done that type of work on my car, but, I can imagine a few simple jobs (like floorboards) would go a long way to holding the car stead while you do the more complicated like rockers.

2. That being said, you might want to consider a more solid shell. They are available (see the description of this post) https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcforum/u...e_th#Post672870

and, you might be better off in the long run. Certainly the general consensus is the better shell you start with, the better. You may find a short cut with a solid shell that both gets you on the road quicker and cheaper.

 

[histerical]

I agree on doing the repairs, or most of them, before stripping as you will have bare metal sitting there for as long as it takes you to do the work, and it will flash with rust. Believe me, it's a lot of work, and it could take a while. Grind or sand the areas needed for welding, and a lot of what you are getting stripped at this point will likely be cut out anyway. A rotisserie set-up is also almost mandatory, or at least a way to roll the car over. I hung mine from the rafters using simple wooden brackets attached to the ends and could raise and lower it as well as spin it completely around with virtually no obstructions. ( you can have them if you want as I don't plan on ever doing this again to this car )Patience and perseverance are required as a lot of the replacement panels are just a bit off. Welding is basically easy and you can learn pretty quickly, and it is the smallest factor in the work, timewise. It's all the cutting , fitting and gringing that is a pain. Consider the investment in replacement panels, the time and effort to cut, fit, and weld it all in, and the end result depending on your confidence in your competence, and you might find a much less rotten shell looks good. How's the bonnet ?
Bill

 

[Darel]

Bonnet is in very good shape, except some PO ground down and filled the fender beading. I should be OK to just separate the 3 pieces and put new beading in. This is one of the main reasons I want to blast the car first - all the fender beading is filled. Lord knows what else the PO has done to it that I don't know about.

And if anyone here can find a halfway decent body in Pennsylvania, the heart of the rust belt, you're a better man than I.

Thanks guys!

 

[John Moore]

And if anyone here can find a halfway decent body in Pennsylvania, the heart of the rust belt, you're a better man than I.

Thanks guys!

I know what you mean, I have a bugeye and the tub sounds about like yours. Here in upstate NY it's about impossible to find one in better shape. I want to start rebuilding my tub this summer. Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[JPSmit]

except some PO ground down and filled the fender beading. I should be OK to just separate the 3 pieces and put new beading in.

that is not an uncommon mod - not sure it is worth the hassle of reversing.

 

[billspit]

Make sure your sandblaster has experience doing auto sheet metal.

 

[texas_bugeye]

Think about sodablast. Could save some bodywork Its not as likley to ripple the sheet metal.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Soda blasting will not remove rust.

 

[Darel]

OK, you guys have raised another question now. Should I blast first, then start replacing panels, or replace panels then blast? I had been planning on blasting first so I could figure out exactly which panels needed to be replaced. I figured I'd blast it then rattle-can prime the entire thing to prevent rust, then replace panels. I'd hate to go cut out and weld in a panel only to find later on after blasting that I need to cut it back out again in order to replace something else that was previously hidden by bondo and newspaper, you know?

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Most places that sandblast also offer priming services.

 

[markberry]

After two years of cutting grinding and welding, I think I'd go this route if I had to do it again. https://www.sebringsprite.com/bodyshell.htm
The more paint I removed, the more rust I found. The previous owner/painter had Bondo and fiberglass patches molded up to a 1/2" thick in spots. It's kinda fun to do this stuff if you have the time and space and you really don't care how long it takes to do the work. I honestly thought my car would be down for a couple of months max while I replaced the outer rocker panels and the drivers side floor. Two years later the car is still on a rotisserie and literally every piece of sheet metal from the bottom of the doors down has been replaced. Plus the wheel arches and a firewall repair where the battery posts had shorted out over the years.
I know, I know....Whaaa, Whaaaa.
However, after having said all that... The guy who gaciously lent me his rotisserie does this stuff for a living, and recently restored a '74 Midget to the tune of $26,000! So there is benefit in doing stuff yourself!
Regards
Mark

 

[jlaird]

Sand if blasted propery will not warp our little cars pannels as they are so thick compaired to the new stuff.