BugEyeGuys

We make a modified Bugeye into a superb Bugeye!

January 17, 2025 by bugeyeguy

The car you see here represents a very special project. She came to us with tons of modifications already made, yet still suffered from multiple issues that needed to be addressed. It wasn’t fun to drive… it was over-modified and over-upgraded, with no sense of direction and no sense of integration. We were tasked with making it all work, which meant removing some mods, and adding others, so that the car could find the sweet spot.

We disassembled and completely rebuilt it, de-tuning were necessary, and upgraded it in other ways. It has a new wiring harness, new fuel system, new hydraulic system, and a lot of cosmetic improvements, and the net result is a very sweet and very special modified Bugeye. Check out the video above and enjoy!

We love picking up cars throughout America bringing them here for a makeover and sending them back home. It’s it’s so exciting to be able to take a car that’s not that’s not a terribly useful asset for an owner and turn it into something that makes them grin with joy, and that’s exactly what we did here in the case of Alex’s Bugeye.

Look for this one in West Palm Beach, Florida… the guy with a grin? That will be Alex.

Who’s got bling?

January 17, 2025 by bugeyeguy

I never tire of contrasting Bugeyes to modern exotics. They often arrive on our doorstep when shippers carry exotics (as most of our shippers do), and occasionally they unload something spectacular in our driveway while they make room for one of our little Sprites.

In the case of this car (Alex’s Bugeye on its way back to Florida), a Lamborghini Huracán emerged from this truck bed and allowed me ample opportunity to photograph some of the details in comparison to 1960 (or older) technology. The Huracán is spectacular… worth 200 to $350K.

I can’t help but think just how remarkable automobile exotics have become. This Lambo is a work of art, and it sounds spectacular, but then you put alongside this basic, simple little sports car, and in spite of my strong Bugeye bias, I don’t think you could give me that Lamborghini. Yeah, it would be fun to show off once or twice, but it strikes me as a massive liability. A stone chip magnet. A driveway disaster. Encounter a speed bump in your travels? See ya, front spoiler.

The back up camera better be really, really good… The shipper needed a handheld, old-school barber shop mirror just to see the edges of the car to prevent bumps and bruises on the way in and out of the trailer. While Bugeyes were never known for comfort, contorting myself into that Lambo just seemed like something that would make me frown.

I couldn’t help but post pictures of the truck driver climbing out of the Lamborghini once he drove it back into the truck. If I thought life with a Bugeye had some minor challenges given it’s ergonomics, the fact that the Lambo is almost too wide to fit in this giant truck and necessitates exiting through the window made the Bugeye smile a little brighter.

Our car will ride in comfort flanked by a Bentley in front and the Huracán behind (and I’m delighted that they can all hang out together and get to know each other), but I keep coming back to the simplicity and elegance of a basic little car that does all the right things, and makes people smile. No pretension, no Lambo bling, just Bugeye bling (at a comfortable level) and a lot of smiles for everyone who see it. Sometimes, less is more.

I have nothing against the supercar revolution that keeps the aspirational auto market strong and healthy. All you need to do is spend a few minutes with a modern Lamborghini and you’ll realize that there will be plenty of Bugeye lovers for generations to come.

Throw out your old rubbers

January 17, 2025 by bugeyeguy

Tires really matter on classic cars. They have to be fresh, with supple rubber, for optimal ride quality, traction, braking, and especially safety. A good tire means a comfortable day in a Bugeye. An old hard one means a really rough ride, and greater potential for a blowout.

I have been guilty of stretching my perfectly nice tires that have aged out. I have also had more than one client argue that their classic car tires had zero miles and were therefore still new, regardless of the date stamp. And thus I present the tire below, which came to us attached to the Austin Healey 3000 shjown above, here for upgrades and mechanical freshening.

Who wants to guess the date of the tire below?

*Jeopardy music plays*

Final answer?

Still thinking?

*If you know what this number means, we have given you a BIG hint as to this tire’s age.*

It’s from 2011.

These are just 14 years old. You should be able to see the cracks in the valleys. This rubber is done (and unsafe). Time for new tires!

Let this serve as a reminder that now is a good time to inspect your tires and maybe purchase some new ones. We have great choices in 13″ for your Bugeye, ranging from plain tires to works of art. Happy to help! Click the photos below to learn more and to order a set today!

*Kuhmo Solus 155/80R13 tire – close to stock size but with superior handling and traction (available in sets of 4 or 5)*

*Vredestein Quatrac 165/70R13 tire – sportier tire with larger contact patch for increased cornering performance (available in sets of 4 or 5)*

*Blockley 165R13 premium performance tire, cool vintage tread pattern (available in sets of 4 or 5)*

*Michelin XAS 165R13 premium performance tire* *(available in sets of 4 or 5)*

Red Baron! 1960 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite driver/project for sale!

January 10, 2025 by bugeyeguy

Meet “the Red Baron” (AN5L 41441), a sweet 1960 Bugeye project for anyone who likes patina and wants a mostly original car. This one was owned for the last 30 years or so by a Sprite fan in Massachusetts. He drove the car about 20k miles… he used it as a driver in nice weather. This is a 948, smooth case, drum brake car -the car is pretty much a completely stock ’60 Bugeye.

The Baron was traded for a restored car and needs a mechanical refresh, and is thus being offered at a reasonable starting price. Refresh it yourself or hire us to bring it up to snuff, your call!

The car needs a new rebuilt transmission due to a damaged first gear. It also needs a hydraulic refresh to make the clutch and brakes fully operational. We have all of the parts necessary to complete these jobs in stock and ready to install!

The radiator is also leaking; we have inexpensive used radiators for the new owner should you want to keep it original, or we can put in an aluminum one for you. The valve cover is leaking, as are the carb gaskets, all of which are reasonably easy to make right.

The tires on the Baron are brand new (mid-2023 date code) 155 Uniroyal Tiger Paws and have almost no miles on them. The gas tank was also recently replaced. A tonneau cover is also included to protect the interior from the elements (no top).

Call to discuss your options! If you have wanted a Bugeye, here’s a way to get involved without breaking the bank. We can fix as much or as little as you like! Click “read more” for the full compliment of photos below and contact us if you’d like to park the Red Baron in your hangar, or click here to put down a deposit on our website now!

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Wheel-y important information about your Bugeye’s rim choice!

January 10, 2025 by bugeyeguy

We picked-up a customer’s Bugeye from Chicago this week for a flip nose conversion and service, and one of the additional concerns from the owner was a harsh, uncomfortable ride. The cause of discomfort was hiding in plain sight.

This customer’s car has 14 inch wheels installed, and this is a large part of the issue here. Sprites were never known for having a particularly plush ride. However, 14 inch wheels, while they look cool, reduce the amount of tire sidewall rubber. You need a 60 series tire to make the 14 inch rim fit the wheel arch but less sidewall rubber equals less “give” and the ride becomes harsher as a result.

*This car has 14″ wheels installed, which look cool, but detract from the ride quality of the car (and also can rub on the inside of the inner fender area).*

A Bugeye must have 13 inch wheels installed to retain a modicum of comfort. These were the size of the stock Bugeye wheels, and there are several aftermarket options for 13 inch wheels to suit your taste in rims. Anything wider than a 165 tire on a 13 inch rim will also compromise comfort.

This black Bugeye is shod with 13″ Minilite reproduction wheels, allowing for a taller tire to be installed while retaining the same fullness of the wheel arch. This results in a more plush, forgiving driving experience. *A bit tricky to see, but this car has taller tires than the one above*.

So please resist the urge to have a contemporary low-profile tire on your collectible, and stay with the 13 inch wheels. We don’t sell 14s, and this is why!

If your Bugeye is in need of new wheels or tires, we offer several 13 inch options to suit your needs! Click the links below or give us a call for more information!

*Minilite reproduction wheel (13″x5″)- silver (sold individually)*

*Minilite reproduction wheel (13″x5″) – anthracite (sold individually)*

*Minilite reproduction wheel (13″x5″) – black (sold individually)*

*Minilite knock-off style wheel (13″x5″) – silver (sold individually)*

*Wire wheel (13″x4″, 60 spoke) – chrome (sold individually)*

*Wire wheel (13″x4″, 60 spoke) – silver painted (sold individually)*

*Used original Bugeye Sprite steel wheel (sold individually)*

*155/80R13 tires – close to stock width but better ride quality (available in sets of 4 or 5)*

*Vredestein 165/70R13 tires – wider for increased performance without sacrificing ride quality (available in sets of 4 or 5)*

*Michelin XAS 165R13 premium performance tires (available in sets of 4 or 5)*

Concours Gold! Own one of the first Bugeye Sprites to reach America in 1958, now for sale!

January 8, 2025 by bugeyeguy

PRICE REDUCED! Now $48,995! When you consider that this car is one of just a handful of gold level judged example which also has the pedigree of this very low number likely pre-production Sprite, this is a great price!

Here’s a rare chance to own a very historically significant early Bugeye Sprite! AN5L 552 is likely a pre-production car that failed initial testing and was factory reinforced and put back on the production line in the first few days of Sprite production. Because it is such a special car, we restored and rebuilt it to accurate factory specs and then had it certified as a concours gold level car, the highest level of certification available.

In fact, in 2015, 552 was judged in Gettysburg, PA at the national Austin Healey Club enclave where gold level is the highest honor a Bugeye can attain for accuracy and condition. At that event, four judges spent roughly three hours evaluating the car and scoring roughly five pages worth of components for originality and condition. This car now wears a gold concours registry badge on the grill with pride! (see below)!

This early car was well worth the hundreds of hours we spent preparing her for the concours event. We made a DVD/digital download about the unique early features (which you can purchase by clicking here), all of which we restored to capture these features for posterity. For example, we built a custom spare tire tray to match the one shown in the original Bugeye brochure. This tray is still visible in the boot of this car (below).

*A shot of the boot on 552 reveals a high-sided boot tray, a stark contrast from the flat mat used in later Bugeyes.*

*A promotional photo from an early Bugeye Sprite sales brochure showing the boot tray present on early Bugeyes.*

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