Around the shop – Page 25

Turning Up The Heat

December 2, 2022 by bugeyeguy

It’s heater season! For those of us who choose to drive their Bugeyes in the winter months, the heater, however diminutive and inadequate it may be, is a potentially important part of the cold weather driving equation. We do sell heater cores, (which you can purchase by clicking here) but more often, the component that fails is the switch that operates the blower motor.

The original switch actually served 2 functions: the first was to operate the blower motor, and the second was to operate a flap in between the blower and the heater box to allow for “recirculation” of the “warm” air already in the car once warmed up. Shown below is a video explaining this in better detail:

Unfortunately, this original combination switch/cable (used on all Spridgets from 1958-1970) is not reproduced, and as the switches became older and more worn out or become frozen internally, they have become something resembling unobtainium. If you can find them, they are quite expensive. We offer a solution: a simple push/pull electrical switch, the same one we use to operate the windscreen wipers on Bugeyes.

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Hungry, Hungry Bugeyes!

December 1, 2022 by bugeyeguy

I was talking to a client today about adding a luggage rack to a Bugeye for carrying more cargo. While this is an option that is available, I want to remind everyone of just how much cargo space a Bugeye provides without adding anything additional to the rear deck. With the seat bottom removed on the passenger side, you can carry a ton of gear in a Bugeye or Spridget. I’ll routinely remove the passenger seat bottom and leave it at home; this allows me to use my Bugeye far more frequently without having to break out a larger car. More Bugeye fun is facilitated when you can utilize the car for hauling cargo on various errands!

Should you decide to add a luggage rack to your Bugeye (or want to replace a worn one already installed), click the photo above to check ours out!

Of course, a luggage rack is a wonderful addition if you wish to haul a golf bag, or a folding bike, or even a wicker picnic basket; however, not everybody wants to drill holes in the back deck of their car. We do sell luggage racks; you can find them in our catalog here. But never underestimate what can be carried inside a Bugeye fuselage.

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Hanging By A Thread

November 25, 2022 by bugeyeguy

Bugeye windscreen stanchions are fastened to the body by four large machine screws. The front screws on each stanchion (towards the bonnet) are held in place by captive nuts welded into the area where the A-pillar and cowl meet. Unfortunately, these captive nuts often corrode, or strip, which makes it impossible to attach the front mount for the windshield frame to the car.

After decades of water and salty air, the threads inside the forward windscreen stanchion mounts (pictured here) may be damaged or missing.

We occasionally get calls from customers who wonder what to do when those front captive threads are stripped. Once you’ve exhausted efforts to rescue the threads in the car, which we always strive to preserve, this is the next best solution that we’ve used to make these fixtures tight!

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“Socket” To Me! (This Week’s Tech Tip, From Nick)

November 11, 2022 by bugeyeguy

Electrical upkeep is a very important component of classic car ownership. After 60 years of dirt, dust, snow, rain, heat, and cold, electrical components, such as light sockets, fuse blocks, and even entire wiring harnesses, deteriorate and become not only non-functional, but also a fire hazard. British cars have a particularly sketchy reputation when it comes to their Lucas electrical systems; mechanics and owners alike either swear by their designs or detest them. I personally believe that if they are maintained properly, the Lucas electrical systems found in a Bugeye are just as reliable as any other. The issue is that most of the time a car comes through our shop, the maintenance has either not been performed at all or was performed incorrectly.

We removed these turn signal sockets from a client’s Bugeye this week. Blue Painter’s tape is NOT a safe insulator for electrical sockets.

A perfect example of this comes from one of our projects this week. I cannot begin to quantify how many times we have seen amateur electrical work performed on Bugeye wiring systems, with some particularly creative solutions being deployed in times past. The work in question in this post revolves around the turn signal sockets in the nose. Due to their loacation low in the bonnet, these sockets are frequently the source of corrosion, which causes them to stop functioning. This is undoubtedly what happened here, as whomever did the work last replaced the sockets with new ones. Unfortunately, as the pictures above and below suggest, they did not do it properly.

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Project Cars Revisited! Two Bugeye Projects To Sink Your Teeth Into!

November 11, 2022 by bugeyeguy

This week I would like to bring back to the forefront two great winter project candidates. Each of these Bugeyes are great starting points! One of these cars is a running, driving car with a 1275 engine that is in need of floor pan repairs, and the other is a completely blank slate which can be transformed into the Sprite of your dreams! Take a look at each car below and give us a call if you are interested!

This Frogeye called “Fuller” (AN5 47899) is a 1960 running and driving project Bugeye. This is a good looking car that was a stalled restoration when we got it, and we got it running so we could find it a new home. The foundation has been laid and Fuller now runs and drives with a new master cylinder and good brakes. The 1275 engine runs strong! Paint is quite good! Read more here!

This is a Bugeye we call “Fritz” (AN5L 32663). Fritz is a rolling project that came to us from Iowa. A restoration was started long ago but didn’t really get off the ground and has sat for some time, waiting for a new lease on life. If you’re looking for a “blank slate” starting point for a Bugeye build, this is the car for you! This past week, we cleaned out the car and made a brand-new walkaround video so you can better understand this project. It has a lot of potential! Read more here!

Bugeye Salad Dressing

October 28, 2022 by bugeyeguy

Oil changes are very important. A few weeks ago, we shared with you some serious sludge in a Sprite oil filter canister, filled with gunk perhaps because the filter had never been cleaned. (More on that adventure here.) But classic car hydraulic system maintenance is perhaps even more critical, and this week, we have a great example of why this needs your attention, perhaps more attention than even your regular engine oil changes.

This is not what you want to see…roughly one inch of water in this bottle, on top of dirty fluid, is what came out of one car when we installed fresh fluid.

Classic car hydraulic systems are seldom sealed and usually vented to the atmosphere. This lets air in, and moisture too. Over time, that moisture will make a real mess of your brake and clutch hydraulics.

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