We work hard each week trying to get the best parts and solutions for British cars. With abundant supply chain and tariff issues of late, it sometimes feels like the world is broken right now. But we have had a jump on everyone else… British classic car world was broken long before present day. Our day is spent fixing and improving broken things, and our job is to figure out efficient ways to keep everything moving forward nonetheless.
[Read more…] about Broken things scoreboardThere isn’t a lot of alignment adjustments available for these cars. That being said, the ones that are available are that much more important to be correct! The toe in has to be 1/8” in, or close to that spec, or you will wear out your front shoes.
Here’s what you see on tires with incorrect toe in, notice the blocks are scalloped. Check your toe! We can do this for you and we are happy to pick up your car and transform it!
Should you be looking to perform some suspension work or want to replace worn or aging tires like the ones shown here, we have everything you may need for the job! Click the photos below for some of the parts and a few of the tire selections we currently have available, or click here for our full parts catalog!
This week, a Bugeye came to us for a flip nose conversion. Once the car was put onto our lift for the first time, some crossmember damage revealed itself that also needed to be addressed.
This is one of the more extreme examples of what using a floor jack in the wrong place can do to a Bugeye crossmember. The entire botom sheet of steel is missing, and the rest of the crossmember that is left behind is a mangled mess of bent and torn sheet metal that poses a real risk to the structural integrity of the entire front of the car.
Our fabricator Kenny was able to straighten it all out and welded in a new bottom support (we add these to complete crossmembers also for added protection and it is available in our parts catalog, click here to order), and now it’s better than new. But this repair offers us a great opportunity to talk about best practices for jacking up your car.
You can use any kind of floor jack that will fit under the car to jack it up off the floor (if you don’t have a lift, of course); we utilize a low-profile one for ease of fitting under some lower Bugeyes, but you can use whatever style suits you best. What is more important is where on your Bugeye you place the jack when lifting. You NEVER want to use the central crossmember in the front of the car to jack it up, as this area is hollow and not strong enough to withstand the entire weight of the front end balancing on the jack (unless you weld in our plate, of course). You want to place your jack underneath the frame rails on either side of the crossmember; the car is strongest here, and the jack will not damage these areas.
Similarly, in the rear of the car, you want to place the jack underneath the spring plates, NOT anywhere on the floor or rocker panels, as a jack can dent those areas and cause a mess. Placing the jack in the center of the rear axle housing is also a good place to lift the car from with a floor jack. Just make sure you chock your front wheels when picking up the rear end, as there’s nothing to prevent the car from rolling forward when it’s on the jack!
Adhering to these practices when lifting your Bugeye will keep the bottom of your Sprite dent-free, and will also keep you safe!
“Holmes” is available once again! Unfortunately, plans sometimes change, and its previous buyer decided to go a different route, so we are pleased to offer Holmes for sale again! You won’t find many more Bugeyes, especially “home-market” RHD ones, at this price point! Check out the listing below and give us a call if you’re interested!
For sale at $15,595
If I could only have one British Sports car, this one would be at the top of my list. It’s inexpensive, fun to drive, nice (but not too nice) and will be the only one at just about every car show it attends (only RHD Bugeye, that is).
This is “Holmes,” AN5 48822, a home market bugeye purchased from an air force veteran in England and imported years ago, perhaps in 1985 by a prior owner who had the car from 1985 through 2011 in Minnesota. In 2011, the car went to Alabama, where it rested until 2019 when we brought it here. Car #49201 was the last Bugeye, BTW.
In 2019, we sold it to Jim in New Hampshire, and now we have purchased the car back once again. It drives great, just ask Bodhi below:
The Notice the lack of an “L” in the vin number, which designates a home market original RHD car.
In 2019, we refreshed the mechanicals to put this great car back on the road. We rebuilt all the hydraulics-new slave, master and rear wheel cylinders- and also the original carburetors-the correct H1 carbs are working great and the engine runs strong. The car recently got a new aluminum radiator for improved cooling. By the way, this appears to be a factory gold seal rebuilt 948 engine, a nice novelty.
Front disc brakes are present, a nice upgrade, as are new tires from 2011, with less than 1,200 miles on them. 13,048 miles are showing on the odometer. The back of the cockpit has been enlarged slightly, a modification we have seen on several cars through the years. While non-stock, it seems popular since some folks seem to like the larger cockpit and better access to a parcel shelf. This rear deck modification accomplishes that goal.
The wood interior kit is also an unusual modification. We’ve heard more than once that this sort of wood trim kit was a factory option, but this was never the case. An industrious woodworker took on this cockpit and there is something quite charming about it from my perspective, as it speaks to the way these cars were inexpensive and accessible. People have been modifying their Sprites for eons, why should this one be any different?
Underneath the wood trim you can clearly see the original RHD Bugeye foundation, which is a lot of fun. For example, of the perhaps 700 master cylinders we have changed over the years, RHD masters are shrouded by the heater blower, which, while easy to remove, changes the nature of this particular job, and reminds us where these cars were built (should we ever forget).
This car runs and drives great. RHD turns up the smile factor that much more, and I appreciate a chance to be ambidextrous with my gear shifting. I think you will too. Check out the driving video below to see that in action!
The underside is solid on this car. The passenger side rocker panel is a bit rumpled. The story that came with the car is that the rocker was replaced by a prior owner and damaged in shipping but still installed anyway because the eventual repaint prep would smooth it out anyway. I can find no crash damage.
A two-piece top bow is included and this fits snugly in the boot. There is no top present for this car, but there is a set of side curtains and a white bikini top, which was installed during its last visit to us in 2019 and still fits well. We also fitted a new white tonneau in 2019, which still fits very well.
I would not repaint this car. It looks just fine as is. If you want a fresh paint job, we have other Bugeyes that provide a higher level of finish, albeit for a higher price.
I hope you will give this car a serious look and if you want to talk about making “Holmes” your own, we look forward to the opportunity to ship it to your door! Click “read more” for more photos and give us a call!
[Read more…] about Right Hand Drive 1960 Bugeye Sprite for sale!This week at Bugeyeguys, Richard’s white 1959 Bugeye was transformed from a good car into a great one! This Bugeye has undergone a complete mechanical refresh, including new brake hydraulics, a new front disc brake conversion, new wiring harness and dashboard rebuild, and so much more! Check out the video below, showcasing some of the components we replaced this week.
The end result of all this hard work by our crew is a Bugeye that Richard will be able to drive and enjoy worry-free for many miles of smiles! Want us to transform your Bugeye? Give us a call and let’s talk!
Want to tackle your Bugeye’s repair needs on your own? Click on the links below to order some of the products used in this transformation, or click here for our complete parts catalog!
And take a look at the gallery below for some photos of the transformation!
When we received Richard’s Bugeye, one of the more prominent concerns present was a severe handling issue, especially over bumps. A failed shock absorber was the main culprit, as the video below will show.
However, what we also discovered was that the front tires exhibited extreme wear, particularly on the outside half of the tire. Typically, a Bugeye tire will age out before it wears out; this one did both, as the tires were from 2007.
However, this type of uneven wear pattern indicates an alignment issue. In this case, the most likely cause of this kind of wear is a toe-in setting that was too aggressive, which would scrub off the outside half of the tire as shown. This, coupled with a Bugeye’s natural small amount of positive camber and worn out shocks and king pins, created the wear pattern you see here.
A toe-in adjustment, a front disc brake conversion with all-new swivel axles and lower control arms, and new front shocks will keep this kind of wear problem at bay, and a new set of Michelin XAS tires will have Richard’s Bugeye cornering in style!
Does your Bugeye have trouble with aged out tires and worn suspension? Click on the links below to check out some of the products used in this repair, or click here for our complete parts catalog!
