BugEyeGuys – Page 177

“Sara,” 1959 5-speed Bugeye Sprite now sold!

March 15, 2017 by bugeyeguy

Stock look with wonderful upgrades!

“Sara” (AN5L 23816) is a 1960 Bugeye Sprite that looks stock and is configured with a stock 948 engine and drum brakes all around. But underneath the stock exterior, this Bugeye carries an extensive list of impressive modifications. In fact, more than $10,000 was spent by the prior owners on a long list of upgrades including:

New 5 Speed overdrive and fully synchronized transmission
Rebuilt 1098 head w/hardened valve seats/larger combustion chambers for more power
Electric solid state fuel pump
New distributor with electronic ignition
New leather seats with contrasting green piping (Bugeyes originally came with vinyl)
Matching leather dashboard covering
Matching premium door pockets
Rebuilt gauges
Powder coated cockpit trim and windshield frame
New windshield glass and all rubber trim
LED brake and parking lights
K and N lifetime air filters
Retractible three point seat belts with custom AH enameled emblems on the buckles
Upgraded wooden steering wheel and matching shift knob
Negative ground conversion and cigarette lighter mounted in original washer pump hole
New tan tonneau
Luggage rack
Larger rear view mirror and properly located wing mirrors

We sold Sara in 2011 to passionate parents in Virginia, who generously invested in the upgrades above to make this car a show winner they could drive and enjoy. They won some impressive first place trophies with this wonderful car. A newly rebuild zero-miles speedometer was installed in April of 2014, which now shows just 543 miles. I was delighted to buy this car back when they were done with it, particularly because it is now so well apointed.

The quest for the perfect Bugeye Sprite exhaust note

March 10, 2017 by bugeyeguy

What’s the right exhaust note for your Bugeye (or any vintage sportscar?) This is something we think about often. We like a vintage “ANSA” sound that’s loud but not offensive or too loud for the neighbors.

Until now, lots of people used a generic twin-tipped muffler made by a company called Pacesetter. You can find them online from multiple vendors, marketed for Sprites and other British cars. The problem is that this muffler is too loud and just doesn’t fit. It’s too long and hits you in the ankles if you walk behind the car. And when you get on the gas, it can be heard across town, which was fine for me in high school, but now I am more concerned it will get me arrested. So we have two better alternatives at bugeyeguyparts.com, so you too can enjoy a nice note that won’t won’t wake up the dog a half-mile before you turn down your street.

Our sport muffler is quiet and still sounds quite pleasant and sporty. This is the right choice is you want to save money and you like a single exit pipe. Our twin tipped muffler is extremely sexy, with slender stainless tips, and looks just as good standing still as when all 43 horsepower is flowing through it. We custom made this product so it would fit and also sound great.

Check out the video below to hear these mufflers, and click below to order them from our catalog, or, when you buy your Bugeye from us, we can build the right exhaust note into your new classic. Note: all mufflers will require some cutting, welding and bending to complete your installation, depending on which center pipe you have in your car. Any exhaust shop can help!

Check out all of our exhaust offerings by clicking here.

Photo of the week

March 10, 2017 by bugeyeguy

More head fairings are on the way!

We have tweaked our design and now offer a new lower volume and tweaked product that looks much better on the car than our original design (which someone has already copied and offers for sale!)

This new one we offer exclusively is much improved over our first version. Look for it soon on Gumby and a lot of other Super Sprites! You can get your very own head fairing by clicking here.

Here is our head fairing and hard tonneau installed on a customers car

Bugeye Sprite Seat parts for sale

March 10, 2017 by bugeyeguy

New Metel Seat Base

Bugeye Seats parts are often rusty. The seat bottom trays rust from moisture that gets into the footwells, and the seat backs often rust along the bottom edges where they are closest to water that gets into the car if they are left out in the rain.

This is the first time we have seen a rusty seat back higher up. It was fine when we got the car, but after a few test drives the seat back got all wiggly, and we removed the cover to find that rust had attacked this seat back in the middle section. A new seat back fixed the problem right away. In the meantime we got another fun video of something we had not previously seen.

We’ve got all the seat parts you might need in our catalog, which you can see by clicking here.

“Pepper,” a custom 1960-1275CC AH Bugeye Sprite for sale! NEW VIDEO!

March 10, 2017 by bugeyeguy

Pepper is now sold!!! Congratulations Dan! Soon heading to you in Illinois with a new five speed installed!

AN5L 33779 is a 1960 Bugeye called “Pepper.” This car was owned for many years by a passionate restorer, who built his Bugeye with custom roll bars and a trunk! There have been a few trunk-eyes floated around the web over the years, and a kit at some point for people who wanted to add one. This builder cut into the back deck and made the trunk lid out of that material, so it fits quite well. Then he hinged the trunk lid with Bugeye nose hinges! A cable release is located just behind the driver’s outside shoulder. It works great, and makes this car quite unique. Luggage access is definitely improved. Needs a hydraulic piston to hold it up though, which would be a nice upgrade over the wood prop rod! (That’s something we could design and install if the new owner so-desires.)

We’ve got a new video drive and tour of this car, posted below:

The builder also fit small fender flairs and a custom functional hood vent. The front spoiler is my favorite, and makes the front end a little more aggressive. Driving lights are also fit inside the nose. The flip-up fuel cap is also a nice touch.

The car drives great, with a strong 1275 engine and a shortened shift lever, for quicker shifts. Front disk brakes and anti-roll bar are fit, as well as electronic ignition and a spin-on oil filter and K and N lifetime air filters. Master cylinders are also upgraded to the later type, which offers a dual output brake master and separate clutch reservoir. An alternator is also fit, as has an oil cooler up front of the radiator, to help keep things cool. It’s all nicely done, and sprayed in a sharp metallic two stage paint job. We’ve just rebuilt and tuned the carbs, fit a good battery hold down, and fit new front shocks and bushings.

The underside has been repaired and shows no rust. Exhaust is a nice stainless center pipe and muffler, mated to an exhaust header for great power and a nice note. Top is older, and a bit shrunken. We have new red ones, or put on our open bikini top for sun protection and call it a day. There’s no tonneau, but we have matching red ones available.

This car is ready! Call to have us send Pepper to your door!

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“Emil,”a very special restored 1960 Bugeye Sprite for sale.

March 3, 2017 by bugeyeguy

Now SOLD, congratulations Andrew! Soon Emil will move to Ojai, California. Check out “Delores” if you are looking for another really nice Bugeye.

This is “Emil,” a Bugeye we have restored, sold and have now purchased again. The most recent owner put in a five-speed Datsun transmission, thus further upgrading a car that was already a very wonderful example. Now Emil has been further improved with a fully synchronized gear box and overdrive fifth gear. Check out the video below! (this video was made before the five speed upgrade, but gives you a great feel for this car)

The last owner also upgraded the front brake disks to slotted and drilled rotors and changed the chrome wire wheels to knock-off minilight wheels, shod with new 175 radial tires for better grip and braking. The car already has a massive list of improvements, plus we have gone through this car and sorted everything out on this car, so it only gets better every time we see it!

You can read more about Emil (and see a video drive) in the post we made last time we had the car, by clicking here. Emil has traveled under 1000 miles since this post was made and looks the same as what you see in this older post, with the exception of the new wheels and new mirrors. If you prefer the chrome wire wheels and/or the chrome mirrors, we can swap those for you. And if you want to push Emil even further, we can also add a supercharger kit, for more power and fun!

The car has a nearly new burgundy tonneau and no windows or side curtains, but we have a matching top and windows available should you require them. The last two owners only drove the car on nice days, so a tonneau was sufficient.

This is a great Bugeye with a ton of modifications, and the best ones at that. Call if you are interested!

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