Well folks, the 1960 Bugeye is getting closer and closer to ignition time.
Things I've done (not in this order):
Scraped several layers of cat or rat excrement from all areas
Got the DMV to give me ownership papers
Acquired old 1275 and rebuilt it top to bottom, painted dark green
Got a used Datsun 210 transmission and the conversion kit, fitted it with
new clutch
Rebuilt entire clutch and brake hydraulic systems (except handbrake), and
bled them
Made steering column nut go on banged up thread
Lifted instruments from donor car, and created entire wiring system
Wiring system has nice salvaged 9-fuse box from Mitsubishi truck (sorry)
Rebuilt Bugeye dashboard (needed pretty wood to cover wrong-size holes)
Cleaned up and fitted used Mitsubishi alternator
Found some seats and cleaned them up
Wire-ground entire interior of body shell, and primed and painted
Found some OK seat belts
Got some nice Fiat (sorry again) headlamp fixtures and installed
Cleaned, restored all other lamps
Cursed Moss
Was grateful for George Merryweather
Apologized to wife for exceeding budget by order of magnitude
Painted up radiator, fitted with new hoses
Removed and repainted fuel tank, fitted working sender unit
Got fuel pump off donor car, and fitted on rubber isolators
Cleaned up distributor, timed engine statically
Took appropriate care of emission matters, don't ask
New exhaust system (unfortunately over the rear axle for now)
Fitted painted up sway bar with new bushings
Cleaned up and painted front suspension, rear suspension and rear axle
Fitted new rear axle bearings and seals
Nice Austin label rivetted to rocker cover
Fitted spin-on oil filter adaptor and filter
Cleaned and polished carbs
Cut up donor Midget into 4 pieces and deposited it at dump
New choke, and accelerator cables
Oiled and greased
Battery work
Painted wheels, got new tires
Got drawings for front-hinge hood
It's been around a year. Am most grateful for lots of great advice from
numerous super Listers - and quite a few freebies.
I am just about ready to start the darn engine, but on bended knee I pray
that I won't find that I have to pull the engine to fix the %$#@ that I did
wrong.
Thanks for listening. I think I feel like a woman about to give birth.
Daryl
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