Category Archives: Assembly Phase

Dashboard Upholstery and Assembly

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We were eager to see what the red interior upholstery was going to look like with the Cotswold Blue paint. The interior upholstered panels from Bugeyeguys arrived and so we set the panels in place to have a look. We are biased, of course, but we are more than pleased. We think we hit upon a beautiful color combination. The photo appears to brighter than the red actually is. The dash vinyl matches the interior panels and is a truer color depiction.

Interior panels

Next, it was time to wrap the dash in the matching red vinyl. We need to install the assembled dash in the car so that we can complete our wiring harness to the rear of the car. So after glueing the vinyl to the dash with 3M 77 adhesive we also installed all of the gauges and most of the switches.

3M Super 77 Adhesive

We held off on those items that extend through the firewall such as the water temperature and oil pressure gauge, the heater switch, as well as the choke, and starter switches/cables. In addition we covered the face of the hidden switch panel under the dash and installed its components.

Finally we made all of our electrical connections and temporarily installed the dash in the car. The entire process is shown in the Bugeye Restoration Episode Sixty-nine Video. 

https://vimeo.com/960749153/8aa0edf407?share=copy

The following steps are addressed in the video:

0:00 – Interior panels arrive

0:13 – Cockpit aluminum trim

1:11 – Dash vinyl applied

2:48 – Hidden switch panel

4:12 – Cutting holes in the covered dash

4:30 – Upholstery clips

5:00 -Grab handle and RH ground bus bar

5:30 – Washer pump install

6:18 – Ignition switch

8:18 – “D” and “F” connector harnesses installed

9:20 – Turn indicator warning lamp

9:30 – Fuel gauge

10:00 – Turn indicator switch

10:20 – Turn indicator warning lamp

11:00 – Fuel gauge

11:19 – Wiper switch

11:37 – Speedometer, tachometer, panel light switch and wiper rheostat knob

11:50 – Panel light switch

12:12 – Power inverter cube

12:18 – Dash wiring complete

13:44 – Disconnect instructions for dash removal from the car

14:55 – Completed dash

15:27 – Hidden switch panel

15:47 – Dash temporarily installed

And now on to the rear electrical connections and the wiring harness completion.

 

Front Shocks and Rear Bumpers

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We know, this is an odd combination of things. The installation of the shocks was driven by a need to get something substantial mounted on the car. Silly, but gratifying.

Front LH Shock Installed

The rear bumpers, on the other hand, were installed for a very practical reason:  because we wanted something to hold onto at the rear of the car to move it around the garage on its dolly. Pushing the car by placing one’s hands on the boot area just didn’t seem like a good idea with fresh paint.

Bugeye Restoration Video Episode Sixty-eight shows the installation of the front shocks and the rear bumpers:

https://vimeo.com/960378353/c6dafdba0f?share=copy

0:00 – Front shock absorbers installation

1:06 – Rear bumper installation

Home From Paint

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On June 3, 2024 most of the Bugeye came home from the paint shop. The doors, bonnet and few odds and ends remain to be painted, but it was nice to get the chassis home to begin the reassembly process. Most of the parts clean-up and painting have already been completed, so for the most part our next steps will be about getting everything back on the car.

This is an image of Gabor Fodor who painted the Bugeye. Obviously, pleased with his work.

A pleased Painter, Gabor Fodor

A Healey friend, Gary Cox, helped me get the car to the paint shop and he also helped us get the Bugeye home. Thank you Gary! Could not have done it without you, your truck and your trailer.

Bugeye Restoration Video Episode Sixty-seven shows the home delivery and the installation of the number identification plates on the car:

https://vimeo.com/960346111/7bf3cbd398?share=copy