Not Much Change!

The latest update is none really. Progress has been slow, dut to work, and I'm waiting on a complete front end assembly to arrive before the chassis is repaired.

With the help and advice of Bug owners etc:

I have managed to get a really great steering wheel for the car - an Astrali one which looks very cloase to the original Formula wheel.

I have also got my hands on a set of Mirrors, sidescreen frames, templates for the lower sidescreens, a brand new front radius arm, front and rear back plates, wheel sylinders, so the list is getting slowly smaller....and growing at the same time!

Some pics soon!

Some photos of the current state of play!!

Chassis stripped bare, decided to wait until I had the front arm mounts in my hand before, I got the welding etc done.Rear axle in a tub of diesel......hopeing the nuts will loosen after this!

I think im going to invest in a replacement front arm. It is the same as the Robin 750cc...and there might just be one available out there. Then new back plates all round....................still a long way to go. I'll be happier when the welded chassis is in front of me with a pile of bits to start fitting it up again.................

Also the old trailing arms (really badly made, and not nicely welded!), along with the remains of the old panhard rod, also a photo of the broken rear gearbox housing where the rear mount goes on.

As always, click on the pics for the big 'SCARY' version.

The Chassis Saga

Last night the chassis was free'd from all its attachments. Though nothing is ever straight forward!

The upper and lower n/s, and the upper o/s forward mounted trailing arm bolts appear to have either been welded or have siezed themselves solid in to their holes in the chassis. I ground off the heads but they still won't come out...so they'll have to be drilled.

The rear engine/gearbox mount had to be ground off, and tapped out. But the bad news is my father was actually corrcet all thos years ago, the actual gearbox casting which holds the rear mounts had cracked, and I ended up with the bottom half of it in my hand...Im sure it can be aluminium welded.

The securing bolts which hold the front arm cups/mounts on were so far gone I had to grind the bolts off too.

So the chassis is now ready to go into the horsebox, and to the sandblaster....then to the welders for repair.

Photos to follow..........................................................

Progress ??

Progress now has slowed a little, simply because I need to improve on what tools I have available (sockets / spanners etc.), oh and Ive gone through 2 litres of WD40, so need to stock up again! Some of the trailing arms nuts and bolts are coming free easily, others not at all, and is a simliar situation around the chassis.......a hack saw is in order too for some of the smaller badly corroded bolts.

Discoveries----Although the Bug was only about 9 years old when I bought it, it looks like the body had been off the car previously, because the whole chassis (inc bits only accessible with the body off) seems to have been painted a powder blue colour, over the original black satin. Also it seems that although my car is no. 1506 made if I am right it has the old style gearbox with no synchomesh on first (reverse is located by lifting the gear lever up, and beside first). Once I have the engine out, and cleaned down I'll have to see if the engine number matches the original too......

Progress ??

Progress now has slowed a little, simply because I need to improve on what tools I have available (sockets / spanners etc.), oh and Ive gone through 2 litres of WD40, so need to stock uo again! Some of the trailing arms nuts and bolts are coming free easily, others not at all, and is a simliar situation around the chassis.......a hack saw is in order too for some of the smaller badly corroded bolts.

Discoveries----Although the Bug was only about 9 years old when I bought it, it looks like the body had been off the car previously, because the whole chassis (inc bits only accessible with the body off) seems to have been painted a powder blue colour, over the original black satin. Also it seems that although my car is no. 1506 made if I am right it has the old style gearbox with no synchomesh on first (reverse is located by lifting the gear lever up, and beside first). Once I have the engine out, and cleaned down I'll have to see if the engine number matches the original too......

Here are a few general pics of the chassis, and although looking rusty is very solid, and I even found lots of shiney metal under the paint (honest)! The nuts are off the rear trailing arms, but I can't get the bolts shifted...yet!!

The Turning Point ?

Well, after a few days of WD40, last night the engine turned, and turned very freely. I also had a chance to closely inspect the chassis, and although the close up photos look bad it isn't at all. There are three small area which require welding, and then the only specific worry is the rotted n/s front swing arm mounting. Click on the pics for bigger versions.

The areas which require attention are the top of the o/s chassis side rail under the drivers seat. The top of the chassis side rail n/s front before the upward angle, and directly under the same spot.

The body is off! Generally the chassis looks salvageable. But the bottom of the side rails have a few rot holes, though I imagine easily repaired. The most concerning thing I have found is the front swing arm mounts on the chassis have strted to disintigrate, and looking at them I might have a major job getting the from arm off its mounts (although I have WD40'd it). Also the rear trailing arms look veryt rusty, and the rear roll bar has rotted away althogether. To date after WD40 in the plug holes for a couple of days the engine still hasn't free'd up, although in the process if taking the water pump off it came free. The bottom N/S radiator mounting braket came off the chassis along with the radiator, and O/S one ain't much better.

So the question is..........can chassis repair kits be got? By that I mean if I cut the front arm mounts off can new ones be bought and welding in place? Same goes for the radiator brackets.

Another inspection is due tonight to have a closer look, and see if anything else has free';d up enough to start to strip.

Here We Go......

Work continues, the canopy is off! And the body now ready to lift

A Blast From The Past

How embarassing.....here is a pic of me aged 11 with the Bug when I first got it home !!! Click on any of the pics to enlarge them...

The First Weekend

The Bug has been in the garage for its first weekend. The canopy is off, and after a few cans of WD40 I've managed to get all three wheels turning, and two new rear wheels on (currently mini-lite alloys originally off my Tri-Tech Zetta). The front wheel I can't the nuts loose so is left to soak in WD40, and then I'll get a new tyre for it as the current one is flat and hard! At least then is will be more moveable!

On First Inpsection - The bottom of the chassis rails each side have started to rot, which I believe is a common problem (passenger side moreso). The 'rollbar' on the passengers side rear, has rotted away at the axle end, and generally anything metal looks a tad rusty, but not rotten beyond redemption.

I've managed to get all the body tub retainers off, with the exception of the seatbelt centre mount bolts (just couldn't get at them without the axle stands), and the petrol tank neck. So the body lifts a bit at the front and rear. Don't think it'll take too long for the last few bolts.

I decided to leave major inspection of the engine etc. until the body is off (hopefully this week), and there's such a limited working space around the Bug engine. I was planning to take the plugs out as advised on the Bug Forum, and put some diesel / WD40 in there and see if the engine was siezed etc, but of course I don't seem to have the right size of plug spanner! So off today to buy one.

There are many thing I'm going to need for the Bug, I have been kindly offered one sidescreen frame which is excellent, and if anyone else out there had another I'd really be grateful too.......email me on alan@hini.org.uk

The Bug Being Uplifted From Its Sad Storage Area

(Click on the photos for larger pics too)
My 1972 Bong Bug 700ES - HBL 14K.
My mum bought me this car 26 years ago for my 11th Birthday. I think it was to distract my attentions from model making, which evidently saw my bedroom carpet getting sliced by modelling knives, and pots of enamel and spray paint ruining the furniture, and totalling the carpet, oh and not to mention the glue! The car was bought then with 39,123 miles on the clock, and still now has only 39,975 miles on it. My mum used five hundred pounds to buy mey the little car, which now looking back seems a lot of money considering its condition. When I first saw the Bug it wass painted Ford Carnival Red which is a sort of reddy orange colour, with an electric blue metallic canopy. Inside was lovely (!??) brown fur EVERYWHERE!. I had to have it!

On it went to a car trailer, and I watched in horror, as it promptly rolled straight back off the other end of the trailer (which wasn't attached to my fathers car), all seemed ok, but I later discovered the rear gearbox mounting had broken, giving a judder when taking off in first gear.

Out came the brown fur, and the then Bug Spares scheme got me some second hand seats, and I put on new Spax adjustable shockers, a few other bits, and got the car resprayed black with silver coachline. This was a mistake, as it was neither attractive not well executed. I was now the ripe old age of 14 !

As many folk will know life takes over, and many things take a back seat. My mother died when I was 14, in 1984, and scool, work, houses etc all took over, but for sentimental reasons the Bug was never going to be sold.
Since then, the car has sadly deteriorated to the condition you see here, and has never been garaged, but always wrapped up in a waterproof cover. But hopefully now its time has come to be resurrected from its slumber. At this stage I have to say it needs a lot, and I intend to return the car to as close to 'new' condition as my capability allows. My biggest worry with the car is the engine as it hasn't been cranked in decades now. I will be able to carry out the majority of the restoration myself,but the engine will have to be handed over to an expert to see if it is salavagable. So any help or advice from any Bug owners and experts will be gratefully received.

I can be contacted at:
Loughries
Ballyblack
Ards Penninsula
County Down
Northern Ireland
BT22 2AW

email - alan@hini.org.uk

The Bug Arrives Home

The Bug on the trailer leaving its dismal and damp surroundings. The arrived at home, the old rotted wheel and tyre coming off......and guess my 20 odd year old GTX Grease worked well at the wheel nuts hadn't even siezed!

Proof Is In The Pictures

One new wheel now fitted to replace the totally rotten old steel rim. I have the original Dunlop alloys in storage for the day they're needed. And the Bug sits beside its new stable mates, the 1983 Skoda Rapid Cabrio, and the 1991 Nissan Figaro................the Bugs now in the Garage, countdown has begun........!

Bond Bug HBL 14K

It Starts Here!!!!

This site is for posting pics, and progress on our Bug HBL 14K.

Owned since 1981, and from what we know has been in Northern Ireland since 1976, awaiting DVLA history to come through!

17th January 2007 sees the Bug being unearther from its sad and crude storage facility. Watch this space in the next few days for photos!!

Alan