I started with the following 10 items from a Bugeye for which I paid $400.
1. Very good tub with solid floors and spring mounts but a junk bonnet which
was not used.
2. Driver's side door.
3. Front hubs.
4. Rear axle banjo.
5. Rear hubs.
6. Rear backing plates.
7. Gas tank with 1/2" of crud in the bottom.
8. Rear half shafts.
9. Differential.
10. Driveshaft
The rest came from parts catalogs and swap meets. The car is not
stock/original but could be made so. I decided to make my own harness with a
ten fuse block, use a key starter, and a one wire alternator, I also used
the Frontline shock conversion.
I did the body work myself but had the car painted by a moonlighting
professional.
I spent about 6 months on the tub. I stripped it by hand, top and bottom,
using a combination of air/electric wire brushes/grinders, sand blasting and
chemicals.
Must Have Tools: Compressor, welder, air/electric powered grinders, sanders,
and cutting wheels and a spray gun for applying primer. A portable sand
blaster is also nice too have. I used the sand blaster mostly in corners and
places that I could not get to any other way.
I primered as I went, using a primer specified by the person that was going
to paint the car. I then sanded and re-primed the whole car when the body
work was finished.
I had plenty of room in a two car garage/shop but did the body work outside
(except for the floorpan), except when it rained.
I did the bottom of the floorpan with the car on jack stands laying on my
back. If I do it again I will make something that will let me turn the car
upside down.
Total Time: A little over two years and the cost was between $6000 and $8000
which included a total rebuild of a 948 engine from my other Bugeye. I have
all of the receipts but have not added it all up.
Would I do it again? Probably, if the right car comes along.
If you do it, don't set a deadline as to when the car will be finished, just
take your time and enjoy. It helps if you have another LBC to drive while
all of this is going on.
Larry Miller
http://www.ado13.com
PARDON MY DRIVING, I'M RELOADING.
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