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Well I may still be a "lurker" but now I own a Rover.
After a lifetime of desiring a Rover, "really" looking for one for almost 15 years and lurking here for the last EIGHT, the stars aligned and all that stuff and I've acquired a 1969 Bugeye.
Transaction was completed yesterday. Oddly enough this thing was purchased by the immediate PO sometime before 2005 with that year being the most recent plate. At that time he placed it in his climate controlled warehouse and there it sat until last fall when he had a mutual friend (sjsst41) weld on new gas tank perches and install a new gas tank. The PO proceeded to drive the rover around his neighborhood and it quickly fogged the street in smoke. He drove it into his garage and there it sat until last week when he reached out to said mutual friend who called me.
The outside has IMO a nice level of patina, one that I'll be able to convince my wife to drive in yet not shiny. The interior is far nicer than I expected, and I'll post up some interior pics when it's home.
I am now in limbo as I wait for my "trailer man's" schedule to free-up on Thursday so we can drag her home.
Some things I know I have to do immediately:
1) Battery (purchased)*
2) Coolant and Upper & Lower Coolant hoses (Purchased)*
3) Carb work (Not sure if it's a rebuild or a new carb at this point)
4) Pertronix (As soon as I find out what dizzy it has)
5) Head gasket & valve adjustment (Hope that fixes the smoking issue? Came with the sale)
6) Oil Change & run through all fluids
7) Air Cleaner (Temporary K&N jobby likely until I can find an original)
8) FluidFilm the heck outta the undercarriage (This is New England afterall)
9) Brake work (One of the drums looked a little oily and after sitting so long probably a fairly prudent job)
*The local NAPA had the battery (no surprised) AND the coolant hoses in stock. I was pleasantly surprised.
Short term WinterRomp preps:
1) Source and install winch (I dream of an 8274, but a POS Harbor Freight may have to do for the short-term)
2) Source and install rock sliders (never understood why such a purpose-built vehicle came with such flimsy sill panels)
3) Source chains
Here are some pics
]
And here she sits waiting for me to drag her home.
After a lifetime of desiring a Rover, "really" looking for one for almost 15 years and lurking here for the last EIGHT, the stars aligned and all that stuff and I've acquired a 1969 Bugeye.
Transaction was completed yesterday. Oddly enough this thing was purchased by the immediate PO sometime before 2005 with that year being the most recent plate. At that time he placed it in his climate controlled warehouse and there it sat until last fall when he had a mutual friend (sjsst41) weld on new gas tank perches and install a new gas tank. The PO proceeded to drive the rover around his neighborhood and it quickly fogged the street in smoke. He drove it into his garage and there it sat until last week when he reached out to said mutual friend who called me.
The outside has IMO a nice level of patina, one that I'll be able to convince my wife to drive in yet not shiny. The interior is far nicer than I expected, and I'll post up some interior pics when it's home.
I am now in limbo as I wait for my "trailer man's" schedule to free-up on Thursday so we can drag her home.
Some things I know I have to do immediately:
1) Battery (purchased)*
2) Coolant and Upper & Lower Coolant hoses (Purchased)*
3) Carb work (Not sure if it's a rebuild or a new carb at this point)
4) Pertronix (As soon as I find out what dizzy it has)
5) Head gasket & valve adjustment (Hope that fixes the smoking issue? Came with the sale)
6) Oil Change & run through all fluids
7) Air Cleaner (Temporary K&N jobby likely until I can find an original)
8) FluidFilm the heck outta the undercarriage (This is New England afterall)
9) Brake work (One of the drums looked a little oily and after sitting so long probably a fairly prudent job)
*The local NAPA had the battery (no surprised) AND the coolant hoses in stock. I was pleasantly surprised.
Short term WinterRomp preps:
1) Source and install winch (I dream of an 8274, but a POS Harbor Freight may have to do for the short-term)
2) Source and install rock sliders (never understood why such a purpose-built vehicle came with such flimsy sill panels)
3) Source chains
Here are some pics
And here she sits waiting for me to drag her home.
In progress
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