Bugeye to Blobeye conversion
23 June 2011, 08:14 PM
#1
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bugeye to Blobeye conversion *WITH FINAL PICS*
So I have a WR Blue 2002 Bugeye at the moment with bright orange wheels. Some people love it, others hate it... To be honest, it's not the colour scheme that I've ever thought of changing.
The front end!
Always fancied a blobeye but the price difference between the bug and blob didn't really seem worth it to me. After having quite a bit of work done to the engine, it never really crossed my mind to sell the car and buy a blob. Instead i decided to look into doing a conversion.
So here goes....
Hopefully some readers may find this interesting and may even try doing a similar conversion. I'm working to a fairly tight time schedule as the car is my daily drive so I'm hoping to get it done in 3 days, start to finish.
Here is what the car looked like to start with
I managed to get hold of all the parts that I think I require in advance which include:
Blob bonnet and scoop - £100
Blob wings - £50 each
Blob Bumper and bumper bar- £100
Blob headlights with HID's and de tango'd - £200
Front slam panel from a blob - £150
All in all £650
As I am running a FMIC I haven't bought any inner wheel arch liners yet as I was going to see if they could be fitted with the Intercooler pipe work.
More pics to follow shortly
The front end!
Always fancied a blobeye but the price difference between the bug and blob didn't really seem worth it to me. After having quite a bit of work done to the engine, it never really crossed my mind to sell the car and buy a blob. Instead i decided to look into doing a conversion.
So here goes....
Hopefully some readers may find this interesting and may even try doing a similar conversion. I'm working to a fairly tight time schedule as the car is my daily drive so I'm hoping to get it done in 3 days, start to finish.
Here is what the car looked like to start with
I managed to get hold of all the parts that I think I require in advance which include:
Blob bonnet and scoop - £100
Blob wings - £50 each
Blob Bumper and bumper bar- £100
Blob headlights with HID's and de tango'd - £200
Front slam panel from a blob - £150
All in all £650
As I am running a FMIC I haven't bought any inner wheel arch liners yet as I was going to see if they could be fitted with the Intercooler pipe work.
More pics to follow shortly
Last edited by tgp_motorsport; 30 June 2011 at 11:20 PM.
24 June 2011, 12:54 AM
#3
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 2,895
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It would be great to get some pics up once you start the work. Did you not fancy going to the hawkeye though? (I have a bugeye and my choice would be to jump to a hawkeye front end for mine - I personally think the lines look smoother!)
I'll keep an eye on this thread!
Good luck
I'll keep an eye on this thread!
Good luck
24 June 2011, 08:46 AM
#4
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was very close to going for the hawkers front end but my reason for choosing the Blob was down to a number of factors. Firstly price - hawk bumpers and wings are reasonable but the lights seem to be fetching big money. Secondly as I have an sti7 interior fitted, I wasn't too keen on having a somewhat modern exterior of the hawk matched with a more classic interior of the bug.
Atleast now I'll hopefully know exactly what to to for the conversion so should I change my mind and go for the hawk front end in the future, thinks shouldn't be too difficult, fingers crossed.
Oh and I forgot to mention that I have a feeling more cutting and chopping is required to fit the hawk slam panel compared to the blob slam panel. I may be wrong.
More pics to follow this evening of the conversion
Atleast now I'll hopefully know exactly what to to for the conversion so should I change my mind and go for the hawk front end in the future, thinks shouldn't be too difficult, fingers crossed.
Oh and I forgot to mention that I have a feeling more cutting and chopping is required to fit the hawk slam panel compared to the blob slam panel. I may be wrong.
More pics to follow this evening of the conversion
24 June 2011, 11:02 AM
#6
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (23)
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Rota Subzeros FOR sale!
Posts: 3,701
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nice looking bug, I've done the jump to hawkeye, not anymore work than going to a blobeye, if you drill out the spot welds and weld in the hawk slam panel and headlight buckets.
Looking forward to seeing the progress.
Ricey
Looking forward to seeing the progress.
Ricey
Trending Topics
24 June 2011, 08:16 PM
#8
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Go for the green look IMO
24 June 2011, 08:27 PM
#11
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So £700 and a couple of late nights after work. I am also looking at getting a bit of money back from the conversion by selling the original parts.
I'm lucky that the conversion panels are in really good condition so a respray should not be needed.
24 June 2011, 08:45 PM
#12
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Its started
After removing the bonnet, lights, bumper and wings (in that order), I began work on the bumper bar and slam panel removal.
Sorry for not including photos of the panel removal but this is fairly straight forward and took around 30 mins
So the front bumper bar was next on the list. The bolts at the front were easy to access and with a little help from some WD40, the bolts were removed.
Before getting too carried away on the car I decided to prep the bumper bar which was to be fitted. I'm running a FMIC so the bumper bar requires cutting in order to fit. I also gave it a little clean up and a touch of paint at this stage
From this-
to this due to my car running a FMIC
Next, I was back to the car.
Spot welds were drilled out from the slam panel with a 9mm drill. 30 Spot welds in total
the removed part below
This is now how the car is sitting at the moment. Awaiting the new slam panel from scooby spares tomorrow hopefully. Ill try to add some more detailed images in the future.
Trial fitted the bonnet, bumper and wings as it's just started raining so don't want the engine bay getting too wet tonight. (Supported by various tools and cable ties atm as there are no supports fitted until the slam panel arrives)
After removing the bonnet, lights, bumper and wings (in that order), I began work on the bumper bar and slam panel removal.
Sorry for not including photos of the panel removal but this is fairly straight forward and took around 30 mins
So the front bumper bar was next on the list. The bolts at the front were easy to access and with a little help from some WD40, the bolts were removed.
Before getting too carried away on the car I decided to prep the bumper bar which was to be fitted. I'm running a FMIC so the bumper bar requires cutting in order to fit. I also gave it a little clean up and a touch of paint at this stage
From this-
to this due to my car running a FMIC
Next, I was back to the car.
Spot welds were drilled out from the slam panel with a 9mm drill. 30 Spot welds in total
the removed part below
This is now how the car is sitting at the moment. Awaiting the new slam panel from scooby spares tomorrow hopefully. Ill try to add some more detailed images in the future.
Trial fitted the bonnet, bumper and wings as it's just started raining so don't want the engine bay getting too wet tonight. (Supported by various tools and cable ties atm as there are no supports fitted until the slam panel arrives)
Last edited by tgp_motorsport; 24 June 2011 at 08:55 PM.
25 June 2011, 12:16 PM
#22
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Tom
25 June 2011, 11:31 PM
#24
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A bit more progress on the conversion.
The front blobeye slam panel arrived from Scooby spares this afternoon so I spent a little while prepping it and removing the spot welds
This image shows what it looked like on delivery
30mins later, each spot weld was drilled out and it looked like this. Next was a test fit and a bit of patience
Before and after the slam panel was fitted
Tomorrow its down to fitting the front bumper bar, bumper, wings and lights
The front blobeye slam panel arrived from Scooby spares this afternoon so I spent a little while prepping it and removing the spot welds
This image shows what it looked like on delivery
30mins later, each spot weld was drilled out and it looked like this. Next was a test fit and a bit of patience
Before and after the slam panel was fitted
Tomorrow its down to fitting the front bumper bar, bumper, wings and lights
26 June 2011, 08:25 AM
#27
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yep, bolted in place. Photos to be uploaded today, was getting a bit dark last night. I used 6mm bolts nuts and washers on the easily accessible areas and self tapping screws in those pasts that i did not have a great deal of access to
26 June 2011, 10:12 PM
#30
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (23)
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Rota Subzeros FOR sale!
Posts: 3,701
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Looking good!
My lower crossmember was rotted so I started to drill out the spot welds in that then the drill's battery went flat and then I burnt out the angle grinder!!! lol
Kinda which I hadnt started hthis conversion now! but reading your thread has kept me focused on getting it finished now!!
Cheers
Ricey
My lower crossmember was rotted so I started to drill out the spot welds in that then the drill's battery went flat and then I burnt out the angle grinder!!! lol
Kinda which I hadnt started hthis conversion now! but reading your thread has kept me focused on getting it finished now!!
Cheers
Ricey