We thought you might like to see the rather unusual vehicle we restored back from the dead a couple of years back. A BUG – we had the call from our customer a few miles from us here at Tiger and agreed to pop over and take a look at the car, it was in a very sorry state and at first glance I thought no not doing this vehicle its a bit beyond repairing back to greatness again – well when I say greatness, I guess I mean something nice again but then again what’s nice about a BUG ? Ok a lot of people like them as did our customer and as they say the customer is always right !! we made a pink Tiger for a customer once and he was right.
Anyway I was shown around the car – I mean bits of car ! The GRP was bad – the chassis was bad ! nothing on the car looked sort of serviceable – when I looked under the inside cover for the engine there it was not ! I was shown the engine – the block – the head – the con rods pistons sump crank all it bits and looking rather rusty in places, the gearbox looked like it had done a bit to many miles.
I don’t know why but I agreed to sort this car out and it took some sorting !! I could not pick the car up on our Brian James car trailer because it had a wheel missing up front so got it delivered.
We stripped everything from this car, the chassis we repaired got it blasted and painted, the trailing arms fell to pieces so made new better ones in the welding shop. the gearbox was sent away to be checked and sorted with our gearbox guy, the grp had to be stripped a lot and repaired in places, the top large lid was beyond repairing, luckily our customer found a top in very good order, Paul worked on the grp preparing for a week before eventually painting – the interior was very bad so Laura made new seats and other new trim inside and looking great, all the while the previous was being worked on the engine was being re- assembled with various new and s/hand parts that had been located from the internet, the steering was checked as required – the rear axle checked and new diff pinion seal fitted. The car now fitted up in its new stunning orange paintwork looking rather “nice” it took quite a few days – doors – top – glass – the engine now sounding sweet, with gears that selected nicely. suspension and steering set with various new brake parts fitted – wheels refurbished new tyres – and a road test – NOT far !! we had someone in at tiger while it was finished before being picked up who had seen a few of these and knew a bit about them he thought it was one of the best he had ever seen – so looking back to the day I nearly did not do it – nearly a mistake there ! Customer loves the car and he should its great !!!
