Bugeyeguys

BugEye Guys and Intergenerational Promises

I am forever grateful for the customer care and expertise I’ve experienced with BugEye Guys over the past 6 years, and I’m thrilled at the results after sending them my 1960 Bugeye “Shirl” from December 2023 through February 2024.

My car is a family heirloom that was purchased by my wife’s grandmother, Shirley, in Halifax, NS. Apparently Shirley was a flapper in the 20’s, and a spritely (no pun intended) jeans and leather jacket wearing spitfire in later life. After her husband died, she bought the Bugeye because she always wanted a sportscar. When Shirley moved to The States to join her son, Eville, he and his wife, Ada, drove the car down to Minneapolis. He inherited the car after Shirley died and drive it sparingly for 30 years. It was among his prized possessions,and he wore a flat cap and driving gloves whenever he drove it. When Eville mad we the move to assisted living, he gave the car to me, his son--in-law. This began my quest to keep the car in the family as a duty of stewardship. For me, that means taking possession and leaving the vehicle in before shape than when I received it.

It took me the better part of a day to get the car started (it had not been moved in 4 years). After I got it home I started my association with BugEye Guy David Silberkleit by visiting his website and ordering tires and rear springs in 2017. David let me know that he was upgrading Bugeyes to make them safer and more reliable at that time, but I was committed to doing as much work on the car as possible.

Over the years I did routine maintenance and learned more about the car’s inherent weaknesses (Cork seals? Really?) and did all that I could. Sometimes with the assistance of a local shop - with not very good results. In 2022, the clutch started going out at 38,000 miles -and I knew that was going to require an engine out experience. Finding someone to work on the Sprite has been a challenge, and while I was preparing bench space to do this job myself, I began to think about the work that would be required to put things right after the process of discovery occured. I’d get the 948 ccengine out and then start doing a compression test and find out it needed a top end job. And as long as we’re doing that, might as well replace the main chain. Might was well check the main bearings (tear down on engine stand) - and then upgrade the radiator, and replace that old master cylinder (but what about brake lines?). And what about that rusty gas tank and fuel lines. Sure would be nice to have seatbelts. The more I tbought about how much time it would take to start putting things right and improving them, the more I thought to send Shirl to David. That is the best decision I’ve made about the car to date.

I’ve never sent a car away to be worked on: I am a total newbie. Every aspect of the process that BugEye Guys uses for receiving deposits and payments (I sent checks), transport of the car (enclosed trailer with lift), assessment of its condition (I received a comprehensive build sheet for Shirl with prioritized recommendations for action) - all exceeded my expectations. I was immediately set at ease by same day responses to my emails, and BugEye Guys always has someone pick up the phone (thanks, Samantha and David). Lastly, I can’s thank Tony Trentadue enough for being my assigned principal point of contact throughout my build. Tony gave me almost daily updates with photos of my car’s progress and the inevitable “surprises” that come up when you’re digging into an unrestored, antique vehicle. This really made me feel special and valued as a customer.

If you’ve got one of these wonderful cars and you’re considering upgrading it or simply want to have it looked after with the care and love that you expect - please send it to BugEye Guys for first class and honest service and support. I wish I had done this years ago. Thank you, David and BugEye Guys crew!

I should start by saying I have a passion for vintage British cars. I have owned at least one since 1967. Over the last couple of years that passion has exploded. A good friend told me about “The Bugeye Guy” in Branford Ct. I have now purchased 3 cars from David. He is a genius with these wonderful old vehicles. He restores and upgrades them , they are reliable, fun, beautiful machines. His specialty is the Austin Healy Bugeye of course. He has now sold 400 of them. If you are looking for a vintage vehicle David is the guy. If you have one then consider letting him go through it.
So I should introduce, Floyd, big Uncle M (Moxie), and Stretch.

The best day ever was finding David, the "Bugeye Guy" online on a Sunday morning several years ago. I had been looking for about a year and so excited when I came upon his website and found this beauty that I wanted to make my own. I thought that living on the west coast at Lake Tahoe was going to be tricky for the purchase but David made everything seamless right down to the my additional upgrades and shipping! What was super cool is that the shop is not too far from our family beach house in CT so in 2022 I was so happy to finally meet David and his team in Branford, CT. Such a wonderful experience. If you are looking for your dream ride, highly recommend BugEyeGuy! He won't disappoint! Tahoe CiCi

Ever since I was a kid, I have always had a passion for British sports cars. In 1974, upon graduating from high school, I traded in the 1966 Oldsmobile Delta 88 handed down to me from my parents for a 1969 MG Midget. I managed to keep this car running for a couple years and enjoyed every minute of it, but having an already deteriorating Midget in the Midwest as a daily driver does not bode well for the budding British car enthusiast. It had to go. Hence my British car experience came to an end. A 40-year career and three grown kids later, I found myself retired, and ready to pick up where I left off with my old Midget. I had been following David and the Bugeyeguys website for quite a few years in the hopes I would someday be able to acquire one of my own. In the summer of 2021, I saw a Bugeye pop up on David's site(Mikki) and decided to check it out. I had many reservations about buying a 62 year old car site unseen off the internet, but after multiple conversations with David, and also after having followed his website for years, I decided to take the leap. At Bugeyeguys, you are certainly welcome if not encouraged to visit their location and inspect any car, but I felt confident David would deliver, and he did. Not being a mechanic, welder, car body expert or really having any car restoration experience, I told David I was looking for a Bugeye that was as original as possible, but fully restored including some mechanical upgrades that would give me a fun, dependable car I could wash, wax, do general maintenance, take to car shows and drive on sunny days. David was great. He worked with me personally to select the best upgrades, and then had his team of professionals create exactly what I was looking for. I took delivery in the fall of 2021, which was flawless, and the follow up with service, questions, parts and tutorials has been excellent. I watch all of the major online auction sites on almost a daily basis, but don't ever see myself acquiring any car I cannot see and inspect firsthand before purchasing, unless I buy it from Bugeyeguys. There also seems to be "bidding frenzies" at the ends of these auctions, often driving the price of the better cars well beyond their true value, and unless you travel out to visit the car, you never get to see and inspect it yourself. Then there are buyer/seller fees, travel expenses(if you go inspect the car) and shipping. My idea of a "10 foot paint job" or "patina" and "mechanically sound" is a lot different from a most other buyers and sellers that shop online. That being said, I would buy from Bugeyeguys again in a heartbeat, and if I do, I know I will be getting a car that has been well sorted by a team of professionals, and I will have their full support if I have any issues. From a pricing standpoint, David was extremely fair. I would have spent thousands more buying a Bugeye that needed to be restored to the level of perfection I received from Bugeyeguys. I've done the math on many Bugeyes over the years. Unless you own and operate your own car restoration company, or you are ready to hand your 401K over to the major British car parts companies, trailer your car around and pay $75.00/hour for your local British car expert to do the work, usually over a period of time that could easily exceed a couple years if you are doing a frame-off resto, you won't go wrong with a Bugeye from Bugeyeguys!

The Bugeyeguys Team are true professionals with a focus on the Austin Healey mark, especially the Sprite. I purchased a 1960 Sprite project earlier this year from the Bugeyeguys and launched a complete restoration. At every step of the project the Branfort-based team was just a call, text, or email away. Moreover, the content available on their website I found exceptional. Many upgraded components available from the Bugeyeguys parts page were included in the build. Noting their extensive experience working on just one vehicle led to my preference in ordering from their team and a trouble-free assembly of the 63-year old Sprite. Timely delivery, professional packaging, accurate shipments, and the correct components for the application are what they offer to enthusiasts. Attached are a photo of "Fritz" when he arrived in January and the recently completed project.

Thank you David, Nick, Sam, and Rob!

When I started to search for an Austin Healey Sprite I went to many different website's and could not find one that felt trustworthy. That’s when I found Bugeyeguy, who is renowned as the top authority for bugeye sprites in the United States with 400 renovations. I purchased one of his super sprites with all the best upgrades, super charger, 5 speed, and many other upgrades.
I found the best feature of going through Bugeyeguy’s shop is, if you have a problem with a purchased car they will support you with solutions and parts. They don’t forget about you because you become part of their Sprite family.

The bugeyeguys were amazing to deal with. From extensive knowledge about the car to helping me with shipping to Canada. Everything went very smoothly and I have been enjoying every drive. Thank you to David and his team!

I bought a beautiful 1960 bugeye from David and the process couldn't have been easier. When I picked my car, we talked and made a punch list of recommendations, needs, and wants. The whole team was only an email, text, or phone call away to answer any questions I had during the process. We even went down to visit our new car in person. I'm confident I can reach out with any issue and one of the bugeyeguys will get back to me quickly with any answers or help I need.

My wife and I sent David and Tony our '59 to perform some major repair work (new 5-speed, among other things). As expected with any classic car repair, there were more needed repairs. At every step along the way Tony kept us informed. The price isn't cheap, but the peace of mind is worth it. We now have a beautifully restored and fully functional Bugeye to enjoy for years to come. Highly recommend!

I recently acquired a 1960 Bugeye Sprite from Bugeyeguys. The Bugeye was as advertised. It checked all the boxes for me. I received a build sheet on what the previous owner had completed on the Bugeye. I did have a few changes made to the Bugeye. It had a black grill without an eyebrow, changed to a stock grill. Gearshift knob changed to stock. Added an airhorn, which I highly recommend. Overall, it was a very good experience. Bugeyeguys is definitely the place for anything Bugeye.

I've had "Frogeye" (formerly "Meyer") 3 years and I'm still in love with it. When I bought it, I okayed most suggested upgrades and glad that I did. It's a joy to drive and at 73, I'm still limber enough to make getting in and out look easy.

We started our relationship with Bugeye Guy several years ago by purchasing parts for our project car. We eventually purchased a car from them and had them do a variety of upgrades and modernizations. Their products and craftsmanship are top notch! They've been great to work with, responsive, and professional. Highly recommend!

We Purchased a 1959 Bugeye from Dave. He was extremely helpful during the process and knowledgeable about the car. It has run very nicely since. The staff at Bugeye Guys provide an awesome after sales service and are always there to help.
Thank you Dave and Tony for your continued support.
Would love to do business again!!

I have an MGA Coupe withe a Hi-Gear Engineering 5-speed gearbox. The knob supplied with the kit wasn't to my liking. I found that Bugeyeguys had a knob like what I wanted but with different threads. I spoke with Nike at Bugeyeguys and he said that he could have a knob made with my required threads, in my case 5/16 x 24. Nick said it would take a few days and he would get it to me. The knob is perfect. Nice size (1-7/8") and fits just as it should. Great personal service from Nick. Nice company to deal with. Maybe I should buy a Bugeye.

We purchased a 1960 Bugeye in the fall of 2021, "Fletch". A once raced SCCA car turned back to the street with all of his race day patina. Many upgrades from bugeyeguys prior to our purchase, some at delivery and some by myself since. We are very happy. Fun to drive, lots of head turns. We are very pleased with David's hands on assistance before and since the sale and the entire team of Bugeyeguys has been very helpful with parts purchases and technical assistance, when i've needed some help while tinkering myself.

They are the best! I brought my classic Mini cooper and they found and repaired all the issues. They were great at keeping me updated on everything being done and considering the amount of work done they were at a very reasonable price. I would highly recommend them

Very happy with our purchase of a 1958 Bugeye. All was as described, and the purchase follow up calls from them was great. Also, any time we had tech questions, everyone was very interested in providing details to ensure the additional mods and upgrades we were making worked right.

Ordered some parts from these folks and the after sale support from Samantha and Nick has been fantastic. If you own a Bugeye, this is the place to shop. They know the cars along with all their idiosyncrasies and you will get a level of customer support reminiscent of better times.

Purchased a 1960 Strite from the BugeyeGuys recently. It has been nothing but a pleasure corresponding and coordinating with them through the purchase and all the follow up questions regarding the quirkiness of a British car. I must say, for the car being over 60 years old and the number of previous owners, the BugeyeGuys have kept this Sprite in excellent condition. Together, we discussed and made significant upgrades that enhanced the Sprites operation and ultimately the driving experience. It is extremely enjoyable and reliable to own and drive here in California. I was not aware that the Sprite would enhance my popularity which is a big plus at my age (just kidding). Like all vehicles that are 60 or more years old, parts are hard to find. The BugeyeGuys stock everything anyone needs to keep this vehicle in top shape. Depending on the degree of difficulty with Garage-do-it-yourself installations, the team at Bugeye have offered videos that show step by step installations.

I really need to thank David Silberkleit for putting together a team of professionals that know this product. It has made all the difference. I look forward to many years collaboration.

Mark

The Bugeye Guys are like Family now! We have been so pleased with our purchase process and their prompt attention to every detail! Bucky loves his new home in Charlotte, NC.