This is Drucilla (Dru for short) and this is one very cool 1960 Bugeye. An5L39165 was built May 10, 1960 for North American export and dispatched to Philadelphia, per the included heritage certificate.
The car is freshly restored and features a lot of great and sought-after components. For example, the 1275 engine was completely rebuilt by Hap Waldrop, who has campaigned a very successful Midget and knows how to make these cars run and run well. The engine build was done right with hardened valve seats and a deluxe rear oil seal, as well as new pistons, new cam, and everything else replaced. Hap is one of the best builders out there. The engine is basically brand new and built for fast street use.
The engine is matted to a Datsun five-speed transmission, so you get a fully synchronized gear box and overdrive fifth gear. It’s a hot set up, and great for highway use. This is the tranny Alan had in Hazel on his 1000 mile Bugeye drive featured in prior posts.
Add to that a a wire wheel set up, a sweet pair of completely rebuilt, polished and re-bushed carbs, a fancy gear reduction starter, an alternator conversion kit, an electronic tach conversion (using the stock Bugeye tachometer), a trick rebuilt distributor, dynamat sound insulation throughout, new carpets and all new seat components, a solid rust free body, excellent floors, all rust removed, a slick pearlescent base/ clear paint job. Then you apply our expertise sorting all this stuff… we spent a lot of hours tuning, making harmony and making it all work right, diagnosing and tweaking and finishing what was left to integrate the whole package and make it all hum… this is a fantastic package!
And there’s more… a premium Optima battery, stainless steel lifetime exhaust system, flip forward nose for great engine access, very clever locking latches for the nose that are flush fitting when closed. A whole lot of energy went into making a very cool car.
The restorer included a large file full of receipts for everything that was done. He spent freely!
Click any photo to enlarge. Slide show is below! Original and restored air filters are included, they are off the engine in the photos below because we were tuning the engine, but it has been running with the filters installed. No top, tonneau or windows, but we have used and new versions available, in colors, and the new owner can design those components any way they like, or delete them. Also, there is no heater currently, and we can add one if the car moves to a cold climate.
Give a call or email to inquire about the price, and to see if Dru is for you!