Post by simmo on Jul 17, 2021 21:13:28 GMT
Well here goes...
My name is Chris Simmonds (Simmo)
I am a retired automotive design engineer at 65 years of age...
My first project was a 1973 Triumph TR6 which i bought in 1993 for £3500.
2 year total nut & bolt stripdown an an extortionate amount of money later and out popped a concourse condition car freshly painted in signal red...and has been my my personal joy for what is 28 years years..cannot beleave the time, money & TLC that i have spent on my lovely TR6...i have it insured for 27k.
That brings me to the Bug.
Bought this baby in 2009...£1300
In a bad way..750cc 1973.
Complete stripdown again...
Nut and bolt rebuild with a few enhanced modifications...
Such as compkete new rear light clusture
Brand new trim
Daytime running lamps.
All round disc brakes.
13" 7J wheels
Decided the put the peddle box onto the chassis.
This gave a big advantage to be able to work on the chassis autonomous to the body and be able to set up the braking system and clutch without the body in place.
Substantial fibreglass repairs.
Due to thr large tyres i had to make eyebrow extensions over the rear wheelarches.
Instead of the standard rear wooden black bootlid i made one out of tinted laminated.
glass...many more enhancememts later and repainted in the Ford ST Orange...i now have a fully restored Bug.. completed 2012ish...showed her at many local events..i live in Coventry by the way...
MOT'd and ready to go but never went anywhere...so what do i do...the engine and transmission is crap...overheating, cannot get a gear...the missus wont ride in it...ends up stored in my mother's garage doing nothing for 4 years..
So what do i do do...i love her...she querky, a head turner, there is something about this little baby that wants me to keep her and do something other than to let her rot in me mums garage....
So now here the big one...
I bought a Motorbike...Kawasaki ninja ZXR750 2001..never done anything like this before..
Totally stripped the Bug....
Totally stripped the motorbike...
Started cutting away the fibreglass shell, modifying the chassic to be the jnsrall the motorbike engine and gearbox....
What did i let myself in for..
To cut a long story short i am 90% into completing the transformation...and I will post further updates on where we are with her...
Its been a wild engineering trip...2 steps forward and 1 step back...please see by posts by seeing my facebook account.. and i am now up to post 28 on the motorbike installation into the Bug..cheers for now..Chris Simmonds...
My name is Chris Simmonds (Simmo)
I am a retired automotive design engineer at 65 years of age...
My first project was a 1973 Triumph TR6 which i bought in 1993 for £3500.
2 year total nut & bolt stripdown an an extortionate amount of money later and out popped a concourse condition car freshly painted in signal red...and has been my my personal joy for what is 28 years years..cannot beleave the time, money & TLC that i have spent on my lovely TR6...i have it insured for 27k.
That brings me to the Bug.
Bought this baby in 2009...£1300
In a bad way..750cc 1973.
Complete stripdown again...
Nut and bolt rebuild with a few enhanced modifications...
Such as compkete new rear light clusture
Brand new trim
Daytime running lamps.
All round disc brakes.
13" 7J wheels
Decided the put the peddle box onto the chassis.
This gave a big advantage to be able to work on the chassis autonomous to the body and be able to set up the braking system and clutch without the body in place.
Substantial fibreglass repairs.
Due to thr large tyres i had to make eyebrow extensions over the rear wheelarches.
Instead of the standard rear wooden black bootlid i made one out of tinted laminated.
glass...many more enhancememts later and repainted in the Ford ST Orange...i now have a fully restored Bug.. completed 2012ish...showed her at many local events..i live in Coventry by the way...
MOT'd and ready to go but never went anywhere...so what do i do...the engine and transmission is crap...overheating, cannot get a gear...the missus wont ride in it...ends up stored in my mother's garage doing nothing for 4 years..
So what do i do do...i love her...she querky, a head turner, there is something about this little baby that wants me to keep her and do something other than to let her rot in me mums garage....
So now here the big one...
I bought a Motorbike...Kawasaki ninja ZXR750 2001..never done anything like this before..
Totally stripped the Bug....
Totally stripped the motorbike...
Started cutting away the fibreglass shell, modifying the chassic to be the jnsrall the motorbike engine and gearbox....
What did i let myself in for..
To cut a long story short i am 90% into completing the transformation...and I will post further updates on where we are with her...
Its been a wild engineering trip...2 steps forward and 1 step back...please see by posts by seeing my facebook account.. and i am now up to post 28 on the motorbike installation into the Bug..cheers for now..Chris Simmonds...
