Being an enthusiast of a particular vehicle can lead you into a trap. Its all to easy to forget the negative aspects of your chosen means of transport and spout on about all the good points. The purpose of this page is to point out to potential Bug buyers some of the Bugs failings. In my humble opinion the Failings are well out numbered by the Pluses- How many other cars were only made in orange had flip up roofs, had 3 wheels yet still give that smile inducing ride?. If looking at purchasing a Bug please check out this page and if your still interested why not drop me a line or join the Bug club. The views are purely personal and I will not be held responsible for any inaccuracies.
Chassis
Separate Steel chassis
Problems
The "Bug bare" of many a Bug is the Chassis. As Reliant's had to produce a car below set weight limits corners had to be cut where possible. The chassis although being thin is a strong box section but problems arise when the water gets in. This can happen through the rivet holes that hold the Body to the chassis. The water then rusts the bottom out of the chassis rails from inside/out. The suspension mounting blocks should be checked out as these can also suffer from stress/Tin worm.
Remedies
New chassis are still available (not cheap) or repair sections can be obtained both from Bond Spares or metal fabricators
Engine
700/750cc Reliant die cast aluminum with cast iron valve guides, removable wet liners. 31 BAH at 5000 revs
Likely problems
The Bug engine is a reliable unit but as with most engines the usual noises should be listened for. Tappets can "tap loudly " if not adjusted properly. The timing chain can make a clattering noise, The water pump can also make a noise and leak if its on its last legs. Oil leaks from the timing case should be looked for, Oil can also leak out from around the sump and in rare cases from within the bell housing. Big and Small End bearing noises should also be looked out for. The availability of 700/750 engine parts are getting scarcer so this should be borne in mind if you are considering rebuilding one.(850 engines are plenty full)
REMEDIES
The engine on the Bug is a fairly
easy job to remove and once its out it's not a difficult engine to rebuild.
The major problem I have encountered is the alloy head .This invariably
corrodes to the studs and is a pig to remove. The rebuilding of a Bug engine
is best done using the work shop manual for the Regal/ Robin as there was no
workshop manual produced for the bug. If your Bug is fitted with a 700/750
engine replacing it with the later 850 lump is not a major problem but a few
items needs changing.
Cooling system
Problems
One of the biggest problems of the
Bug is overheating. This was not a problem when the car was new and is not
common to all Bugs. It can be caused by various factors including blocked
rads,wrong sender units / wrong gauge calibration etc etc.
Remedies
Fitting a 2nd radiator normally cures the problem of over heating. Extending
the intake to the air filter so it draws air from in front of the radiator
rather then the hot engine area also helps. Fitting a mud flap behind the
front wheel causes an area of low air pressure so hot air is drawn off from
the engine bay. A good rad flush is also recommended as is using a high
concentrate of summer coolant & antifreeze mix. Drilling holes in front of
the rad into the fiber glass is not a good idea as muck from the front wheel
is thrown into the rad thus causing more problems.
Body work
Likely problems
A problem not just with bugs but
with most fiber glass cars is star cracking. This results in cracked paint
work. Bugs are prone to getting knocks on the rear wheel arches. Damage can
also take place on the skirt at the bottom of the Bugs body and is also common
to the front.
Likely remedies
Fiber glass is very easy to repair
using fibre glass kits and filler. It is also possible to form new body parts
using papier-mâché and cling film to make moulds. Aerosols to color match
the color of the Bug can be purchased from car body paint suppliers, Ford
Vista orange is the closest match to the original although I have not seen
many Bugs that have the same orange as the 70s car.
The photo on the right is the result of Matt and Myself coming together in our Bugs (he came off worse)
STEERING
Burman Douglas worm and peg type
Problems
The main problem with Bug steering
is the way the box is mounted to the chassis. This is held by 3 Bolts-Over the
years the steel mounting on the chassis can rust but the major problem area is
the alloy mounting plate on the box. This has been known to crack (My first
bug had its steering held on by just 1 bolt). The Burman box can also leak oil
from the bearing and out of the gaskets .If the box has been used with no oil
then damage can occur to the worm inside.
Remedies
Replacing the bearings and working on the box is a fairly easy task. The main
problem when removing the box is the bolts as they tend to rust up. Use a
grease to hold the small ball bearings in place when it comes to reassembly.
After working on the box it should be shimmed up and adjusted to allow easy
movement but should not be sloppy.
Gearbox/Transmission
The standard Bug box has no syncromesh in first gear so this can mean the
first gear is a job to engage. The sycromesh rings also tend to wear out over
the years consequently the other gears can be difficult to engage. Leaks from
the rear axle can also occur both at the seals behind the brake backing plates
and the seal where the prop shaft enters the diff. Prop shafts wear out
eventually and can be detected when driving. You can here the noise and if the
prop is out of balance then the car will vibrate. The seals at the end of the
axle should be checked for signs of leakage as this can result in
contamination of oil into the brake shoes and drums.
Likely remedies
Rebuilding the Bug gear box is best done using a copy of the Regal workshop
manual. It is a job that can be done by the average person requiring no
special tools but steer clear if you don't feel confident. The diff is a job I
haven't tackled (specialist recondition are around). Prop shafts are easy to
come by 2nd hand so its not worth rebuilding one.
Brakes
Likely problems
Apart from wear on shoes, rusty
brake pipes or worn seals the Bug suffers no more problems then any other car.
The Bug should be checked out carefully on the braking front if it has been
left for a long time as the seals in the master cylinder and wheel cylinders
can perish. The hand brakes on Bugs have also been known to stick.
Likely remedies
If the brake pipes, shoes/seals are
worn replace them .Most parts for the breaking system are available over the
counter or from local Reliant dealers and motor accessory shops. The problem
off sticking hand brake cables can be cured by fitting small springs attached
to the hand brake levers where they enter the back plate. These will then pull
the levers back. The other end of the spring should be attached to a washer or
plate at the base of the shocks.
Suspension
Likely problems
The original Reliant shock absorber
is not readily available from Reliant so most Bug owners have fitted Spax
damping units, these work well but are expensive. The trailing arms are prone
to rust if the car has stood for years so should be checked as should the
rubber bushes.
Rare parts
Seats that are not ripped or torn
are hard to come by especially the drivers side. Some of the trim can also be
hard to obtain as it tends to get thrown out. Countless previous owners are
the rule so much modifying has normally been done.700 engine components are
also getting scarce as are some of the seals & repair kits for clutch
cylinders etc.
Useful information
Spares available from
Bond spares
Reliant spares dealers
If your stuck for parts/info why not Join the Bug club
you can then put an ad in the mag or ring a local Bug rep. If they can't help
they normally know a man that does. A list of alternative parts is also
available from the club as well as hand and Parts Books.