My front end restoration

[Phill]

When the salt first went down after the first cold snap last month I decided it was time for a front end strip down and clean up. It is all dismantled now and the wings have just come back from the sand blasters. I've got off quite lightly I think.

 

A previous owner has "had a go". I can't believe a pro would have done this! Apparently the filler was quite extensive to hide this.

 

One wing only with a few holes at the bottom.

 

DIY on the other too!

 

Fairly bad around the fuel filler.

 

Overall looking pretty nice. I like the bare clean metal look. Shame they can't go back on like this really. Not a speck of rust or underseal left

 

One headlamp bowl has suffered a little.

 

These have gone straight off to be put right and sprayed before they go rusty again.

 

Gratuitous link to the man who does this. He is very cheap, reliable, keen to do a good job and friendly. Highly recommended.

 

http://www.icmhome.org.uk/

[burgundyben]

Wings are easily fixed, I've seen lots worse.

 

How is the shell?

[anthonyw]

They look in great condition. Mine were much worse and one new one required so looks like a result.

[Aldo]

Thanks for the tip Phill. Just spoke with you man and he seems a gent.

[Phill]

Wings are easily fixed, I've seen lots worse.

 

How is the shell?

 

Same again I think, I got off lightly. I will post some pics. My metal man says the inners are not worth welding but prevention and fibreglass will do. There are no structural issues.

 

 

Thanks for the tip Phill. Just spoke with you man and he seems a gent.

 

I'm glad to be of help. I hope you mentioned my name!

[Aldo]

I'm glad to be of help. I hope you mentioned my name!

 

Yes I did mate and thanks again,

 

Cheers,

Al

[stuart911]

Gratuitous link to the man who does this. He is very cheap, reliable, keen to do a good job and friendly. Highly recommended.

 

http://www.icmhome.org.uk/

 

Thanks for that, useful tip. Not wishing to be contentious here, but I thought shot-blasting was bad for the metal, don't know where I read that, something about particles imbedding themselves in the metal?

[burgundyben]

Thanks for that, useful tip. Not wishing to be contentious here, but I thought shot-blasting was bad for the metal, don't know where I read that, something about particles imbedding themselves in the metal?

 

It does work harden the metal, I think done only once on something robust like wing its fine.

[Phill]

John at ICM uses a "soft" abrasive (dependent on what he's doing obviously). He is always very sure to stress he is gentle!

[tea boy]

My metal man says the inners are not worth welding but prevention and fibreglass will do.

 

What are you fibreglassing?

[Nick Moss]

My metal man says the inners are not worth welding but prevention and fibreglass will do.

Will do for whom? If we are talking about the inner wings they are a major structural part. Have a look at a bare striped bodyshell and see how much of the total they are.

Thanks for that, useful tip. Not wishing to be contentious here, but I thought shot-blasting was bad for the metal, don't know where I read that, something about particles imbedding themselves in the metal?

It depends on the media, the pressure and who is doing the job. Most restorers use this process and don't have any problems.

 

 

Edited December 10, 2010 by Nick Moss

[Phill]

Here we go some pics.

 

Nearside. It would seem to me that the hole really doesn't amount to any more than the pre drilled wiring holes. You can see that the inner metal is clean. The U channel below is as solid as you like.

 

Around the filler hole.

 

Nearside. This is pretty much the extent on the top of the wing.

 

Offside. Slightly larger holes here but down at the U channel the rust hole is less than 1cm dia.

 

The way I see it is that I'm not selling the car and people drive around with untreated rust a lot worse than this for many many years. My plan is to do my best to remove as much rust as possible, ensure there is no further deterioration of the metal with waxoyl, rust curer and epoxy mastic paint and patch the holes to ensure no ingress of water.

[Phill]

Everything is back together now. I await the summer when I shall respray the bonnet, bumper, valance and sill covers.

 

New horns (I wasn't going to shell out for the Porsche ones).

New fuel expansion valve, vents out where the old tank did.

All sorted round the filler.

 

As many of the fixings as possible were replaced with stainless. All inner parts sprayed with waxoyl as far as possible. All detachable metal parts stripped and painted with Hammerite. Two coats of epoxy mastic all over. New manual aerial.

 

Took it to see REX in the pouring rain today and loved every minute. Got to drive it more!

 

Next winter will be tank out I think.

[Matthew]

Nice Job..

Its Looking Great, Well Worth All The Effort