Restoration complete
Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 9:47 pm
I promised a year ago when i was asking for lots of advice that on completion i would post some pics so as long as i can get them to load up here they are.
As I have retired the process has been great fun but at times oh so frustrating. Car was generally in good nic before i started except being generally tatty and some corrosion in the offside A post.
Luckily i found a brilliant welder and an equally good paint shop and negotiated some fair pricing. I am in the sticks down in South Wales so there was no fancy London prices to contend with.
Strip down was straightforward including engine and box out. i have the advantage of a lift in my garage so it made life very easy for an old man.
Engine and box were running perfectly so other than new oilseals , carb rebuilds, heater box rebuild and a new clutch assembly all else remained as was.. Having said that all tinware and shrouuds were stripped off for shot blast and powder coating.
My welder was brilliant stitching in new panels and filling some miscellaneous holes such that you could not see where he had been working. Having a lift meant it was all done in my garage so no problem about shifting a rolling shell around. During this time i stripped all the interior and engine bat paint before painting it with Kurust, redoxide primer and then hand painter top coats.
My paint guy did a great job of panel fits but it took him a long time to perfect. I also got him to take out and replace the screens as i did not fancy a big bill to replace them.
Brake and suspension rebuild was straightforward
I did consider a 12v upgrade due to the problems i had always had with slow turnover. Many of you said it was not worth it as a properly set up 6v system was ok and so it has proved. I have double earth strapped the engine including a strap directly onto the starter motor. The starter and dynamo were professionally rebuilt. I also double bolted the battery earth strap using a copper strip and i am pleased to say the engine flies over on turning the key.
If only the rebuild was as simple as the stripdown. No wonder these cars were so expensive to build as many things need expertise that can only be learned and this does not happen on a first rebuild.
Assembling and refitting window frames after re-chroming is one example.
Carpet fitting i left to a great guy from Cardiff (who also made the carpets) and it was a two man job for a whole day.
Door seals were murder and i am still fettling the door fit after a few weeks use.
Bumper assembly and fitting was....reading the forum suggests you all know what a fiddle they are.
Otherwise it was just a case of spend more money, receive the parts and then fit. This is made worse when you decide not to replace a shiny bit then put a new shiny bit by the side of it and it looks terrible so you end up changing that part as well.
Recommissioning became a nightmare as i could not get rid of a misfire. It turned out to be a partial blockage in a "new" float needle valve and that took me weeks to solve but that is now almost forgotten.
I used Roger Bray for most of my parts and i must tell you they are very helpful. Porsche Cardiff were also very helpful but sometimes their quotes for parts were eye watering.
Overall i am very pleased with the outcome as all the faults have been addressed and this is now a very nice well sorted example. Also doing the work myself despite the parts bill has meant that the car still stands me much more in value that what it has cost so my pension is even more secure.
Would i do it again. Of course i would as now i know the pitfalls it would be so much easier but i am not planning on one soon as this one needs to be enjoyed.
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As I have retired the process has been great fun but at times oh so frustrating. Car was generally in good nic before i started except being generally tatty and some corrosion in the offside A post.
Luckily i found a brilliant welder and an equally good paint shop and negotiated some fair pricing. I am in the sticks down in South Wales so there was no fancy London prices to contend with.
Strip down was straightforward including engine and box out. i have the advantage of a lift in my garage so it made life very easy for an old man.
Engine and box were running perfectly so other than new oilseals , carb rebuilds, heater box rebuild and a new clutch assembly all else remained as was.. Having said that all tinware and shrouuds were stripped off for shot blast and powder coating.
My welder was brilliant stitching in new panels and filling some miscellaneous holes such that you could not see where he had been working. Having a lift meant it was all done in my garage so no problem about shifting a rolling shell around. During this time i stripped all the interior and engine bat paint before painting it with Kurust, redoxide primer and then hand painter top coats.
My paint guy did a great job of panel fits but it took him a long time to perfect. I also got him to take out and replace the screens as i did not fancy a big bill to replace them.
Brake and suspension rebuild was straightforward
I did consider a 12v upgrade due to the problems i had always had with slow turnover. Many of you said it was not worth it as a properly set up 6v system was ok and so it has proved. I have double earth strapped the engine including a strap directly onto the starter motor. The starter and dynamo were professionally rebuilt. I also double bolted the battery earth strap using a copper strip and i am pleased to say the engine flies over on turning the key.
If only the rebuild was as simple as the stripdown. No wonder these cars were so expensive to build as many things need expertise that can only be learned and this does not happen on a first rebuild.
Assembling and refitting window frames after re-chroming is one example.
Carpet fitting i left to a great guy from Cardiff (who also made the carpets) and it was a two man job for a whole day.
Door seals were murder and i am still fettling the door fit after a few weeks use.
Bumper assembly and fitting was....reading the forum suggests you all know what a fiddle they are.
Otherwise it was just a case of spend more money, receive the parts and then fit. This is made worse when you decide not to replace a shiny bit then put a new shiny bit by the side of it and it looks terrible so you end up changing that part as well.
Recommissioning became a nightmare as i could not get rid of a misfire. It turned out to be a partial blockage in a "new" float needle valve and that took me weeks to solve but that is now almost forgotten.
I used Roger Bray for most of my parts and i must tell you they are very helpful. Porsche Cardiff were also very helpful but sometimes their quotes for parts were eye watering.
Overall i am very pleased with the outcome as all the faults have been addressed and this is now a very nice well sorted example. Also doing the work myself despite the parts bill has meant that the car still stands me much more in value that what it has cost so my pension is even more secure.
Would i do it again. Of course i would as now i know the pitfalls it would be so much easier but i am not planning on one soon as this one needs to be enjoyed.
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