288 replies to this topic

[Ben_O]

 

 

I love it! I get so envious when I see these freshly rebuilt subframes with new components fitted. They always look better than new. What is the planned date of completion for this project? 

Cheers!

I would think it would be ready within 4 weeks. It all depends on when I get the shell back

 

Oooh, that is exciting! I bet the owner is getting excited too.

 

I expect so.

This is one reason I love my job. It's a great feeling to turn somebody's plans for their car into reality. Nothing better than building up a freshly painted shell and ultimately watching the customer drive it away when weeks before, it was a bare shell and boxes of bits 

[rich_959]

I may be 38, but I would happily apprentice for free for someone with your level of skill Ben. It's a pleasure to watch

[Marco1972]

Quality as always mate

[Ben_O]

Sorry for the slow progress this past week. I have been waiting on the sand blaster to finish the shell so I took the opportunity to get some other work done.

 

I visited the sand blaster today to collect the doors, bonnet and bootlid and have a look at the shell before he etch primes it. He explained that it has been a nightmare where the underseal was so thick and so well on there but kudos to him for sticking at it and turning out such a fantastic job. He really is very good at what he does. There isn't a single sign of any distortion on any of the panels. I'm very impressed.

 

Looking over the shell, the only areas I can find that need any attention are a few small pin holes on one of the lower flitch panels and he said there were a couple of tiny pin holes in the floor but I couldn't see them without clambering through his indoor beach

It really is as good as I was expecting.

 

I will photograph the panels tomorrow and he suggests Wednesday as a completion date for the shell so more updates to come once I have it back in my custody.

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[Ben_O]

as promised, here are photos of the freshly blasted and primed panels

 

 

 

A repair is required on the bonnet which we knew about before the car came in. It looks like something heavy had been put right in the centre and has dished it down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everything is in very good condition and the only damage is a small old filler repair on one door which has revealed a dent.

 

 

I also now have the paint ready to go

 

[Daviewonder]

Glad I just found this thread, can't beat a 1275GT build. You don't hang around, do you! Nice work. As others have said, it's amazing how clean the shell was.

 

Can't wait for the next instalment. 

 

. 

 

.

[Ben_O]

Just had word that the shell is finished and will be back with me tomorrow morning.

 

Martin the blaster has sent over a tonne of photos but far too many for me to post up so ill just pop this one up

 

 

Now the work can begin

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[Vinay-RS]

The shell looks superb! 

[rich_959]

I'd love to know exactly what sort of rust treatment that shell has had. Was it common around that time to actually drill the door steps to fully inject the treatment?

[timmy850]

Ive heard the brown paint needed an extra coat and typically last better than other cars?

[Ben_O]

I'd love to know exactly what sort of rust treatment that shell has had. Was it common around that time to actually drill the door steps to fully inject the treatment?

I believe it was a dealership option. There were a few like Ziebart that seemed to last quite well

 

Ive heard the brown paint needed an extra coat and typically last better than other cars?

I think I mentioned earlier in the thread about the fact that this car has had a fair amount of paintwork done in the past. The paintwork has been done as remedial work by the looks of it and not due to corrosion but more for the purpose of repairing paint damage/dents so there were quite a few layers of extra paint.

This, the very low mileage and the fact that the underside was coated in a thick underseal has preserved it quite nicely.

This is the coating after the first pass of the sand blaster

 

 

He said it kept bouncing back..

 

And here is one area part way through

 

 

He has spent many long hours but the results speak for themselves

[Ben_O]

Well now that the shell is back, I have taken a few photos to show it's condition

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here is one of a dent that was hidden with filler

 

 

The only welding really needed is to sort out careless additions like the sound system instillation.

 

Ben 

[Jase]

That is amazing, what a privelege to see something like this. I remember that Ziebarted cars always commanded a higher price second hand, you new they were well protected from new.

 Keep the pics coming.

[Marco1972]

That’s one tidy shell Ben
Wish I’d have had that as a starting point

[Ben_O]

Cheers.

 

Still lots of work to do though