Gone and done it again...

[nathanrobo]

Do you ever realise that you've gone a bit too far (when it's too late)?

If you've followed previous threads, you may remember that I had planned to sell my 100 a couple of years ago and put it into a local bodyshop to sort out Tesco car park dinks and scratches etc.

Didn't get round to selling the car and last summer bought an E320CDI Avangarde Sports (didn't need the seven seats anymore). Bought a full new carpet from Aus, new underlay / sound proofing, some body trim and badges. Plus a fairly big overhaul, most of the bushes, new driveshafts, brakes, wheel bearings valve clearances, cleaned the EGR and blanked it - not that I was having problems, but when you fit new parts the truck feels a bit tighter! Also had the leather (seats, door cards and steering wheel) redone (looks like new). In Dec I agreed to have the body redone as I wasn't happy with the earlier job. Only the body guy is a complete perfectionist and doesn't accept 'no' for an answer when he decides to go a bit further than agreed

So the job went from a tidy up to a complete restore - Plus! All trim off, lights out, bumpers off, handles and locks off, tailgates off, aerial out, grill out, rear side windows out, window rubbers off, roof rails off, door cards off, side steps off, plus stuff that I'm sure I forgot. All trolley dinks sorted, stone chips and any signs of rust taken back to bare metal and two different types of primer used, then flatted from 500 grit through to 800 grit prior to colour and clear coat. The bonnet was removed for colour and clear coat as it was too big to paint in position. The thin metal panel below the grill was removed for sandblasting and the stone chip on the sills was redone and inside the sills secured with something similar to stone chip (cavity something or another) - plus he decided that areas such as the rear quarter panel and wing below the bumper line should be stone chipped along with parts of the tailgates that can't be seen from outside of the car. He sent me all the way to Leicester for some of the materials (2K primer & colour coat) and ordered the other primer and clear coat from abroad as he will only use certain brands of paint! Btw I have no idea what this is costing me

Beginning of the strip down - The body wasn't in bad shape really - just the odd scratch and a few very small carpark dings.
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Bumpers are stripped out, along with rear side glass, all rubbers and weathers, door handles, repeaters, lights front and rear, roof rails, steps, mouldings, front grilled and the thin panel below it, the bonnet gets removed to be done separately on a frame along with both tailgates, filler cap and neck and air vents on rear quarters are removed along with inner wheel arch covers.

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After stripping out there's the massive job of cleaning inside wings, behind weatherstrips and where bumpers, lights etc went. Then there's the longwinded job of prepping each panel:

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Then the first of many masking sessions (each spray session, whether primer, colour or clear coat leaves dust, as does flatting - dust is enemy #1, which means that the car and various panels are masked many times)

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Primer

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Sills are stripped and stone chipped

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Then there's the colour coat

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Bart, the sprayer gets a high gloss straight from the gun with no need to polish (he's got good extraction and filtration in the booth so dust particles aren't an issue). Three clear coats are used and he constantly monitors the temperature of the environment and brings paints and clear coat up to temperature before mixing.



320 hours so far and counting. I guess a total of 400 - 450 by the time it's completed and put back together.

 

[adrianr]

Looking like a top job.

 

[Gary Stockton]

Wow good for another 20 years soon!

 

[nathanrobo]

Thanks mate... I'm expecting it to be fully painted by the end of the week. Then slowly put it back together - then there's the inevitable decision... I did all of this to present a car in great nick to sell it. I've now gone completely over the top and spend more that I'll ever recover - Don't really have a need for a big 4 x 4 now my three oldest are independent - but on the other hand I know this car so well and with all the maintenance that been done in the years I've had it. Perhaps I should just enjoy it

Got a decision to make on the rear bumper, the standard has a body coloured section on it plus the grey plastic unpainted section that you can stand on. This bit was masked during painting and will be made good using some plastic filler and painted the original colour of the plastic. The body guy says that I could use stone chip on this piece and it would look good for longer. Not sure though as stone chip has much bigger ripples and may look a little odd? Any comments?

 

[Gary Stockton]

Won't be long before your independence is turned into grandparent taxi lol - keep the truck - you know you want to

 

[nathanrobo]

You could be right! You look after children until you get middle aged (we had 6), then the parents and outlaws, then the grand children (we're at the looking after out-laws stage) - Don't suppose we'll ever see independence!

 

[clivehorridge]

What a beautiful job! Had the same dilemma with my 80, needed the rear lower quarters patching and the guy said while was painting them, he may as well tidy up the rest of the truck a bit. It's not such a lovely job as yours, but the weekend after he suggested it I saw the truck fully stripped, all glass out, all rubber trim removed, door handles, lights of course and everything else removed. I couldn't believe it!

He he did a good job, but not as much a perfectionist as your guy by the look of it.

Keep the truck, use it and enjoy it and I think the others are right, you'll be a taxi driver in one of the nicest 100s in existence, and you will love it for years to come.

 

[Towpack]

Looks like a top job that, hats off to your paint man. I rank bodywork as one of the hardest things to get right on a vehicle. I hate doing it. Much rather strip an engine any day. JMO

 

[chadr]

Wow - that looks like a super job. I'm sure the truck will be better than new when completed.

I daren't ask how much that is costing you......

 

[nathanrobo]

I daren't ask how much that is costing you......

No idea

 

[nathanrobo]

Just talked to Bart and just to prove the point... we've gotta put the car on axle stands and remove the wheels for painting. Re-tiger sealing wheel arches, re-stonechipping the inside wheel arches and spraying inside the wheel arches. Also got to have the tyres off the alloys for powder coating and source a bunch of clips for trim and buy new spot lights as "we don't want to spoil the finish with tired parts"

Best body guy, I've ever come across but talk about project creep!

 

[karl webster]

Crazy man!

Theres getting a car ready to sell or.........

Looking good though mate. I'd keep it and enjoy it or lend it me for a few years to look after lolol hope you well mate ?

 

[uHu]

Great job. I really wish I could do the same.
How is the underside? Any rust on the underside of the floor e.g.?

 

[nathanrobo]

Crazy man!

I'd keep it and enjoy it or lend it me for a few years to look after lolol hope you well mate ?

Kinda leaning that way! Everything's fine here - how bout u?

 

[nathanrobo]

Great job. I really wish I could do the same.
How is the underside? Any rust on the underside of the floor e.g.?

We took a good look at it to the extend that it can be seen with the chassis, gearbox etc in the way. Nothing rusty coloured. Is there anywhere I should look to find common problems? I've had the car for many years and as far as I know it's never been used off road / greenlaning etc. Would you expect problems for a road used truck?

Think I'm going to have another good look now just to put my mind at rest! See what you've made me do?

 

[Gav Peter]

Wow, great work

 

[StarCruiser]

I reckon Bart will be there before you and suggest a coat or two of RustBuster. Seems like you have a real gem in Bart. I don't suppose he's anywhere near me on the south coast?

 

[StarCruiser]

Hmm looks like about 150 miles [emoji20]

 

[nathanrobo]

I reckon Bart will be there before you and suggest a coat or two of RustBuster. Seems like you have a real gem in Bart. I don't suppose he's anywhere near me on the south coast?

Nowhere near he's in Kettering! He seems pretty stacked out at the moment. He's also restoring a '60's two stroke Saab for another mate and literally stripping panels apart, where the original panels were welded there's an overlap and in the overlap there's rust, so many have been de-welded stripped and sandblasted.

Got back at nearly midnight tonight, but so pleased... Got a really good shine straight from the gun on the clear coat - just look at these

Colour coat before clear coat orlacquer goes on...



Just look at that shine straight fromthe gun!



Masking up the car body tomorrow ready for painting on Friday - on schedule to be reassembled next week.

 

[clivehorridge]

Very nice too Nat, he's a pro for sure and using good kit.

Its going to be beautiful when it's finished