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The restoration begins!
- Thread starter pauljmcnulty
- Start date
pauljmcnulty
Active member
ORIGINAL: Eldavo
Can you post up/pm me the details of the stone guards/decals please?
Both from the same ebay seller, http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/kpporsche?_trksid=p2047675.l2559
I can't vouch for them yet, but the advice was that they're perfectly good quality. They were posted out the day I put the order in, can't say fairer than that! [
Diver944
Active member
ORIGINAL: Eldavo
Hmmm, I had a black set from that seller and they weren't the right shape.
I've bought loads of bits n bobs from Ken at Prestige Parts over the years and they have always been spot on. [
Maybe he made a human error and popped a 911 set in the bag, should be worth a call to sort out
ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty
Overall i'm amazed, it seems so simple and quick to repair that I wonder if we're being given the runaround by some of the large approved-type bodyshops. If one bloke can knock up perfect repair panels for two sills, including inner on one side, both rear wings and one front wing, fit them all, and be starting on stripping the car for paint by 4:30, then costs should be lower. Obviously, I've been extremely lucky here, mine isn't in, say, Peter Empson's league by a long way.
I think you are right, having had my 911 properly done last year and it needed some extensive dismantling with new rear inner wing on one side at the rear to repair same badly bodged previous repairs, kidney bowls/sills both sides and complete bumper strip and total windows out, wings off respray. I paid a fair amount of cash, mainly in parts (£400 + VAT for new sill cover [&:] as an example) it was no where in the region that you hear people talking about and they guys did a stunning job and came very well recomended having done some very well known cars.
pauljmcnulty
Active member
ORIGINAL: Eldavo
Hmmm, I had a black set from that seller and they weren't the right shape.
Mine are clear, so no-one will know if they're the wrong shape! [
His feedback is 100%, so that's all you can go by really. Black isn't standard 944, so I wonder if it was just the wrong set that you got?
pauljmcnulty
Active member
Everything's stripped, and prepping for paint starts today. The Christmas break will bring it to a halt, so it'll be New Year, new car. [8D]
I had the car towed in with the dash, windscreen, badge panel, wing and bumper all removed and ready for prep and paint - saved me a fair chunk of cash doing it that way.
VanhireBoys
Member
It just goes to show that at this stage in the 944's lifespan bodywork is now becoming more prevalent. They all need looking after bodywise as even the youngest cars are 20+ now
What ever happened to that framiliar statement "Oh all them cars after 1982 are galvanised so dont worry about rust" [
pauljmcnulty
Active member
Despite the bodywork chap having a baby arrive 6 weeks early, he's managed to get the car ready for paint! I'm again surprised how little fuss is needed; it's not anything "special", it's just a lump of metal like any other car....
We've taken a few shortcuts, as is expected when you have no budget but are trying to do the best on the back of an insurance claim. I was surprised how many small areas of rust were uncovered around the rear lights, both door handles and front indicator side repeaters, but nothing major. The front PU was originally red, I guess it's not the first 944 to have a used PU fitted, and there was a layer of Stone Grey under the badly-blended front-end respray the car had before I bought it, which explains the poor job.
All prepped, so hopefully back by the end of the week. I'm sorry it wasn't more dramatic! [&:]
Alpine
Member
ORIGINAL: supersport
.................... guys did a stunning job and came very well recomended having done some very well known cars.
Mark, was it the chap at Elvington? I need some work doing on my car soon.
Eric_Oz_S2
New member
pauljmcnulty
Active member
Paul, can I ask, did you think you'd be (eventually) replacing the inner and outer sills during this restoration or was it pretty much a 'wait and see' approach?
Given the level of visible rust on the outside I expected worse underneath, yes. To be fair, it didn't look as bad through the door pillar vent, and it was well waxoyled inside, and the outside had been pressure-washed to remove loose paint and seal. I suppose that I was also a bit pessimistic given that the OS suspension mount had needed welding for the MOT, and because I've seen so many that have been worse inside!
I would probably have used the repair sections had they been available, but the fabricator wasn't at all keen; his attitude is to replace as necessary, not cut out huge chunks of perfectly sound metal. It's also being done as cheaply as possible within reason, so the few hours he spent on the sills is way cheaper than the full replacement parts and the labour they would have needed. Until you start to cut the rotten areas out it's not easy to know what you'll find, but he has done enough 944s, and knows his job, so the estimate has been pretty spot on so far. [
Hopefully, with regular treatment, there won't be the need for further major surgery for at least a few years!
OLD_ian
New member
Your suggestion to Google "classic car bodyshops near High Wycombe" returned 0 results! Any further hints as to who did the work?
ian
ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty
Paul, can I ask, did you think you'd be (eventually) replacing the inner and outer sills during this restoration or was it pretty much a 'wait and see' approach?
Given the level of visible rust on the outside I expected worse underneath, yes. To be fair, it didn't look as bad through the door pillar vent, and it was well waxoyled inside, and the outside had been pressure-washed to remove loose paint and seal. I suppose that I was also a bit pessimistic given that the OS suspension mount had needed welding for the MOT, and because I've seen so many that have been worse inside!
I would probably have used the repair sections had they been available, but the fabricator wasn't at all keen; his attitude is to replace as necessary, not cut out huge chunks of perfectly sound metal. It's also being done as cheaply as possible within reason, so the few hours he spent on the sills is way cheaper than the full replacement parts and the labour they would have needed. Until you start to cut the rotten areas out it's not easy to know what you'll find, but he has done enough 944s, and knows his job, so the estimate has been pretty spot on so far. []
Hopefully, with regular treatment, there won't be the need for further major surgery for at least a few years!

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