The Webmaster Zone

This was the big weekend when I took the car to Bryce Mack of Classic Auto Restoration Services for major bodywork. After an initial consultation on a nice sunny day, where we looked over and under the car to get an idea on what would be involved and how far I wanted to go, I decided that I wanted to do a "first phase" repair which includes: - new sills - new rockers - new floor pans - new doglegs - new left-rear fender right up to top seam - new rear valence below boot lid - maybe a new tunnel adapter piece for later 4-sync OD tranny ... all finished off in beautiful dark green epoxy primer. It's going to look like a Christmas tree when I get it back, half red half green, but it will be solid as a rock with doors that close properly, seats that are actually fastened to metal underneath me, no bondo or fibreglass in structural members, and proper gaps all around. Phase two will include new front fenders, bonnet, boot lid, door skins and a full respray in the original British Racing Green, hopefully in the Fall or Winter. It's going to be in the shop for up to two months but he takes digital photos during the process so I will be posting updates regularily showing the progress. Hopefully no suprises will be found once the car is stripped, namely rust in unexpected places. There has definately been at least one medium size accident in the front and the back of the car, and whoever fixed it was not particularily concerned with "doing the job right". When I get it back, first priority will be getting the new rear axle in, putting on some nice high performance sticky tires and getting out there for some autocross! It will be nice to be able to slide it around without worrying about broken spokes or the car breaking in half. Some people ask me why I'm sinking all this money into "that old car" - well if you're reading this you probably already understand but suffice to say I was bitten by the bug when I first laid eyes on this car and no money value can be placed on the feeling this car gives me when I'm bombing around the twisties with the top down... I consider it a "thank you" to the car and a tip of the hat to a time in motoring history that I would have loved to taken part in. Needless to say once this work is done, I'll be doing a regular rubber undercoat and Waxoyl treatment so the car will last another 30+ years.