Restoration begins

I’ve gone over a year without updating this blog, and here’s a surprise – it wasn’t even because of the Coronavirus pandemic!

The car has been off the road since June 2019, and It arrived at East Sussex Minors on October 14th of that year. Upon much more thorough inspection by the people there, with much more knowledgeable than myself, it turns out it was in far worse condition than I had even begun to realise.

I knew there were a few welding jobs, problems with the doors not shutting right, the sill sagging on one side and a crack in the Engine bay Floor/ Tie Plates, but soon more and more serious flaws became evident.

Fast developing into a larger and much more expensive restoration (but being something I really had wanted to get done) I held off on the work until a time whereas I could afford it all.

After the funds had been accrued, work started on the car on 22nd March 2021, and yesterday (13/04/2021) Steve from ESM sent me progress photos showing both the extensive repairs they had made to the car’s structure, and the crumbling flanges on the rear wings. Repairs thus far include;

• New Crossmember and Tie Plates
• New boxing panel
• New Sills on both sides
• New inner front wings on both sides
• Repairs to the steady bar and battery box

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Once areas on the car have been blasted later this week there is more welding required, primarily to the bottom of the A and C pillars and the rear wings, where the flanges are badly deteriorated and crumbling.

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With all of this going on, and with it being legal to travel again in the UK, I took the time to deliver the last few parts of the car that I had lingering around at home, including the bumper, grill panels and radiator. I finally met Steve, who I had been corresponding with for several months regarding the work required, and saw the car for the first time since late 2019.

Upon entering the workshop I first saw a great looking engine and assumed it was for a much nicer car, however it turns out that it is actually mine. I never imagined my car’s engine could look quite so pristine! It has been degreased, painted, and looks almost brand new, complete with a new bypass hose, which could have been fiddly to replace with the engine in situ.

The bulk of the car is now in it’s deconstructed skeletal form, lacking the interior, the doors, the mechanicals, etc. Lots of welding has been done, and there’s a lot more to go. The engine bay has been restored and cleared, the various bulkhead holes have been plugged, and the windscreen protected ready for blasting.

Hopefully I should have more updates within the week once the blasting has been completed.