'72 1850 auto aka patch aka tango-fanta-stic

[mach1rob]

You're not the only one

[mach1rob]

At last! All the red has finally been abolished! All being well, bit of prep on the doors, and it'll be ready for the primer before the weekend. Compressor and gun were liberated from the shed earlier.

[DoloWIGHTY]

This is going to be worth waiting for I feel.

[mach1rob]

Let's hope so. Last 2 doors were totally stripped down, filler applied where needed, roof, offside, bonnet and front has been flatted back, was about to start on the NS and it started to rain, so it got pushed back in the garage. Have removed the rest of the dash and parcel shelf too, I wasn't going to, but thought sod it, it's only a few more bolts and screws to undo.

[mach1rob]

At long last, it's ready to be masked up and the first coats of filler primer to go on. Hopefully there'll be a good couple of days weather wise to get it done and painted now After spotting a dodgy looking area peeking out from under the C pillar vinyl, decided best to investigate, and glad I did, couple of small areas needing attention, and a large bit just under the D badge on the OS pillar.

[DoloWIGHTY]

Amazingly rust free car this one, was it rust proofed when new?

[mach1rob]

I have no idea, there's no Ziebart sticker etc, but there is underseal type stuff on the underside as seen in pics on pg1. Rust has mainly been just surface, it had only holed in 2 places, the roof bizarrely enough, and behind the D badge on the C pillar. Doors were pretty good, with minor rusting, only the drivers had gone a bit filly at the bottom. The screen surround is mint too, so overall, it's pretty damned good, I've seen newer cars in a much worse state rust wise.

[mach1rob]

And it's orange. And I mean ORANGE Does need a damn good cut n polish though, and I still have the roof to paint, but that can wait for a bit.

All primered up, and just before flatting back



And after







Going to give myself a couple of days off, plus it'll give the paint chance to dry a bit more, although may push it out the garage for some decent photos over the weekend when it's supposed to be nice and sunny.

[mach1rob]

Sun came out yesterday, so managed a couple of pics.







and as I had some time on my hands, to give an idea of the finished article

[mach1rob]

Starting to look more like a car again, also painted the headlight bowls ready for them to go back in, I would have preferred new, but they still work, just mostly overspray red from last time. All being well should get a fair bit reassembled over the next week.

[mach1rob]

It's been a good weekend, things have progressed well, and hopefully this week will get to see the roof painted so I can refit the headlining and associated bits, then get the screens back in. Door cards are next on the agenda after a good clean, I'm going to hold off sorting the door caps until later, so may as well refit the cards. Also managed to find the bits of carpet that came with it in the boot, so it now has matching carpet on the sills rather than cheapo household stuff, although at some point I'd love to fit a quality replacement one. Rest of the interior is pretty much back in, bar those bits that need the lining refitted first.

Been a fairly simple task of refitting, all went well until I tried the lights, half the dash would light up, the rest would either glow dimly or not work, and a nice spark was got shifting wires around on the dimmer. Finally traced the problem to the feed to the gear selector bulb, I'd just nipped it under a bolt on the lower parcel shelf, so soon and easily sorted. She started first go after plugging everything back in, and everything works as it should, which is always good after taking so much stuff out and off. More to the point it now looks like a car again rather than a wreck, and has had plenty of interest from passers by, even the kids have said cool car.

Looking forward to getting it finished and finally cut and polished now, have done a small bit and results look good, so if the rest comes up as good I'll be happy.

(Yes I know the C pillar trims aren't fitted properly, only on for show, although debating getting new vinyl for them to replace the cracked original stuff.)


New Tan goes quite well with the paint




and I did wonder what it'd look like with the tail panel left in body colour, but it so needs to be black!

[mach1rob]

So after being laid up all last week thanks to the back not wanting to play ball, finally felt up to doing some bits again last couple of days, so door cards refitted, only for a Doh! moment when I realised I hadn't put the springs on the winder spindle and they were sat in the footwell still... Nevermind, simple enough to sort. Roof and tail panel painted, and the back end is getting there, hopefully get bumper back on tomorrow, and if all goes well head lining back in, if I can find the glue! Once that's done, screens back in, then it's just a few odds n sods to finish off, then sort the leaky rear hub seal, and think about an MOT. I suppose at some point I should wet sand and polish it up, but that's one of those monotonous jobs I don't like thinking about!











And yes, I do need to find the chrome cover strip for the window surround, it's around somewhere...

[mach1rob]

Rear bumper is back on, and head lining is back in, just needs the edges crimping and gluing round the edges, then I can refit the door aperture felt seals so hopefully I won't gash my head open again! Gutter chrome trim also refitted, although I'm not happy with the fit of the passenger side one, so may remove it and try again, it seems to sit too far forwards compared to drivers side. Hopefully get screens back in tomorrow too depending on the weather.

[Tony Burd]

Looks really good, nice one.

[mach1rob]

Thanks Tony, it's getting there, just that god awful job of cutting and polishing to look forward to now.