Wedding car - white 1500HL auto
Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 9:58 pm
I bought this little 1500HL from Birmingham, several years ago. It is tatty, cosmetically, but I used it as a hack for several years, although the underside has been treated to stop the monocoque from deteriorating.
The doors (not the car's originals) are a mess, as is the bonnet but the main body is in pretty good nick; in fact, it is pretty much weld-free.
I have covered 8,000 miles in it, most of which was done last winter, when this little automatic was my only car. Now that I have bought a modern replacement, the Dolly can be treated to a bit of a spruce-up.
Unfortunately, late last year, I fell over and smashed by head against a concrete post. That afternoon, I proposed to my beloved, who has put up with by strange habits for seven years now (including the Triumphs!)
After having a mild heart attack, pricing up the price of hiring wedding cars, we finally worked out that it would be far more appropriate (and cost effective) to put my classics on the road and use them instead on our big day. So, the groom's and best man's car (Toledo) is now running. The Bridesmaids' car (red 1500HL) is now sorted. The bride's car is to be the white car, which is, err, not so ready.
I have until the end of September to get this car sorted. I reckon that, if I spend one day per weekend and most of my evenings working on it, I should be able to have it done.
So far I have:
Had it MOTeed.
Welded up the front wing to front valance joints, as they were going a little crusty.
Welded up a tiny hole in the passenger sill.
Sourced 4 replacement doors. I have stripped and prepared three of them
Sourced and prepared a second-hand bonnet in white.
Welded in a repair into the boot-lid.
These needed doing next:
Rub down the body
Weld up holes on A Pillars, inside the doors.
Knock out and refill several minor dents
Take sills and door apertures down to bare metal and repaint in epoxy mastic.
Filler primer body.
Rub down filler primer.
Remove front and rear screens.
Refit doors and refit the glass and trim.
I have organised a back-up car!
Pics when I bought the car:
Pics now:
The current task is to replace the nearside rear filler panel, so I have started to strip the rear down:
R
The doors (not the car's originals) are a mess, as is the bonnet but the main body is in pretty good nick; in fact, it is pretty much weld-free.
I have covered 8,000 miles in it, most of which was done last winter, when this little automatic was my only car. Now that I have bought a modern replacement, the Dolly can be treated to a bit of a spruce-up.
Unfortunately, late last year, I fell over and smashed by head against a concrete post. That afternoon, I proposed to my beloved, who has put up with by strange habits for seven years now (including the Triumphs!)
After having a mild heart attack, pricing up the price of hiring wedding cars, we finally worked out that it would be far more appropriate (and cost effective) to put my classics on the road and use them instead on our big day. So, the groom's and best man's car (Toledo) is now running. The Bridesmaids' car (red 1500HL) is now sorted. The bride's car is to be the white car, which is, err, not so ready.
I have until the end of September to get this car sorted. I reckon that, if I spend one day per weekend and most of my evenings working on it, I should be able to have it done.
So far I have:
Had it MOTeed.
Welded up the front wing to front valance joints, as they were going a little crusty.
Welded up a tiny hole in the passenger sill.
Sourced 4 replacement doors. I have stripped and prepared three of them
Sourced and prepared a second-hand bonnet in white.
Welded in a repair into the boot-lid.
These needed doing next:
Rub down the body
Weld up holes on A Pillars, inside the doors.
Knock out and refill several minor dents
Take sills and door apertures down to bare metal and repaint in epoxy mastic.
Filler primer body.
Rub down filler primer.
Remove front and rear screens.
Refit doors and refit the glass and trim.
I have organised a back-up car!
Pics when I bought the car:
Pics now:
The current task is to replace the nearside rear filler panel, so I have started to strip the rear down:
R
Wow!... Really lovely work on the A posts.. 
Top stuff.
