Mike Evans Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Just thought I'd post some pics of a bond I'm in the middle of doing, didn't manage to take any pics of when I bought it but imagine a car left outside for some time, both doors were rotten, bulkhead like a sieve, back tub save able and chassis fit for scrap metal.We join the pics part way through with a replacement chassis sorted (part of what was supposed to be an unfinished bond bought sight unseen which turned out to be a herald with just the fibreglass parts included)Initial fit up gaps could be better but it all bolts downFloors needed some work glad chic made the panels for the rear floorsOnce welded it was time to try and make the bonnet fit and the gaps nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Evans Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 Few pics from the start of paint, hoping to do tub this week work permittingColour was a tough choice, didn't want to go with the original mustard but didn't want to go too modern lookingDecided on a colour from a new mini with a period feel too itTried out something new to me on the bulk head, it's a spray able rubberised product that's overpaint able, should protect the vulnerable area from chips, am going to apply to all the underside also as I was pleased with the results Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slimboyfat Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 2997 wrote: glad chic made the panels for the rear floorsWho makes them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Slimboyfat wrote:Who makes them?I think he missed a word out... :-)glad chic made AVAILABLE the panels for the rear floors.Are they one of your products???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepy Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 You can see the triumph influence on the body! But are they just a fibreglass bonet, and roof? Or is the main tub different also?Looks quite interesting, and that colour suits the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Evans Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 Sorry my mistake didn't see the floors at any other suppliers at the timeThe rear tub has herald floors and b posts but from there up over it's all fibreglass, doors are herald but the glass is bond only I believe, the bulkhead is herald and so is the inner bonnet structure but the skin is all fibreglassAlsoThe colour is pepper white from the new mini range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Are you going to attach the body in a better manner than standard?My GT4s looked like the body was held to the floor pan with a couple of pop-rivets round each wheel arch... :-/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Evans Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 Yes held the same on mine but I've also bonded the skin to the arches and along the floor line where I couldStill think a roll over hoop might be advisable as the full roof is single skin fibreglass And a vinyl webasto roof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinger Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Mine used to separate along the main roof to screentop joint . More rainwater running through than falling outside .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterrc Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 2997 wrote:Still think a roll over hoop might be advisable as the full roof is single skin fibreglass And a vinyl webasto roofYou might like to try adapting a Stag 'T' bar. It is not a proper Roll over hoop, so don't get adventurous, but it is better than nothing. It also gives you somewhere to hang your seat belts and an interior light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Evans Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 Few more pics as work progressesBody is now ready to final bolt down and I'm pretty happy with the gapsDoes anywhere do the weather seals for the doors with the recesses for the clips like the ones that are available for the spitfire? The last herald set I got where a nightmare to get to fit nice as they didn't have theseCouldn't resist taking this pic not very often I get to work on this many classics at one time as our main work is moderns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gasman Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 That pic of workshop is like the garage in my wee village full with TR6's, Mini's, MGB GT, older R/R & a recently arrived Ferrari. Guy says doing modern accident damage not cost effective anymore & being an old school coach builder/mechanic turning his hand to classics is just like turning the clock back to when he started in the trade & finds people are more than happy to pay for quality workmanship for their classics to be repaired & often with staged payments which helps him keep the business ticking over. Great to see another workshop prepared to take on classic repair work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Evans Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 Unfortunately most of those cars are mine, I prefer working on these cars and so I bought a few too many a couple of years ago, As we are on a slow January' at the minute I get time to work on these more (keeps the staff in work also)I would love to work on so many more but don't seem to get much interestWe look after a couple of customers classics but not enough to just do classic carsThink I might start to advertise more for classic repair just need to keep learning the old ways, nowhere to plug a laptop in on these Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepy Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 2997 wrote:nowhere to plug a laptop in on theseThere the best ones! Nowadays it's all plug and play! Great for us fault finding, but with sensors for everything, it causes problems when one goes dicky!Last week at work a customer came in with a fault, his truck would only drive 30kph, as it went into limp home mode.It turned out the oil pressure sensor was faulty! Love the moggy pick up! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepy Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Ooh sorry, the bond is looking great also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gasman Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Just spoken with a recently retired guy in late 50's who left the trade in his 20's to pursue another career with better pay & a pension at end. He now works at a garage that sits out in the country about 7 miles from me & says this place has looked after a local GT6 since it was new, he delivers cars to customers & takes them for mot's etc. The GT6 was in a few weeks ago requiring work on the trunnions & rear handbrake, young mechanics didn't want to know (family run business) & this chap was asked to carry out the necessary repairs. He says he enjoyed working on the car & is now the "old school mechanic" for any other similar work that comes in.Handy places to know even if just to have them do the things we don't have specialist tools or equipment to do at home. The current project your working on is coming along nicely, paint colour suits that body shape too. Always a turning point once this process has been completed & the rebuilding can start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Evans Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 The moggy pickup is our new advert vehicle work in progress, we have made a chassis cab out of it and are in the process of making a recovery style body for it, won't be able to recover anything but should be something to get the company noticed as I drive it about daily, will get sign written in a classic style possibly hand painted if I can find someone to carry out this jobOnly being 29 I've only ever worked on modern stuff with electrics and sensors really, I'm lucky in the fact that my dad is retired and now comes through to the garage every Day, it's nice having someone teach me the skills of the older cars, I love talking to people who know and enjoy working on theseNext decision on the bond is what colour to do the interior, it was originally black with the les leston bucket style seats but I'm thinking about doing it red, it needs a retrim anyway and me and my dad are in 2 minds which way to go, I can't decide between originality or just going with the best look for the car (I know the outside isn't original but I just couldn't bring myself to paint it that colour again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Evans Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 Try a merc a class abs light on and wouldn't go over 25mph, brakes still worked fine just abs didn't work, turned out that because of a faulty sensor merc felt the car shouldn't be able to accelerate its way out of danger should it be requiredIn another view though would they of brought the car in for repair just because the light was on if it was driving fine? Most of our customers only get lights looked at when they have to not when they come on even down to oil lights (corsas are known for this most people just ignore oil light because it still runs ok), I always thought a red warning light was important but clearly not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marktheherald Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I've been driving my '94 Isuzu Trooper with a brake vacuum warning light showing for two years..... :B Brakes have worked fine in all that time..have now disconnected bulb... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Moore Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 2997 wrote:Next decision on the bond is what colour to do the interior, it was originally black with the les leston bucket style seats but I'm thinking about doing it red, it needs a retrim anyway and me and my dad are in 2 minds which way to go, I can't decide between originality or just going with the best look for the car (I know the outside isn't original but I just couldn't bring myself to paint it that colour againA white car with a red interior will look much classier than boring black. Triumph's Matador Red is the colour used in Heralds, so you'll be able to buy door panels, carpets and other bits of trim. You'll have to get covers for the Les Leston buckets made, but that's no biggy.Red all the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Evans Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 Yes that was the decision we came to today, triumph matador red is the colour we have chosen, I'm going to see a local trimmer tomorrow to see what he can do for us, Progress has slowed at the minute as im waiting for various seals etc to arrive should be here this week hopefullyJust been looking at a moulded carpet set, what's the opinion on these, worth the extra? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterrc Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Bond is looking good and will suit a red interior. I am not happy with the fit of my Equipe Convertible bonnet. Gap at the bulkhead is wider at the top than the bottom. Thinking of raising the front of the bonnet to compensate. Is there any other adgustment that you can suggest? The bonnet is off the car at the moment as the engine is out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Evans Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share Posted January 21, 2014 On ours we managed to correct the same fault by doing just that on one side, however the bonnet was too short on the drivers side by a good 10 mm if I kept the windscreen gap even, this ment that I had to extend the bonnet on this side to achieve a good overall fitGenerally a right pain to do truth be told but the gaps on mine were a mess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterrc Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 2997 wrote:On ours we managed to correct the same fault by doing just that on one side, however the bonnet was too short on the drivers side by a good 10 mm if I kept the windscreen gap even, this ment that I had to extend the bonnet on this side to achieve a good overall fitGenerally a right pain to do truth be told but the gaps on mine were a messAnother job to do but best done when the Engine & Rad are out.Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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