Hi All,
thought I’d share the realities of a total rebuild vs sorting a running car that needs bodywork. The new stuff I’ve had to buy (believe me I’ve tried not too!) includes.
3 part sills and closing panels
floor, both sides
inner and outer wings, front and back
Headlamp support plate
bonnet tubes
headlights and mountings
side light base plates
a post uppers
secondhand doors and bootlid
secondhand engine and gearbox
repairs to engine, luckily just slightly bigger thrust washers
Entire brake system, nothing repairable
Entire clutch system
Entire fuel system and secondhand tank
Windscreen frame gutters
Windscreen
steering rack
All bushes
All rubbers
Entire suspension including secondhand uprights, front and back
Wheels and tyres.
Reveneered dashboard
Entire interior (still stuff to buy)
seatbelts
Secondhand rear bumper
Alternator
Distributor
Loads of small electrical bits
Masses of new nuts and bolts
Secondhand front grill.
Secondhand window regulator
Secondhand radiator
Secondhand rear lights
New glove boxes
Hundreds of hours of cutting, welding and swearing
Respray (I stripped to bare metal but got a pro to paint)
Now just awaiting new fuel pump to get it started.
Mad, I realise, but quite enjoyed it.
My previous resto projects have all been runners that needed bodywork. So much easier. Anything that’s been left for 20 years really is scrap.
My advice would be pay a few more £ at outset as it will be cheaper overall.