Project Korean Cortina - going back in time!

[mat_the_cat]

/\ That's the way I'm leaning too - easier to go from silver to black than the other way round, plus it may save a few pence in the bodyshop if it's all one colour. When I bought the car it was silver, but the rear panel I cut from a scrap car and welded in 1999 was black, and I never bothered repainting!

 

As for the overall colour, I think I'm going for Honda Blade Silver. I know it has been resprayed at least once previously and this is a reasonable match for whatever colour it was done in - whether strictly factory original or not it'll be true to how I remember the car. If I matched the original colour from the code, it may be something I don't like!

 

I've also got some replacement rear lights hoarded away (somewhere!) so will pop those on afterwards as the old ones are a bit dull and crazed. Getting a bit excited, although still a month to wait until they even start! In the meantime I've now welded up the boot seal lip fully and removed all traces of rust from the gutters. Both are now painted with Zinga to give good protection in the future, and I'll also skim over with PU sealant in case flexing of the shell cracks the paint.

 

 

 

Pitting visible, but no rust any more

 

 

This corner is a bit of a poor design - water pools here if parked facing downhill, and if the seam sealant cracks, allows water underneath to rust its way through the triple layers. I'd done a temporary repair many years ago, but that was all removed and a piece of galvanised steel cut to fit...

 

 

...then welded and painted.

 

Unfortunately, the flap disc I was using at the weekend snagged on an edge and started disintegrating:

 

 

Even more unfortunately my face was in the line of fire...

 

[dollywobbler]

By your standards, a minor issue! Glad it wasn't any worse though.

You need a shave by the way.

[Anglevan]

Had that happen to me. Will only use a full face shield now. Great work by the way. Regards the colour you could ask that they do a spray out card based on the code. You'll find especially with silver that they will have lots of variants. From my shitsubishi days silver and golds were the worst to match colour wise.

[mat_the_cat]

Thanks, may do that. Tonight I managed to remove the rear lights intact, which I'd stupidly stuck on with Sikaflex some years ago to stop a long-standing water leak.

 

Behind (surprise surprise) was more rust:

 

 

 

So I gave it quick once over with a wire brush and a coat of Deox gel.

 

 

 

The sub-zero temperatures mean it'll take a while to work, but I guess there's no rush.

[RayMK]

How does the rear bumper remove?  I know there are 2 bolts each side in the boot floor, but I can't figure out whether there are further fixings anywhere else e.g. in the wheelarch.  My manual is no help - it only covers Canadian Stellars with different (huge, ugly) bumpers.  I tried to get it off last year to shim it straight.  Something was hanging on at the wheelarch end on each side. I managed to do the shimming with the bumper in place after much cursing.

 

Looking forward to seeing your Stellar in its new coat.  You are doing a grand job.

[mat_the_cat]

There's a mushroom headed bolt at the just below the rear end of the rear wheel arches, sticking out towards you if you face the side of the car. The bumper slides onto this, but it may need a tap to disengage. There's also two screws which go from the bumper into the wheel arch splash guards, but these should be fairly obvious!

[hairymel]

You might want to consider this mat;

 

 

Used like so:

 

 

I can understand the reluctance though being fairly rare. Any mobile fitter should be able to remove for not very much. The bodyshop will just add it on the bill in any case so might be worth doing it yourself then you can address the rust?

 

the only versions of this tool I have tried are shit.

 

if you want the window to have any chance of survival get a fitter to un-fit it!

 

£20 cash should see both of you happy

[RayMK]

Thanks.  Yes, I now remember removing the wheelarch screws but it kept hanging on.  It must have been the mushroom headed bolt which I didn't spot.  Must go on a training course to learn patience.

[mat_the_cat]

£20 cash should see both of you happy

 

I wish! There are 3 firms I have found within a 60 mile radius - the nearest one STILL hasn't come back with a date after 2 weeks of chasing ("I'll let you know in a couple of days"), the second wouldn't want to come all that way (40 miles) and the third wanted £100

[fordperv]

Is there no small guys local, one of our well known ones charged us £40 to take a screen out of a scrapper we had then take the windscreen out of the good car then transfer the window over

[mat_the_cat]

Yeah, there is the one guy around 10 miles away but after a couple of weeks chasing it seems like he doesn't want the business! Maybe he doesn't want the hassle if it breaks?

It's a rural area so nearest big firms are 40-50 miles away

[fordperv]

Perhaps that's the reason, no doubt it would be a world of pain to get a replacement if it cracks/breaks

[mat_the_cat]

That's completely understandable, and it looks like I'll have to take the risk whatever happens. But I just wish they'd be straight with me if they don't want the job - I hate the not knowing! Anyway, here's how the rust removal is progressing:

 

 

 

The first lot of Deox hasn't quite got rid of it all after 2 days, but as the gel had changed colour to yellow that showed it had been 'used up', so I've applied fresh today. Getting there though!

[fordperv]

Just a thought, have you asked the bodyshop you've booked it into? Most know a trusted window man who calls around to them remove fixed windows

 

Great work

[mat_the_cat]

Yeah, they've got a guy there who does them on site so that's an option. But that means them doing the welding too, and he said it'd more cost effective if I got the window removed over here, did the welding and they refit it after paint. That might be a plan B though if no joy soon!

[fordperv]

A long shot but are they willing to let you do the welding it needs at their place? The bodyshop I use let's me work on my stuff when it's there but I've known the owners for a long time so that helps

[mat_the_cat]

I could always ask, but that really restricts the hours I can work on it unless I take time off work. Plan C maybe?

 

In other news I have finally decided on a colour. It's not totally original, but only a subtle change so won't matter that the engine bay is a slightly different shade. Around 10 years ago I saw a car at the NEC Classic Car Show, and *really* liked the colour although not thinking at the time of actually using it on anything! I've done a bit of research, found a website with information about the restoration, and discovered what colour it was. Think I'll buy a can and maybe try it on the bonnet just to make sure though...

[mat_the_cat]

Finally, some good news!

 

 

...and straight into the back of the BX, which is currently serving as a dry, safe place to store parts I've taken off:

 

 

But some bad news

 

 

 

 

You never attack a spot of rust and then find it's better than expected when you investigate! But it confirms that the screen needed to come out, as most of that was hidden.

 

Initially they reckoned I only had a slim chance of getting the screen out intact, as there was almost no gap between the glass and metal at the bottom, so no room for a wire. I said they may as well give it a go, as it had to come out one way or another and if it did break, I'd just have to put the respray fund towards getting a new one made

 

But the rust actually worked in my favour, as once the top and sides were cut through, there was very little actually holding the glass in so could be hinged outwards to allow a blade in Talk about a relief! And then I almost broke it as I was carrying it out, and whacked it on a ceiling beam

 

They were quite interested in the engine, and when one of them said "Bet that sounds great", I clearly had to start it up so they could decide for themselves...

[mat_the_cat]

As I thought, there's a little more welding to be done than was initially visible. I decided to drill out the spot welds in a few places, which was just as well.

 

 

 

The rust has got between the layers, so would just reappear if the outside was ground back or chemically removed. At least now I don't need to do any more cutting out of rust! Just the more fun job of welding in nice new metal

[mat_the_cat]

The rust is slowly being eaten away around the rear window aperture now, with just the heavy pitting still to deal with:

 

 

 

The area behind the rear lights is now done though - all rust removed...

 

 

 

...and painted with Zinga:

 

 

After a bit of searching I managed to find the replacement lights (from a low mileage car) ready to fill the holes. I bet you can't buy these at a Hyundai dealers any more...

 

 

And at last I've discovered the reason why the old ones always used to leak water into the boot, and why I bonded them on to stop it!

 

 

It seems that they should come with a foam seal, which is bonded (messily) to the plastic of the lamp housing. My old ones were missing that, so no surprise that they leaked.

[mat_the_cat]

I thought it wise not to spend any time on the car today, but I managed to get a few hours in yesterday evening. In terms of metal replaced,not very much but at least it's progress!

 

 

All the rust is now gone - it's a bit of an odd shape I've cut out where the pitting was too deep, but there's method in my madness.

 

 

The bit on the right side of the hole is recessed, to allow for a plastic insert which the window trim is screwed into. I was initially planning just to cut out the recessed part, but some of the remaining metal was just too thin.

 

 

And finally a coat of Zinga.

 

 

Not an invisible repair, but all hidden behind trim so not that important. Can't believe it took me two hours to do though - I'd never make a living out of it!

[HillmanImp]

I'd never make a living out of it!

 

Most people who make a living out of it would fudge it or charge several thousand for the work you are putting in as its bloody hard work.

[mat_the_cat]

Lots of weldy weldy photos now! Feels like I am on the home straight, with only one area left to patch Apologies if you've had enough pictures now, but I find it helps sometimes to view this thread as a kind of diary, to look back on things and see how it's progressed.

 

First was this little spot at the top of the rear window. It was barely visible with the window and trim in place but sure enough, once the window was out the rest of the iceberg became visible.

 

 

Ready to weld:

 

 

The rest of the sequence is self explanatory!

 

 

 

 

 

The area at the bottom was in a similar state - looked like surface rust to start with but as soon as I took the knot wheel to it holes started appearing.

 

 

Again, cut and drilled to remove:

 

 

And after one application of Deox gel:

 

 

Still some pitting present, so it was repeated until all rust was gone and ready to weld:

 

 

Had to slot the repair section several times to get the curvature anywhere near - not too bad considering all I have is a vice and a hammer to shape it!

 

 

Smoothed off and just one small piece to go in:

 

 

Last bit in for tonight:

 

 

The finished job!

 

[320touring]

Looking tip top!good work

[mat_the_cat]

Cheers! Other side now done this evening, pretty much a mirror image of the passenger side so no point posting pictures (although I took some anyway as I'm sad like that...) I may weld up a couple of redundant holes on the slam panel, but apart from that the welding is done - just stripping to finish and it'll be ready for paint!

[Felly Magic]

Well done sir. This is going to look fantabulous when finished I bet

[Geep]

Good work mat. Was definitely worth having the screen removed, you know it's all done properly now.

[Partridge]

This is great. You're a legend, Mat!

[dollywobbler]

Staggering effort really. Inspiring.

[mat_the_cat]

Thank you Yes, I'm glad the window came out, as now there aren't any hidden nasties I don't know about - the front screen was done around 10 years ago not long after it came off the road. That needed the whole panel below the screen replacing, but the pillars and roof section were sound. I really can't wait to see it in paint now! But realistically it will be April before it's done.