Invalid carriage blue Mk1 Cavalier

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Many thanks! Done a couple of cars, and lots of Lambrettas. The scooters are a hell of a lot less work!

Oh really? My SX150 is sat in the garage as I type. Not sure it's of general interest on here, but do you have any photos of the restos you've done on the Lambrettas? I'm toying with the idea of eventually stripping and shipping mine out locally, but get the impression it's a load of work and money even if it looks sound to begin...

[4wheeledstool]

This really is beautiful work through and through.

WHS TS

Thank you kindly!

Oh really? My SX150 is sat in the garage as I type. Not sure it's of general interest on here, but do you have any photos of the restos you've done on the Lambrettas? I'm toying with the idea of eventually stripping and shipping mine out locally, but get the impression it's a load of work and money even if it looks sound to begin...

I never used to take pictures when fettling the scooters, but I did take a few when my SX200 was done in 2012 -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[4wheeledstool]

Recently I've been inspecting the underside, and found a couple of areas that need resealing.

The first for the treatment was the offside rear chassis leg adjacent to the spring seat. There was a little rust on the seam, so it was cleaned back to reveal the extent of it.

 

After degreasing -

 

 

After metal prep solution and first coat of the grey stuff -

 

 

Two more coats were applied, so after a light rubbing down, it can be stone chipped. There are two small areas where the sealant has been damaged on the chassis rails under the front seat area - it must be fairly recent as it isn't rusty, but these will get the same treatment.

[4wheeledstool]

Had another day away from this today, but good stuff happened! I'd planned to get my exterior paint sorted yesterday, but it didn't happen. This afternoon I took my fuel flap to a top bloke in Stoke, who matched me up some paint, and supplied some epoxy primer.

 

 

It always feels like a milestone has been passed when I have my paint.

 

When I got back home, the dizzy cap, rotor arm, points and condenser bought off of ebay (for a whopping 10 queenheads) had arrived.

 

 

Work is getting in the way of this for a couple of days now, but should be back on it on Sunday.

[4wheeledstool]

Got an unexpected bit of time on this today - I've finally made a start on cleaning 40 years worth of filth off the engine!

 

 

 

 

Just scraped the worst of the oily sheeeite off for now, it should hopefully be getting steamed off once I get some TFR.

 

My brake lines have now been painted too.

 

 

 

Next job on the list is to get the back axle and suspension back on. With this done, it can be wheeled over the yard to get the engine bay painted.

[4wheeledstool]

A recent introduction to a panel beater type bloke has yielded a solution to my dented bodywork. He's just handed his notice in at work, and has a free week. I've been removing paint from the dented areas in preparation

 

 

In other news, my rear axle is now back where it belongs -

 

 

 

Three click handbrake too - must be on a roll!

[4wheeledstool]

I am dissapointz. Expected rear to be as clean as front.Ben

When the body is painted and mobile again, the underside will be jetwashed in the yard. Dynax UB will then be applied.

[4wheeledstool]

Metal finisher Jim has been at this today -

 

Near side rear door done-

 

 

Rear quarter done -

 

 

Near side front door not quite finished yet -

 

 

Both wings, and new old stock drivers door will hopefully be fettled tomorrow.

The nearside wing had a fair bit of filler in it over some poor panel beating - it's gonna be difficult in the time he has.

[purplebargeken]

All good stuff. I am going to be very interested in how you tackle the interior

[4wheeledstool]

So far, the search for blue velour has been fruitless. I do want to get the seats re-covered though, just may have to use another material

The rest is pretty decent, so will be thoroughly cleaned and put back in with a new dash top that came my way

[4wheeledstool]

Metal finisher Jim finished his magic on my panels today - the new old stock door had taken a bit of a beating during its long period of storage, but now filler won't be needed.

 

 

The drivers side wing was pretty good to start with - just a storage dent on the side, a dent on the top at the front, and a welded up aerial hole at the back. Some badge holes have been welded up too. (the wing came off a Manta)

 

 

The passenger side wing had taken a knock where the bumper had been pushed into it, but all good now. The upper rear of the wing looked really good, but I found out it wasn't so good when I cleaned the back of all paint and sealant. It was like a topographical model of the Alps. Someone in the distant past had "repaired" it by belting with what looked to have been a pickaxe, then applying a large amount of filler. It did look good though! My man did his best for many hours, and now only a very small amount of filler will be required along the back edge to make it good.

 

 

A bit more work was done on the rear quarter, so just the unpleasant task of stripping all the rest of the paint off remains before it can have its shiny new coat.

 

[agw9262]

This is by far the most interesting thread, really appreciate you sharing the journey - this is going to be a stunning car when done. Keep it up!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[4wheeledstool]

This is by far the most interesting thread, really appreciate you sharing the journey - this is going to be a stunning car when done. Keep it up!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you very kindly - I don't plan to stop until it's done!

 

Most of today was spent cleaning the backs of the newly straightened wings.

 

 

 

90% of the paint and rust was buzzed off quickly with a poly abrasive disc, the fiddly bits that couldn't be reached with that took a LOT longer with a drill and assorted attachments.

After a tickle of Mig to sort out a small crack in the nearside one, they'll get treated with the grey stuff.

[4wheeledstool]

After several hours, it's still rank! It does look better, but it's nowhere near clean enough to paint.

 

 

 

Gonna try good old fashioned brillo pads next.

[purplebargeken]

Brass wire brush on a drill?

[stuboy]

coming on well

[4wheeledstool]

Brass wire brush on a drill?

Wire brushing just seems to smear the crap around.

 

coming on well

It's getting there, but it won't feel like a corner's been turned until the paint job has started. Spoke to the painter today, and it shouldn't be too long before the front end becomes blue again.

[twosmoke300]

Had your panel man got those to a metal finish with no filler ?

Some serious of school panel beater skills there if he has . Most "panel beaters" these days just fit new panels and apply filler .

Nice

[purplebargeken]

Ahh, thought you'd degreased already 

[4wheeledstool]

Had your panel man got those to a metal finish with no filler ?

Some serious of school panel beater skills there if he has . Most "panel beaters" these days just fit new panels and apply filler .

Nice

If you zoom in on the blue wing, just above the bumper mounting hole, you can see where he's tapped it out with a punch. It was then hammered with dollies and panel filed to finish it properly flat.

[4wheeledstool]

Brillo pads and petrol have it clean now.

 

 

 

I'll paint it tomorrow when it's dried out properly - then I can make a start on all the bits and pieces that bolt to the block.

[the judge]

Proper job this.

 

Panel finisher is truly skilled too. I used to work with craftsmen like this,but despite asking,they never got apprentices. Worries me that these skills will be lost soon.

[vulgalour]

Now I know that this....

 

 

... has the same wings as this....

 

 

 

Which is actually really obvious when you see them side by side.

[4wheeledstool]

Finally got the lump painted now - after the first coat -

 

 

Once the second coat was dry, I got giddy and fitted my new water pump and fuel pump -

 

 

 

 

I promise - no more engine pics until it's ready to go back in!

[4wheeledstool]

I had good intentions of getting a load of engine parts cleaned up today, but the first job on the list threw up a small snag. I started to strip the thermostat housing to give it a clean and replace the thermostat within, when one of the bolts holding the two parts together sheared. By the time I'd got my drill bits, drilled it centrally and biffed it out, my available time for today was all but over. Luckily, the threads in the main part of the housing remained in good condition, so there was no need to tap it out to the next size up.

 

 

All the other stuff I wanted to do will no doubt still be waiting for me next time.

[danthecapriman]

This is really going well. The wings look great, your panel beater did a really good job on them. Engines looking 100% better too.

Keep the updates coming!

[4wheeledstool]

This is really going well. The wings look great, your panel beater did a really good job on them. Engines looking 100% better too.

Keep the updates coming!

Many thanks Mrthecapriman! Will do!

 

Decided to tackle the last bit of car pox on the list today. I've been putting it off for a while - much like cleaning the engine! The bottom front corner of the nearside front door is a little crusty, and my inability to find a better one means it must be repaired.

 

 

After unfolding the door skin around the affected area, the grot was cut out. This shot was part way through the cutting, my apologies for the dark picture - the flash refused to work.

 

 

I made a piece to go into the top of the repair, but I left the lower piece to my main weldist and his metal shaping skills - the shape required is too complex for my piss poor collection of metalwork tools (and skill level!).

 

 

Gonna take it over to him tomorrow.

[4wheeledstool]

My main metal man knocked up a piece of metal with the moulded shape required, I then went away and whittled it down to fit the hole left by grot removal. The missing triangle will be replaced before the piece is welded in - it was necessary to allow the shape to be attained.

 

 

Once glued in with the sparkly stick, the job should be a good 'un!

[tooSavvy]

The 'inner doorskin' looks a bit beefgravy!! Will you be treating the door inners with a rust cure B4 waxoiling..??

 

TS

[4wheeledstool]

The inside of the door skin was cleaned back to bright metal where it was rusty (just this corner was poxy, fortunately) and will receive a lick of the grey stuff before the repair is welded in.