Workshop/Project car going ons. The (owner needs a) Miracle (for this) Maestro

[Noel Tidybeard]

3 hours ago, Matty said:

Certain stuff always got a rep. GM and Ford stuff rotted just as successfully as owt BLARG ever nailed together. But they were the popular whipping boy so there you go I suppose.

it's quite something to open the rear door on a mk3 sceote and there's no metal between the seat and wheel arch lip😲🤣🤣

[JMotor]

Tidy up of workspace completed. 

Fuel tank and filler neck removed. 

Fuel filler pocket was as expected 😬.

Started picking the arch apart. 

It's about the same for rust. Maybe slightly better than the nearside. Still needs work anyway.

Then discovered the front nearside wheel bearing I changed not even a year ago is buggered with a massive amount of play to be found. That was more annoying discovery than digging into the rot!

I may leave documenting the arch repairs as that'll be the same story as the last one. I'll post about the fuel pocket repairs. 

[grogee]

Just now, JMotor said:

Tidy up of workspace completed. 

Fuel tank and filler neck removed. 

Fuel filler pocket was as expected 😬.

Started picking the arch apart. 

Then discovered the front nearside wheel bearing I changed not even a year ago is buggered with a massive amount of play to be found. That was more annoying discovery than digging into the rot!

I may leave documenting the arch repairs as that'll be the same story as the last one. I'll post about the fuel pocket repairs. 

Oh shit that is whack. I hope mine aren't also made of cheese, I changed the fronts a couple of years ago. 

The filler pocket looks a little sad. I hope mine isn't like that under the fresh paint. 

[JMotor]

If it isn't get a shit load of some goop up into the void and in behind the pocket if you can. 

The section is double layered with the join on the inner tub so shite can spray up in there. I'm going to make sure the fucker won't rot there again! 

Frankly I was less than impressed with the lifespan of that bearing. Wasn't like it was pressed in wrong. Neither was it a cheapy bearing.

Might consult the BIBLE OF BLARG to see if it's done differently. 

[grogee]

Oh and also check the filler neck... They go, obvs, and are NLA, obvs. 

[JMotor]

Another group buy of replacements I missed by a few months on the FB Monstro page. 

Mine is by some sheer miracle is in one piece. 

How much will be left after the wire brush of truth hits it will be another matter 😆. 

I'll be pleasantly surprised if it needs mild repairs. 

[Dyslexic Viking]

1 hour ago, JMotor said:

Fuel filler pocket was as expected 😬.

Another thing they copied from VW. I've seen many older VAGs where the area around the fuel filler was rusted away.

On the 94 Ibiza I once owned, I was once going to filling up with petrol, opened the fuel filler flap, a crunch, and the flap was in my hand torn off the car and the car now had a new big rust hole.

[JMotor]

Said I wasn't gonna share the inner lip rebuild. 

Sorry. 

Using the Shrinker strecher again I'm able to make the beginnings of a new inner lip. After seeing the results others have had, I'm glad I got one too.

Sticking to same method as the offside. Making the new sections by stitching pieces together. 

 

Finished here with the back section. Once tacked together I'm going to cut this back off and fully weld the lip to the rest and weld the whole section back on. 

Still haven't sorted that bearing yet.

Also managed to purchase another remade NLA part. The rear shock rubber mounts. A gentleman on the FB club page had some made and these were the last set he had.

[grogee]

This one that @Cavcraft found is a little beauty, check out the doors and sills. It's enough to make a grown man cry

https://ebay.us/m/6Z6yvW

 

[JMotor]

3 minutes ago, grogee said:

This one that @Cavcraft found is a little beauty, check out the doors and sills. It's enough to make a grown man cry

https://ebay.us/m/6Z6yvW

 

Those door bottoms....

[JMotor]

Friend on FB clocked this beauty at the weekend. 

5100 miles and looks damn clean. All yours for the bargain price of 6k. 

I do think this car was sold by OMGWHITEBACKGROUNDSUPERLOWMILES KGF a while back. 

[JMotor]

Who dis!?

Got a local classic car show coming up this weekend. 

This can ferry my arse to said event. 

Bonus early 2000's fish eye style photaes with Mr @AnnoyingPentium , his Corsa B owning pal and T'other pal wie the Leaky Damp Van.

[AnnoyingPentium]

Oooh hang on! I have the jaunty angle one, you know, for effect.

[JMotor]

Little more done with the Maestro. 

Most of the new inner is done. The ends need some tweaking, I'll do that when I'm trying the new outer arch on. 

Corsa was out for the show. Folk liked the wee car. Just wished I'd taken more pictures at the show. 

[grogee]

On 18/08/2025 at 21:16, JMotor said:

Friend on FB clocked this beauty at the weekend. 

5100 miles and looks damn clean. All yours for the bargain price of 6k. 

I do think this car was sold by OMGWHITEBACKGROUNDSUPERLOWMILES KGF a while back. 

Confusingly KGF simultaneously has and does not have this one. 

I made a fairly negative comment on the Maestro forum about it, to be fair the supposed current owner did not rise to the bait.

However it's still listed on ebay so I'm very confused. 

[JMotor]

Car I kinda understand. Certainly interesting spec it has.

Why it's still for sale. Now that's a strange one. Maybe haven't taken it down yet in case it came back? Or maybe to lure more punters in to look at the rest of their inventory? 

[IronStar]

On 03/08/2025 at 21:37, Matty said:

Certain stuff always got a rep. GM and Ford stuff rotted just as successfully as owt BLARG ever nailed together. But they were the popular whipping boy so there you go I suppose.

Whoever slags anything other than GM/Opel/Vauxhall has never seen the rust on Kaddet/Astra E. They were so bad, that Opel here got a reputation for rust they couldn’t really shake off until mid-late 10’s. 

[JMotor]

8 minutes ago, IronStar said:

Whoever slags anything other than GM/Opel/Vauxhall has never seen the rust on Kaddet/Astra E. They were so bad, that Opel here got a reputation for rust they couldn’t really shake off until mid-late 10’s. 

Remembering the fun of welding up that Corsa! 

[Tickman]

Just done a big catch up here.
Top work as usual.

[JMotor]

The weekend came and went. 

Some time was spent on the Maestro.

Smoothed welds down on the inner arch and chopped more car off. 

I'm at the stage of getting ready to fit the outer arch. It's also GREAT fun to chop up a rather expensive panel. Same as T' other side it was drowned in primer. 

Going further up this time and will tweak both quarter and panel for a better fit before welding it in. The inner lip is still to finish on the arch to rear valance area. Having the new arch fitted tells me where I need to go. 

I used to stress about this stuff. Now it's almost boring to have the new panel on and off multiple times. I'd rather do it this way, I've done myself over too many times chopping too much off and making more work for myself. 

Ahhh! Yes! 

Something else I wanted to share. 

Those pens are perfect for marking off cut lines with a panel overlayed on the original. Cheap as owt off Amazon. Admittedly not my idea. I nicked the idea from a fella on YouTube 😆.

[grogee]

Great work as always @JMotor. Can't wait to see the finished article 

[JMotor]

15 minutes ago, grogee said:

Great work as always @JMotor. Can't wait to see the finished article 

Thanks 🙂.

Yeah I'm looking forward to seeing it done too.

As I'm sick of looking at the fuckin thing! 😆 

But glad that folk like the progress so far. 

[JMotor]

Today's work.

Can now say the car is all metal in the back arches now. 

Even this wasn't too terrible. 

Sadly it wasn't all good news. Firstly. The pressing of the arch is horrible! I'll need to further tweak it to look better. That can wait though. 

I've left the arch for now. Switched to the fuel filler pocket. 

Marked it off and then plunged the slitting disc in. Here is what I discovered.

😐

Welp. That went as expected. 

Tomorrows job will be to make a start repairing either the inner quarter or the filler pocket. 

Be daft to give up now anyway.

Ha! Another boot tae tha baws. 

The actual filler neck is rotten too. Great! 🤣

Bollocks to this. I need a beer. 

[Stinkwheel]

20 minutes ago, JMotor said:

Today's work.

Can now say the car is all metal in the back arches now. 

Even this wasn't too terrible. 

Sadly it wasn't all good news. Firstly. The pressing of the arch is horrible! I'll need to further tweak it to look better. That can wait though. 

I've left the arch for now. Switched to the fuel filler pocket. 

Marked it off and then plunged the slitting disc in. Here is what I discovered.

😐

Welp. That went as expected. 

Tomorrows job will be to make a start repairing either the inner quarter or the filler pocket. 

Be daft to give up now anyway.

Ha! Another boot tae tha baws. 

The actual filler neck is rotten too. Great! 🤣

Bollocks to this. I need a beer. 

Excellent stuff as always 👍

Just wondering if a late diesel filler would be the same as yours? 
 

Apologies for the crap pics, this one is available if you need it, along with the other maestro spares as seen behind/around

[JMotor]

Thanks 🙂.

It's been very satisfying to rid the car of the grot and shite. 

As for that filler neck. If it doesn't I'll make it fit!

😆

Aye I'm interested. To how much would one like for it? 

[Stinkwheel]

1 minute ago, JMotor said:

If it doesn't I'll make it fit!

😆

Aye I'm interested. To how much would one like for it? 

Will PM you

[Matty]

4 hours ago, Stinkwheel said:

Excellent stuff as always 👍

Just wondering if a late diesel filler would be the same as yours? 
 

Apologies for the crap pics, this one is available if you need it, along with the other maestro spares as seen behind/around

This place etc etc 👍

[grogee]

13 hours ago, JMotor said:

The actual filler neck is rotten too. Great! 🤣

I can relate

[outlaw118]

Just caught up again.

Fuck me, what a mission, cap doffed Squire.

[Matty]

1 hour ago, outlaw118 said:

Just caught up again.

Fuck me, what a mission, cap doffed Squire.

His commitment to seeing an unloved car see a few years longer should see him knighted. Or sectioned. Depending on how you view it 😆