[Car_Restoration] Dimma Restoration

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Another update...

 

Spent a few hrs today removing good panels from the spare corners I have.

 

 

Next up was a trial fit onto my car really happy how this went so next up is to finish cleaning up panels and wheel arch then to spray weld through primer on joints then line everthing up and weld in position..

Really happy so far with the results as this was the worse part on the car for rot that I have found.

 

[GLPoomobile 958]

Really impressive stuff so far One of my favourite projects at the moment.

 

Mad to think back to a couple of years ago, when I saw the photos of this car I thought it looked really nice. Just goes to show how flattering photos can be, and how many demons can be lurking underneath!

[sensualt101 31 1 Cars]

Really impressive stuff so far One of my favourite projects at the moment.

 

Mad to think back to a couple of years ago, when I saw the photos of this car I thought it looked really nice. Just goes to show how flattering photos can be, and how many demons can be lurking underneath!

 

 

how true! so many cars hide a multitude of sins under shiny paintwork.

 

i am loving this thread and it just goes to show what can be achieved with a lot of effort and time!

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Thanks for the comments really happy how things are progressing all this work will be worth while as I know none will be seen when car finish but atleast I will know its all solid undeneath and good for many years. My aim is by this time next year all welding will be done and all arches and underside stripped to bare metal and resealed and painted then can think about refitting the dimma kit.

 

 

 

[vtifan 26]

 

 

how true! so many cars hide a multitude of sins under shiny paintwork.

 

i am loving this thread and it just goes to show what can be achieved with a lot of effort and time!

a guy local to me just paid 12k for a mk2 escort about a year ago,it had been 'restored about 10 years ago by a boy that i kind of know and another guy bought it and kept it dry and only used on sunny dry days,anyway the new owner got it and used it all summer and now the car is just about scrap as theres so much cataloy etc in it its all swelled up with the wet and cracking everywhere.

apart from the fact that its probably a ringer to start with like most rs 2000's,its pretty worthless now except for parts,because when all the filler comes out of that its going to be a teabag,never judge a book by its cover and try not to buy cars that have been painted recently is my mantra

[vtifan 26]

Thanks for the comments really happy how things are progressing all this work will be worth while as I know none will be seen when car finish but atleast I will know its all solid undeneath and good for many years. My aim is by this time next year all welding will be done and all arches and underside stripped to bare metal and resealed and painted then can think about refitting the dimma kit.

that is the way to do it if you have the time and skills and bank balance mate,its a job that you want to do as much of as you can as i would trust very few people to restore a car to the standard that the amount of work it involves deserves,and would be expected

keep up the good work

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Bit of a trial fit of inner wing and headligt panel, headlight panel not as bad a fit as first thought still will take some adjustment all thats left now is to get welder off my dad and start practicing welding then will strip passenger side and weld front up.

 

[NFS 32]

Looks good, where did you get the front pannel from? what what is the quailty?

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

got panel from imperial car parts first one I got was bad but they changed it for me quickly, new one allmost lines up but im still going to take bottom crossmember off it to line it up correctly.

[john-melbourne 6]

Looking really good bud, keep up the good work! I will be checking in on this project as when its finished it will be mint. I just wish i had a garage and i would consider doing something like this myself. Have you got any experience of anything like this, or are you just learning as you go? Its just i noticed you said you were going to practice welding?

 

John

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

never done anything like this before learning as I go did small amount of welding at college but that was years ago so gonna practice with welder before i go anywhere near car and if I get stuck will ring my dad.

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Small little update not really done too much.

 

I have started to pin up drivers side inner wings into position and took apart headlight panel to aid lining things up fairly happy with results as ive cut a corner off and refitted gaps not to bad will do final tweaks when it gets welded.

 

[sean-G 2]

keep up the good work mate

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

small update..

 

Not done too much as its a case of one step forward and two back whilst lining up bonnent and wings a small crack in drivers side wing became a a large crack and snapped off this was down to yet again a poor repair.

 

 

 

Now I have never done any fiberglass work so it was off to dads for a crash coarse on how to fiberglass as this has to be repaired before I can complete lining front up.

Dad showed me how to pin it together and how to bond it together then I carried on with the repairs still have some more parts to repair and fill and sand but overall happy how it turned out for a first attempt.

 

 

 

 

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Work has been a little slow with christmas and birthdays etc but have been collecting parts over this period for the repairs thanks go out to vtifan for the sills and Skyquake for the bumper brackets and also to my parents for sorting the brand new tailgate for a christmas present.

I have also removed the panels from the spare corner I had for the passenger side these where not in as good a condition as the drivers side but still in better condition than whats on the car will just need some new metal grafted on.

 

Few pics of parts collection car becoming a jigsaw.

 

 

Here are a few pics of the passenger side will cut this out shortly and prepre area for new parts.

 

 

 

Next jobs are to clean up parts and apply weld through primer then will sort gas for welder out then can make last adjustments on lining up front and start welding plan to have front complete end of feb if all goes to plan.

[sensualt101 31 1 Cars]

i really admire all your effort on this!

 

i cant wait to see how it progresses

[DaveW 6]

Plenty to keep you enterained then, that wing repair looks great.

[MiniGibbo 142]

Great progress..!

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Thanks for the comments guys

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Progress has been alittle slow of late but I have now sorted my welding gas and have a regulator for the welder coming just got to pick welder up from my dads all going well may start some welding on the old girl in next few weeks.

The small jobs I have done at late is remove rotten passenger inner wing and prep ready for welding also I have removed underseal from drivers wheelarch back to bare metal ready for resealing.

I,m starting to feel the front end is now coming together at last so once I have got front welded and treated some surface rust in engine bay I can get front end in etch primer and move onto rest of car.

 

Heres a few pics of progress.....

 

 

Drivers side wheel arch....

 

[allye 530 3 Cars]

wow, you are balls deep in this bad boy project! No going back now! Amazing what lurks beneath.

 

Been following since the start, really good luck with it and look forward to the updates and finished article.

[BlueBolt 156]

Just been reading this on PSCUK, then realised it was on here too lol

Great project!!

[calvinhorse 870]

Great project, really enjoying watching this!

 

 

[Stephen W 12 1 Cars]

It's good to see your making progress and your definatly showing a lot of effort there. Keep up the good work I look forward to the updates on this.

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Thanks guy nice to hear positive comments its a steep learning curve I have set myself having never done anything like this before but i'm really enjoying myself just wish I could spend alittle more time on it what with a second child due in feb work may slow down.

I feel im still on target for end of this year to have all welding finished and underside all etched,stonechip,primed and painted then can get stuck in repairing the kit and refitting. I may try and get beam rebuilt and parts powder coated aswell this year but thats if funds allow.