[Car_Restoration] Dimma Restoration

[205turbo 32 2 Cars]

its a great project and i'm waiting for more updates

[madaxgt 0]

Your dad told me about this and wow its worse than I imagined, top marks for effort without a doubt. Im sure it will look awesome when finished, is it going to stay red?

Very few people in the uk seem to be willing to properly repair rusty shells we'd much rather scrap and re-shell (me included). I think its a bad habit and other worldwide forums I visit a lot more people seem to put the effort in to properly repair their cars.

 

Only got one recommendation for the project, swap that steering wheel for a standard pug one!

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Im starting to sway to keeping it red the steering wheel will be long gone once car is complete.

[p1234 22 2 Cars]

Starting to take shape, good work.

[sensualt101 31 1 Cars]

Im starting to sway to keeping it red the steering wheel will be long gone once car is complete.

 

go on restore it to cherry red! you know you want to!

[madaxgt 0]

I always love dimmas in dark colours but love normal gti's in red. Maybe red dimma with red or gunmetal wheel centres.

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

^{wheel centre will be done silver not keen on coloured wheel centres red was never my first choice and its crossed my mind to change colour but im starting to feel that as car started its life from factory red I will keep it red.}

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Now made a start on repairs to passenger innerwing big thanks to my dad who got metal bent and the metal heading over to his a weekend to weld up and some lessons on welding then can start welding holes up on car and then start fitting panels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also at other end of the car new tailgate has been fitted.

 

 

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Welding has started after a few leeson from my dad who kindly welded new section onto innerwing I returened home and spent a little while with the welder and did some practice.

I have now started to fill up some holes that I used to line up panels and have started to apply weld through primer where needed plan is to have innerwings in position by weekend and welded then cam move onto headlight panel.

 

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Small update after a little practice with the welder I decided I would start and tackle some welding on the car I started with the drivers side inner wing.

I wont lie there was much cursing and swearing as I started to blow more holes than doing any welding but after a little patience I felt i was gettng somewhere and the puddle welds started to go really well the but joint I found a little harder but got there in the end just got some pin holes to weld up, All in all im really happy with the results as I have never welded before.

 

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

I am starting to feel that progress is being made spent this week welding holes and welding drivers side innerwings into position still have engine mount to fit and wheelarch guard may do this over weekend.

Im going to finish stripping passenger wheel arch of underseal so may start welding panels into this side I really happy with progress as I have never welded or done anything like this. It is so nice to see the drivers side repaired with no rot.

 

 

 

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Drivers side now complete and have made a start on pinning passenger side up.

 

 

 

[Andy205 2]

Nice work, good to see its getting done properly

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Progress has been a little slow of late due to work and the pending arrival of my 2nd child but a small amount has been done I have continued to strip passenger wheel arch of underseal also carried out repairs to the passenger innerwings.

I have now pinned passenger innerwings up and pinned headlight panel into what could be its final position so nice to see the front of the car coming together at last. Its now going to be a matter of when I have time that the front will be welded up then can seam seal and prime the front end heres a few pics of progress.

 

 

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Time for a small update as due to work offshore and a newborn taking time up I have managed to squeeze some garage time in and have managed to weld passenger side inner wing into position still have welds to clean up as I ran out of sanding belts.

I have tacked bottom cross member into position and have place headlight panel on car and am happy to say it lines up so next up is to weld up some redundant holes on headlight panel. Im on holiday next week so I'm hoping to have panel welded up and finish stripping engine bay so its ready for priming, I may even get it back on its wheels next week so can move it out of garage so I can have a good tidy up.

 

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

The first milestone has been reached and that is the front end is complete bar doing the seam sealing and priming really happy how this turned out due to this being my first attempt I hoping to have car on its wheels in nest few days then can move onto other parts of the car.

 

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Spent today getting the car back on its wheels and getting it out of the garage for a tidy up also took the time to remove wiring loom and had quick check of floor and I can see atleast 3 places that will require some welding but there maybe more but wont know till I get car on spit and strip underseal off.

 

[pip470 61]

I think your doing a great job.

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

I have spent a few hours today stripping the paint off the drivers side floor and found a few holes that will need cutting out and plating but nothing that cannot be repaired I have started to make a template for one of the bigger bits that need doing. Strange thing is that most of this rot has come fro the inside and rotted out im sure floorpan must have been soaked in water at some point.

I have allready welded some smaller holes up and dressed them up just got to get some sheet steel to carry out repairs and the spit should be ready in a few weeks so can really make headway into the floor and sills.

 

[johniban 59 1 Cars]

crikey im impressed with the length you have gone to on this, im suprised the front end lined up so well after cutting so much off, i would i thought you would of have to make a jig to moun the panels back on

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

It suprised me aswell but the chassis legs never moved and most of the panels I welded on would only fit one way so not at all bad im sure when I come to fit wings I will have to tweak bits to get it to all line up but will cross that when I get to it. Im just waiting for my sheet steel to arrive then will cut rot from floor and carry out repairs. Then next up is to get car up on spit and strip underside to bare metal replace sills and rear arches and any other work that needs doing.

[johniban 59 1 Cars]

not bad, what mm sheet you using 1mm? where to you order yours from? ive been buying it from the metalstore.com but postage is pricey!

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

yep 1mm got it from ebay cheapest i found

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Well I have started to cut rot from drivers side floor and have started to weld new plates in.

 

Rot cut out.

 

 

Then welded parts in managed to do one plate and dress up the other I have managed to tack but unable to fully weld yet as I dropped something on my auto darking welding lens so have a new welding mask coming.

 

[johniban 59 1 Cars]

what are you using to strip the paint back? looks like it does a good job