Advice on what to do (bodyshop)

Right, what a day. Very very happy with the outcomes of this. The car was a little dusty, it is a bodyshop after all, and it's been raining so it wasn't taken outside. A few little minor paint nibs and panel gaps I thought could be a bit better which will be getting sorted but I was really happy to see it finally looking like a car. Delighted. I just spent about an hour just walking around it not knowing what to say really LOL

Just to recap the work it had done...
1) both front frame rails and all front panels replaced. Everything forward of the bulk head except for the strut towers.
2) Both sills/rocker panels replaced
3) upol/raptor entire underside
4) all rust cut away and replaced with new metal
5) full respray
6) engine bay sprayed and lacquered
7) boot compartment sprayed and lacquered

Now on to the next phase which is the engine build. I'm optimistic but based on this experience over the last 2.5 years I'm not going to get carried away with thinking the car will be taxed insured and NCT'd this year. But thats the goal anyway.

What a thread this has been LOL
 

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Looks great man, fuckit I'd say your beaming
Would the likes of Ali Burrows have a freshly built engine in stock I wonder.. some big companies like that do a kind of exchange scheme, wonder would he do something like that.. would deffo fast forward the whole thing for you
 
Looks great Andy, it’s a pity he messed you around so much, but the the finish looks great
 
It's true Ken. I never expected it to take 2.5 years. This guy is permanently out the door with insurance work so I just had to be patient. He has to turn away work. Funny enough he admitted today that he was hoping I would just take the car out of there but I won that battle of wills :ROFLMAO:
 
AndyC said:
It's true Ken. I never expected it to take 2.5 years. This guy is permanently out the door with insurance work so I just had to be patient. He has to turn away work. Funny enough he admitted today that he was hoping I would just take the car out of there but I won that battle of wills :ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...
Ffs Wouldn’t lads be just better off saying no I can’t do the car for you.. he done what looks to be a great job but took the good out of it by being a bolox
 
Congratulations Andy looks like a great job and least you can move forward now to the engine build👍👍
 
Looks sublime and I reckon even better in person! No wonder you were gawking at it for an hour! Nicely done man and delighted for you :)

Next like you said is the engine build - I would highly recommend Paul Wray Motorsports in Derry for top to bottom engine build. He did my car and is efficient with his time. I was just speaking to him this week and he now has a person helping him out. If you contact him, drop in my name and he will look after you.
I know Ciaran in Larkin Automotive Finglas has done a good few club cars as well but he is quite busy and it will depend on how much work he has on. He has access to a machine shop if anything needs to be rehoned/skimmed etc.

I reckon a nice 2.1 stroker kit would be ideal for such a classic being a lightweight car, coupled with a quick spooling turbo running on 95 ron. You'd get a bit more torque on the low end and keep the high end power such that it has a nice broad usable rev range. Be a savage backroads car with track capabilies too. @scoobysub has a classic with a 2.1 stroker kit which I have been on track and it is pure joy to drive! Also, the sound changes slightly with the 2.1 kit. All the fun is now ahead of you :)
 
Wow! Just finished reading this post from start to finish. Couldn't stop, like reading a book you can't close. 🙈😉
Fair play to you Andy. Your car looks absolutely stunning! And you are really worth it after everything you've gone through. Looking forward to your engine build.
 
Small update April 23rd 2024

The car is still at the bodyshop. I have been asking several times to get the bill and the guy says "ah yeah I'll get around to putting that together" LOL
We spoke on the phone yesterday and he said he would have a bill for me tomorrow. I have also managed to get a secure out of the way storage location for the car so the plan is to get it out of the bodyshop on Friday.

The next phase of this is an engine build and getting all the other bits and pieces put back on the car (brakes, suspension, roll cage, dashboard). There is probably 150 to 200 hours of labour left in the car to get it ready for an NCT. A lot of work still to do. However due to circumstances outside my control the engine build is now on hold indefinitely. A plan for an engine in terms of specification has been made but the timing just hasn't worked out right now. All out of my control unfortunately. Most likely another summer will pass by without being able to enjoy the car. I am of course disappointed in this but I have never gotten my hopes up anyway based on the way this hole thing has gone since August of 2022.
 
Jus when you hit the long climbed crest of one mountain you see the next and its as big .....but u conqueted the first so now you have experience for the second . Big pita but we the isdc members have great faith that we will see her again ,in all of her glory .

Keep the faith .


Ps she lookin well as is .
 
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