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ASCONA!


stradacab
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The 2dr arch repair panels are still available from Hadrian thru your local motor factor. If you want the part no's pm me.

I just used a 2 dr panel and cut down the lip that I needed. As you can see there was quite a bit of good metal left as I got to it early so it was fine for me.

I saw a thread that someone put up about the 4 dr ones that are still available from Abroadland. Was going to go this route but as the damage wasn't too bad thought I'd avoid the 29 euro's for the part combined with money order and shipping cost that would be involved. If it was worse I would have got some cause it's not a repair you can do easily without the right bit.

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The 2dr arch repair panels are still available from Hadrian thru your local motor factor. If you want the part no's pm me.

I just used a 2 dr panel and cut down the lip that I needed. As you can see there was quite a bit of good metal left as I got to it early so it was fine for me.

I saw a thread that someone put up about the 4 dr ones that are still available from Abroadland. Was going to go this route but as the damage wasn't too bad thought I'd avoid the 29 euro's for the part combined with money order and shipping cost that would be involved. If it was worse I would have got some cause it's not a repair you can do easily without the right bit.

Hi James i got my rear arch from KJC Panels in Redland

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The 2dr arch repair panels are still available from Hadrian thru your local motor factor. If you want the part no's pm me.

I just used a 2 dr panel and cut down the lip that I needed. As you can see there was quite a bit of good metal left as I got to it early so it was fine for me.

I saw a thread that someone put up about the 4 dr ones that are still available from Abroadland. Was going to go this route but as the damage wasn't too bad thought I'd avoid the 29 euro's for the part combined with money order and shipping cost that would be involved. If it was worse I would have got some cause it's not a repair you can do easily without the right bit.

hi. thanks for that .will ring my local & see if they can get hadrian ones. like i said i got a repair panel already but had no makers label on. it didnt follow the correct curve at all. could have been a bad replica or just sent wrong(ie for a different car!)

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  • 3 months later...

Wow, how time flies, last update in November!

I have been very busy over the last couple of months, work (always!) the band has been gigging weekly in the run up to Christmas and we've done three already this year so far.

To cap it all we got burgled mid Jan (while we were asleep in bed) Apart form the distress, and the fact that we were "lucky" in that only a few non precious items were taken (TV Laptop, phone etc) all the insurance buggering about takes time. Still don't have my items replaced yet.

ANYWAY!

I have been doing some final bits on the car.

Engine bay is stripped , I just need to take off the servo and prop valve on the other side and they can paint clean up both inner wings.

Repaired the spoiler and stripped the doors of all glass and that delicate chrome trim- thanks to Paul for his advice! Tidied up some rust on the bodywork (that's the pink bits) and removed the windscreen. If anyone saw my wanted post you'll know I broke it on removal- will be waiting for slightly warmer weather for the back one- hopefully the rubber will be more supple!!

Lots of other bits and bobs like the aftermarket wings have too large a return at the front so the headlamps don't fit properly. Took a whole evening cutting and shaping them down. I want it to be as good as I can get it.

I have found a place for the blasting of the bonnet in Iron Action. The one fitted is scrap, the new one is the orange thing to the nearside front! When the guy asked me what it was off and then told me he was restoring an Astra GT/E I felt a bit more comfortable about entrusting it to them. Need to borrow a mates van and drop it over this week or next. Plan it to paint the underside myself, the fit it ready for external painting.

So it looks very sad there at the moment, but not neglected, just proceeding slowly.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Went for a run round the block in the Cavalier GLS today.... then got on with some work

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Wheeled it out the garage to have a good tidy up and assess final bits before paint. I'm hoping to get it off to the bodyshop in two weeks time. In the meantime I still have to collect the bonnet which has been blasted, etch prime it and fit.

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I've removed the servo and prop valve and pulled all bay loom off so I can get the underbonnet area painted too. You can see the usual area where they get surface rust form leaking fluid. I can use the time while it's away to paint the air cleaner, servo etc to get it looking really nice under there

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Let's hope we have a bit more sun like today- it makes you actually want to get out there and do some work!!!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Because the paint was so knacked the only way is to bare metal and re-etch. Paint stripper wont take it off so it has to be DA'ed down. Apparently the primer is an early plastic based one (softer that cellulose so more chip resistant) meaning that the discs clog very quickly. A long winded job!!

But it is well underway, this is how it looks tonight!

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Edited by stradacab
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  • 2 weeks later...

Master automotive continue their good work on the car.

I will now recount my sad tale of the bonnet. Three weeks ago I was about 5 minutes from posting a for sale ad for this car of calling the nearest breakers yard. The bonnet came back from the blasters absolutley, utterly and completley f**ked. Despite explaining to them that i couldn't get another, and if there was any chance it would warp not to undertake the job, it came back ruined. If we attempted to fill the warped skin it would have been unlikley you would have been able to lift the bonnet with the weight.

Bad times. I have been very hacked off. It was one of those project low points when you wonder why you bother with the whole thing, especially when you entrust any work to outside individuals. I don't want to piss and moan, it ain't my style, but it is so frustrating where people don't have the same standards as you or simply don't care.

The reason for changing it was that the skin was rotting from the inside along the front edge and the frame was holed. I didn't want it just filled cause the rot would obviously find its way through from the inside in future.

The solution... use the good frame from the replacement bonnet, completley rust proof from the inside by separating the old skin and fitting to the new frame. Finally let in a new section to replace the thin part.

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Stupid bit of grot in rear valence I managed to miss and the spare well needed a patch too

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Bonnet repaired and trial fitted, all nice and square

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And first coat of paint, etch primer on the bare metalled bits.

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It had been rubbed down and is now having its coat of primer filler, I'm starting to get quite excited!

I have been in the garage since it went, I painted the servo, air cleaner and brackets etc. Have also repainted the satin black bits too like headlamp wiper arms, windscreen wiper arms, mirror plinths etc, and am about to start refinishing the stainless trim stuff.

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  • 3 weeks later...

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