Bristol 411 bodywork

[mike5352]

More photos attached

[mike5352]

More photos here

[GREG]

Take all the bright work off and number plates.

Get a few painters around to quote with pictures of their previous jobs

Order screen and window rubbers from Bristol or ACCS -- ACCS have a good deal on screens at the moment if needed. Drop them off at the painters.

Send any chrome away that needs doing -- it may be cheaper to get new hub caps ! depending on who you use.

Remove and restore any of the interior that need doing while the car is at the painters -- Woolies have a good colour kit for the leather if needed and carpet dye from ebay will freshen the carpet up. Check for rot on the bottom of the door cards wood -- all the wood :-) and renew /repair.
If the headlining is discoloured , Woolies sell a aerosol spray colour that works well -- and ebay of course.

The veneered wood capping's and dash are tricky to get right, so if they are bad you may want to send them away. I have a good contact up North if you need them.

Put it all back together and service the car, under seal and treat any rust underneath. Careful putting the bumpers back on so that you don't scratch the new paint.

Get your dad to put the car in your name.


Book a ferry ticket and enjoy the drive to the south of France - via Luxembourg to fill up with cheap fuel :-)

Sell your now stunning car to a rich oil Sheikh in Monaco for £200k and fly back to London. Get a taxi to Bristol Cars, Kensington High Street and buy a 411 S6 and with the change buy a 405 project from Andrew Blow.


Simples - Enjoy

[GREG]

Did you strip it with all the trim on ?

Nice leather !

[Janne]

Iam surprised how good the interior looks like.
And I admire you for the incredible work you have done so far.
In addition, I would like to mention, that you should check all areas of the body for thin aluminium, pinholes etc.
To check for thin aluminium, just gently press with a finger and see if the metal skin flexes. Pinholes - visual check.

Also, before you put on a fabulous new coat, check the underside for rust. It is better to have a competent company to repair the underside before any painjob.

Also, personally, I would not leave the Aluminium exposed too long.

And, before I forget, remove that rubber noisekilling strip before the paintjob.

Are the doors hagning straight and true? Hinges might need replacing if the pins are worn. Bristol have them.

The Window frames, seals and other bits will need to be replaced.

What colour did you have in mind?

Ah yes, one more tip:

If you clean all the lights with lukewarm water, dish washing liquid and a tooth brush (take apart first), then polish the outside surfaces, they will look like new, they will sparkle!
Lot of work (but nothing compared what you have done so far) but you will not regret it!

BTW, how is the engine? Sort out the resto of the engine before you paint the engine room.

[Kevin H]

Thanks for the pictures Mike. The interior looks quite good.

If you do decide to renovate the leather here is a link to some discussion on using the Woolies leather restoration kit.

If you work on any of the timber, be VERY careful when sanding off the old varnish because the veneer is quite thin and it's easy to sand through it!

[GREG]

Take a look at this leather restoration system as well -- great video instructions

Leather Dyes & Restoration

[Janne]

Originally Posted by Kevin H

If you work on any of the timber, be VERY careful when sanding off the old varnish because the veneer is quite thin and it's easy to sand through it!

Cannot agree more!

I used a Marine grade varnish, "International" brand.
Several layers, a light buff between the layers. Dustfree environment, like a bathroom.
(the wifes love it!)

[GREG]

This is the highest gloss toughest finish and can be done in one coat !

SP320 Solvent Free Clear Epoxy Resin System - mbfg.co.uk

[Kevin H]

Originally Posted by Janne

Cannot agree more!

I used a Marine grade varnish, "International" brand.
Several layers, a light buff between the layers. Dustfree environment, like a bathroom.
(the wifes love it!)

I used Marine varnish as well (some Aussie brand), although I found it very hard to keep dust out, but I didn't do it in the bathroom!

I also tried polishing one section (glove box door) afterwards which didn't work out very well at all (not recommended!)

Perhaps an epoxy finish could be polished.

[Kevin H]

Originally Posted by GREG

This is the highest gloss toughest finish and can be done in one coat !

SP320 Solvent Free Clear Epoxy Resin System - mbfg.co.uk

So why do they say;

"When used for coating wood, just a few coats will provide both protection and a depth of clarity that can only otherwise be achieved with many more coats of a conventional varnish."

Nevertheless, it sounds like good stuff!

[Janne]

What is the point of using a solvent free product?
No buzz - no joy!!

No need to polish the last layer. I used the marine varnish undiluted for maybe 4 layers, with a flattening with Wet and Dry paper after each coat. This way I achieved a perfectly flat surface, masking all undulations and irregularities in the wood panels.
For the last layer I diluted the laquer to thin it, and sieved it through a fine cloth to get rid of the little lumps.

It does not matter hich product you use, you need several layers. The thicker layer - the better "depth".

I forgot: If the veneer is cracked, it is usually better to give the job to a pro.
No need to go to a person that does cars, I would go to a person that does furniture restorations.
The same if I wanted to re-veneer the dashboard or the other bits.

In 1992 I veneered the dashboard and gearshift fascia on my 1991 AR Spider S4. I hated the crappy black plastic.
I used a veneer from the root section of Mahogany (proper Rainforest stuff in those days).
Lokked perfect untill I sold the car in 2004.
Marine varnish can take some water.

[Kevin H]

Originally Posted by Janne

For the last layer I diluted the laquer to thin it, and sieved it through a fine cloth to get rid of the little lumps.

I didn't do that. Perhaps that's where I went wrong, although you have to look at it quite closely to see that the finish is not perfect.

I think the reason I chose the (Wattyl) marine varnish was because it claimed to offer some UV protection.

[GREG]

Originally Posted by Kevin H

So why do they say;

"When used for coating wood, just a few coats will provide both protection and a depth of clarity that can only otherwise be achieved with many more coats of a conventional varnish."

Nevertheless, it sounds like good stuff!

When it's applied on a flat surface, it can be applied thicker and one coat. It can be polished and it is the toughest product out there. I think it's the finish that is on modern car veneers ?

[Janne]

I think you are right, Greg, it is surely a similar product that is applied on modern cars interiors.