Here on the Black Isle, north of Inverness, my cousin Ray and I have two 1998 1.9 Z3 roadsters. Ray had bought the blue one, then found the black one which he bought as a source for spares. However it was clear that this was too good to break, and I bought it from him. He has a sizeable workshop with a new large covered area outside (roofing that that was our first job), and his scissor lift was moved out there. We spend quite a few afternoons there, a sort of two-person ZedShed (Black Isle)! Occasionally we also fix garden machinery belonging to people even older than us, if there's any time left from putting the world to rights.
Neither car had an MOT, but my black one passed eventually, emissions being the main difficulty. Brake pipes and a broken spring were replaced, and cosmetic work included cutting away the lower half of the outer sills and making up new ones bent up from sheet metal and welding them on, filling and spraying. The wheels were stripped, primed and sprayed. As previously reported, the spare wheel bracket was bent back into shape and refitted to hold the brand new spare wheel, although it lacks a plastic tray. The passenger seat was lowered, and seat risers installed for my drivers seat. A full service was done, with all the fluids and filters replaced, and new plugs.
And having sourced and fitted the roll hoops and wind deflector, this last week we've been tackling the major cosmetic body issue: the bonnet above the drivers side wheel had some bad corrosion. This had resulted from the car losing its plastic inner wheelarch following damage in 2007, and it not being replaced.
One day I shall replace the bonnet, if the car proves to be a keeper. But in the meantime, I needed to do a repair just to improve the look of it. If you are of a sensitive disposition, best go over to the Media threads and admire the outstanding cars there instead!
Bearing in mind that this is a temporary fix, a start was made by digging out, cleaning up to bare metal and rust proofing the underside of the area, then laying a fibreglass mat to provide a support for the subsequent filling. The next day an orbital sander on top soon revealed the extent of the rust and the filling that had been done in the past.
The bare metal edges of the holes were revealed and the next couple of days saw repeated filling and sanding until a coat of primer showed where the profile needed more work.
Eventually I was content, and with more primer and flatting it was ready for some Cosmos Black. We tried this with Rays big compressor and ancient spray gun, using some of the 250ml water based paint mixed for us in Inverness. However, this didn't prove successful (!) so that was taken off the next day. To cut a long story short, the job was completed using Halfords Cosmos and lacquer rattle cans in true Flipping Bangers style!
I masked the bonnet along the strake line, to reduce the visibility of the job. I shall leave it a few weeks before attacking the area with 2500 then 3000 grit abrasive before polishing it out with T Cut.
So, a first glance at the car no longer exposes a ghastly sore on the bonnet side! In fact when I've finished polishing it, it may withstand a second glance!
Cheers
Paul
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