Attention was drawn to the engine bay which, although only required moderate welding patches right at the front of the tray, was only subject to surface rust, especially in the flat areas of the firewall. The whole area was brought back to bare metal using the wire cup brush on the angle grinder, and many hours of work. It was then primed with Zinc 182.
A previous owner had decided to fit speakers in the rear of the cockpit, but seemed to have a used an axe to make the holes. These holes were straightened up and some metal cut to shape and welded in place. Holding the items in place was hard to do with clamps, so pvc tape was used while spot welds were produced in four corners. It could then hold itself and the tape removed before it melted and the metal was seem welded into place. Again the paint was removed to bare metal and primed.
The boot was also subject to paint removal and it was at this point that the rear valence was clamped into position. Provided the boot tray repairs had been shaped correctly, which they had been, the valence could be fitted. In some areas it required quite a lot of force to push it to the shape of the original main boot tray, but once welded, the shape was formed.
The replacement repair valence was seam welded to the existing bodywork above it to provide a strong join that was hard to see after being ground smooth. It was also seam welded to the left and right rear wings, which had had laps and holes produced to accommodate it. this just left the tail-light plinths to be cut back and replaced.
The plinths were available as an off the shelf item (for chrome bumper conversions) but needed to have the metal in the top and bottom replaced with metal to join the whole lamp together. Here the metal was butt welded with a continuous stream of weld.
Areas were then stripped to bare metal and primed, although the front wings, being only recent replacements, had the original paint left on.
With all the welding complete, the shell could then be prepared and finally painted.