Rosy, a restoration project - Bodywork

Rosy's Body

10th October 2007.  At long last Rosy's body-work is practically complete, except for a few fittings to be assembled when I have more time, her body is now immaculate.  The colour that is as close a match to the original 'Reno Red' of the early TA's is the one that my wife has come to appreciate.

The problem I would have had, having little welding experience, or indeed car finishing in general, i.e., getting the wings to fit the body arches, in the case of the rear wings and getting the front wings to match up with the bonnet (hood, for our American friends) and the line up of the wings and running boards would have been beyond me.  Consequently I put Rosy in the hands of a professional body-shop and got a complete job done at no inconsiderable cost.  As I have said in the past it is cheaper to buy a car that is restored already or even partly restored as getting the body to an acceptable level of appearance is expensive, very expensive!

Apart from drilling a few holes for fittings, etc. there is little to do now on the body so the next thing is the dashboard, the instruments are done, and the electrics and of course the interior, seats, etc. However that is for the future.

 



I had decided that to have it painted in cellulose would have been preferable but looking to the future when solvent based paints become more and more difficult to obtain, I went for the modern water based paint.


Should you ever see it, it will be at the Restoration Show at the National Agricultural Centre at the end of this month (October 2007), you will agree that it was well worth it.