Worlds longest Resto, my C2 2.7 19/3/18 Vent guage action

[mattG]

Thats how it should be done, Simon wouldn't want anything less, well done Barrys workshop

[B7]

F8Cking hell Barry. Thats looking nice. Keep em coming.

Si you must be over the moon mate. It's going to be "propa rite innit!". Still reckon blue do you with the quality of workmanship that it's getting? Go sit in the corner and let us stone you with a vengence!

[glenn]

i've got the horn after seeing it today

i bet you have, si
that is a first class repair
excellent

[E30BeemerLad]

that is proper workmanship

Shame so many people have to run the gauntlet finding a bodyshop that can be half arsed with doing proper work

She'll be a stunner when she's done

[bss325i]

Some more progress but only a little.

As you can see the two disc shape plates in the floor had rotted out so needed replacing.





The remains of the discs removed and the holes cleaned up.





Zinc alloy sprayed.



Both discs fitted and seam sealed in place as per factory.





The bulkhead to inner wing seam had started to go here near the wiring loom hole so needed sorting but is a tricky area to do neatly. It also has to be a strong repair as it is a structural area which is under stress when cornering from flex in the inner wings.











After the metal was welded in and coated in zinc alloy, a substance used for bonding panels together was used along the seam to strengthen the repair.



Another area on the bulkhead which had a very small hole.



The lower crossmember had some light surface corrosion so was clened up and zinc alloy painted.

[Simon13]

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thats me

[d6dph]

The greatest thread the zone has ever seen imo. Beardymats car was awesome, but this one is just a little more special.

[oakey]

This car will be beautiful!

[bss325i]

The greatest thread the zone has ever seen imo. Beardymats car was awesome, but this one is just a little more special.

I can understand what you mean by being a bit more special with it being an Alpina and all that but i dont think many people have had any doubts that this would be brought back to life. From what i have heard, people thought that beardymats was a lost cause intitialy and was unlikely to make a return to fine health, quite the opposite and thats what makes his resto stand out, to save a bent and rotten E30 and return it outstanding condition.

[beardymat]

The greatest thread the zone has ever seen imo. Beardymats car was awesome, but this one is just a little more special.

I can understand what you mean by being a bit more special with it being an Alpina and all that but i dont think many people have had any doubts that this would be brought back to life. From what i have heard, people thought that beardymats was a lost cause intitialy and was unlikely to make a return to fine health, quite the opposite and thats what makes his resto stand out, to save a bent and rotten E30 and return it outstanding condition.

cheers Baz, i was just about to let Dave know that i do have feelings but you seem to have put him in his place

i know what you mean about the doubters, it seems that when anyone undertakes a proper project people think theyre quite mad and in some cases not without foundation but every once in a while some smart arse like me or indeed simon see`s one through and its a nice feeling when people admit they thought you would just give up but that you made a fantastic job of it.

keep up with the updates and let that panel beater know that if he ever gets a silly urge to move up north ill give him a job

[d6dph]

No offence was intended, I'll keep my trap shut from now on.

[Simon13]

Thanks for the support guys!

if anyone thought i was going to give up or not see this through until the end doesn't know me. I might take a while with things but they always get done. i might moan about it and half joke about giving up but i wouldn't really!

This has/is testing me rather alot but having never done this sort of thing before it all into the unkown for me in terms of time/effort and money. It's swallowed way way more than i though it would but doesn't everyone say this? I'm glad i've never set a budget or time scale. As i think then end result would/will have too many compromises.

I'm just working 7 days and evenings ready for the bill at the end but i've got it covered!

[pony2]

Amazing work, little often and determination go a long way.

The cost must be difficult to bear, you could always sell the C2 Touring.

[Simon13]

too late on cost that went out the window along time ago! I'm buried and in it for the long haul now. it can only carry on as it started! but we don't do it for the money

C2 touring is tucked up in the garage and going no where fast

[beardymat]

No offence was intended, I'll keep my trap shut from now on.

i was only ribbing ya Dave, i know what you meant, si`s is a proper bare shell rebuild and no stone is being left unturned, i have to confess to having found a spot of rust on mine the other day im not telling where but its certainly not anywhere that ive fettled already and it is tiny so im not upset by it but it goes to show how these things can catch you out if you dont go the whole hog and pull it all apart.

as for you simon, i think youve got your head screwed on when it comes to the cost of things like this so i cant see you being shocked with a moohassive bill at the end cause thats just what youre expecting, but at least when you look at these pics you can see where the money is going. its funny really that for you the bodywork and paint is going to be the quickest part of the job but for me it took nearly two years

finished for gaydon ?

[Simon13]

no chance! i want a new black carpet £300, bits of trim, alarm, out side trims bits and a full engine rebuild with a bit of spice added matty! It's done when it's done. Theres light at the end of the tunnel once the body job is done but to be honest thats the big thing for me as i can't do any of the work.

Problem is when i'm earning money to pay for it which is weekends and evenings after the 9-5 slog i'm not working on it so it's a slow catch 22 situation but it's the only way i can do it. me and missius earn enough to pay for the mortgage/house bills but the cars/hobbie have to come from extra graft but thats the way the coookie crumbles. You only get back what you put in and thats hard work but there you go!

[siddiqi1]

no chance! i want a new black carpet £300, bits of trim, alarm, out side trims bits and a full engine rebuild with a bit of spice added matty! It's done when it's done. Theres light at the end of the tunnel once the body job is done but to be honest thats the big thing for me as i can't do any of the work.

Problem is when i'm earning money to pay for it which is weekends and evenings after the 9-5 slog i'm not working on it so it's a slow catch 22 situation but it's the only way i can do it. me and missius earn enough to pay for the mortgage/house bills but the cars/hobbie have to come from extra graft but thats the way the coookie crumbles. You only get back what you put in and thats hard work but there you go!

upmost respect ot that buddy! if thats not called determination i dont know what is!!! Great effort; keep it going!!!

[markus_74]

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thats me

Hi Simon

I like your thread because it is step by step you take the pictures.

I have search the web about zinc allow paint but haven't got the correct brand.

Please, can you inform Me what product is it?

thanks
Markus

[DaveD]

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thats me

Hi Simon

I like your thread because it is step by step you take the pictures.

I have search the web about zinc allow paint but haven't got the correct brand.

Please, can you inform Me what product is it?

thanks
Markus

there's this

http://www.bilthamber.com/electrox.html

and just to put my 2penneth in if Mat thinks it is a good job it must be 'cos he sees blemishes in his that I couldn't see with a magnifying glass!

[billgatese30]

This is really coming along a treat Simon, i still can't wait to see it all finished and glistening in the summer sun.

Well done on doing a proper job too.

[markus_74]

/\
thats me

Hi Simon

I like your thread because it is step by step you take the pictures.

I have search the web about zinc allow paint but haven't got the correct brand.

Please, can you inform Me what product is it?

thanks
Markus

there's this

http://www.bilthamber.com/electrox.html

and just to put my 2penneth in if Mat thinks it is a good job it must be 'cos he sees blemishes in his that I couldn't see with a magnifying glass!

thanks Dave I will go to ace hardware and looking for it

[DieselMeister]

Simon / Barry et al - supreme efforts. I'm sure the finished article will be a more than just reward. Great stuff.

And Simon, at least you've got a mortgage instead of peshing away £000s every year on stuff other than cars!

[bmwe30mtech]

I havent seen this in a while. The car is looking great Si, some top quality repairs going on. I love the fact its so carefully done. Keep the pics coming Barry .

[Kedge]

Looking bloody good Si, fairplay for all the effort, going to be well worth it in the end!! After all the trouble you've had finding a bodyshop it looks like you'll come out better off!

Seeing pics like this though should get all the rest of us E30 owners worried though, certainly got me wondering what nasties lie hiding on my car!

[RJB6]

Hi Simon see things are coming along great.I'm sure I have a black carpet in my lockup,think it's in good condition may need abit of a clean if it's of any use let us know and I'll dig it out and you can have a look when you come to Billing.Have you still got the Alpina badge If so I'll settle up with when I see you at Billing.Keep the pictures coming feel like going down the garage and doing abit more to mine now.
Roy

[Simon13]

Roy i've still got the badge don't worry!

[eko]

Keep up the good work fella`s,going to be an amazing car when finished

[bss325i]

UPDATE!!

More progress has been made with the panel work so i'll break it down into sections.
As many of you know one of the E30's achilies heels is rust or more specificly prevention of it from the factory. Most of you will know there are several areas on a E30 shell that are prone to rust and one of the most well known but relatively hidden areas are the inner rear arches with the O/S one more prone to develop holes than the N/S. This is due to the fuel filler neck, expansion tank and associated brackets for these acting as traps for salty mud and crap which is flicked up from the road wheel but never cleaned out so over the years eats away at the inner arch untill you end up with this.....







So after scurfing off the factory stone chip and seam sealer in the inner arch around the corroded areas the extent of how much it had got a grip was revealed which luckily enough wasn't to bad and quite localised so complete replacement of the inner and inner inner arches (there are two parts to the innner arch) wasn't nessesary.







So this is how much had to be cut out. The battery tray has also been removed as after removing the factory sealer it revealed that rust was starting to fester here to. Note that the rear panel has been removed, i will get to that in a bit but for now, the prepped area...





The inner arch repair section tacked in place.



Then welded.







In primer after the zinc alloy paint.









The battery tray removed and surounding area prepared including the chassis rail.





The tray tacked in place after removal of the section of chassis rail that comes with the tray.







Welded in place, coated in zinc alloy.





The rear panel. This had started to go in the typical E30 areas of around the tow eye, allong the lip where the boot seal fits onto and arround the number plate light holes.







After a bit more prodding this appeared....



Followed by this, a previous repair to the area arround the tow eye full of filler and rot where moisture had got into the previous "repair". The trouble with this type of damage is that it can split the factory sealer and allow moisture to get in and cause problems.





There was some slight surface corrosion on the outside of the spare wheel well which was ground back. This section of the wheel well is close to the rear panel and the factory stone chip was a bit thin here and had been disturbed by the dent in the bottom of it and possibly the small, low impact in the rear.



The dent in the bottom of the wheel well came out easily



The whole rear panel removed and the areas on the rear quarters where it is braised on prepped ready for the new panel. The wheel well in zinc alloy.







The rear panel welded and braised in place.







More progress has been made in other areas but this takes forever up loading one pic at a time through imageshack, i wish you could just right click on the pic and paste direct! (Computer novice!)

So untill next time.......

[Jhonno]

Wow!! Liking the work!!

[d6dph]

Fantastic stuff, A very impressive show of skill.

(Try using photobucket and uploading in batches)

[Simon13]

what a turd

my new mate is Gary the geezer panel beater

[Speedtouch]

Superb stuff. My Sport could do with much of this being carried out.

[Theo]

Wow, that's so proper.

Glad to see those bits of bodyshell were of use in the end

[cliffybabe]

Si that look like quality work never know repairs

[bmwe30mtech]

Fantastic work going on again.

Its so strange how most E30's rust in the exact same places, down to the cm!

Keep the pics coming Barry