This thread is how i'm getting on with my project. On a day by day basis, so far I have been working on my car for 12 days or when I have a spare few minutes.

I will do each day as a new post rather than one long one.

First I will start with some pictures of when I got it:








Day1 Restoration

Inspection of the rust damage and starting on the repair



Attacking The Rear Wheel Arch







Tinworm has been at me door!

The rear arch repaired and primered

 

Day 2 Of The Restoration:-

Start Of The Door and Kickplate Repair





















No, I havent shot my bonnet, it's rust spots that ive started on

 

Day 3 of the Restoration

 

Day 4 Of the Restoration:- I must say at this point that the efforts on the bonnet were wasted here as later in the project I ditch the standard bonnet for a one off custom bonnet.


A-piller

 

Day 5 Of the Restoration:




Replaced the headlight with carello so then it matches

 

Day 6 Of The Restoration:-

Finishing of the refabrication of the sill

 

Day 7 Of The Restoration
My Fiance cleaning my rocker cover

Replacement Rocker Gasket

Good old 8Valve


Checking out the small alloys

 

Day 8 Of The Restoration:

Saggy Bolster Old Interior

GUTTED:-


Shiny Nice Recaros



Old Interior That has now been sold

 

Day 9 Of The Restoration
Escort GTI Alloys newly refurbed from ebay

 

Day 10 Of The Restoration:-
New Bonnet

 

Day 11 Of The Restor

Clear Indicator Lenses, Smoked Side Repeaters and a Soldering Iron

Smoked Repeaters On

 

Day 12 Of the Restor














Clear front end



TO BE CONTINUED...

 

have you put any metal in to replace any of the rot?

 

No, the rot has been treated using a gel manufactured by hammerite and then fibreglass has been used for the restructuring

 

that would fail an mot if they checked as you have no structure left especially needed on a cabriolet, also on the A piller if you dont cut it out alltogether it will come back

 

there are 2 reasons for using fibreglass, first reason is I cant weld and therefore dont own a welder and the second reason is because I was told due to the holes not making it to the inner sills of the car, only the outer skin sill, that fibreglass would be fine to use.

 

glad your enjoying your progress bonnet is ............eerrrrrrrrr........not my cup of tea but glad you like it

 

i would have it welded mate, have a crash and it will split in two, the sills are a massive part of the structure of the car, whoever told you that is wrong,

enjoy doing the work tho, buy a cheap mig and have a go

 

For the love of god, remove that bonnet

Ever thought a good old rusty ford would be a good place to learn to weld? Never know unless you try, some people pick it up easy, fiberglass is not suitable

 

the outter sills on that are structural get it welded

 

Love the bonnet you gonna wear dark glasses and a guess who tash when ya kicking around lol only jokeing make every one to there own taste also great prep work shame it's not up to mot standards kind regards tripod

 

keep up the good work mate, least your having ago yourself but these guys are right, it needs welding, all that hard work you have put in and it will all come back through. i got a welder not having a clue about it, but it was dead easy. i did my first plate underneath and it passed its mot when summer comes around all new flooring to be welded in and its good when you do it yourself as its how you want it and you know you have done a good job

 

I own a series 1 turbo and learnt to weld restoring it! Good luck on the project. There are loads of guides on the internet saying how to weld, I am a 'pen pusher' by trade so it can't be that hard!!!

 

Morning chaps,

As an update I have taken your advice and found myself someone to weld it up, i've found tooo much rot to repair so its getting some new front wings, all the rust cut out and rewelded and a respray for £1250...

Also got an insurance quote, £4,500 for a year LMAO... I will wait till im 21 and see if i can get classic on it.

Bearing in mind the car only cost me £490 in the first place and I pay £2000 a year insurance on a 1.2 fiat 500. Insurance is a joke!

 

P.S The bonnet is staying! It's going to be a one off. However, should the time come to sell it then I will put the old bonnett back on as I still have it.

 

glad to hear your getting it welded properly was looking at the resto pics and was worried about the sills been fibreglassed they are part the main strength of a cabriolet even the small hole in the B pillar is within 30cm of the seatbelt mounting and should have a seam welded patch

 

Please please please put that other bonnet on!
Worth getting it all done properly! Look and last alot longer.
You have to be 25 for classic insurance!

Xr3i's look better standard (apart from the wheels) in my opinion!

 

Will be keeping the custom bonnett for now as I would like it to be one of a kind. Once I get bored or need to sell it then i shall but the old one back on.

There is also a benifit to this aswell as the fan doesnt work properly :/

 

Glad its being welded mate. If u like bonnet leave it, i have a bad boy bonnet on my rs turbo with mk5 escort cosworth vents in n i love it. Yeah they look better standard but i like. To be different.

 

Mate there is a reason why that bonnet is a one off lol.

 

Each to their own, im gonna be putting a 2.0l zetec engine in this aswell so stay tuned for that.

 

Just changed the plans, im gonna put her on carbs so ive just bought some gsxr1000 carbs and then going to get a custom manifold made for it.

 

Hopefully it'll be so fast that it'll blow the bonnet off

 

loose the bonnet

 

there must be a reason y its a 1 off bonnet!!

 

Why!!!!!!!!!!'n

 

with carbs on this bonnet will force more air to the engine and more air means more power

 

oh dear

 

rog. rather than pay for the welding, invest in a welder and learn. mig is as easy as soldering, if not easier. its all about setting up and clean surfaces. could be worth having a go at spraying aswell if you can get the gear. new wheels look the part though mate.

 

this is my project fella.
https://passionford.com/forum/ford-x...-xr3i-cab.html

buy a welder £370 cut the crap out n start again slowly on small bits no one can see. you pick it up in the end.

my project cab means more to me than my 32,000 mile minter because ive saved her n done it myself.

got nowt to loose especially as u dont mind getting ur hands dirty using the fabre glass crap.