AC Owners Club Forum
AC Owners Club Forum => 428 Frua Forum => Topic started by: Emmanueld on November 24, 2010, 17:31:04
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Here is the first photo of my car's restoration.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/428/DSCN0716.jpg)
Emmanuel [:)]
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Some More!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/428/DSCN0707.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/428/DSCN0734.jpg)
Emmanuel
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Hi Guys, more pictures!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0810.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0801.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0792.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0789.jpg)
Lots of Bondo, the best Italian craftsmanship! More to come, car will be stripped to bare metal.
Emmanuel [:D]
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Oh boy! And you thought it looked SO nearly perfect before they started!!! Best of luck with it, Manny.
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My car is not CFX37 which is a Pebble Beach prize winner and which underwent a similar restoration several years ago. Mine is CFX54 which underwent corrosion repairs a few years ago. I never got around to painting it until now. The new metal was just sprayed black with a can. I focused instead in trying to make the car drivable. I think I succeeded. It was converted to a manual box from the original automatic. First using a 4 speed (Top Loader) like the original, then I switched to a 5 speed (Tko600, Tremec). This is a much better choice in my opinion, it gives you a good highway gear but also it shifts very smoothly. We reworked the suspensions and nearly doubled the spring rate, added an anti sway bar at the front, rebuilt all 4 corners. Tires are Avon radials in 215-70 15 up front and 245-55 15 rear. The car handles great and amazingly enough does not feel too stiff or uncomfortable on our bumpy roads but it now feels responsive and sporty. Brakes are great and will get new seals on rebuilding. The engine is a stroked 427 (454ci) making well over 500HP on the dyno. It is nevertheless very smooth and easy to drive. It provides massive power and torque all the way to 6500 rpm. We stayed very conservative with the cam, it idle smoothly with just a small tick-over at idle. I love this car and plan to drive it regularly when its done. Its too bad that AC never finished developing it, they wanted a luxury GT and made it way too soft to be really a performance car. With just a bit of development they could have built a sports GT with way more performance than anything on the road at the time (365 GTB4 included) which would have justified the exorbitant asking price.
Emmanuel
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More Photos, the car is about fully stripped from paint and Bondo. The next step will be a first coat of primer before the metalsmith starts working on straightening the dents. In about a week the panels should be straight and ready for primer.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0248_2.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0241_2.jpg)
Doors will be skinned in aluminum.
Emmanuel
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Interesting pics, you might think about eventually creating the same sort of Gallery as MA 200 did - 13 pages in all !
Click on first pic.
http://www.thecreativeworkshop.com/Pages/page%20complete%20projects.htm
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Car is now in primer, it's much easier to see any dent that way. Next the dents will come out! E
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0817.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0818.jpg)
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Hi Guys, I have a few photos taken Yesterday. We put a new nose and the doors are now in aluminum. This was necessary because the frames were rotted on top and the skins would have been damaged upon removal. I picked aluminum to save a bit of weight and since the bonnet and trunk lid are already made of alloy, why not!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0583.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0584.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0587.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0588.jpg)
These picture were taken with my phone, so the quality is not perfect.
Also a rust hole the size of a quarter at the base of the windshield that had been covered with Bondo when the car was last worked on in England was properly repaired with a new piece of steel. The goal is the least amount of lead (which sometimes react with paint) and the least amount of filler (which sometimes traps moisture and can lead to rust holes). Small dents and dings were removed one by one using the method used by Dent Wizards, I don't know if they are called the same way in England.I am quite certain she will be a beauty when finished!
Emmanuel [:)]
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Progess looks great..nice to aee a proper frame on retoration
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Thanks, I am trying!The body panels are quite ruff! Typical Italian car. There is so much lead. The workmanship is truly horrible, just like many Ferraris and other similar cars of that era. The lead is 1/2 inch thick in some areas to hide shoddy welding and panel beating. I must say, British workmanship was way better than Italian you would never see that on a Jaguar for example. It's amazing what you can hide with lead and Bondo. I will post more photos tonight.
E[:)]
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quote:
Originally posted by Emmanueld
Thanks, I am trying!The body panels are quite ruff! Typical Italian car. There is so much lead. The workmanship is truly horrible, just like many Ferraris and other similar cars of that era. The lead is 1/2 inch thick in some areas to hide shoddy welding and panel beating. I must say, British workmanship was way better than Italian you would never see that on a Jaguar for example. It's amazing what you can hide with lead and Bondo. I will post more photos tonight.
E[:)]
Don't be so sure......AC used a spray-on filler that was blocked out on the Cobras. It could be pretty thick in spots. Cheaper to fill than pay for better panel work........
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Rust Spot at the bottom of windshield!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0854.jpg)
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Engine compartment!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0848.jpg)
Nose:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0831.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0830.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0832.jpg)
Inside of right door!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0845.jpg)
Inside of left door:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0846.jpg)
Coming along slowly!
Emmanuel
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More pictures, the holes you see behind the doors are holes in the lead!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0871.jpg)
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More pictures, the car is going along nicely, I have decided to redo the rear left fender as the wheel arch is too round compared to the right as seen above which is the correctly shaped wheel arch. (You will see later that this was a big mistake as the rear right wing is completely wrong and full of lead.)
Its difficult to tell if the flaws were from Frua or from subsequent repairs. I think the lead was from the factory, when the car is done, it will have quite a bit less filler than when it was new. One thing, lead is not that easy to see, specially when it is covered with primer.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0865.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0864.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0863.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0875.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0873.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0872.jpg)
That's it for now!
Emmanuel [:)]
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Well amazing, this car is an archaeological study of bad repairs. As I said above, I decided to dig-in and redo the rear left fender which was bulging too much and was completely the wrong shape. We cut off the outer lip and suddenly appeared the original, completely rusted fender. Instead of cutting and adding a new piece, the then would be restorers hammered in both outer and inner fenders and welded another piece on top. This reminds me when we did the sills where exactly the same thing was done. A new skin had been welded on top of rusted metal which had previously been hammered in. We had to make a whole new sill including the door jam, and this on both sides. Jeffrey's car came in very handy at the time. This should be a good warning to people buying supposedly restored vintage cars which can look good on the outside and end up being junk. If this had been a lesser car, it surely would have ended up in the junk yard or as a Cobra replica.
Ten years ago, I may have done that myself. When I bought it, it looked pretty good. Although, I knew it probably had some corrosion because my magnet did not stick in many places. In my mind at the time, if I was going to get a Frua roadster, this was it.
One day, I decided to tighten the side mirror which was loose and opened the panel behind the left front wheel. I nearly had a heart attack! Gaping holes in the foot box, completely rotten struts etc. What was I gonna do, resale it immediately or fix it.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMGP1118.jpg)
Then a friend of mine told me he knew this Eastern European fellow who did amazing things with a torch. The rest is history, it's been a labor of love. We have replaced close to half the bottom of the car including floors, outriggers, seals, inner and outer and the list goes on. Yet, when one compares the work with Jeffrey's car, everything looks as if it came out of the factory. I will post photos of the infamous fender tomorrow.
Emmanuel [xx(]
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Ok here is the rusted fender lip. the rusted plate you see in the background is the piece added to the inner fender to cover the mess. most of the front fender lip fell off when the outer panel was cut. A new lip which is already made and copied from the other side will be added when that inner plate is cut off. Then the hammer will straighten the new panel and after grinding and rustproofing the inside a new inner fender will be welded on as well as a new inner door sill re-enforcement plate. I can't believe we missed this before. I now understand why there was so much corrosion. The water entering along the convertible top will run backward into the boot or forward into the sills sitting there and creating havoc with unpainted metal. The new sills are completely sealed off and no water can now enter them, they have been filled with Waxoyl. So AC428 roadster owners, make sure your top is well sealed in the back or this will happen to you as well. Also the inside of the car, under the carpets and under the top recess area was unpainted, just primed. On the plus side, I am now so familiar with the car that doing another would be a lot easier and cheaper.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/photorust1.jpg)
Emmanuel
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Certainly adds up to some very compulsive buyer beware reading still at least there's the consolation you've saved one more valuable 428 for posterity. Very well done !! [8D]
Did the car come with any previous history at all, no matter how small or insignificant ?
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Hi Guys, I have more photos of the fender lip repair:
Removing hidden corroded metal, this is the door lock substructure, then the same area repaired, then the scrap stuff on the floor.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0644.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0657.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0663.jpg)
Emmanuel
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Here you see the car ready to receive the new lip:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0664.jpg)
The new lip being fitted:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0665.jpg)
We are going to add a drain on each side to take care of an eventual leak inside the top area. otherwise the water could remain there and rot the car. The work is not that difficult but is very time consuming and thus expensive. I think this is the last rust repair that will be needed. The other side has not been touched except in the sill area.
Emmanuel [:)]
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Paul Hi, what I know about the history of CFX54 is as follows: Sold in 1971 by Claude Dubois of Brussels to a wealthy Swiss for is young girlfriend. I recently spoke to Mr. Dubois who remembers the car very well. Then, I know it was auctioned at Bonham in and around 2001 for @ 128,000 pounds. It was with a San Francisco car collector who then placed it on consignment with Fantasy Junction, a Northern California vintage car dealer, it was then sold to my friend here in Los Angeles who then sold it to me. On the car is a plate from Claude Dubois. I also have a pack of bills from various repair shops. That's it. If you know anything else, please let me know. The photo you have on your "Gentleman's Express Club AC 428 Register - Updates" was taken by me at the time the car was delivered to me by the fellow driving it. 5 minutes later the lower radiator went and we pushed the car in the garage. The car looked pretty good despite everything else.
Thanks,
Emmanuel
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Hi Emmanuel
Thanks for the history info now added to the Register, leave the final choice of picture selections up to you when finished.
Thanks
Paul
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Thanks Paul, it will be repainted BRG, as dark as possible, almost black! This is why the body needs to be as straight as possible. The darker the color, the more it will show flaws.
Emmanuel
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Hi Emmanuel
Noticed this interesting post in the quote below from earlier today over on the Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum, topic headed "AEX567 Back also...", which was referring to this Ace Bristol advert....
http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/114922
quote:
Rather than attempting to get it all straight again, just order up a nice new aluminum body, drop in a Bristol, and now you have a $220,000 authentic AC Ace, with a profit margin for the job of $$$ ????. Same thing happened to the 428, with a number become 427 Cobras.
Art
No idea as usual about all things mechanical but bearing in mind the 428's big rust problems, I would have thought a new 428 aluminium body as in the above pic must surely be the best eventual solution for all owners in the long run ? If so the question must then be is a new replica body automatically going to be worth much less compared to a restored one like yours ? Or could it turn out to be the same as in the above Ace Bristol example ?
Paul
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There are a couple of problems with this theory, Paul.
1. The 428`s that have been given ali bodies were given Cobra bodies, when 428`s would have been uneconomical to restore in steel, BUT there are buyers for "Cobras" with AC chassis numbers, even if they started out as something else. Now though, the 428 is attaining a pricetag that will sustain major investment.
2. There are many expert Cobra body builders, but has Anyone built an Ali 428 body? OK, Andy has done a lightweight 'composite'-bodied race car, but I`d not heard of an Ali one.
3. The BE774 story (http://"http://www.acownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1223") would suggest that buyers aren`t keen to pay Ace money for an Aceca with no lid on.
As long as there is no particular historical reason to retain original parts, replacing large amounts of a car seems to have only moderate effect on value(more likely up a bit!), as long as you 'restore' it, rather than turn it into something else.
Ultimately, it`s all down to the owner, his 'goal' & his pocket.
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For what ever it's worth: well said and I concur!
Nice job on the Frua! Keep posting the pics!
Gus
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Interesting thanks Nik. Like most classics above a certain age unless a 428 has been in a museum most of its life, there's inevitably going to come a point when restoring an original 428's body is just no longer worth while, so I suppose the best/ only option is to get an aluminium one made ?
Which in turn raises all those old interesting topics we had ages ago about "might just as well build a Mk II AC 428 Frua then while you're at it"! [8D] I might even be able to afford one....shhh
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The problem with aluminum is it's lack of strength, you would have to build a steel cage to support the panels as in Cobras. Very costly and difficult. The Maserati Mistral is alloy so copying the substructure would be a way to do it. But pull your wallet. Paul everything can be fixed, just a question of money. These days, restoring a 428 is worth it not matter what needs to be done as long as everything is there. I know of a gold one here in LA which is a rust bucket. It's a coupe painted gold, the problem is that the owner wants $100k. I have not seen the car yet, but I hear it's pretty bad. The car is complete and drives.
Emmanuel [:)]
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Re. the gold one any chance of getting a pic or two or a chassis number ?
Thanks [:)]
Paul
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I will try! I know of a black one, a coupe also, right hand drive, the owner might want to sell it. I have spoken to him a few times. The car is missing the boot lock which was misplaced during restoration. If anybody is interested, I would be happy to provide the owner's email.
Emmanuel
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Thanks. I'm also pretty sure the black one is CF 70 which was advertised on E-Bay September 21st 2007, I also think the owner must have posted somewhere on here too as I clearly remember him saying he was looking for a boot lock. As for the prices back then....
http://acfrua428.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=115841&topicID=16003430&p=3
(http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p273/classicus/CF70aEnlarged.jpg)
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He sent me photos of the interior, because someone I knew was interested in buying it. The problem is its a right hand drive.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/Daves428/1IMG_5234.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/Daves428/1IMG_1429.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/Daves428/image004.jpg)
Emmanuel
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Here are some more photos:
Inner fender being worked on, still needs to be trimmed'
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0691.jpg)
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Inside the boot:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0697.jpg)
The wing lip being fitted, we copied the curvature on the other side, I hope its right! Having seen quite a few other cars, I am reasonably confident. at the very list, it will be symmetrical, unlike from the factory. Every car I have seen, the wheel clearance on the left is greater by 1/2 inch than on the right. Mine was 3/4 inch. [:D]
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0710.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0708.jpg)
Emmanuel
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If we could find a way to ship my new left hand wing ( fastback )to Jeff you would have been able to compare the wheel arch lip on that !
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The guys measured the wheel clearance on both sides of my car, and there was a difference of under 3/16ths of an inch. Made me pretty happy. Confidence-building affirmation. The more difficult issue was getting the wheel arch profile correct, and that would have been made much easlier by having the wing.
Hopefully, we will be able to do a 3D scan, and then the correct shape and profile will be available to everyone.
(It is my opinion that having more and better cars on the road, the better it will be for the reputation of the cars, with a resulting rise and stability in values)
If Martin Button gets back to me (he's out of reach until March 8), I'm sure we'll be able to work out the shipping issue. How hard could this be? As you pointed out, Brett, theres a huge amout of material being shipped safely every day.
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Jeffrey, your car is probably one of the best, unmolested original 428 around. The templates we made from the right side of my car's wheel wells match all of yours which means it has probably never been in an accident. Even the beautiful blue convertible that I downloaded pictures of on the Internet, supposedly restored in Italy has the rear wheel wells wrong. Completely round, being a roadster, It probably had massive amount of rust at one point and if both sides were rotten, the restorer probably had to guess as to what the proper shape should have been.
Emmanuel
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Now we will tackle the front left wing which was badly repaired at some point. The shape at the front is all wrong and needs to be corrected. The good thing about all of this is that we removed 20 to 30 pounds of lead!
Emmanuel [:)]
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Here are 2 more photos of the car at the metalsmiths.
The picture below shows the car on its right side, there is an old repair right in front of the door behind the vent. It is a small patch filled with brass which needs to be removed and redone properly. Its the area which looks uneven, adjacent to the door.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0878.jpg)
Here is the front of the car, the last thing which will be done is the reworking of the left front fender lip to make it match the other side, it also has tons of lead. After that, the car is going to go to painting. All the small dents have been removed, and it should require only a minimum of filler. There is an advantage in living in Southern California where you can leave an unpainted steel car bare and not have to worry about rust. I think she is already a beauty here bare metal and rust free.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0876.jpg)
Emmanuel [:)]
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Alright, here we go again, the weird looking anomaly between the side vent and the door on the right is actually two horrible patches due probably to poor corrosion repair:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0885.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0884.jpg)
I would have left them, but the problem is that they don't wrap around the door sill and moisture will get in there and rot the panel. Again the welder put the patches on top of the panel instead of butt welding them, this resulted in a slight bulging! A whole new piece will be made and butt welded to existing metal, also it will be wrapped around the door edge as it is supposed to.
Mechanically, it was kind of the same thing, suspensions were assembled incorrectly, missing some washers, all ball joints and bushings had to be replaced, I don't think there is one area in this car that has not been serviced with the exception of the calipers which will be rebuilt when the car goes back together.
Emmanuel [:)]
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And now the icing on the cake! The front left wing lip. Remember I said it was the wrong shape! Under about 10-15 pounds of lead, filler and paint. Notice the front and rear wings, completely rounded when they should be square at the top. Today, I would spot it immediately, but at the time, not having owned a Frua before, it looked fine to me. I knew both sides were not exactly the same, but the paint was shiny and it looked OK.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/104_0469.jpg)
Well here it is:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0905.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0904.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0903.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0902.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0900.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0899.jpg)
All 6 pieces of it! Definitely corrosion! Truly Amazing what you can hide! The welder did not even try to grind the welds, he just put a huge amount of lead above them! The amazing thing, is that until the lead started melting and falling on the floor, we had no idea how bad it was. It should not be too difficult to fix since there is no inner wing to worry about. All these patches are welded on top of each other.
Since the car started in Belgium, then went to Switzerland to end up in England, what happened to old world craftsmanship? The worst thing is, who ever worked on it, went through a lot of headache and probably through a lot of labor to do such a poor job and doing it properly would not have resulted in that much more labor.
I think who ever did it did not have the necessary skills to do it right in the first place. This is why one always takes a chance buying a vintage automobile without documented history throughout. Buyer be aware!
Emmanuel [:)]
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Here is a link, to the dealership where I bought CFX54. He had received the car from Northern Cal. the day before and did not know it's condition either. It looked good! I think most people would have fallen for it unless they knew 428s inside out. Now I would be way more careful and would not fall for it. However, I did not pay asking price and this makes me feel better!
http://www.chronomaddox.com/motorin/frua/CFX54/Page.html
Emmanuel [8D]
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Hi Guys, here are more photos:
Old door skins:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0917.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0916.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0915.jpg)
These were the old skins removed from the car. The tops were actually quite corroded!
Emmanuel
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The rear left fender finished:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0913.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0912.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0911.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0910.jpg)
As you can see, no need for lead, just a thick coat of primer should be enough!
It' an exact copy of the other side, right or wrong.
Emmanuel [:)]
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Now the left front fender repair which should be done tomorrow!
The door sill ready to receive new metal:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0906.jpg)
The inner piece being fitted:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0907.jpg)
The outer piece being fitted:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0909.jpg)
These are the step preceding welding, the fitting of each fabricated piece before welding! The last piece will be rolled over the seem to form a tight joint with the door.
Emmanuel [:)]
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Front right quarter panel 90% done:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0918.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0920.jpg)
It has to be adjusted for the door and more welding needs to be done, then the panel will be shrank a little bit! These guys are so good, their specialty is Hot Rods, a typical American passion which involves mixing different cars panels or chopping roofs, etc. They don't do anything else but metal work! so their skills at working steel, aluminum and brass are amazing. If a steel panel is bulging too much for example, they have a special tool to shrink it, it's not a grinder or sender, it does not remove any metal, it just generates enough heat to actually shrink the panel. I have seen it done, amazing!
Emmanuel [:)]
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It's great that you have a Hot Rod shop working on the body as they really are good at making specialist panel sections. Great to see that your car retains the original Sill jacking points as most cars have had them covered over. They may or may not still be strong enough to use but they look great. They originally had chromed or alloy plugs fitted in them, hopefully you have these still or probably the Rod Shop can make some up for you.
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Brett hi, to answer your question about the sill jacking points, they are very strong since they are brand new. A few years ago I did an enormous amount of work at the bottom of the car. 1/2 the floors, were replaced, ( the outer half), all the sills, inner and outer, (there are actually 4 layers inside), all the out riggers, (rectangular tubing attaching the body to the chassis). So anything below the belt is new. The only sacrifice to originality is that the jacking points are flush with the sills instead of protruding. I thought it would be more pleasing that way. This is why I could not believed we missed the left rear fender then. The metal smiths worked 8 hours a day for 3 months to replace all the rotten metal. All the panels were duplicated respecting originality, even the floor boards have all the necessary ribbing. It looks stock. If people are interested I could post some relevant photos in another thread.
Emmanuel [:)]
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Front right quarter panel finished:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0932.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0923.jpg)
Incidentally, it is very hard to set the door to front wing gap because of the design. When the door opens, it's edge comes very close to the wing edge. It may take hours to set it properly.
Emmanuel [:(]
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Really nice to see a properly done renovation.
Keep posting the pics.
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Thanks, I am trying and I will. I hope this 428 will be one of the best around. It won't be a trailer queen, it certainly will be on one of the best driver, I have been playing with it for about 5 years, with different engines, suspensions, etc.
Emmanuel
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Here, a little fun, The beautiful hand-made inner rear left fender we pulled out before I toss it!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0743.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0740.jpg)
Emmanuel [:D]
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OK! now back to the left front Fender, a little surgery:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0934.jpg)
A new upper piece:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0940.jpg)
The template from the other side, it matches Jeffrey's car!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0948.jpg)
And now what we cut off:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0941.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0947.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0945.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0944.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0943.jpg)
I would guess, most Fruas, will be very rusted, unless they have lived in Arizona or some place like that. To be fair, not everybody has access to a Hot Rod shop to rebuild their cars. Most body shops know how to replace parts, but when it comes to remake a wing for example, this is another story.
Emmanuel [:)]
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And now the front right wing after taking out 5-6Lbs of lead:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0950.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0949.jpg)
I guess it's not as bad, the top part of the lip has no lead but the front and rear parts will have to come off! The problem is that they left the rusted piece behind! when it's all done, I will have a lightweight!
Emmanuel [:)]
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YIKES!
You're right Emmanuel. A lightweight! With this latest effort, I'm sure you've passed the 100 lb mark on the bodywork diet your car has been on. Altogether, you must have lightened your car more than 250 pounds!
Amazing - your car looked so good when you bought it. Who woulda thunk?
Randy Reed told me a 50's or early 60's (I don't recall) Ferrari he restored for Pebble Beach had a fender made out of a road sign. Original craftsmanship! Good metal (in this case, aluminum) was in short supply postwar. Could that have still been true in the 70's?
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Good grief Emmanuel that's some major surgery on the front fender! That rod shop's workmanship is superb !
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BTW:
I've known Emmanuel quite a while now. There are some very knowledgeable car guys waiting for any car he has tired of and wants to sell.
You couldn't do better than buying a car that has been "Emmanuelized".
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LOL Jeffrey, I also suspect I could never afford any car that had been 'Emmanuelized' either !
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Here are some photos of the new wing taking shape!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0958.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0953.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0956.jpg)
This is only tag welded for the time being, what is amazing is that the welding goes right through to the inside.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0960.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0955.jpg)
Emmanuel!
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After careful consideration, there are four more areas that will have to be addressed by the metalsmiths. Right front wing, Right rear wing, and the door sill areas on both sides. When we did the sills, we left a small strip in the door jam area and it's corroding again, and there is tons of lead. We will change it! The car is getting lighter, I am as well! After that, that will be it.
Emmanuel [:(]
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quote:
Originally posted by lyonheart84
Good grief Emmanuel that's some major surgery on the front fender! That rod shop's workmanship is superb !
Yes, they are amazing. If anybody wants a good metal shop in Southern California, I will be glad to give them the name. They can make just about anything!
Emmanuel [8D]
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Originally posted by nikbj68
Re the earlier post about ali bodies for the AC 428 the first car, a convertible then called the AC 427, had an ali body. The argument presented at the time was that a steel body needed much less by way of sub-structure and was in the end both simpler to make and lighter. Hence the change.
All the AC 428 production bodies were made in Italy out of Italian steel, which then was notorious for corroding quickly.
This argument for steel does seem somewhat at odds with AC's established practice, given their long experience of producing cars with ali bodies.
Fantastic work on the restoration.
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Thanks. I think it all came to a matter of cost. Aluminium is much more expensive to use on a car. It requires a strong substructure to be viable. The amount of labor involved would have made to car even more pricey than it was. When not done right, in some very rare case, aluminium cars can weight more than steel bodied ones, like the early very rare and very pricey alloy Jaguar XK120 which is heavier than the steel bodied one. The Maserati Mistral is an all alloy car, and it is very similar in many ways to the Frua, so Frua had the know how to build the AC in alloy.
Hi, I have 2 more photos taken tonight. They are now making the tool to build the lip. Here is the wing progressing:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0964.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0962.jpg)
The next step will be to weld the lip to the wing after it is made up. Ben is actually fabricating the piece which will go in the lower front valence.
Emmanuel [:)]
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Emmanuel
As you know I am having CF6 repainted. It's now down to bare metal after removing lots of layers of paint and filler. No horrors uncovered - some minor corrosion which will be cut out and replaced with new steel. The car had a major rebuild in 1996 before I owned it and I am satisfied that it is structurally very good and the right shape except for the shape of the front wings which I have always thought were too high. But then what is 'right'? I think I see evidence of change in the flow of the line through the tops of the doors into the wings after early cars. These appear to have a virtually straight plated trim at the tops of the doors and quite a flat wing line whereas later cars have a door trim more curved in the vertical plane, concave up, leading into the wings with a highest point above or just behind the wheel centre and then falling to the headlight. I am sure there were random differences between cars and what has changed in the subsequent 40 years? Photographs of cars are difficult to interpret as the effect of lighting and distortion of perspective can be misleading. The best example I have of the side elevation is that of CF57 (Classic and Sportscar March 2008) which Paul used as the header for his register. This appears to have been shot in a studio and seems to me to be 'right' and pleasing to my eye. So we will use this as a guide but difficult to transfer from picture to car. I know you are keen to get your car right; do you have a view on this aspect of the shape? In the pictures you posted by Heritage Classics and in the bodyshop it appears, but may not actually be, that your door trims ars straightish and the wings flattish both in side elevation and in cross section. Or is this a false impression? How does the profile look in the flesh in side elevation? I think the differences I am talking about are small but are important. If the wing line is too high the wings seem inconsistent with the low nose and if they are too flat the car can look as if it has sagged in the middle.
Do you think the wing lines on your car are 'right'? Are they same as Jeff's car? Do they look the same as CF57 (3 cars later)? Do you think fastbacks and convertibles should be the same ? - I am assuming they should.
Sorry to put all these questions to you when you are busy with your car but I would much appreciate your views.
Michael
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Michael Hi,
To tell you the truth, I am not completely sure, Jeffrey's car lines seem similar to mine with the exception of the sills. His is an "early" car while mine is a "late" one. On his car, there is an indentation on the belt below the door line and the sill goes down vertically. On my car the old sills (Not original) were completely rounded which was probably wrong. When we re-did them and after looking at photos of "late" cars, we decided to make the sills flat (as opposed to rounded like before) but at an angle, going in-ward, not vertical like earlier cars.
As far as the line which travels from behind the headlight to the back of the car, the shape is exactly the same on Jeffrey's car and on mine. I will look again a bit more carefully just to double check. Now this line is not straight or flat, it is curved on the front wing, goes flatter straight down on the door and curves back up under the door handle to meet the rear wing. There, it rises above the rear wheel and curves down again to turn back up again sharply at the rear like a little spoiler. I have not noticed a difference on Jeffrey car or on the Pebble Beach winner other "early" green roadster I have seen and of which I have numerous photos. I do think the wing line on my car is right because they are the same on both sides and there has not been an accident. There is no trace of one on the bare metal on either side of the car. The front wings are quite high on all the cars I have seen, I think its part of the design. Since you took your car to bare metal, you were able to identify any accident or piece which is not original. All these things leave traces behind. On my car, hideous repairs were hidden under massive amounts of lead. Remember, if there is any hidden rust, it will eventually bubble your nice and brand new paint job. You can use a magnet and identify place where it does not stick and you know you have an issue there. We just found a spot behind the right front door on top at the base of the convertible top were the magnet does not stick. About 3 to 4" full of lead and when you look on the other side, in the convertible top opening there is yellow grease which is really animal fat and which is used to apply the lead. Another shady repair which will be addressed shortly. As far as the chrome trim, are you talking about the side window chrome trim? Looking at CF70 photos, you get the impression it is sagging in the middle, but I think it is due to the rear suspension which is too low or sagging. I have not seen the car other than in photograph.
Let me know if you want any photos? I will be happy to E-mail you some.
Regards,
Emmanuel [:)]
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Michael - I sent you an email with my email address. If you'd like, I'll send you photos of my car taken last week. They show the profile clearly, if that's any help to you.
I would think the shape of the fender arches, and the belt line, is most likely the same for both the Fastback and the roadster.
My car came to me as it is now. I do not know anything of it's historywith the exception of it's delivery to N.America from the factory. But there have been quite a few eyeballs on my car, and the consensus is that it has not been hit, and it's not rusted. Won't know for sure without removing the paint.
I think the mileage is original (44,444), and it's been in N. America it's whole life (I believe).
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Hi Jeff when did you buy it ?
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Hi everyone, further to talk on sill shapes, in fact CF42 the first fastback I owned at the beginning of the 1980's ( I wish I had been able to afford to keep her ) had a new complete front end ( the last new one available from the factory apparently ) fitted in the late 1970's probably due to a front end shunt. It was still in primer when I got the car circa 1982. However the sills APPEARED to be 100% original with the original chrome plugs fitted in the jacking points which had clearly never been removed and were rusted into place. The sills were actually SLIGHTLY CURVED. Every replacement sill I have ever seen on 428's always seemed to be straight including sill restoration / replacements done by the AC factory. I assume the originals if slightly curved were tricky to make and I'm aware of various claims in the 1980's that Hillman Hunter / Cortina sills were 'similar'. Since the cars were hand built at Frua I have a suspicion that the sills varied over the 6 or 7 years of production as so few were built every year so maybe some had slightly curved sills and some straight? I've also seen variations in the lower front leading corner of the sills from a fairly sharp angled corner to a rounded-off corner. Nearly every Frua you see today has no jacking points in the sills so they have been removed or covered over when the sills were repaired or replaced. I dread to think if they have been simply been covered over what is happening to the sills inside ! From the cars I looked at in the early 1980's it would appear that Frua left the insides of the body panels in bare metal or very basic primer ! The cars were already starting to rust when new especially if used in damp or temperate climates. I doubt if there is anything that would be deemed to be 100% 'correct' as far as restoration is concerned as there is no definitive guideline. Unless there is such a thing as a 1 owner untouched original 428 sitting in someone's garage unused and covered in dust for 35 or 40 years then perhaps we'll never know. Does anyone know if Jim Feldman replaced the sills on his convertible when he refurbished it and what shape his sills were? When we sold him the car circa 1984 it had been colour changed by the second owner but I suspect the panelwork was probably all original as the car had been little used and was low mileage. Be interesting to hear what Jim thinks as I believe he has a fastback also.
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quote:
Originally posted by Classicus
Hi Jeff when did you buy it ?
Paul - I think I bought it in 2003. The car ran so hot I couldn't use it until I started addressing the issue. My first attempt involved replacing the radiator, which was only marginally helpful on it's own.
My belief that the indicated mileage was correct was very much influenced by how unuseable the car was on all but the coldest days. CFX29 accumulated a great deal of time parked in my garage. I assumed that previous owners experience was similar, keeping the mileage low over it's lifetime.
When Emmanuel bought his car and embarked on improving it, I benefitted from his experimentation.
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Hey Manny, I hope you`re getting a discount from the Hot Rodders for all this lead you`re giving them!
Must be enough for a `51 Mercury 'Lead Sled' by now?!
(http://images31.fotki.com/v1039/photos/2/223020/1590264/sweet1-vi.jpg)
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quote:
Originally posted by Classicus
Originally posted by Classicus
Hi Jeff when did you buy it ?
Paul - I think I bought it in 2003. The car ran so hot I couldn't use it until I started addressing the issue. My first attempt involved replacing the radiator, which was only marginally helpful on it's own.
My belief that the indicated mileage was correct was very much influenced by how unuseable the car was on all but the coldest days. CFX29 accumulated a great deal of time parked in my garage. I assumed that previous owners experience was similar, keeping the mileage low over it's lifetime.
When Emmanuel bought his car and embarked on improving it, I benefitted from his experimentation.
Thanks Jeff. Talking of running hot did you fit a spoiler in the end as I also remember you saying that like Emmanuel you don't get the old problem of overheating any more in hot weather. Or did you just fit the same heat insulation that he did as well ?
Another thought hope Peter in Queensland's OK after that awful cyclone and haven't heard from Damien in a while either as he'd almost finished his restoration....? And I often wonder what happened to CF 5 Chuck Maddox's Press car as well....?
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None of my 428's ran hot in the UK except maybe in freak temperature conditions in heavy traffic, guess they were designed for use in the UK by a UK based company ! The original metal bladed twin fans were inadequate but high speed plastic bladed Kenlowes would work if the radiator was in top condition, but obviously AC never had the financial resources to try the cars out in hot climates, so the overseas customers had to do the development work just like on Jensen Interceptors and Triumph Stags !
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No front spoiler as yet, and only a bit of added insulation. The improved running temperature is due (so far) to:
1) Replacing iron intake manifold, Iron heads and brass radiator with their aluminum counterparts.
2) Replacing iron exhaust manifold with ceramic coated stainless steel headers.
3) Replacing the whole exhaust system with ceramic coated stainless.
4) Replacing C6 auto box with 5 speed manual transmission.
5) Repurposing Transmission oil cooler to engine oil cooling. Installing remote oil filter.
6) Installing radiator overflow tank (There wasn't one, resulting in fluid loss and air in the system)
So far, these changes have made a big difference in running temperture. (note: It's not summer yet, still cool out now)
There is still a lot of engine compartment air intrusion into the passenger compartment - because the change in transmission requires a change in the lower dash and and transmission tunnel covers. It's all open now - Soon to be fixed, I hope.
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Here are some pics of the new lip being installed on the wing:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0970.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0971.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0972.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0973.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0974.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0975.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0976.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0977.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0980.jpg)
It's been welded but it still needs to be ground. Then new back plates will be installed inside as well as an inner lip at the top on the inside. For this piece, I wished we could have had access to a spare wing as the job was very involved. No lead!
Emmanuel [:)]
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Hi Guys, I do have more photos, the workmanship is impeccable, I am very pleased:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0990.jpg)
Here is the wing finished, outside:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0991.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0986.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0985.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0984.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0983.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0982.jpg)
Inside:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1000.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0998.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0997.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0996.jpg)
We copied the other side's detail exactly. Of course, I have to get a second job!
Emmanuel [:D]
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When one looks at the details inside the wings, one can understand why these cars are prone to rusting. They were just pieced together like a work of art, not much engineering there, in addition to the rust prone Italian steel, you have so many places where water will get trapped and just sit, slowly eating the metal. The Frua is not the only one however, most exotic Italian cars were built the same way and rusted just the same. On alloy bodied cars, rust corroded the substructure and the car rotted just the same although it's much more expensive to repair.
My two cents!
Emmanuel [:)]
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Now the other side front:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1004.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1007.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1008.jpg)
Rear:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1011.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1010.jpg)
And the door jam which we should have changed at the time:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1013.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1012.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1014.jpg)
After that it should be it!
Emmanuel [:)]
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Here are some pictures of the other side front wing. I hope I am not scaring any of you Frua owners with these shots. All these cars will have corrosion in some places, just like any contemporary Italian made cars. Mine was particularly bad because it was just made up to look good for auction. This is a car that probably sat for years in a field somewhere. I thought it would be interesting for you guys to see what's involved in properly restoring a car like this. I did not do it all at once mainly for financial reasons but also as I said before, also because I wanted to play with the mechanicals first.
Anyway, front right wing:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1007.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1016.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1017.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1018.jpg)
The rear part of the front right wing:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1015.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1019.jpg)
Here we are somewhat lucky because the inner part will be cleaned up and does not need to be cut off. There is only minor surface corrosion. When the metal work is finished on the car, The whole undercarriage will be stripped, sanded and painted again. I will make sure that paint and sealer are applied to all these inner parts to prevent corrosion to start again.
Emmanuel [:)]
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Heroic job, Emmanuel!
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse, and so a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only, are this man's lawful prey."
John Ruskin 1819 ~ 1900
Victorian sentiment, but applicable here.
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quote:
Originally posted by J Jones..."There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse, and so a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only, are this man's lawful prey."
John Ruskin 1819 ~ 1900. Victorian sentiment, but applicable here.
Especially so, as AC used to use in in advertising!
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Emmanuel, Wow! What can I say? Huge respect to you and your team for the beautiful work which you have shown on this forum. The finished result will be a labour of love and will undoubtedly look fabulous. Thanks for sharing it with us all. Andy.
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Thanks Andy, I am trying but it sure looks like its never ending.
Anyway, the rear side of the front wing with it's new piece, almost done:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1025.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1024.jpg)
Ben is welding part of the inner piece he had to cut off to fit the new piece.
Emmanuel [:)]
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More photos of the right front wing:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1027.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1026.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1029.jpg)
Now the right front door jam, a small rusty part remained:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1028.jpg)
Emmanuel [:)]
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OK now the right rear wing, we have an issue that the car is not completely symmetrical. The left wheel is closer to the left wing than the right wheel to the right wheel. On my car, before we worked on it, it was by 3/4 inch, on CFX37 1/2 inch and on Jeffreys car they are even but one lip is bigger than the other and the left wing is bulging more. We will have to make it so it's not that noticeable. Anyway, here is the right wing, same problem as on the other side, they mickey moused the thing:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1033.jpg)
As you can see the front of the rear wing is much lower than the door, this is factory and they corrected it with lead. Also see how the previous rust repairer just stuck the inner wing on top of the original which rusted away.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1030.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1032.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1034.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1035.jpg)
Here is the new panel being made, Ben is used to it now and it seems to be going much faster. We are copying Jeffrey's right wing which does not seem to have had any work done on it. Jeffrey was very nice to lend me his car to use as a model.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1041.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1050.jpg)
Emmanuel [:)]
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I have more photos, rusted metal and Mickey Mouse inner fender have been removed, the reenforcement behind the door post will be repaired or replaced depending on how corroded it is!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1062.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1057.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1058.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1059.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1063.jpg)
Emmanuel [:)]
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Hi Emmanuel,
at the end you have a new car [:)]
Peter
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Hi guys, I have more photos, the reenforcement behind the door has been fixed. Monday, Mel will make the inner wing and lets hope that by mid-week this side will be done!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1083.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1075.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1071.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1080.jpg)
Emmanuel [:)]
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Keep up the good work,the car is looking great.
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2 more photos, work has slowed as the shop had to prepare a hot rod for a magazine photo shoot! Inner wing is done!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1094.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1093.jpg)
Emmanuel [:)]
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A benefit of lending my car to Emmanuel is the discovery (Yay!) (boo!) that my left rear wing has apparently had a repair. Not too serious, but there IS some rust/corrosion under the paint.
We discovered it when I had my gas tanks pulled to be cleaned and repaired.
That also explains a repair to my rear bumper, which is now being addressed. (Stainless steel replacements available)
Luckily, the rear panel I purchased from Brett is the left rear side, the same side that needs fixing.
That's a bit of serendipity! Lucky me! I had no idea I'd actually need it when I bought it.
As No one has expressed any interest in the 3D mapping of the car for the future use of other owners, I think I'll use the part to fix my car.
Perhaps it's true that the slim numbers of Frua owners do not visit this forum on a regular basis. Still, it's a good place to document what is happening with these cars. Emmanuel's heroic resuscitation of his car is a good example - and believing that these cars will one day be very valuable and useable, that's a good thing. Nothing hidden here!
Racing history is clearly important. The ACOC magazine ACtion stresses the (1950's, - 60's) history of AC's success on the track.
The Frua is a GT, not intended for the race track. But if you want a wild, sophisticated ride for touring, you're 6 feet tall or taller, and want to actually drive something most car guys have never seen - this is the car for you!
Yes, they are heavier than a Cobra. But they're comfortable AND fast. With the availability of improved parts (both of the period, and later improved parts and materials), they can be faster, handle better, and shut down ANY car of it's vintage and many "hot" cars of today.
SURPRISE! (take that Mustang, Corvette, Ferrari, Aston Martin, etc!)
1000 miles in this car is a piece of cake. AND you can can have fun doing it. It doesn't have to be an exercise in endurance. Or the depth of your wallet. These can be the great cars they promised to be in "the day".
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I should think "Road & Track", 45 years on, could well be delighted to do a follow up AC 428 front page spread, article and road test, especially with a fastback and a fully restored high velocity convertible eventually available.
In fact rather than seeing and doing a write-up of just the finished cars only, now could be the ideal time to give them a call to see if they're interested in seeing, photographing and making notes of both cars while they're still in the raw.
After all they can only say no....
http://acfrua428.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=115841&topicID=19797027&p=3
http://www.roadandtrack.com/
(http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p273/classicus/AC428-RoadTrackhighres0001.jpg)
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Ok, here is the new wing, almost done but not welded yet:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1102.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1101.jpg)
Emmanuel [:)]
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And the hood springs again:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1100.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1099.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1097.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1095.jpg)
Emmanuel
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Here are today's photos:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1109.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1107.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1106.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1105.jpg)
We still need to correct the top of the wing, where it meets the door. it was full of lead to correct a factory problem!
Emmanuel [:)]
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Ok, the rear right wing is finished as well as the area adjacent to the door on top:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1123.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1135.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1134.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1133.jpg)
unfortunately, a bit of filler will still be required because the patch could not be hammered from the back due to poor access, but still a million times better than the factory:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1117.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1114.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1113.jpg)
This side of the car is done!
Emmanuel
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Now back to the other side where we replaced the door jam area:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1151.jpg)
Now we have to cut the new wing lip which we did first as the shape is all wrong. The wheel opening shape was right but the shape of the lip was wrong, way too flat. We had copied the other side which was full of lead. we now are working from the right side of Jeffrey's car which is factory perfect!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1147.jpg)
It happens [V]:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1148.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1150.jpg)
A whole week of work down the tube!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1156.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1157.jpg)
We may be able to save the new inner wing which required an enormous amount of work to do.
This is the last of the metal work, after this is done, the car will go back to the painting shop.
Emmanuel [:)]
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Hi Guys, I have more photos of the rear left wing being worked on!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1165.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1164.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1162.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1160.jpg)
And a photo of the rear of the car where a few hole were plugged!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1167.jpg)
Emmanuel [:)]
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I'm surprised you didn't wait another week Emmanuel as Jeff's new left hand rear wing should nearly be there by now ? Wouldn't it have been easier for your Rod shop to copy the wheel arch straight from the new panel and saved a lot of time and labour ? I'm sure the fastback and convertible wheel arches are identical ?
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Well, we copied Jeffrey's rear right wing for the right corner and now we are redoing the left wing to match. We can't keep on re-doing things forever. As far as I am concerned, like we say in French, "the carrots are cooked" that's it, if the shape his wrong, so be it. To complicate matter further, both sides are not exactly the same. The left wheel opening is 1/2 inch smaller than the right, The same on Jeffrey's car. And the rear wheel protrudes more on the right side by again about a 1/2 inch. Same on Jeffrey's car and on CFX 37. I am now wondering if the chassis is centered on the body or slightly to the right. Come to remember my Kirkham was that way as well. It could be the factory did it that way on the MKIII to make room for the emergency brake handle and same on the Frua. Next time Jeffrey's car is on the lift I will measure to see where the chassis is in relation to the body, we will see. Also, the MKIII was a racing car conceived mainly by Ford and Shelby, These would be mainly left hand drive, so moving the chassis a bit to the right would help with weight bias with a single driver??? Just pure speculation on my part!
Emmanuel [:)]
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Well Emmanuel it will be interesting to see how the measurements check out but it's more likely to be Frua's dodgy workmanship if the bodies were not symmetrical! It will be interesting to see how the new rear fender compares when it arrives !
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Ok, now back to our rear left wing:
The inner wing was modified to accommodate the new lip, It was stitched from the inside so the welding marks will be invisible. A lot cheaper than making a whole new one. We decided to make the new wing panel bigger to get rid of some welding in the back behind the wheel opening, it will make for a nicer panel:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1198.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1197.jpg)
Our new wing panel ready to be installed:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1202.jpg)
The panel being fitted on the car, it's also easier to set the correct door gap this way, it makes for a nicer edge, just like the passenger side:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1177.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1173.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1172.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1171.jpg)
Ben is now in the process of welding the panel, first spot welding then he will stitch it, Richard sits in the boot with a special steel block that he applies on the other side to prevent the panel from warping:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1203.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1204.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1205.jpg)
He still has to do the upper part where it meets the door like on the other side and then that's it, next week, the car will go back to McCluskey for painting and reassembly.
Oh, a pile of rubbish:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1183.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1220.jpg)
Emmanuel [:)]
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When I came this afternoon, the panel was 95% finished, Ben is now changing the top of the wing where it meets the door.
The wing line is completely wrong and the welding is really ugly, just like the other side was. There was a couple of pounds of lead there!
Here is the left rear wing as it stands now, I have a car again:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1209.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1208.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1207.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1206.jpg)
For comparison, now versus the way we first did it after we copied the other side which was full of lead. It was my mistake, I wanted to do it corner by corner thinking that maybe I could save expenses by leaving some of it alone, wrong thinking, we should have melted all the lead first to truly assess the situation then and copied Jeffrey's car from the go, that way I would not have had to redo the left rear corner:
Now:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1208.jpg)
The first time we did it, you can see how fat the rear wing looks? and there is almost no lip! (By the way, this is how it looks when the wing is full of lead, it makes the lip disappear and the whole wing appears inflated or swollen.):
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0912.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0911.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0913.jpg)
I hope you guys can see the difference! We also shrank the rear of the wing which bulged too much compared to the other side this helped us make the wheel gap pretty much even on both sides! The car looks great.
We still need to change the the mounting studs on the seat frames which are way too thin and partially stripped and make new brackets to mount the side vents!
The only lead left is on the cowl around the windshield on the side, it is factory and we decided to leave it alone. I now probably own the lightest Frua on the planet! [:D]
Emmanuel [:)]
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Recap:
Left front wing:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1188.jpg)
Right front wing:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1189.jpg)
Left rear:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1207-1.jpg)
Right rear:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1190.jpg)
Emmanuel
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Looking great Emmanuel, can't wait to see the paint finished !
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Some more pictures of the car!
The upper part of the wing fixed:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1229.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1228.jpg)
Again, there is no access from behind, it will require some filler but way better than the factory!
Bottom rear of the wings which were full of lead from a previous repair.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1225.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1224.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1227.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1226.jpg)
The line you see is because the patch was not completely welded yet.
There was about 3 pounds of lead at the bottom there. Amazing.
We are now working on the side vents which need a lot of help. The bezels are made out of brass and had to be de-chromed prior to being straightened and polished.
While working on the left side vent, I decided to also replace the panel between the wing lip and the door which had been pounded and shrank too many times. It would have required too much filler to get a nice finish:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1243.jpg)
Here are some more photos of the car with the side vents fitted. The bezels have been de-chromed for straightening. They will go back to the chrome shop where they will apply several coats of copper be polished again and finally chromed. You can see how good the car looks, I am happy!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1246.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1244.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1242.jpg)
Tomorrow or Monday the car will go back to the other shop for priming.
Emmanuel [:D]
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I found some pictures of my lead queen at Concorso Italiano in Pebble Beach a couple of years before I bought it! I still have the certificate. It look pretty good on the outside, but underneath!!!!!!!
(http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww83/dion_rj/AC%20428/CFX54_1970_03.png)
(http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww83/dion_rj/AC%20428/CFX54_1970_04.png)
From the way it looked, (This is also the way it looked when I bought it) one could never tell how bad it was underneath, and how much lead was on the car. If I count how much we took out from the sills, I say we probably come close to 200 Lbs. The sills were full of it to hide the horrible bodywork. Of course most of the rust was left under all this. The paint, although still ok, showed a lot of waves, or overfill which I attributed at the time to having been painted repeatedly without being stripped all the way to bear metal. I have learned a lot since that time! Notice how skinny and slopping the wing lips are, there is over a 1/2 inch of lead around them, and yet it does not look that bad! Sometimes, I wonder if it was all worth it to do that much work, but considering how rare and gorgeous 428 are, and how they drive when properly set up I say it was. Also, I attributed the ill fitting bumpers as to them being bent, when it was the other way around, the car was too fat and that made the bumpers seem wrong. Somebody should invent an portable instrument, probably X-ray based which would detect the amount of filler and type, lead, Bondo, etc and which would clearly show what the bodywork looks like underneath. There is already such device used on aircraft to detect cracks but it's huge and very expensive.
(http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww83/dion_rj/AC%20428/CFX54_1970_05.png)
(http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww83/dion_rj/AC%20428/CFX54_1970_06.png)
Actually, here you can see how wavy the car is on the left side. Look at the reflection of the grass, it's all distorted.
(http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww83/dion_rj/AC%20428/CFX54_1970_07.png)
(http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww83/dion_rj/AC%20428/CFX54_1970_08.png)
(http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww83/dion_rj/AC%20428/CFX54_1970_09.png)
And the boot:
(http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww83/dion_rj/AC%20428/CFX54_1970_12.png)
Can anyone tell me if the boot is supposed to look like this or if it is supposed to be paneled? It may depend whether the car is an early or late model!
Emmanuel [:)]
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quote:
Originally posted by nikbj68
Hey Manny, I hope you`re getting a discount from the Hot Rodders for all this lead you`re giving them!
Must be enough for a `51 Mercury 'Lead Sled' by now?!
(http://images31.fotki.com/v1039/photos/2/223020/1590264/sweet1-vi.jpg)
I gave them a superb deal on the lead!
Emmanuel [:D]
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Ok here is a another recap:
First, after we stripped the car, you can see clearly the amount of lead on the edge of that wing:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0243_2.jpg)
We put a coat of primer to protect the metal and also to see all the flaws. However, there was one drawback, it was more difficult to see the lead:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0827.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0826.jpg)
However, all the lead in the nose had been removed to see the extend of the problem!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0824.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0821.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN0817-1.jpg)
And finally, the car as it was this morning and almost no lead left!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1241.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1240.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1239.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1238.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1237.jpg)
It should be relatively easy to get a very nice and smooth finish since the car is so straight now. Also, I can tell it's a lot lighter, it sits much higher than before! We have changed over 50% of the car's body panels. There were also a few little patches I have not mentioned like one above the gas tank between the boot lid and the convertible top opening.
Emmanuel [:)]
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quote:
Originally posted by Emmanueld...I can tell it's a lot lighter, it sits much higher than before!...Emmanuel [:)]
I don`t suppose that`s because it`s still missing the interior, brightwork, glass and that big ol` 8-pot boat anchor ?[:p][:D]
Maybe someone could take all your off-cuts & turn a Cobra back into a Frua!!!
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quote:
Originally posted by nikbj68
quote:
Originally posted by Emmanueld...I can tell it's a lot lighter, it sits much higher than before!...Emmanuel [:)]
I don`t suppose that`s because it`s still missing the interior, brightwork, glass and that big ol` 8-pot boat anchor ?[:p][:D]
Maybe someone could take all your off-cuts & turn a Cobra back into a Frua!!!
No, I am talking about the car in the same state of assembly of course! If you are interested, I will do a deal on the parts and a very good deal on the lead! [:D]
E
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Emmanuel,
I've been looking at your pictures and your chronicling the restoration. It's a great project and it looks like the car will be fantastic. Congratulations on a beautiful project. It looks great.
Gus
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Thanks Gus, I will post more photos soon.
Emmanuel
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Hi Guys, earlier today Jeffrey and I went to pick up his rear wing and I am ecstatic, The work we did on the rear wings of my car look exactly the same as this new old stock wing. Everything looks identical, even the cuts are in pretty much the same places. Awesome, this made my day!
Emmanuel [:D]
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Hi guys, I have some more photos, the bodywork has started and the first skimming is done with a product which is called "All-Metal".
It is a filler which has aluminum oxide, it has similar properties as lead but is much lighter and a lot harder, it is also completely impervious to moisture unlike old "Bondo"
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_7965.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_7964.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_7930.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_7914.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_7854.jpg)
The doors
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_7961.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_7960.jpg)
In most areas, the skimming is only 1/16th thick except behind the doors where the panels could not be beat due to lack of clearance, there the fill is 1/8th. We are also leaving the stamping or spot weld marks on the inside of the doors frames which are also there on CFX37
Emmanuel [:)]
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Hi Guys, I have a few more photos taken at the body shop. This is a long process, smoothing the body to get a perfect surface before painting!
What we started with was already pretty good, but there is always room to make it better.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8264.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8254.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8250.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8249.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8237.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8194.jpg)
This is the part you don't want to rush, the final finish depends on how good the prep work is!
The hood, finished:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8236.jpg)
More to come!I think it will turn out pretty good!
Emmanuel[:)]
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Can't wait to see the final restoration.
-
Emanuel your boot is exactly as mine is but for the fact at yours is now plush leather trimmed carpet whilst mine is the original black vinyl trimmed corded thin black carpet. Same flap hanging to cover the tank, same two panels for spare and battery and same wells to each side.
Cliff
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Cliff, thanks for the feedback on the boot. I guess we have established than AC simplified the boot layout on the series 2 by eliminating the side and back panels in the boot. Both Jeffrey's car and CF37 which are series 1 cars have side panels and another panel covering the tail light wiring. On the coupe, it also covers the fuel tanks equalizing pipe. CF37 also has that black corded carpet.
Emmanuel[:)]
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Couple more photos!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8260.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8258.jpg)
Hood opening! The hood hinges are not serviceable and new one are being made.
Emmanuel[:)]
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Hi guys, I have some more pictures of my Frua. Currently we are doing the lines, making sure they are straight. Some will be rounded a bit.
Front:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8572.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8571.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8569.jpg)
Side:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8538.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8557.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8558.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8559.jpg)
Rear:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8591.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8590.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8568.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8566.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8565.jpg)
I don't think these corners were meant to be that sharp so they will be dulled somewhat! Feedback appreciated there! Andy, what do you think? I have noticed that some cars have more rounded lines than others, it may be because of an excess of filler, Jeffrey's spare wing has quite sharp angles so I think the original car had relatively sharp lines, feedback appreciated.
Emmanuel[:)]
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Personally, I like the crisp lines, final paint will mute them slightly, but I wouldn`t take a file or hammer to them if it were my baby...(Oh I wish!)
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Emmanueld[/b.
Those crisp lines look the dogs bo***x, However laying paint on and keeping the paint on long term could be difficult.
So easy to polish through and very hard to acheive such fine lines should some idiot play dodgems in the car park.
Brilliant thread .[;)]
Keith ..[:)]
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Good point, Keith, I hadn`t considered 'the waxer`s lament', but you`ve seen my car, so that`s not a surprising ommission!!! [:0]
As for car parks, I guess you won`t do the weekly shop in her? [;)]
Just get the paint on & start driving the darned thing!!!!!!
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Crisp is nice! Leave em. I doubt you will need to be doing very much in the way of polishing and waxing over the next 15 years of it's life anyway! You live in a nice dry climate, no road grime!
BTW, my wife and I will be flying out to LA next week for 5 days of driving the Pacific Coast Highway. Got any good tips for nice scenery or site seeing?
Gus
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Peter Mullins Auto Museum: http://www.mullinautomotivemuseum.com/
Nethercutt collection: http://nethercuttcollection.org/
Hearst castle: http://www.hearstcastle.org/
Petersen museum: http://www.petersen.org/
Thats just a start. PCH is a sight all to itself. The "lost coast" is much further north. Empty, beautiful and not much in the way of places to stay, which is great for the driving experience (nobody there!)
http://www.takemytrip.com/07orcal/07_13a.htm
This is a good reason to have a beautiful, dependable classic car in the Western USA. I took this route on the California Mille Miglia. Heres hoping that we'll have a go at it when the Frua's are finished.
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Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Santa Barbara, Carmel and Monterey! and of course San Francisco if you have the time!
Emmanuel[:)]
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Some more photos! (not in order)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8543.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8541.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8540.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8539.jpg)
The painter tells me the corners will be dulled a tiny bit to optimize for paint adhesion.
Emmanuel
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Excellent!! Thanks for the tips!
Gus
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Hi guys', I have a question, does anyone know what colour was the underside of the boot, outside? Was it painted body colour or black? We have removed the undercoating and stripped it to bear metal, there was some green but it could have been over-spray! it will be primed and painted as well.
Thanks,
Emmanuel[:)]
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The car is on it's second coat of primer and drying! I have a few more photos mean while.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8597.jpg)
Side vent being prepped, a slight modification was made to the attachment brackets which were welded to the vent much stronger this way instead of the tiny screws:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8588.jpg)
Rear inner fender being stripped and primed:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8560.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8610.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_8609.jpg)
Might as well do it right and make sure corrosion is all gone! some of the welds are patches and some other are probably factory. The holes are for the Waxoil! There is no corrosion above the rear end and I decided to leave that area alone.
Emmanuel[:)]
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Emmanuel
Re boot - CF6 rear panel is body colour down to the joint with the boot floor and black forward from there - looks right.
It sounds like all convertible boot interiors were much the same. Two carpeted plywood panels over the spare wheel and battery compartments and an open trough round the rear and sides. Always seemed to me the least attractive or practical part of the car and I had no hesitation in modifying mine. As its not external I suggest you forget about originality.
Michael
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I will,
Emmanuel[:)]
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Hi guys,
My baby is back and as good as new! It's been over a year. Here are the latest photos of the car primed and ready for painting. I think she looks quite good. We are making new hinges for the hood as the original ones are not repairable.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1467.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1468.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1469.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1470.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1471.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1466.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1465.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1464.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1465.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSCN1463.jpg)
The lines are quite sharp but I think its the way it is supposed to be! Again, I think many of these cars have duller lines because of excessive filler and re-paintings. Also, it's amazing how small this car is when it's next to a Cobra, just a tad bigger.
Emmanuel[:)]
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AC is a featured marque at Pebble Beach Concours this coming August. You've got just enough time to get this baby ready, Emmanuel.
Although I am sure it was not your intention to make a 'show car', it's bound to be the best of the best when it's done!
Why not enter it? Give Jim Feldman some competition!
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Jeffrey, I will try but it would have to be ready on time. Also it does not have wire wheels anymore which does not make it 100% original!
I do have a set of 5 original MK-IV 16" wheels which would make it all AC. By the way, the colour will be as the awesome Jag type D pictured below, it is a very very dark green which is almost black. I once saw a SB Cobra painted as such and it was amazing! 428s look much better in dark shades, my humble opinion.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/1955_Jaguar_XKD_34_left.jpg)
The car is now straight enough for it.
Emmanuel[:)]
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Fantastic to see it all in one colour now, and the crispness of the lines I think are perfect. Is the final colour going to be metallic, as this will look awesome in the sunshine!
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It will be like the Jag D type above, a very dark green almost black which can be done only if the body is super straight. The problem with black or very dark glossy colors is that it magnifies any imperfection. if you want to hide imperfections, paint it white. I think it will be nice!
Emmanuel[:)]
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beautiful in primer.............should be esquisitite in a dark color
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It should be! Next we paint the engine compartment and the boot, then we paint the car and then we will paint underneath I guess in that order! I am getting impatient!
Emmanuel[:)]
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After being on the back burner for over a year, we are now ready to proceed with the final stage. Painting the car exterior, painting the engine compartment, painting the frame and under carriage with a chemical resistant chassis paint and finally reassembly. As was done before, photos will be posted regularly on the board. Incidentally, I have started collecting motorbikes this last year and have just purchased another proud British product, a 1959 500 Velocette Venom in really nicely preserved condition, love it!
Emmanuel[:)]
PS At least the primer had a chance to dry! By the way it does not mean you guys should desert the board! it seems a little dead lately[:D]
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Car has been given one thin coat of a dark green, (be reassured, it's not the actual color) this way the painter can spot flaws in the body work and correct them before final painting which I hope will take place next week! Does anyone of you has any idea what material I shall use under the hood and trunk lid as insulation?
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_2207.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_2206.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_2205.jpg)
Emmanuel[:)]
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My hat is off to you.....you are taking this "lady" back to at least "as built" if not better in some respects. A real labor of love of the marque. Beautiful!
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Thank you J,
It's been a long process and still quite a few months to go. After the body is painted, we will do the chassis, the engine compartment and the boot.
Then we will start the process of reassembling everything. The final step will be a trip to the upholstery shop for a new interior.
Emmanuel[:)]
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Hi Guys, I have a bunch of new photos with the final color. Car will be dusted, lightly sanded again and the final coat of clear will be applied. This is a very dark green called "Brooklyn green", needless to say I am happy with the result.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00209.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00207.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00198.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00189.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00188.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00183.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00180.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00178.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00195.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00194.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00193.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00192.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00184.jpg)
Emmanuel[:)]
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Very nice paint job! A beautiful car. It will be nice to see it all put together. The color is similar to the Jaguar British racing green on my Mk IV.
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Thank you, but there is still a lot to be done, it seems like it's never ending. The car was originally green and I thought a very dark color would look very nice. However, if the body is not very straight, one can see imperfections so it's a risk. So far so good, I think it looks great.
Emmanuel[:p]
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Looks Fantastic!
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Thank you Gus, the car is now painted, the next step is the installation of 2 small exhaust fans ducked to the side vents which should help reduce under hood heat here in Southern California. After that, we will paint chassis, engine compartment and boot areas. I think this photo shows how straight the body is and this is still prior to the last coat of clear or any buffing:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00203.jpg)
Emmanuel[:)]
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Looking good, Emmanuel!
It's been a long time coming, but it will be worth it!
Looking forward to seeing it in person!
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Beautiful!
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Hi Guys, here are a couple of photos of the car being prepped for painting under carriage, engine compartment and boot.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00259.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00258.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00255.jpg)
Once painted, reassembly will start, I am told it will go fast and that I should get the car by summer's end!
Emmanuel[:)]
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WOW!
Emmanuel, I looked back to see when you started this quest, and your first post (that I found) was in 2007.
Since before then, you've been steadily engaged in bringing your car back to life, and rectifying the 'temporary' work it was subjected to in the past.
You've done a wonderful job. It will be a MUCH "better than new" car.
In my opinion, that is fully justifiable. You have given the thought and care this rare car deserves. I think you've honored the effort by Derek Hurlock and AC cars, who tried to bring an exciting GT car to market at the time, by doing the development work they did not have the financial resources to do when it was new. But your car is STILL what it was, and still authentic and improved!
Moreover, you've been extremely helpful (I think) to others, by documenting what you've done.There's not a bit of deception here!
Whenever you decide to move your car on to another owner, that lucky person will have incontrovertible evidence of what was done, and how well it's been done! AND much of the work has been done by the same guys who worked on the original AC/Shelby Cobras!
Congratulations!.
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Jeffrey, Thank you for your kind words, it's been a labor of love. The car's frame is now ready for painting, suspension bits, differential and steering rack have been removed, refinished, painted and rebuilt when needed. The rear end is now 3.31 as it is in your car. The whole chassis has been stripped and prepped for painting. Next week, it will be painted underneath and in the engine compartment and then re-assembly will start. the wiring loom is being re-taped using the correct material used by Lucas. Still on schedule for end of summer!
Emmanuel [:)]
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Hi Emmanuel,
Were the doors I sent to you of any use and any news of CF64.
Cheers
Peter
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Sorry, Guys I have been busy on many other things. The car is slowly getting back together. Suspensions have been reinstalled, every bits and bolts have been either repainted or re-plated. Looks awesome. Even the wiring loom has been re-wrapped and new correct connectors added. Photos will be posted shortly. I went so far, I decided that everything should be new or like new so the car will be showroom clean. Might as well. Rear end is now 3.31 as Jeffrey's.
Peter, sorry for late response, we are using the glass and some window mechanism.
Emmanuel[:)]
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I just wanted to share these pictures taken a little while ago with my cell phone. More to come!
Installation of front suspension with new high quality Penske Shocks
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0161-1.jpg)[/URL]
Brake Servos installation with new lines being made up, same a old ones!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0162-1.jpg)[/URL]
Emmanuel[:)]
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As mentioned above, I have a few more photos:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00500.jpg)[/URL]
Engine Compartment:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00491.jpg)[/URL]
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00493.jpg)[/URL]
Front right suspension:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00492.jpg)[/URL]
Emmanuel[:)]
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Congratulations!.Emanuel
I just started the restoration off my 428 and i hope we can achieve this fantastic result.
A merry Christmas to all the members
Siegfried
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Hi Siegfried, I wish you all the luck for your restoration, I am sure you will do great, patience is of the essence and documentation is super important. I am happy to help you with anything you need, don't hesitate and ask. It's so nice to look at a rust and hole free car, nothing but fresh and shiny paint! Just like it was when it left the factory. You want to smile.
Merry Christmas to all members and Happy New Year to all members as well.
Emmanuel[:)]
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quote:
Originally posted by Emmanueld...It's so nice to look at...nothing but fresh and shiny paint! Just like it was when it left the factory.Emmanuel[:)]
Well, no offence to the revered staff of Thame Ditton, but your (nor any!) car looked THAT good when it left the factory!
Hope you get to start putting miles on it this year, Manny, it`s about time you started reaping the rewards of a job VERY well done! [8D]
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Well. Thank You and Happy New Year to all of you! Let's add some life to this forum in 2014.
I hope to be able to enjoy the car soon. All the best!
Emmanuel[:)]
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Engine out of storage!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC00502.jpg)[/URL]
Emmanuel[:)]
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Insulation, this is the key to having a drivable and enjoyable Frua! We will use this space age fiber which comes from the Space Shuttle which is both extremely light and provides amazing insulation. It is standard material for Cobra restoration here. Obviously asbestos is no longer an option. So we will apply this material outside the foot boxes and inside the transmission tunnel. My car being a later model already has the cabin cooling air ducks traveling inside the wheels inner fenders instead of in the engine compartment as in early models. You can actually get cool air coming out of the vents! Photos to follow! Throughout this project, we have tried to re-use a maximum of the old parts including bolts and nuts so as to preserve originality as much as possible. All the improvements made to the car will be easily reversible and the original parts are stored and available to an eventual buyer.
Emmanuel[:)]
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Hello, Emmanuel:
Will you be using anti-sway bars? What are you using for brake pads?
Best Wishes,
Rheinubung
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Yes I installed stock AC MKIII front sway bar sourced from Kirkham, bolted right on with one caveat. My car being a later model did not have the brackets needed on the front control arms. Kirkham supplied those as well and welding was needed. Jeffrey's car which is an earlier car came with the brackets from the factory. Did not install a rear sway bar yet because the stock MKIII will not fit. There is a lot less room in the diff opening than on the MKIII. A custom made bar will have to be made up!
Emmanuel[:)]
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The brake pads are Porterfield.
Emmanuel[:)]
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A few more photos of the rear and front suspension:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0315.jpg)[/URL]
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0331.jpg)[/URL]
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0330.jpg)[/URL]
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0331.jpg)[/URL]
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0330.jpg)[/URL]
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0329.jpg)[/URL]
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0328.jpg)[/URL]
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0326.jpg)[/URL]
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0343.jpg)[/URL]
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0357.jpg)[/URL]
We also trued the hubs to make sure each hub disk assembly is absolutely straight. I was told its essential to do this every time the hubs are separated from the disks. The front hubs are new and the original ones will go in the wood crate where I will store all the original parts.
Once the car is finished, I will install the correct heads on the original 428 engine which were mismatched when I bought the car. it will be placed in an engine crate that I have in my storage.
If some photos look funny it's because I inadvertently turned on the feature part of my phone camera. Of course, not all bolts are on or secured yet! Shortly I will post some finished pictures of the insulation around the foot boxes. No more heat in the cabin I hope!
Emmanuel[:)]
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Main battery cable, one thing that puzzled me was the main battery cable which is a heavy gauge and travels from the boot all the way to the starter solenoid on the right foot box. The cable needs to be heavy gauge and can't be fused. So after looking at many alternatives I picked an aircraft cable which is both very light and triple insulated with the highest rating for both amperage and abrasion resistance. If this cable ever grounds it's a fire or a battery explosion for sure, so picking a high quality one is a must.
Emmanuel[:)]
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No expert but as the fuel tank is in the boot as well wouldn't it be safer to put the battery up front in the engine compartment instead ?
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Yes, Paul you are right, in this case the battery is very low in the boot and the petrol tank is forward above with floor board separating the two. In the coupe however, each tanks is on the side wings. one of them next to the battery with a large pipe right in front of the rear bumper acting as an equalizer. Not the safest system. But these are cars designed in the 60's and not much concern was given to safety then.
Beautiful nevertheless!
Emmanuel[:)]
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Well in the sole interests of preservation of driver and car and leaving aside today’s much stricter road safety legal requirements, and assuming that there’s say only about 30/35 or so coupes left out of the 43 traced, where would be the best and safest place to put the battery ? [:)]
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Paul, I think the battery is probably in the best place, for optimal balance. I think a better physical separation between tank and battery would have been the solution like a bulkhead in the convertible and truly separated tanks in the coupe with a selector switch like Jaguar Xj6 and 12. I have more photos to post, like the insulation around the foot boxes and the firewall done using very light aircraft heat shield materials to replace the original asbestos materials which were grossly ineffective and dangerous. The car should be quieter and most of all cooler inside. I am currently traveling until this weekend and will post them when I return.
Emmanuel[:)]
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Here are some more Photos of the car. Some are dark!
Differential and Control arms:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC02840.jpg)[/URL]
Engine Compartment Insulation:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC02980.jpg)[/URL]
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC02978.jpg)[/URL]
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC02976.jpg)[/URL]
Gas Tank with new foam insulation:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC02954.jpg)[/URL]
Interior Insulation:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/DSC02850.jpg)[/URL]
This should keep it cool!
Emmanuel[:)]
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I forgot this photo:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_0552.jpg)[/URL]
Emmanuel[:)]
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What ever entity AC is should want this on their literature and in showroom when back together!
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Emmanuel - your persistence ia truly admirable. CFX54 will be - hands down - the best 428 ever!
Absolutely gorgeous!
Here's hoping it goes as good as it looks! (and I don't doubt it will)
I'm looking forward to seeing it in person (lucky me!)
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I am happy to report that my car is about 75% done, engine, transmission, suspensions and brakes are installed. Wiring loom is being fitted. Starting up will be within the next couple of weeks.
Finally!
Emmanuel [:)]
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.
Emmanuel
A very fitting tribute would be to See and Hear CFX54 Fire up.
Any chance of a Video Link[?][?]...Please.... Many of us who have followed this fascinating restoration are on the wrong side of the Pond and may never see CFX54 in the Flesh.[:p]
A challenging project that is now coming to fruition, ENJOY !!
Keith..[:)]
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Still not fired up but a few nice photos of Jeffrey's car and mine next to each other!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_2381.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_2391.jpg)
Jeffrey's car original colour:
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_2383.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_2382.jpg)
Quite nice actually! Jeffrey's car is very nice with almost no corrosion! It will be repainted in its original green metallic colour.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_2377.jpg)
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_2388.jpg)
As far as mine, We are doing the wiring, it has all been unwrapped and cleaned and we are incorporating the wiring for the MSD system and the electric fan into the loom and it will be wrapped in the correct Lucas tape!
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_2375.jpg)
Still waiting for the headers!
Emmanuel [:)]
PS, Here is one other baby fresh out of restoration! My 1972 750 Norton Commando Combat.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/Emmanueld_2007/IMG_2267.jpg)
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I've watched Emmanuel's car get renewed over the years, and was gradually taken with the idea of doing a full restoration of my car. I was pretty positive my car was in very good, sound condition - but paint and putty could have been hiding some expensive surprises.
I'm glad to say that's NOT the case with CFX29, however.
It's really in great shape, as I had hoped!
Surprisingly little rust or repairs, all the steel is sound!
And Andy's factory records are clearly correct - The original paint is a nice metallic green and in remarkably good condition!
So au revoir "resale red", and back to it's original color (most likely).
When our two cars are done, they'll be as new! (better, really).