| Author | Message | ||
     Benoit Leus Experienced User Username: benoitleus Post Number: 44 Registered: 6-2009 |
Following my unfortunate coming together with garage wall, the Shadow is now being repaired. I decided to bite the bullet and have not only the damage repaired, but having the whole body restored. The work is being done by the local Hyundai dealer. This might seem a bit odd, but they have an excellent bodyshop, with the archetypical older bodyman, who can do miracles with a welding torch, hammer and dolly.      | ||
| Jeffrey McCarthy Grand Master Username: jefmac2003 Post Number: 346 Registered: 5-2007 |
Benoit, you will not regret this - after 5 years of owning mine I also "bit the bullet" after the last mishap and had it all re-done. It ended up being 9 months (and every spare cent) but it now looks and works like a brand new car - well worth the trouble. good luck, Jeff | ||
| Robert Howlett Frequent User Username: bobhowlett Post Number: 62 Registered: 9-2010 |
Hi Benoit.. Great photos can you please keep them comming as work progresses, as a pictures are worth a thousand words..and I'm terrible at typing. cheers rh | ||
| Randy Roberson Experienced User Username: wascator Post Number: 50 Registered: 5-2009 |
Beautiful! She's designed to be repairable, and to be worth repairing, and you found a skilled artisan to do the job! | ||
| Benoit Leus Experienced User Username: benoitleus Post Number: 48 Registered: 6-2009 |
The accident damage has been repaired, so know they are repairing the panels that showed corrosion. The LH rear has been repaired by using small parts of a good quality repair panel. The only thing left now are the bottom of both front wings (the sill part) and a full respray. As they are working on my car between other jobs, I hope they will be ready for the Christmas holidays, altough I'm not holding my breath.     | ||
| Dave Puttock Experienced User Username: ariel Post Number: 39 Registered: 5-2010 |
Interesting, is that MIG brazing? I bet his kit is not cheap. | ||
| Michael Hicks Frequent User Username: bentleyman22 Post Number: 87 Registered: 12-2011 |
nice to see some body that can do there job  | ||
| Randy Roberson Frequent User Username: wascator Post Number: 57 Registered: 5-2009 |
This is a great topic and I have enjoyed reading it. Indeed the Cars are "repairable and worth repairing". I salute you gentlemen who persist with this old-fashioned attitude! | ||
| Geoff Wootton Experienced User Username: dounraey Post Number: 15 Registered: 5-2012 |
It's looking good - thanks for putting the pics up Benoit. Will be great to see it when the paint goes on. | ||
| Robert Howlett Frequent User Username: bobhowlett Post Number: 64 Registered: 9-2010 |
I agree, great pictures Benoit.Please keep them comming. The resto looks great. cheers. | ||
| Benoit Leus Experienced User Username: benoitleus Post Number: 49 Registered: 6-2009 |
My bodyrepairman was out for two months with a back injury, but now the car is almost ready for the final paint coats. All welding has been done, lead loading some areas and where necessary a (really) fine skim of filler has been applied. All repaired panels have now gotten a coat of primer. The next step will be the flatting down of all panels, another coat of primer and then hopefully the colour (Shelll Grey) can be applied. In a moment of total optimism I have booked the car for our annual village classic car rally om the 1st of May. As I will assemble the car myself, this will probably be a race against time even though I already refurbished most parts.     | ||
| Paul Yorke Grand Master Username: paul_yorke Post Number: 982 Registered: 6-2006 |
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| richard george yeaman Frequent User Username: richyrich Post Number: 80 Registered: 4-2012 |
Benoit. Car looks great very pleased with its restoration. Cheers Richard. | ||
| Benoit Leus Experienced User Username: benoitleus Post Number: 50 Registered: 6-2009 |
Almost there now. The car has been flatted down, just the bootlid, bonnet and front spoiler to do. Hopefully I'll have it back in 2 weeks time so assembly (and all problems that will pose)can begin.     | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 328 Registered: 4-2009 |
good luck Benoit. Great prep work!!! | ||
| Benoit Leus Frequent User Username: benoitleus Post Number: 53 Registered: 6-2009 |
The final paint coats have been put on. This week they will mount the bootlid, bonnet, etc... and hopefully the car will be in my garage this weekend or early next week. The final polish will be done by them in a few weeks time.     In the meantime I have been busy overhauling all kind of components as otherwise they would only let the freshly restored bodywork down.  | ||
| Niclas Olovsson New User Username: nicce Post Number: 10 Registered: 12-2011 |
Looks really nice, I am looking forward to see the final result! Cheers, Niclas | ||
| Geoff Wootton Prolific User Username: dounraey Post Number: 158 Registered: 5-2012 |
Benoit Could you share the restoration details of the header tank. What type of paint did you use. Is the cap new; mine is black bakelite. The new label. How did you clean up the electrical connectors. The part looks like new - maybe it is but you did say you were overhauling the components. Geoff | ||
| Benoit Leus Frequent User Username: benoitleus Post Number: 55 Registered: 6-2009 |
Geoff, it's pretty easy to make the header tank look good again. - strip off all the old paint using a soft nylon wire brush mounted on a drill (no metal brush as it can damage the soft solder) - degrease thoroughly and spray on 2 coats of primer filler - flat back with 400 and 800 wet & dry - spray on 3-4 coats of gloss black automotive paint As for the label : it's the original one that I cleaned using nothing more than Autosol. The bolts were wire brushed and clearcoated. The cap was cleaned up with Autoglym Plastic Conditioner. Finally, the electric connections were wire brushed with a soft brush mounted on a Dremel. As you can see, there is not a lot to it and anybody can achieve the same results. Good luck, Benoit | ||
| Geoff Wootton Prolific User Username: dounraey Post Number: 159 Registered: 5-2012 |
Thanks Benoit. The reason I asked was I was having difficulty in getting a good paint finish on the housing for the heater blower on my car. I was using high temperature engine enamel. In the end I managed to get an acceptable finish, although I suspect that standard automotive gloss paint would have been better. Thanks for the other details - will be useful when I get round to cleaning up the header tank on my car. Geoff. | ||
| Jeffrey McCarthy Grand Master Username: jefmac2003 Post Number: 407 Registered: 5-2007 |
Congratulations Benoit - it all looks fantastic. While we're on the subject of re-painting the engine bits, does anybody know if the original black parts and the engine bay itself were originally gloss black or satin black? I'm trying to decide between POR15 Chassiscoat semi-gloss or Blackcote gloss. | ||
| Randy Roberson Prolific User Username: wascator Post Number: 118 Registered: 5-2009 |
I will offer that my Car SRH 9391, really caught my eye under the bonnet partly because of the glossy black finish on the heater box and other similar parts in the engine compartment. I was surprised they looked so good after 40 years; I have seen some which were really rusty and disreputable-looking. I have reason to believe their finishes are original. I resprayed my blower housings when I repaired her heater core; it was obvious they were not even primed originally, just sprayed black and with no better standard of finish than I have seen on any other car's similar parts. I used a good quality rattle can, with the hope the finish would look good for some time. Short answer:mine were obvioysly glossy black. | ||
| Colin Silver Prolific User Username: colsilver Post Number: 151 Registered: 8-2008 |
Benoit, I just saw your first post opening "Following my unfortunate coming together with garage wall, the Shadow is now being repaired." That's how I got my SC1. Dad, disgusted with himself and thinking he was too old, drove it over and said "here son" Many years later I constantly tell Dad "by the time I inherit this car, I will have paid for it in repairs, servicing, insurance, etc." Life is a laugh. Good luck with the completion of the project. | ||
| Benoit Leus Frequent User Username: benoitleus Post Number: 56 Registered: 6-2009 |
Jeffrey, I resprayed several parts of the engine bay (still some to do) and as it had never been done before I used the same colours that were present. The engine bay itself has a satin finish, just as the A/C parts. The air trunking, heater box, header tank, valve covers, etc... are gloss black. The only item i was not sure of was the radiator as it had obviously been replaced earlier in its life. I resprayed that gloss black as it goes better with the header tank and I obviously like shiny bits. Benoit | ||
| Benoit Leus Frequent User Username: benoitleus Post Number: 57 Registered: 6-2009 |
These are the last pictures of my car at the bodyshop. 2 weeks ago it was transported to my home and I have been assembling it since then. Last week I started it up for the first time in almost 11 months and it took only a few seconds before it burst into life and idled smoothly. Quite a relief ! I haven't driven it yet, but fingers crossed that will also go as planned, especially as I have a classic car rally in 5 days (and still a lot of parts to mount). Benoit    | ||
| Jeffrey McCarthy Grand Master Username: jefmac2003 Post Number: 408 Registered: 5-2007 |
Thanks for that information Benoit, I'd like to keep it as original as possible and my radiator surround is glossy and has never been painted over. I'll get a can of both. You'll know every screw and bolt on that car when you've finished ! | ||
| Benoit Leus Frequent User Username: benoitleus Post Number: 61 Registered: 6-2009 |
My last report : finally, the car is roadworthy again. I took it on a local classic car tour and it was a succes ! That's not to say there aren't a few problems : - knocking sound from the left rear corner under acceleration (it has been suggested on this site it could be the exhaust) - the viscous fan coupling has too much play, but the night before the tour I bodged it succesfully with a tie wrap (the new parts have arrived and will be installed shortly) - the used radiator I bought is leaking from the middle (altough the seller assured me it was in excellent condition) These are only small problems wich can easily be solved. It's certainly good to be driving again ! Benoit  } | ||
| richard george yeaman Frequent User Username: richyrich Post Number: 85 Registered: 4-2012 |
Hi Benoit. Your car looks fantastic ENJOY IT. Richard. | ||
| Geoff Wootton Prolific User Username: dounraey Post Number: 172 Registered: 5-2012 |
Hi Benoit Good to see you are back on the road. Looks great. Geoff. | ||
| Randy Roberson Prolific User Username: wascator Post Number: 123 Registered: 5-2009 |
It turned out beautifully. I agree: enjoy!And thanks for sharing. |
