After searching high and low - I finally found my winter project.
It is a 1963 MGB shell, which has never been on the road or registered. The
owner bought the shell a couple of decades ago, to use as a spare in case he
ever wrecked his race car (also a 1963 MGB). i
It's in perfect condition, and only needs the passenger side footwell replacing.
I could not find a trace of rust anywhere, and most of the interior of the shell
is still in primer.
However - I shall be sending the shell to a bead-blaster to have it stripped
down to
bare-metal. The blaster I am dealing with has done several LBCs over the past
year or
two and I have seen the results, so I am confident that he will do a good job.
After the shell returns, it will be totally seam welded and a new passenger
footwell
welded in place. I intend to build the car up as a replica of the BMC rally cars
that they used in the sixties. The intent is to do a couple of vintage rallies,
somtime
in 1995 or 1996.
What I would like to know from anybody who has done bare-metal restoration, is
what are the steps I should take after the shell is bead blasted.
I will be painting the car in acrylic-laquer (rally cars get a lot of external
body
abuse, and acrylic-laquer is the easier to fix).
My thoughts were :
The interior, engine compartment and underside :
1 coat etching primer
2 coats red-oxide primer
1 coat of POR 15
2 coats of top paint (I have used Hammerite in the past and POR does
not
come in a variety of colors)
The exterior
looking for ideas !!!
I shall be getting a couple of books from Classic Motorbooks on the subject to
help me along.
thanks - gerry
PS - now all I have to do is find a '63 MGB parts cars and the project should
be completed !!!!
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