It is starting to come together. The bodyshell paintwork is all done. It has been a lot of work but the result is superb. John Hurenkamp in Wijchen took care of the paintwork of the Bodyshell.

During the restoration we applied paint to avoid immediate rusting of the new sheet metal. To get a clean result this intermediate paint coats had to be removed. After that filler was applied to make the surface perfectly smooth before any colour paint can be applied. After many hours of sanding, another primer coat is applied to box in the filler.Now the application of the colour can start, but not after an undercoating is applied to avoid chipped paint once the car is in use. After that a the interior including boot and engine compartment was painted in the correct colour: Orient Red. This is not the original colour of the car, which is Island Green. But the Orient Red was considered a nicer one and now is the time to switch.

With the painting of the inside of the car, the outside had to be masked with masking paper. Clearly this had to be reversed when painting the outside of the bodyshell. This was done in 2 layers: a colour coat and a clear coat. The result is absolutely great. We let the fresh paint sit for a couple of days before we hoisted the bodyshell and lowered it on the chassis. Another milestone, wouldn't you agree?

In the meantime I have been collecting all the parts that still need to be installed, like fuel tank, heater, wiper motor, and collect the right bolts and nuts so that installation can be executed smooth and swift. The issue is that it is not really a good time for the final assembly: Daan has his school and I have my work, and besides the weather is not appealing. We will be waiting for the spring to arrive with better and more stable weather so that we can install the headliner, the windows, doors and all the rest to make the car complete. If all goes well, we will be able to crack the engine this summer and take it for a spin. Awaiting spring we found a good shelter for the car: a nearby MG car dealer had a spot open behind the display window. A nice dry and warm place with the spotlight on...