Bodywork repair

All riveted under the body holes aluminum patches were removed. Appeared some holes in body had been repaired by newspapers - these remains were put away.

Some damaged areas had been repaired by harder material comparing to paper - glass fiber overlays also were removed to get complete picture of body damages. There were removed also several layers of patch plates screwed over the damages.

Internal stiffening structure was welded into passenger compartment before we started removal of all damaged and rusted for restoration unnecessary body panels.

To facilitate access for cleaning and repair to the internal body structure outer shell was cut away. In certain areas body carcass was heavily damaged bay rust.

Rear wings and rear panel were removed to get access to the inner panels. Rear panel had been previously repaired and holes left after surface rectifying were simply plugged by filler.

We had received package with most of ordered body panels. There were received both big floor pan parts.

Rusted panels of door sills were taken away. Air ducts inside the door sills were in the same bad condition as outer shell. Noise abatement tubes could be possible to reuse replacing just outer shells.

Ventilation channel was hiding some secret - possibly this saint on the medallion attached to the chain was guardian angel of this car letting it start new life from scrap.

Almost along whole perimeter floor panels were separated from the rest of the body so those were removed. Remaining structure was additionally supported and damaged central tunnel was also removed for repair.

New patch panel replacing damaged area of the windscreen surround was welded to into place after air intake grid repair. Continuous welding seem was grinded and finally tin loading applied.

 Top part of the internal front panel was accident damaged with disruptions and rusted through areas. This body part which was not available as spare part shall be replaced completely. We produced new top part of the front panel tailored to suit new bottom panel and remaining trunk opening flange.

We produced new specific patch panels of the other cut away body sections as well.

We started body restoration already before complete cleaning of body remnants of the most critical area - in this section front and rear of the body are almost separated by crack and hold together just by trunk opening flange. Front and central body parts were again fixed together.

Rear wall of battery box recess was not restorable and we cut it away.

Rear wall of battery box was used as model to produce replacement part. Battery box floor and rear wall assemblies were tailored together already before welding into place.

Remnants of the body were cleaned into sandblasting camera.

Body construction was made using in many areas wide overlapping welds. In such areas facing each other steel sheets have not been protected and consequently all destroyed by corrosion.

Top and bottom panels were spot welded together and tailored to suit remaining body elements. At the rear we also restored both - bottom and top parts of the internal body shell.

Internal structural profiles in the engine bay were also restored. Adjusted components finally were fixed together by continuous seem which was finally grinded.

We used temporary support on the welding rig as there was needed to repair also area around rear axle attachment point. As rearmost internal body part was completed we continued with other areas making local cut-outs and stitching-in one by one fresh patch panels.

Rear end of the body was completed and ready for rear end shell attaching as all auxiliary restored metal parts were welded to internal body structure.

Before start to work on central part of the body we paid attention to the crack between central and front parts of the bodyshell - both parts of the body were kept together just by flange of the luggage compartment opening. As the body was kept in correct position by additional supports attached to the welding rig through the not existing at the moment floor pan we first restored both side panels.   

 Remains of metal panels at the front of doorstep were cut away. Not much was left undestroyed by corrosion in this area - after additional sandblasting of previously hidden cavities it appeared that just vertical part of heating pipe may be left in place. At the rear end only remains of slim heating line were further usable.

First we tailored replacement pieces of all lost components and put them together to check compatibility.

As all internal structural parts were fixed together for test also all exterior panels were attached to check complete compatibility. Now we are waiting for internal air duct sound absorbing inserts to finish welding of the closed doorstep boxes.

Internal doorstep vertical profiles were restored along the floor panel attachment flanges preparing body for new floor pan installation.

Because of corrosion body internal side panels along the welding seam were separated from rear longerons. Defective areas were cut off. New replacement patches were welded into the place joining body sides with longerons. Similar restoration method was used on the opposite side of the body as well. Finally welding seams were grinded.

Instead of corroded new bump stop brackets were produced and welded into the place.   

Rear part of the engine compartment was separated by rust from the central body section. Both damaged shell panel parts were replaced and connected together in a way it had been done originally on both sides of the body.

Bottom part of the passenger compartment front wall was lost. Before make a straight cut across the whole body width, tunnel support brackets were removed. Both tunnel brackets were heavily damaged by corrosion. Right one we should produce completely anew, but left one went for restoration.

As unrestorable part of the front wall was cut away remaining residuals were cleaned in the sand blast camera. There was produced precise copy of the lowest part of the front wall and welded into the dedicated place.

Unfortunately sound absorber pipes located in the doorsteps which had been made partly from paper were destroyed by humidity. It was necessary to find replacement before doorstep tubular construction was closed by welding.

Steel sections of ventilation ducts were corroded so we cut those away together with adjacent damaged body panels.Also at the front part bottom part of the door pillars was lost - we had to cut away even damaged panels with attached lover door hinges.

Internal surfaces of lately uncovered cavities were heavily affected by corrosion so car was moved to the sand blasting camera for additional cleaning. Construction of this body comprises several layers of hidden cavities which had nod have any anti-corrosion treatment so we had to make additional cuts to open these hollows around rear torsion bar housings to clean rust and apply protective coating.

Hollow sections of the body were opened for additional cleaning in the sand blast camera. Missing structures including new air ducts were reconstructed and protective layer was applied on the whole internal surface before closing.

One by one all consecutive hollows were closed each time first applying protective coating on the hidden surfaces.

Doorstep internal surfaces were prepared for sound absorber installation on the reconstructed air ducts. As doorsteps finally were becoming hollow closed structures on all parts, except welding seams areas, was applied protective coating before welding.

Front longerons were reconstructed and welded into place stiffening front part of the car.

We produced new rear side window external frame sections and welded into place. Also internal parts of rear side window bottom frame sections were too damaged so we replaced those completely.

Bottom door hinge bracket attachment areas were reconstructed and doors were attached to the body.

Both edges of the door rear pillars had severe corrosion damages so we had to produce new replacement pieces. New door opening rear edges were tailored to suit the doors and welded into the place.

Valuable sending of parts comprising long awaited sound absorber ducts was received urging us to complete restoration of the door sills.

Reconstruction of the battery box we start with installation of earlier prefabricated rear wall of the front compartment. New floor and side panels were welded into place. Bumper attachment brackets on the outside of side panels before welding had been height adjusted.

First bottom part of the front wall was welded into place. Now we tailored new upper part of the front section of luggage compartment to replace corroded previous piece.

New sound absorbing tubes were installed into the doorsills completing hidden ventilation channel and facilitating further welding process.

We completed complex joints around the front door pillars. For protection reasons all surfaces of further hidden cavities were covered by protective layer. Inner wing reconstruction was completed attaching new panels.

Self made upper part of front panel was tailored to suit luggage compartment construction.

Before reinstallation onto the car body rear panel first was repaired giving it back previous shape. Restored rear panel was returned to its previous position completing restoration of the rear part of the body.

Front parts of the rear wings were repaired and attached to the structural construction of the body. New sections of the rear door pillars were welded in place and joined to the external side panels.

New rear wing front edges were welded into place and connected to the doorstep outer panels. New door locking device base plates ere welded into place. Door operation was checked assembling door locking mechanisms.

Jack support structures were welded into dedicated position.

Precisely tailored floor panels were welded into place. Restored engine tunnel completed construction.

Central part of the front panel was seriously damaged and we had to replace it completely. First bottom part of the nose was cut away and corresponding replacement panels were fabricated.

As bottom section was restored top part was cut away. Top part of the nose part was fabricated and attached to the body.

Received spare lid was seriously damaged. On the front edge there were two deep dints and sharp inflection in the very centre. Hood handle had been forcibly removed pulling bolt heads through the metal. Unfortunately frame of the hood was also bent so we had to separate both pieces and restore each of those individually.

 Inside surface of the hood frame had not been painted from the factory. Similar thick rust layer was also hidden by frame on the hood surface along the whole lid perimeter.

Initial shape of the hood outer shell was restored.  

Original seat attachment points were removed from the damaged floor pan. Seat attachment plates were cleaned and prepared for the welding onto new floor panels. Seat attachment points were welded on the new floor pan.

New central tunnel front extensions serving as plywood front floor panel supports were fabricated and welded into place.

Each part of the front hood was restored separately. Surfaces hidden after welding were coated by appropriate protective layer. Similar treatment was used also for reshaped hood frame.

Reshaped hood shell and frame again were joint together. Finally damaged front part of the hood frame profile was restored.

Since outer surface of the rear internal structure is almost inaccessible as body is completed we applied protective coat on this area already before rear part of body was completed. Reshaped rear panel was returned to the original position.

Restoration of the rusted through door pillar was completed. As all body components at the rear end were returned to the initial positions we started tin loading of the restored surfaces.

Rear wings along the restored door openings as well as door edges were tin loaded ensuring even door gaps. All welding seams were treated.

Both bumpers were accident damaged and repaired in specific way. To accommodate misshaped rear bumper attachment brackets had been reworked - one pair of brackets were additionally bent and welded together in wrong sequence. As long we are going to restore bumpers to its original shape we had to restore first original condition of the bumper attachment brackets.

 Attachment plates with floating bolts at the ends of rear bumper were completely out of order and we cut those away. New bumper attachment units were produced.

Like bumpers also bracket attachment plates were heavily damaged and repaired in the specific way. It appeared that it is not possible anymore restore existing plates so we cut those away. Attachment plates of the rear bumper were cut away ensuring access to the previously hidden areas providing possibility for cleaning and repair of rusted through spots there. New bumper attachment plates were fabricated accordingly to the original design.

Bumpers were cleaned in the sandblasting camera. Protective coating was applied to the further hidden areas. Coat was applied also at the ends of rear bumper under attachment plates.

New attachment plates were welded into the place. Attachment plates at the bumper ends also were welded into the place. Finally tin loading was applied over the areas were rusted through bumper surface fragments were cut out and replaced.

Finally compatibility of the body and bumpers was checked.

As soon as new trunk rubber seal was received it was fixed into the gap and restoration of the front end of the body was continued. New front panels were fabricated and welded into the place to retain original shape of the body.

Damaged headlamp housings were cut-off for restoration. Damaged wing surfaces were replaced by fresh metal.

New complete front wing brackets were welded into the place.

As usual after restoration adequate shape of the body was achieved by tin loading.

New self-fabricated front wing rear edges were connected to the remaining parts of the wings. Rusted through holes in the wings were plugged by fresh metal seals. Tin loading was applied along the whole restored door openings.

It was completely cleaned in the sand blast camera remains of the paint on the unrepaired inner surfaces - like dashboard and door inner frames. Unrepaired surfaces were cleaned by sand blasting also underneath the body.

There were checked all repaired surfaces and tin loading was applied to achieve needed restored surface quality. Tin layer was carefully processed manually - filed and grinded. 

Restored bodywork was sent to the paint shop.

As received as paint shop surfaces were cleaned prepared for better adhesion of the primer. Welded joints were treated with elastic seem compounds before painting.

Filler was applied on the external body surfaces. Each layer of the filler was dried and sanded, and then left for shrinking before subsequent layer was applied.

Control paint layer was applied to check surface quality.

Body surface conformity to all external decorations was assessed - all parts adjacent to the painted body surface one by one were installed to check precise fit.

Once again test paint layer was applied and fine sand paper was used for final treatment.

Components which should be painted separately were removed and body was prepared ready for painting.

Body was delivered from painting facility to the workshop for assembling. Protective coating on the bottom part of the body was applied.