Brad's very cheap V reg 825 Sterling Coupe #2

[rovercoup]

Ok no problem, safe journey

[Very Tall Brad]

Ok no problem, safe journey

Thanks. It's a twice a week journey for me. I should move to Barnes but a 3 bed terrace costs about 1.2 million pounds. Okay, though, if you want to have neighbours like Simon LeBon, Honor Blackman, Alastair McGowan and Tim Henman. I am happier living by a McCartney and where the air is sweeter and the traffic is light.

[rovercoup]

I'm so glad your not the name dropper sort

[Very Tall Brad]

I'm so glad your not the name dropper sort

Ha ha. I could be.

[Very Tall Brad]

I have owned this a year now and it's been nowhere except up and down my yard.

This is what I have now done over the past month or so:

New front bumper and reattach side mounting brackets
Change rear lights for the earlier (92 - 96) orange set up
Thorough service (fluids, flushes, filters)
Clean engine bay
Rustproof sills and rear arches
Rustproof front wings by removal, cleaning, Kurust, enamelling, light coating of Hammerite then some underseal
New headlights, indicators, number plates, badges
Feed and clean seats
New wiper blades, arms, likages
New scuttle panel
New electric aerial as the current one was slow to extend
Remove and re-bond with epoxy glue all the lower side cladding clips
Replace all side rubbing/chrome insert strips
New Front pads and discs
Replace grille with new one with black vanes as per earlier 92 - 96 cars
Repair the few dings and bashes and scrapes - wheel arch, front screen pillar etc
New fog lamps as current ones are dull
Drivers door and window - replaced with V reg red door and repainted
Paint drivers wing due to microblistering following 2006 accident repair
Drives door card replaced
Clean under rear arches/fuel filler pipe area
New battery tray (due to severe surface corrosion)



Repair to dented rear offside wheel arch


One use for a newspaper



Still to do:

Paint and fit replacement front bumper
Paint one rear nearside wheel arch
Glue dash due to very slight lifting in usual place
Change carpets
Fit new front plates
Remove temporary slave 16" steelies and fit new 16" Prestiges

I have worked out the costs so far:

Car £200
Wheels, set of 4 £60 (a long time ago!)
Front discs/pads £30
Headlamps £10 for the pair - new (yes, NEW)
Number plates £17
Paint, primer, filler primer, lacquer £60
Bumper £5
Grille £8 (Ebay July 2013)

Total £390

It's not perfect but considering how bashed, neglected, scraped, dinged and unloved it was I feel great I have managed to save it from being broken up. I am still contemplating a Mark 1 bonnet swap...and obviously it'll need a professional cambelt service as well asap. If the temperature of the weather holds, I should finish this tonight/tomorrow and will take some pics outdoors.

[Lord Sterling]

Looking good Brad. I remember how this car started out. Not as Bad as Hyden's car but near enough.

[Very Tall Brad]

The great thing about this car is how well it was looked after mechanically. With a low mileage, no rust at all anywhere, a great interior, a full service history, a cambelt change at 16,000 miles in 2006, a new 'screen, no leaks and no running issues, it was impossible to even consider it as being used for parts. Being a patient, insomniac amateur all of what this car needed was within my limited skills so it's been a pleasure to fix up and save it from the crusher.

[Very Tall Brad]

Here's a glimpse at the nearside. This section is finished - paint, wing rustproofed, new trims, new chrome inserts, new scuttle, new wiper arms, new wiper blades etc and LOTS of polishing and waxing by hand - no machine mops as I need the workout!

[SJG]

Great job Brad

[Craig]

What a transformation!

[rovercoup]

That looks a great paint job Brad. Did you use air drying lacquer or did you cure the paint with a infa red heater? Great gloss finish either way.

[Very Tall Brad]

That looks a great paint job Brad. Did you use air drying lacquer or did you cure the paint with a infa red heater? Great gloss finish either way.

Neither and both. Air drying lacquer, lots of heat from electric fires and many coats with rubbing compound in between. I think, although I wasn't counting, around 6 coats of lacquer over a month.

[rovercoup]

It clearly shows (no pun intended) with some effort and a little time what results can be achieved. Rolls Royce used to put 12 coats of lacquer on their cars around the 70's 80's it really does make a difference as we can see from your efforts Brad.

[vito]

Looks very well indeed, lovely colour ....................

[Very Tall Brad]

This is now finished apart from one small are of painting which I will now do in the Spring when it is warm again.

Very possibly the best Coupe I now have except one. It's been very hard work but has cost well under £500 all in, including buying the car in the first place.

One tatty wreck in Oct 2012


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