Just had my account activated - took almost a year
(thanks for helping hook me up Kirk!)I've had my 73T MFI Targa since about 1995. It had a bit of a bump when I got it, so I picked it up cheap. I had it repaired and it scraped through its MOT once I had added a bit of metal filler around the rotten suspension pan etc.
Had it tuned up by Francis Tuthill on the way to the ferry, and took her on a 2000 mile spin around the north east of Spain. Ran and drove like a dream, aside from the engine popping when it got super hot. After I got back, I parked it up in the garage and it has hardly been out since. Then I started restoring it which, in practice, mostly entailed taking bits off and misplacing them. After a bunch of training courses, incl. Contour Autocraft over the last 10 years, I have been spending quite a lot of my spare time over the last 2-3 years or so, using and improving my fabrication, welding and bodywork skills to restore the tub. Over that time, I have replaced the front latch panel with OEM, front half suspension panel, and battery panel, fabricated a shed load of patch panels to replace even the tiniest rotten or pitted sections. This was mostly in or around the floor, and the rear footwells and tunnel walls (I have 100's of photos). Other than those bits, the car was really solid. Outstanding bits to do are kidney panel and rear wing section adjacent to Targa bar and the door latch panel. My preference is TIG, with and without filler, but I have MIG and spot too. I must have spent more on all of my tools that the car originally cost. My favourite tool is a Lidl 3-inch grinder, which I most use with Roloc 2-inch disks. The car was originally 334 met blau, and the back half is still in a similar Vauxhall (remember them!) shade of blue that the previous owner painted it in. I change my mind every week about what colour to eventually have it painted, or even wrapped first to see if I can live with it.So, long journey to date, and at the moment I am going round and round and round and round and round in circles trying to get a pair of new OEM wings to fit well (mostly at the door ends), and trying to decide which of 3 bonnets to use (all have slightly different curvature and issues) and trying to work out how to position the hinges to make the bonnet sit right once the shocks are in. I am hoping that you guys might be able to give me some pointers - will post soon.
I have tried to add a recent pic of the car, but I dont know if its going to work - fingers crossed.
All the best, Dean, Coventry area.
