From ‘72T to 2.5 S-R: GeLo Racing #44

[matteo68]

So a quick trip up to see Angus today, have a laugh about DVLA’s totally unexpected kind gesture, take delivery of a very rare refurbished 16mm rear stabiliser bar from amallagh and a new set of centre feed camshaft oil lines from Phil Hindley (thanks both!).

I also took the opportunity to take a few snaps of the car before George gets started on taking it apart next week, starting with that horrific rear bumper!… (note Angus’ drawn-in-dust dyslexic registration to be - STX 911K!)

[Ralph]

I've never really noticed before now hideous those rear bumpers look...

Get that BHCC plate frame up on the garage wall too - a conversation starter for sure.

[matteo68]

I've never really noticed before now hideous those rear bumpers look...

Get that BHCC plate frame up on the garage wall too - a conversation starter for sure.

Yes, agreed, that’s definitely got to be preserved for posterity - BHCC’s notorious reputation was totally thrown into question for once when we opened the bonnet and found those Ferrari toolkits! I feel I should actually be grateful to that bunch of car-dealing scoundrels!

[matteo68]

So this week the shell stripping commenced and more treats were found under seats, carpets, in the (sole surviving) door pocket etc but I think my luck might finally be turning - the previous owner’s wallet (with his name embossed on it), but no $100 bill in it unfortunately!




Also a small bottle of lovely smelling aftershave (not!) a few old pens, a small socket ratchet and some strange wooden Hawaiian artefacts, possibly for playing a lap-steel with, but in truth not the foggiest - any ideas?






So what else did we find? Well the car appears to be - so far at least - as good as we first thought from the front bumper back to the rear quarter panels, although there was evidence of the usual water ingress through the rear screen lower corners with holes in the seat pans. We haven’t got the windscreen out yet but will be looking out for the other typical rust areas (lower corners to front screen, outer sills, intermediate sills and front fuel tank support), although none of the sills in particular look bad at all.

We are more concerned about the rear shunt the shell as had though - the right-hand chassis leg has been deflected to the left by 40mm, and both legs appear to have been ‘concertina’d’ with buckles, poor repair work evident in several places including loads of filler.





























We will know more next week once the shell moves into the bodyshop and has had the rear section of the rear quarters cut-off (from the middle of the wheel arches up to the gutter).

[matteo68]

Oh, I should say that everything coming out of the car that I won’t need for GeLo (not much to be honest) and is reusable (the carpets and sun visors have perished) will be available for sale, so if you need anything for a ‘72 T ask me or Angus - it’s all at Greatworth to view.

[IanM]

What type are those high back seats? Do you have a picture of them?

[matteo68]

Here you go Ian - definitely later type but they’re well past their best, or at least definitely in need of a complete restoration. Make me an offer if you want them. Sliders and mounting brackets included (but I don’t have any photos of those on my phone at the moment - can get some next week).

[RobFrost]

Will you be using the door pockets?

Sent from my SM-G988B using Tapatalk

[matteo68]

No, lightweight early-RS door cards for the S/T Rob.



My car doesn’t have a driver’s door pocket however - only passenger side (which is in reasonable good condition though)

[matteo68]

Some more photos of the strip-down this week from Angus…



















More to follow (reached my upload limit for this month - need to go Tapatalk VIP!)

[hot66]

that looks a great shell

[Bootsy]

It does, the structural condition will make up for the rear shunt issue I'd expect

[Gary71]

Yes, looks decent. I’m sure more will be revealed once the underseal is off, but great place to start

[RobFrost]

Looks like a great shell. If you're lucky the partial seats from Karmann Connection might just cover those back seats - looks touch and go. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284550649016

[matteo68]

Thanks guys. We're remarkably surprised just how good it is continuing to look - the whole front end is in incredibly good condition (Angus said the battery boxes are about the best he's ever seen), but yes, cutting the rear quarters off, getting the underseal off and then media blasting will reveal more, no doubt. New rear seat, new driver's side front wing and rear quarter panels required as a minimum, but we will try and save the door shells (alu skins to go on), passenger front wing and anything else. A bodged repair to the transmission tunnel will need to be cut out and repaired, as will more-than-expected rust to front screen scuttle corners.

However, the bonnet looks virtually perfect and will be offered for sale here soon (we will be fitting a fibreglass one), as will 3/70 deep-six hearts and 5/72 flat sixes.

More photos...