19 replies to this topic

[Big_Adam]

Morning (what the hell I'm up at 2.00am!)

Well my dad had a deal with me and my bro, age 21 and get two grand. Rather than let me have the cash he says it can go on el gordo so I have a few questions.

My idea for El Gordo is to get some new doors and a flip front as the doors are rusting to death and the front is getting kinda crusty so either flip front of just some good replacement panels.

Having a look on here a respray will cost anywhere from £800-£200+ depending on the cars condition. My plan was to get El Gordo stripped and sand blasted (around £300 something like that) then get the welding done (no idea on price there) then paint. Now depending on the rust I think the left over would be something like £100-200 for decent welding and to sort some previous patches that are a little C**p.

So thats about £500 gone right there, so would £1500 be enough for a full spray OR! would it be a better idea to rent a compressor and do it myself.

If I did it myself I would at least know all the paint is were it should be right in all the nooks and cranny's of El Gordo. Then there's the risk of me buggering it in a huge and spectacular way.

Not going to be for a while till I can get everything working. but I would like an idea now so when I go look for quote I won't get ripped off.

Ta.

Peace.

edit

oops, here some pics of el gordo to get an idea of how she is in the rust dept, the lighter blue paint is hammerite by the way. I do like the way it looks but I think a good single colour would be better.

Edited by Big_Adam, 03 December 2006 - 03:01 AM.

[pikey7]

the best way i've fund removing/exposing rust, filler and removing paint over areas to be welded is with a good ole wire brush in the drill/grinder. At £5-10 a brush, you could get through 60 of them as still end up cheaper than a blast!

Welding... Its a tricky one this. I've not really welded in anger before (yes i've done bits and bobs, but a whole car.. :s No!), but i picked up a gasless for £100-odd from machine mart, a mask off ebay, and gave it a go! I figured if i mess it up, then its £125 (the cost of my car) down the drain and no harm done. As it turned out, i can hold a welder, see holes when i burn through things and realise that puddles of weld that i can't knock off with my fingers aren't gonna hold things together. No the gasless isn't the best welder in the world, butit performs a function. That and a grinder, and my car is held together enough and is pretty neat! I would guesstimate that a complete floor, a boot floor, scuttles and a front end remodel (i.e. chopping off) would probably set me back over £2k in a body shop. Its cost me the £100 for the welder, £30 for the mask, a few quid on grinding wheels, probably £50 in welding wire and £400 in panels, and my time..... No contest.

As for painting, well, if you're competent, a paint job is simple enough, its mostly down to patience. Theres an excpetional guide in this section for prepping and painting, and assuming you don't have any equipment, you culd probably do a full respray for under half of what a shop will cost you.

I'm doing mine myself, and while i'm borrowing a compressor, I'll get though probably £30 of sandpaper, the paintgun i will buy from the same place that supplies the paint (£20.. its probably not the best, but the quality of a job is mostly in the prep work anyway!)the paint, sealer, primer and thinners i've been quoted £80 for, and the rest is my time and elbow grease. even taking into consideration a weeks hire of a compressor, you'll still probably squeeze in around the £200-250 mark.

There is one other benefit of doing it yourself (apart from saving a fortune).... satisfaction. "I built that car"

Now, This way isn't the way for everybody. But, you have all of us to keep you on the straight and narrow when you get to a hard bit!

Then with the change you can buy us all a beer at the next show for pointing you in the right direction!

Edited by pikey7, 03 December 2006 - 04:04 AM.

[Dog]

I was in the same boat as you Adam!

But, I decided to get on and do it myself, I knew most of the skills needed to get on with and get the job done...

Personally, I'd invest in a decent welder... maybe a leccy one for costs, (I've been using a leccy one and had no problems) and get used to it... once you have a few goes, you soon pick it up!

[Big_Adam]

perhaps rental of a good werlder might be a better idea as it would only be used this once for this one big project.

Problem is my dad's a little weird. He only like the best (untill it costs too much) he does not like cheap jobs. Might be difficult to convince him of it.

But doing it myself I know how good/bad the work is. Still rather get the body welding done pro as from the pics you can see the sides a bit out of wack from a patch job.

[bert998]

Another option is to buy a mini with a decent shell, then you can concentrate on making it look good

But rebuilding is soo much fun

[Big_Adam]

Whaa!

Can't replace the shell. It's not that bad and then it wouldn't be El Gordo any more. Be some different thing.

[Retro_10s]

Adam. Do it yourself.

it'll only be a cheap job if you rush it and bodge it!. I think you should spray the car over but keep the current paint scheme, it really looks good. Fit good steel replacement panels.

This way you'll have some pennies left over to play with!

[metro1275]

buy a new mini IMO

[Retro_10s]

buy a new mini IMO

eh?

[Big_Adam]

buy a new mini IMO

[1984mini25]

QUOTE(metro1275 @ Dec 4 2006, 06:07 PM)

buy a new mini IMO

incoming

[Dog]

I think he meant a New OLD Mini... one without so much welding work needed...

If it does need £2000 of work, just think, is it worth it? you can get a REALLY REALLY nice Mini for that...

[*DJH*]

This Might Just Be Me But, I Think I've Seen El Gordo Parked Up Near Regent Road Last Year?
Obviously You Live In Yarmouth And You'll Know Where That Is...

[metro1275]

obviously i meant a classic mini, and IMO means in my opinion

[Big_Adam]

This Might Just Be Me But, I Think I've Seen El Gordo Parked Up Near Regent Road Last Year?
Obviously You Live In Yarmouth And You'll Know Where That Is...

Probably was, not too many blue mini's link mine round here. Few later ones but none with the two tone (woo!).

Still I'm determined not to replace El Gordo, she's done me well so far so she deserves a little attention.