Davie's french attraction.

[CitroJim]

I wonder if she will be anything like CGAT?

Now that would be very

[daviemck2006]

Its not trick paint like CGAT, but its not a xantia colour, or citroen colour or possibly not even a manufacturers colour. It is going to be a diy job, I have done panels before with reasonable results but never tried a whole car. She may not end up a perfect job but will certainly be better than lacquer peel and scraped bumper corners. The finish is all in the prep so it will mostly depend on how its rubbed down. At least its just lacquer peel and not lots of rust to get rid of, so shouldnt be too bad to prep.

[myglaren]

It's this, isn't it?

From the internet :-)

[Hell Razor5543]

Or this?;

http://www.greenvalleyazrealestate.com/ ... ainbow.jpg

[CitroJim]

Dulux?

I hand-painted my very first car Davie, an Old-English White Mini... I gave her a black roof as was the fashion at the time and she looked good in her new coat of paint...

Back then you could get brush-on paint especially made for cars... I believe it was called 'Repaint'... It did a fair job in my unskilled hands too...

A quick scan of Google suggests no such paint is now available

EDIT: A big to your Tartan Paint Steve and your link James

[myglaren]

I did my GS with Tekaloid and it came up very well. Stuff is made in Middlesbrough, still available.

Did one of the Imps a very bright yellow with it too, employers were appalled and I had to park it out of sight of visitors/customers

[CitroJim]

Ahh yes, Tekaloid was the other one and that's proper coach enamel...

[daviemck2006]

There are some very bright colours available in Tekaloid

[CitroJim]

But do they do a nice bright orange? That would look good on a Xantia

[white exec]

Camouflage . . . hi-vis . . . flock . . . crackle . . . rubber ??? Am watching the space.

My first attempt at a vehicle repaint (apart from my tricycle, at age five) was a friend's tatty and ugly Mini van, in around 1968. He decided he wanted it in Hammerite bronze (!), and the job was done with a Burgess air-less electric gun. It never rusted, but never the prettiest job.

Shortly afterwards, I acquired my engine-less 1959 Mini. Original dark red (plum) paintwork was turning to powder. Stripped out, and painted black cellulose inside and out. Black Mini's were not available then. A somewhat better finish.

[CitroJim]

I'd love a 1959 Mini Chris - in any colour.... Mini and I share the same birth year

Big bonus would be that a Mini is just about the right size for me and it's both tax and MOT free now...

[Stickyfinger]

Orginal Mini is a horrid little box, funny how they are really Marmite cars just like my favourite from the time, the VW Volksauto

[white exec]

Orginal Mini is a horrid little box...

Yes, it was a tad basic. Some even without a heater!

I bought mine in 1969, engine-less, for £15 in Lymm. Was in someone's front garden, up on four small oil-drums. By the time I had finished with it, it was somewhat augmented...
- rolled on its side and thoroughly undersealed
- painted black
- trimmed with carpet throughout: on floor, headliner, door inners
- 1100cc engine (rebuilt), later TC
- original manual gearbox croaked, so fitted an automatic
- pair of Rover P6 front seats, tip-up (amazingly, they fitted!)
- Hella 7" halogen headlights
- moulded dash, retaining central speedo, but with full set of instruments
- G800 radial tyres
- Peco bigbore exhaust
- half-decent radio (probably a Radiomobile)

IIRC it was chassis number 500-and-something. They started numbering production models at 101, so it was one of the first five hundred - built from a grade of steel that didn't rust, and was 60-lb lighter than those that followed, and rusted.

It worked hard in and around Sussex for years, and taking in Scotland (NC500, before it was christened that) and many of the outer Isles, and France too. Auto 'box was bought for £10 in Tobermory, of all places, halfway through a camping holiday.

Eventually sold it after about eight years, on a cold, windy, dark November night for a surprisingly good price. The buyers didn't even test-drive it.

Then re-kindled the Rover affair, starting with a Rover P5 3-litre.

[CitroJim]

Orginal Mini is a horrid little box...

Yes, it was a tad basic. Some even without a heater!

I'm happy with basic but I do need a heater!

I'm tending further and further toward the basic, 'poverty-spec' models as I grow older...

Can't really explain it but I'm always happy when I see a nicely restored basic model rather than the more usual top of the range model that is chosen for restoration...

Basic and 'poverty-spec' has a certain charm for me...

[daviemck2006]

I would rather have an original mini than a BINI. Ive never owned a mini, but have driven a few in my lifetime and always enjoyed them and have a smile on my face. Now the 60 plate BINI that my ex had and was only 6 months old and 4000 miles when bought I found uncomfortable, soulless, and was an unreliable piece of crap, towed back to the dealer 3 times in the time I knew it. On the MOT checker it had advisories for corrosion at its last MOT. And given the fact that I prefer Gabby to my previous activa I must prefer poverty spec too!