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Title: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: sparkieben on July 01, 2011, 21:38:23 pm Hi just wanted to introduce my self my names ben and live in the uk.
I thought i would show you my current resto on a car that i have owned for the past 16 years now. My plan was just a quick tidy up of the inner wings as they were looking a little tired,I knew that the car had been plated quite heavy by the previous owner.I bought it as a rolling shell in primer and just got it painted and drove it gradually adding to it. It deserved to be restored correctly as i think its a rare car It was built in april 1961 and is a genuine golde ragtop and a one year only model. Its based on the cal look theme but was running a turbo motor,I would love to build a larger 48 ida engine one day but for now it will stay the way it was. (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/sparkieben/DSC00811.jpg) Ive had lots of great fun in this car and its pretty quick. It runs on black sprintstars and has beard seats in grey fitted, (http://www.ayliffe.biz/bug/ben2.jpg) I started the resto a while back and its going to be put back to how it was but correct panels welded in and a colour change,I love gulf blue but there are to many cars in that colour at the moment plus i think its time for a change as its having a make over. thanks for your interest ben Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: Nico86 on July 01, 2011, 22:34:38 pm Welcome to The Lounge, good looking bug!
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: sparkieben on July 02, 2011, 11:53:27 am Thankyou Nico its appreciated
The car needed a lot of repairs as once stripped out to a bare shell it became evident My plan was to strip it out and get it structurally sound so that it could be sent out for blasting Heres the list of repairs needed and the panels ive used Rear quarters both sides (genuine) Rear cross members (heritage) Front inner wings lower (repro) Door pillars (hookys) Front bulk head repairs (homemade) Spare wheel wheel (repro) Doors x2 (nos) Rear bumper mounts (hookys) Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: sparkieben on July 02, 2011, 21:19:39 pm Im not going to bore you with hundreds of photos of every panel i have cut out and replaced so heres a few so you can get the ideal of how looks can be deceiving
The start of the strip down (http://ayliffe.biz/bug/3.jpg) Drivers inner wing (http://ayliffe.biz/bug/7.jpg) Rear quarter panel cut out (http://ayliffe.biz/bug/19.jpg) The story continues through out the car really with practically every repair panel in the book has been grafted in so that was my reason for wanting to replace them correctly,To be honest this car had gone to far to be saved but i have a lot of fond memories in this car and seeing i have owned it for sixteen years it was only right to be brought back. Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: sparkieben on July 02, 2011, 21:40:41 pm I managed to source some nos doors.
(http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/sparkieben/100_1517.jpg) Once most of the structural welding was complete it was sent off to be blasted. This pic shows the shell with both rear quarters replaced and the new cross members fitted but some repairs still needed to the floor (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/sparkieben/DSC02245.jpg) The car is awaiting etch primer here The suspension mounting panels and rear bumper mounts are being replaced with early ones as they are different on the later quarter panels (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/sparkieben/DSC02246.jpg) Thankfully the shell is quite straight now and does not need to much filler work before the primer stage Im pleased with the outcome as i now have a nice solid shell Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: sparkieben on November 26, 2011, 18:18:09 pm Finally after months of prep work at home it was sent off to a friend to put the colour on,I would not reconmend doing the prep work yourself if you are as fussy as me and dont have a great deal of experience as its very messy and time consuming,My friend who is painting it refused to prep it as i wanted the inside to look as good as the outside and i realise why now as the man hours were extensive,
I took a couple of days off work so i could go and help as he runs a busy body shop and to help him out with the degreaseing and keep the paint mixed and on hand while he was painting it, so after a couple of days heres a few pics of how the body and pan looked when it was returned home (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/sparkieben/DSC00004.jpg) (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/sparkieben/DSC00005.jpg) (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/sparkieben/DSC00006.jpg) (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/sparkieben/DSC00007.jpg) (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/sparkieben/DSC00009.jpg) (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/sparkieben/DSC00010.jpg) (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/sparkieben/DSC00012.jpg) Hope you like the progress so far thanks ben Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: Hotrodvw on November 27, 2011, 07:31:13 am Awesome! :o
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: jamiep_jamiep on November 27, 2011, 20:11:40 pm Wow! That is fantastic....
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: sparkieben on November 27, 2011, 20:52:08 pm Thanks hotrodvw and cheers jamie its been hard graft and the positive comments is really appreciated
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: Matty c on November 27, 2011, 21:06:09 pm Bitchen work there ben but you forgot to weld up the trim holes ::)
Seriously though this is good stuff, keep it up. Matt Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: fredy66 on November 28, 2011, 11:35:37 am looking good man
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: Todi on November 28, 2011, 15:13:02 pm Love it !
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: Worm on November 29, 2011, 01:32:05 am Perfect! Fantastic color choice.
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: danny gabbard on November 30, 2011, 22:34:43 pm Another great build ! Thanks for posting pictures.
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: allmenplayon10 on December 02, 2011, 21:08:43 pm awesome 8)
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: sparkieben on December 03, 2011, 12:17:24 pm Thankyou for all the nice comments
for some reason i have lost the pics for the stage of the panels being cut out and new welded in hence why they are missing at the begining, I have mock fitted the engine and started making the new loom now and trying to make it look factory but with extra cables for the msd ignition etc. Its difficult trying to draw the cables through the pvc casing but hopefully it should look good, My fuel lines also arrived this morning so hopefully in a week or so it should be running I will try to take some more pics today and upload later thanks ben Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: ianmac on December 05, 2011, 22:58:13 pm Nice work 8)
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: too old for this on December 18, 2011, 20:22:03 pm Hey Ben..fantastic work,nice to see you kept with it ;)
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: 61ragtop on January 07, 2012, 18:05:51 pm Looking great ben, any chance of a pic of your front inner 1/4's need a comparison for mine
cheers james Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: Nick on January 11, 2012, 17:09:47 pm Cooool ! Great colour and very clean ! :D
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: sparkieben on February 05, 2012, 16:24:41 pm Here you are james this is a pic of the front inner wings from inside the car
(http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/sparkieben/DSC00021.jpg) I have been busy working on the car as i said the engine has been put in the car for the purpose of wiring it, (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/sparkieben/DSC00020-2.jpg) The loom is all made now and engine removed so i can lift up the body to fit the pan gasket. The wings,bonnet and decklid are all prepped and currently sat in the body shop waiting for colour, my plan this afternoon is to replace the nylon guide bush in the tunnel and fit the berg shifter,ive been told this can be a fiddly little job so hope it goes well Thanks for reading ben Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: Andy Sykes on February 05, 2012, 18:05:29 pm Looks awesome well done ;D
Cheers andy Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: jamiep_jamiep on February 06, 2012, 09:23:34 am Wow!
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: thejohn66 on February 06, 2012, 10:33:30 am Looks great, what is the engine spec? 8)
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: sparkieben on February 06, 2012, 19:39:53 pm Hi the engine is only a small 2 ltr that was in the car before the resto began,I have not done anything to the engine as it was running fine before so fingers crossed it will still be ok,The turbo is a little undersized as it was the first one i bought when it was built .Ive decided to upgrade the ignition as it was running a 009 with points and condensor so now it will be having a msd system.
spec msd digital 6 and blaster coil as41 case cb performance 74mm crankshaft and lightened flywheel kennedy stage 2 and daiken disc cb straight cut gears and web 86a camshaft cb H beam rods manton pushrods cb 1.4 rockers O43 heads 42 inlets 37.5 ex ,dual springs 45 trim turbo 42/48 stainless header and exhaust cb wastegate and bailey dump valve 45 drla dellortos which were sent to italy to be turbo prepared Originally built by myself and then i fancied a cam change so i went up to yorkshire for a couple of days and with the help of daz from Aircooled performance we changed the cam and did some head porting and reassembled it, I really enjoyed spending some time with daz and nige as the banter between them is certainly entertaining,if your reading this daz I hope your all well and thanks once again for your expertise and hospitality. Like i said earlier in the thread the engine will stay as it was for now as im more than happy with it. Thanks ben Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: papapsi on February 06, 2012, 22:32:24 pm i'm nige's brother. i'm sure he will be pleased to know you enjoyed his entertaining company. ;D
nice looking car by the way. ;) Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: 54Kab on February 07, 2012, 11:55:10 am Wow. Only just seen this thread. That finish is stunning. What colour is that?
Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: peach_ on February 07, 2012, 20:44:04 pm :o fantastic 8)
Keep us up to date dude ;D Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: sparkieben on February 07, 2012, 22:04:35 pm Thanks the colour is a new aston martin colour
The body shell, doors,rear valance and small dashboard parts are all painted now just the wings and bonnet to go The shifter coupling is fitted and my berg is in and im very pleased with the gearshift nice and responsive i will try to upload a pic later thanks ben Title: Re: 1961 ragtop resto Post by: thejohn66 on February 10, 2012, 12:53:35 pm I'm loving the subtle turbo "cal look". Looks fantastic 8)
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