What a difference 516 days make

Birthday celebrations were the order of the day this weekend, and a chance to recreate a photo from an earlier blog entry (Oh Dear Nena).

What a difference those 516 days make !

From this

to this:

and yes, I am still keeping current pictures black and white as the colour will be shown for the first time (hopefully) at the Detling kit car show !

She is nearly there, just the front bumper, wiper and interior to go !

More soon,

Jim

PS Hasn't Nick changed (back left)

Shiny painted things

Firstly I have to thank Sarah for letting me fill the house with painted body panels !

In the last fortnight the rolling bodyshell, bumpers x 2, side panels, dashboard and pods, louvres and canopy have arrived back from the paintshop.

Until these parts can get mounted onto the car they need to be looked after carefully. I am absolutely paranoid about damaging them, so as each one is bolted up (louvres, engine lid and rear bumper so far) I am masking up well, and the garage floor is lined with bubble wrap !

All of the panels not yet on the car are dotted around the house - please note our lovely new dining room (just moved house), housing the canopy, louvres, bumper and seats !

The observant amongst you may well have noticed the pictures are in black and white - this is because I am keeping the colour of the car a closely guarded secret, until she is debuted at the Detling Kit Car show 2008 (12th April).

Hopefully, despite the lack of colour you start to get the idea - and can see the shine !

It was the first time I had seen Nena in one colour when she came back from the paintshop, and I am really starting to believe I will end the project soon !!

More very soon,

Jim

Shiny things

The list of things to do while Nena is in for paint is getting shorter !

This week I took delivery of my nicely polished wheels. I am determined to keep Nena's history, both in terms of the donor (switches etc) and the original accessories/fittings. A key part of this approach for me was retaining the original Wolfrace slotmags.

I was pleased to find a local polishing company who have done me a great job.

You can just about make out the condition of the original wheels when I took delivery in this photo. They were very dull and oxidized, though pleasingly with little damage.

Well here they are now, awaiting new tyres, and much much shinier. Even the slots have been bead blasted, and all I have to decide now is how much to spend on tyres, and whether to paint the slots in true 1970's fashion !

It is all coming together ! Much more soon, Jim

Shades of grey

Paid a visit to Nena today at the paintshop.
She has been sanded down to gelcoat, repairs done, and first coats of primer laid down.

The rest of the panels are sanded down ready for primer, and it is hoped colour will be on by the end of next week. I wouldn't mind the stand they have used to rest the bumper on !!

Au revoir Nena

Well the day has come,

Nena has gone to the paintshop, and will be away for around 3 weeks.

It was a significant landmark sending her off, and I just hope I have remembered to cut and drill all the holes I needed ! I am not looking forward to having to drill my lovely new paint. Here is Nena being sent off:

Pleasingly her component parts were gathered up and shipped off in another Volkswagen:

I have decided on my colour (will be revealed soon), to be accented with satin black parts - louvres, dash, window tunnel, underside of canopy and bonnet.

Wing mirrors and reversing sensors will be colour coded body colour.

Once she arrives back I will be laying out lots of sheets, bubble wrap etc and assembling with care !

Now the Detling Kit Car show in April looks like a strong possibility !

More soon, from an empty garage !!

Jim