Body repairs

[crankedup]

I have a couple of contacts but am looking for recommendations rather than picking out of mag' adverts. I am intending to have the mudgaurds and valances on my 12/4 refurbished. There will be a little reconstruction required but mainly it is getting back to bare metal/filling (lead)reshape and paintwork.

I want a good job doing but I'm aware that my car is not a R.R. or Bugatti.

Prefer Suffolk/Norfolk/ Essex areas.

[lanciachris]

You might consider speaking to an engineering college - I remember seeing some excellent work done by a manchester college on a 420g, including rare skills like lead loading

[M3 Mitch]

I don't know about vendors in UK but here in the states you can definitely get all you need to DIY from firms like Eastwood.

If you are unfamiliar with bodywork it might be worthwhile to take a course at a local trade school or college. Lead working is not a black or lost art, you need to take proper precautions against breathing the vapors or dust if you grind it (better to file it anyway) but it's not that hard.

The reason I bring up DIY is that only the most fanatical craftsman will spend the time to grind or sandblast old paint, etc. really properly. These guys have to make a living and it's not very profitable work.

Failure to properly clean and chemically treat (as necessary) the metal will render the more expensive work to follow useless, sooner or later.

If you decide against DIY, choose your shop based on craftsmanship first, and cost second - a cheap (and improperly done) job will cost you the most in the long run.

When I DIY, I actually know that the work, including the "grunt work", was actually done to the standard I wanted. Otherwise I don't.

[crankedup]

Thanks M3 Mitch, wise words which make good sense. I did take the car to a highly recommended fabricator. His estimate, which he reiterated was a loose guide is £1500 for all 4 mudgaurds which I thought very reasonable. That was until he told me I had to remove them, grit blast and clean of all old stuff, paint them after he has repaired same and put them back on. Well that lot would cost me another £1500 so £3000 for the refurb' is just to much for me, so maybe I should look to having some training on body repair work.

Incidentally, the craftsman I went to is a top class pro, you get what you pay for, but my car is an Austin not a Buggatti (unfortunately).