(dont worry mods im certainly not "back" just one post for cappo)
Finally got some spare time to sort the pics and details off cappo's coupe so here goes!
As many know once upon a time Mark ran his pride and joy into the arse of another car. He claims to have been watching some car shooting up behind him, more likely eyeing up some totty on the pavement tho.
Somehow without even seeing pics of the car & on the day of the accident i agreed to repair it for him. Sadly the timing wasnt ideal as we were just moving workshops and moving the spray booth etc etc.
Mark was fine with the estimated time for repair and agreed to deal with the insurer our way, this resulted in getting the best of everything & much more for the sake of waiting a while for the car back. (i think we initially thought 6 months)
Anyhow after discussing a price to repair the front end of a splatted Plus we had never seen the insurers agreed and gave us authorization.
First thing was to round the parts up, thankfully this little
rear ended mooner plus came along, 6 hours of hacking and we had all the bits we needed including a short front end should it be needed
chopped &
hacked!! Thankfully a few
parcels later & the bits were quite in budget!
So we picked a day to collect this and a few others once we had got the new unit a little "organized"
So one dull Sunday we had Cappo's, LE No.10 and LE No.212 collected.
Arrival 1 & then
The first time we saw it Wasn't too bad, rather a bit better than we hoped, certainly didn't need those legs we hacked out!!
So it then sat aside for a little while till the jig & measuring system was setup. Found a day or so and
butchered off the damage for a little peek what we were facing. Was a lot lighter than it should have been.
another pic Still refused to start though
Inital measuring up showed it was infact as light as it looked to us.
good good infact the worst bit we found was a couple of bar marks in the leg that had so obviously been done by whoever had done the belt or suchlike last,
dirty! So then it was loaded up and stuck on the jig. These are the only set of pics we carnt find at the moment, for those who are confused what a jig is, here's my latest car in for some strecthing
bent GT. Thankfully it only needed a little tease to pull the legs back out where the x-member had sucked them in. Most people wouldnt have bothered, but it had to be right.
Once that was done we were left with:
pic 1 pic 2 basically a nice clean pair of legs awaiting a x-member.
Leg ends were really good, & for once
wernt at all rotten inside!! pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3 Pic 4 Then a used x-member was crudely trial fitted
and it was perfecto! A few spots later and it was all buzzed in
fitted! Pic 1 Pic 2 being as we had to use a x-member as Fiat couldnt supply them new, (yes they are in two pieces when you buy them) we had to mig it in certain places, thing it had 3 or 4 bits rest were spotted as OE.
Then it was time to really gut the bay and trial fit the bonnet. I wasnt happy with the fit of the bonnet from the Moon Grey Plus we hacked, it was so obvioulsy a late produced bonnet and just wasnt right, i am so sad that i can tell the difference from an early to a late bonnet. That being ones that were fitted from factory and ones produced as replacements afterwards.
So i fetched a 188k 20v N/a VIS in, too good to hack but you mileage loving monkeys would never touch it. Being high mileage it was perfect, no rot dents or any damage to it whatsoever, infact it was one that had never seen any paint.
A proper fitting one! Gaps i'd bet were better than it left the factory with Just as good! All coupe's could line up this well if in the right hands!! So i guess at that point that was all the repair work done, everything was welded in, bonnet fitted, (no need to trial fit other bits when its had a measuring system around it) so it was time to prep the bugger.
Mark described it rather well, a few marks, nothing dramatic.
So out came the marker (bad to use if your not going so in depth!!)
1 2 3 4 5 6 You get the idea.
The car was then stripped back to glass only for a prep.
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1809.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1808.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1806.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1800.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1897.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1901.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1899.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1894.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1916.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1910.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1909.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1907.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1918.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1919.jpgSo around a week of removing sodding dents it was put into its first coat of primer. It wasnt put in the oven for this as the primer we use at this stage doesn't like heat & most of it was to be sanded off anyhow.
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1975.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1976.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1977.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1979.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1980.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1981.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1983.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1985.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1989.jpgThen a few hours of slapping some primer on we had this:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1990.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1991.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1992.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1993.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_1996.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_2000.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_2002.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/100_2008.jpgetc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc bla bla bla bla bla
Then finally it was time to get proper stuck in. Took around 3-months to get to this point, by the time the oven was built and finished etc. So a good 2-3 weeks of sanding and this was waiting for a proper primer:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1458.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1459.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1461.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1464.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1465.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1467.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1469.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1471.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1472.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1463.jpgAll the glass was obviously out, it was extensively stripped back too and the entire panels were prepped and primed again, not just the repairs. Engine bay had been attacked with a renound galv spray while been welded and before being primered.
Then a few coats and many many late hours (11pm finish i recall) we were left with:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1522.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1524.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1525.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1528.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1529.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1530.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1534.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_1535.jpgTotally & truly dent free at that point, very very very good! Effort certainly paid off!!
After a few weeks of it sitting in the oven sinking we fetched it out and prepped the bay, this took fcuking ages! Ive got the pics of this and will add them but they are on a different Puk to the one im on now. The bay was then painted out and the finish is better than most peoples bonnets!
More and more time went on and we attacked it randomly with the paper and flatted away, (all dry flatted, wet flatting is so 90's!!) till one day it went back into the oven. More stripped, on different wheels etc etc, no trim, etc etc. Then one long long day and many drinks later this was born!
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2504.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2505.jpgYum Yum
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2541.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2540.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2539.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2538.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2538.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2536.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2534.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2530.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2531.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2542.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2545.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2548.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2552.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_2550.jpgNow thats a concourse paint job. Nice to be able to really go to town with no budget than doing £600 jobs like on Barnacles car. (i'd say the materials used on cappo's alone cost more than that)
The first time it saw sunlight was the decider, moon grey can go very opaque if not applied right so it was nerves time. Thankfully it looked fcccccuking superb!
(dull day no sun, no polish, no mopping, just stripped of paper and rinsed over by the clouds)
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3290.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3288.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3286.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3294.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3291.jpgAt this point we decided to put the bay back together, was getting a little boring now pushing the car around. These pics again are on my other pc but i will add them. The end result of tinkering over a month can be seen shortly. Everything we touched was new/powedercoated or just the best of used where appropriate. The engine bay was also rewired up properly and put back to standard, the loom had been plumbed in wrong by whoever worked on it last and it looked a mess. Certainly didn't when we sorted it.
Over the next 8 weeks it was slowly and very carefully put back together. Had to MOT it inbetween so it went on 20vt wheels, inky bumpers, no skirts etc etc. Didnt want it marking anywhere. We never really saw it outside till the day we took it out to load it up and return it to Mark on the truck. When we did, well, impressive?
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3625.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3626.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3627.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3628.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3629.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3630.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3631.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3633.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3634.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3635.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3636.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3637.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3638.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3639.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3657.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3658.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3659.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3660.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3661.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3662.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3664.jpgWHEELS
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3666.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3667.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3668.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3637.jpgThat Bay
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3644.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3645.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3646.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3648.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3649.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3651.jpgInterior
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3652.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3654.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3656.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3643.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3641.jpghttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/fiatcoupes/Cappo/000_3640.jpgPretty good me thinks.
So thats that, ill let Mark add what he honestly thinks of the job.
If you'd like to know the cost then tough, thats between me and the insurer, lets say its the cost of a decent LE nowerdays.
Please dont ask if i can do your coupe like this, it cannot be done as a "job" so to speak, you need to treat it like your own to get this standard.
If you want something similar and have £10,000 i may have the rarest coupe in the UK done to the same standard, one day, one day! (nearer 2010)
Well, to add, my coupe days are now gone, ive a couple myself, i never use them, infact two of mine on the drive havent been taxed for 2+ months now. Ive got a few parts left, (about £15,000 worth) but they are stored or sat on shelves and right now i dont have the time to sell anything or the interest anymore so i guess ill pick the goodies out and skip whats left.
Ive not really gone into anything else since the coupe's, were selling one hell of alot of salvage nowerdays which is very profitable & less time consuming!
I do really miss you guys, especially the Welsh lot, ill one day appear at a meet to say hi, ill park the "german crap" the other side of the carpark.
I think alot of people forgot we/me/us are a company and when prices drop to what they did its time to go. There's no point or sense me doing work like cappo's anymore with the value of them and the fact FACT people dont appreciate a proper job!
Im now finishing my Alfa GT which is a sensible coupe replacement for the time being, with a little luck ill be fixing my SL55 AMG over the winter ready for next years summer!
So any questions or comments purlease! My PM box is open too & if you just want to say hi thats cool by me!
Thanks all. Come over to the TVR & £20k performance world and we might just meet again!
and I really do think that I've now got one of, if not the, best condition original-spec Coupés out there. It's definitely not for sale, it's a long-term keeper, whatever else comes and goes. While I was out in it today, I passed an old couple in their 80s in a little old Austin 7, and I thought yep, when me and the Coupe are that age, that'll be us, tootling around on a sunny day.
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