Restoration Project 'Doris' Discussion Thread

To discuss the restoration of a 1998 Porto Blue 20v NA

Good move Ballypete, don't listen to your "friends"

No substitute for taking it somewhere that really knows what they're doing on a coop, right on your doorstep too.

Thanks Edinburgh, and agree regarding the skills of JBT.

I did have a look at several more expensive ones before I bought her, there was the 10 grand, no wait 13 grand car in Sussex and also Nello's LE which was beautiful. But I was hankering after something I could rescue and in years to come know that it's still on the road because of my efforts

Also had a top day in Glasgow to boot!

Great to hear you chose to restore a Coupe rather than buy a restored example.

Look forward to future updates

Unfortunately a few people find this

There have been explanations but I wouldn't begin to try and remember them.

On Photobucket which I use (which is annoying enough with its pop-ups ) at least once you've got the photo uploaded you can click on the direct link.

I have seen one or two folk (Barney for example) do multiple uploads through some guile-soaked method which is way beyond me, but then these darn compewty things are his job!


I take it that's the wheel arch.....

Thanks Edinburgh, It is perplexing me- two days running the first image uploads to the forum just fine, thereafter all other images will not load no matter what I do. I'm not the most IT savvy person in the world but even the pretty comprehensive idiots guides on here don't seem to be able to help me.

if anyone can help me overcome this that would be great??

Want to try posting what you did before when GrahamL sorted your pics?
They were flickr derived IIRC. We could have another go at converting them .....

Thanks again, I have finally managed so sort it myself through persistence- it's as I suspected monkey see, monkey cannot do... Anyway now that i have manned up and can now work the machine the pics are posting fine

Good result and perseverance


Yes in spite of its low mileage it's spent a lot of time outside and lacked general tlc.

At this stage of strip down it's as well sorting all corrosion related issues if the budget allows. Doesn't look pretty at this stage but it will rise again

It's likely the lower parts of the eiffel towers at front and back will have corroded through as well judging by the pics and your description but you may have been alerted to that already.

Great to see another on the road to salvation, looking forward to the updates

Yes, went looking for provenance from the previous two owners and have established that the two periods where she was laid up were a mixture of inside and outside. First time was elderly doctor who car was no longer convenient for (outside)and then elderly gent from same village who bought it to use as a runabout on one of the islands where he had another house. The old girl wasn't suited to the terrain or roads and ended up in a sorry way inside a lean-to before a chance conversation at a village function led to the guy who eventually sold to me putting her back on the road.

Has anyone used gliptone products on their seats?

As part of the ongoing renovation I have sourced a set of black leather seats to replace the cloth ones that came with the car, which although in great condition am hankering after leather interior.

The leather seats are in pretty good condition with a coupe of scuffs on the drivers side bolster and some minor scratches on the rear seats.

I plan to use gliptone products so before I order their scuffmaster leather dye I wondered if anyone on this forum has used them before and knows what the best colour to order from them is?

They have 'fiat black recaro coupe' on their system- is this universal colour across the range or just on the plus models?

advice appreciated.

Coming together very nicely mate , any idea when you will have the Doris back?

A couple of weeks Clintos - it will be tight but JBT tells me in time for FCSS meet up so that will probably be first decent run out

Hope all goes to plan then and looking forward to meeting you and Doris

likewise- it will be good to put some faces to the names or nicknames

I've used the Gliptone Conditioner Pete - gives a nice 'leathery' smell to the interior but makes its a bit shiney to me. It does 'lift' any colour though.

Fantastic stuff Pete, looking forward to seeing Doris at the FCSS anniversary

Seats look right at home there Pete. Nice work.

Thanks Clintos, likewise re Carlos

Thanks Daz, how is the cream leather project going?

Thanks for the advice Neil, they have Fiat black Coupe Recaro on their colour system and it was a pretty good match. The 'shine' seems to go back towards matt after a few days applied

They are all installed and in daily use thanks Pete.
No time to finish the re-colouring just yet but they look acceptable for now. (I am restoring a mk3 Toyota Supra which takes most of my time)

This made me laugh. How long have I been away! I remeber King Plebs group buy for Gliptone. KP filling up small bottles at coop meets from his 5 ltr container.

Well before my time on here- was the username a reference to MP Andrew'thrasher'Mitchell and his view of the boys in blue?

No Pete KP dates back to 2005, long before the "Downing-gate" incident....

I am planning to restore the foam padding under the drivers side seat as it feels like the foam on the bolster nearest the door is shot/has seen better days.

There is a very excellent guide on how to remove the seat cover courtesy of Stan but am wondering if there is a particular grade or type of foam padding that will be up to the job? Anyone got experience of doing this job that can advise me?

Sorry Ballypete, images not working for me...

Not working for me either Pete. Hopefully you get it sorted so we can see the progress

Just reworked the post and pics uploaded fine this time

Just posted an update about the work done on the old girl over the winter period. Photos are on Flickr now so hopefully no faffing about...

Ah the eiffels...that's a good job done there

Yes it's annoying you have to stand over these guys virtually working them like puppets to make sure they don't dent the floor

Nice reg plate

I kept my cool and I got a written apology from them (but no refund) fortunately minimal damage! They did a good job on the actual wheels THB

The numberpate was a mere 250 notes and I don't even have to tinker with the letter spacings (not that I would ever do so mind..)

Regarding the eiffels, never in the field of car ownership has a relatively minor support bracket meant so much, to so few people...

Yes they just sound so......international



Hmph, mine were spaced out as P20 VT and I got picked up by Edinburgh chequered gentlemen for the rear then a few years later by Central region for the front