• Please only use these forums for blogs, they are not a discussion forum

1.2 Suntop Restoration by PP7

porkpie700

Buy & Sell Member
In March 2011 I had a moment of madness and bought this 1991 1.2 GS Suntop.

540919_10151329277144872_2140986527_n.jpg

207905_10151329277204872_1117609360_n.jpg

406630_10151329277589872_1765498228_n.jpg

293929_10151329277709872_993907938_n.jpg

207708_10151329277559872_475546376_n.jpg


Andso, much work began...

577955_10151329278264872_1392269902_n.jpg

Like replacing this death-trap fuel filler neck.
734195_10151329278289872_1894255221_n.jpg

Some welding and treating...
581386_10151329278229872_418820954_n.jpg

479955_10151329279309872_967659013_n.jpg

229831_10151329279379872_1386949952_n.jpg

318526_10151329279509872_1774322270_n.jpg


Brand new brake disks and pads. New trackrod ends, wishbones, wheel bearings and suspention (shocks, springs & bumpstops) front and rear.

541699_10151329279804872_1835715362_n.jpg

564926_10151329279879872_1966607911_n.jpg

563910_10151329280064872_1559690868_n.jpg


Interior removed. Central locking, alarm & immobiliser fitted. The interior was washed for the 1st time since 1991.

398593_10151329280429872_756160608_n.jpg

224892_10151329280389872_489052254_n.jpg

The correct grey GS steering wheel was later fitted. So the Suntop was finally in a condition I could live with.
13792_10151329280594872_349437287_n.jpg

66733_10151329280944872_299981832_n.jpg

386765_10151329280964872_1843384022_n.jpg

Even this filthy lump took a long, and much needed bath...
68632_10151329281164872_868359904_n.jpg

Mmm, clean... Much better.
148907_10151329281479872_2043895708_n.jpg


Ultimately the Suntop was given a swanky grille to wear, and for a long time it stayed this way...
282858_10151329281454872_36274349_n.jpg


...and then I changed my mind. Throwing caution into the wind I decided to have my swanky lil bumpers (and the origional grille) painted. It took some time to find a bodyshop I was happy with, but it was worth the wait.

398754_10151329281529872_1445980884_n.jpg

406678_10151329282094872_1258676052_n.jpg


The bumpers looked awesome... the only problem was that they made the rest of the car look old and decrepit. So after another trip to the bodyshop to discuss what I wanted to do with the car, we booked it in and I stripped it down.

37096_10151329282084872_214483281_n.jpg

223718_10151329282114872_2089794985_n.jpg

563874_10151329282564872_1987967733_n.jpg

398608_10151329282949872_644326560_n.jpg

314696_10151329283079872_1985280575_n.jpg


4 weeks later...

564919_10151329283314872_786623758_n.jpg

74539_10151329283479872_1944865235_n.jpg

13615_10151329283544872_84597270_n.jpg

15675_10151329283584872_32745702_n.jpg

375254_10151329283799872_378309205_n.jpg

218159_10151329283864872_444795741_n.jpg

376661_10151329283909872_1451951790_n.jpg

13603_10151329284314872_1561063160_n.jpg

418027_10151329284434872_178064306_n.jpg

13781_10151329284519872_725454354_n.jpg

307588_10151329284759872_1453004336_n.jpg


You may be able to make out the layer of "stonechip" beneath the paint on the sills. The rear valence is also protected in the same way, much like modern cars are.
418696_10151329284934872_1376942520_n.jpg

409438_10151329284959872_1184419693_n.jpg

165033_10151329285184872_1486238927_n.jpg


The wings had been re-sealed with fresh seam sealer along the full length of the wings.
247346_10151329285319872_516402791_n.jpg

206765_10151329285379872_1310196815_n.jpg

382781_10151329285574872_2139294829_n.jpg

301871_10151329285959872_20043299_n.jpg


The same level of detail was continued onto the door-mirrors.
419476_10151329286084872_606161747_n.jpg


The boot lid was removed from the car and painted on both sides. The rust you see on the floor is what I am currently removing.
377790_10151329286184872_315395198_n.jpg


And this is where the restoration is at the moment. Once all traces of rust have been removed from inside the car, the whole thing will be sent away for waxoyl-ing and schutz-ing. The entire car will then fitted with soundproofing, additional security added, and then reassembly can finally begin.
 
All rust patches taken back to bare metal with a polycarbide disk, revealing two holes directly over the axle link-arm mounts (very common rust zone). These will both be welded for strength reasons. Obviously I don't want the link-arms to punch through the floor if I hit a bump one day a few years down the line. For now the have been treated with a rust conversion solution, and 24hrs later coated in zinc rich primer.

534398_10151332480699872_53271970_n.jpg

23738_10151332480924872_1782717663_n.jpg


The rear end was taken back to bare metal too, and treated in the same way.

309442_10151332481094872_1319835867_n.jpg

423728_10151338015539872_900283860_n.jpg

This area has now been sprayed with the basecoat of red and the first coat of fresh seam-sealer has been applied to all seams/panel joints. (Not photographed yet though)
When the final layer of seam-sealer has been applied and has fully dried, the top coats of red and the clear laquer will be applied :)

Onto other minor jobs: The mirror mount points on the doors were badly corroded, so again they were treated and painted.
407922_10151338015639872_1403586388_n.jpg

546205_10151338015489872_62182277_n.jpg


The soundproofing arrived today, so once the welding and painting is done I can move on to soundproofing. Something new and quite fiddly but well worth it.
 
Welding done at last!!! (trumpets)

Interior floor: Left side axle link arm mount location.
19183_10151353376269872_1096752074_n.jpg


Interior floor: Right side axle link arm mount location.
317902_10151353376414872_2108132319_n.jpg


Left side wheel tub, directly over the fuel filler neck.
543282_10151353376544872_919540292_n.jpg


After some prep-work and zinc priming i layed on the first coat of red. Then pretty much began taking prictures right after, hence why the paint looks wet.
63716_10151353382149872_745236903_n.jpg

553264_10151353382459872_1239616965_n.jpg

541768_10151353382454872_1896671602_n.jpg


Here's an overall view, painted. No clear coat (laquer) and no seamsealer yet. I wanna let this set up and harden otherwise the seamsealer will pull the paint right off. So this is it untill the weekend, then the whole rear end will be finished. Leaving only the front inside doorsteps to do.

602954_10151353382144872_1739391154_n.jpg


It's a big relief to clear that hurdle because now i no longer require outside help to finish the car.
It is rather tragic that all of this extra effort will eventually be covered up, hidden by the interior.
 
Rear end now finished woohoo!!!
That seamsealer got well and truely used ;)
397700_10151368699959872_1376786500_n.jpg

735102_10151368700024872_445888197_n.jpg


Super glossy clear coat laquer, 3/4 of a litre thick. No expence spared here :D
317906_10151368700194872_1855599286_n.jpg

734875_10151368700289872_1630951024_n.jpg


This weekend: Driver's side inside door step, then begin laying on the soundproofing. Spank the bank!!!
 
First Stage of Soundproofing Done
The soundproofing is on at last. The rear wings and the doors were basically completely covered (leaving space for Waxoyl to cover important areas). Other areas like the boot lid, rear panel and wheel-arches were covered where necessary, and without obstructing anything.
The rest of this job can only be done after the Waxoyl has been applied (this will be done by a pro bodyshop), because the access holes will all be covered when I’m done (essentially doing the job of the plastic membrane).

486904_10151376570334872_919318022_n.jpg


312328_10151376468839872_719113466_n.jpg


529059_10151376469434872_256771298_n.jpg


312438_10151376469254872_489073155_n.jpg


601270_10151376468754872_1878552186_n.jpg


Last "Rust-Repair" Jobs
304099_10151376469399872_62427604_n.jpg


270797_10151376469694872_885672588_n.jpg


These two areas are all that's left to seam-sealer and paint. I'm using Hammerite Smooth Black as the base coat here because it seems to bite in nicely and the red bites into the Hemmerite quite happily. Plus it's good rugged stuff.
The passenger side had some slight rust coming up through the original seam-sealer, so that has been treated with Jenolite and will be getting painted this Friday.
All in all I’m really happy with what I've managed to get done today, thanks to a much needed day off courtesy of the snow. ;)
 
Well apparently I haven’t updated this thing in just over a month lol.
I don’t have any more pictures to add at this point but in a week or so I should. At the moment the ragtop (as I call it) has been waxoyled and shutzed on the outside. My chassis legs are practically filled with the stuff and every nook & cranny has been covered. This weekend it’ll be going back for more waxoyling on the inside of the car, the front scuttle box-section and the underside of the bonnet.

The next step after that is the window tinting, which is (fortunately) the LAST job to be done by an outside vendor. The front end is assembled, wired up and working except for the badge, which I intend to replace with a new unit. Yay! lol
 
The Ragtop is going to get re-sprayed again I've decided. I know you can't tell from the pictures but the finish is unacceptable. Rub-through, pits, corners cut that I'm not happy about. The body's shop were given 2nd and 3rd chances to put things right but failed. The problem stems from lack of paint, it's far too thin. I'm going to have to go searching for a body shop that can deliver what they agree to, which will take a while. But at the moment the Super S needs my attention so the Ragtop will have to wait a few months while I tend to that. It's so hard to find true professionals, not JUST in body shop terms but in all industries it seems. So disappointed it. But if the paint is not right then everything else will be pointless.
 
Figaro front seats and existing k10 split-folding rear seats will be recovered in grey leather to match the Ragtop's interior.
1743552_10152304008754872_1627949129_n.jpg


Center console will also be recovered in grey leather - subject to a test fitting first.
10151864_10152306115704872_1197363913_n.jpg


Cannot wait to start this summer!
1619465_10152176922269872_539763741_n.jpg
 
I have been looking into a Figaro swap and its possible just no one have bothered really.

I still want that march grille so bad ;)
 
Back
Top