St Tropez restoration blog

[Des Smith]

Please tell me this is an unfulfilled urge you have?

Yes, and only since early this afternoon. I sense vanilla overtones and a cool silky smoothness but I expect I'll be disappointed. Still, if you don't try, how will you know?

[Tim Leech]

Looks great Des!

[Des Smith]

Thanks, Tim. It's been quite a busy day in Hitchin. Check this out...


One of a pair of shiny disc protectors


More luscious paint on the NS rear wing


Almost ready for St Tropez as she's fully waxed underneath

[Tinkley]

Nice work. She's looking good Des. That last shot is a familiar one to me now but from ground level! Well car on stands,mime's going to need inner o/s wing welded but front subframe has been protected by the barrage of oil leaked by engine now removed! effectively it waxoiled all the mount points. Yet to check the rear, but boy, your St Tropez has a lovely underside...

[Tim Leech]

Excellent, I see Robs CX is in the background (one of his projects he was telling me) and theres that Ami which has been at Alan Goodyears plence for 20 years which he has just rescued.

[Des Smith]

...front subframe has been protected by the barrage of oil leaked by engine now removed! effectively it waxoiled all the mount points.

Ironically, that's what kept the replacement subframe in decent nick. After I picked it up from Tim, I got it home and scraped a cm-layer of oily sludge off it to reveal almost pristine paintwork. Personally, I think it's better to keep the oil in the engine, but an oil weep clearly has it's uses!

[Caffiend]

Still, if you don't try, how will you know?

Please do report back, saves the rest of us licking your car. Which does look very lickable, it has to be said.

[Tinkley]

Absolutley, Des, that's about right, 1cm+ of oil and dirt. Probably went through half a kitchen roll and a lot of paraffin and petrol getting it off. Paint underneath is just fine semi gloss black and NO rust. Bit further back on underside shell by drivers footwell - ah that would be telling... It's getting ground/sanded and 2 pack epoxied. The St T does look very sound and well on the way to being pretty.

Caffiend wrote
Please do report back, saves the rest of us licking your car. Which does look very lickable, it has to be said.

Maybe it should be sprayed light mint green - pistachio flavour......

[Des Smith]

Maybe it should be sprayed light mint green - pistachio flavour......

I don't think so... Vanilla is the only flavour paint worth licking

[MULLEY]

After all this work, i think i'd be paranoid about driving the car incase of damage etc... Will this just be a show car or is it going to be a daily?

[Des Smith]

That is a good point. The way I see it, I'm giving the car another twenty years of life, at least in the bodywork department. Even with what I will have spent on it, it's still cost me way less than than a newish family anonymobile, so I will look after it but intend to use it regularly. I have a garage but she won't fit in there along with the Ducati that's already living there and all the stuff that people usually keep in their loft if they don't live in a town house. It'll be in good company on the drive - the guy next door has just got a white 1967 E Type he keeps outside.

The heavy lifting will be done by the Terrano, the Ducati is for adrenalin rush and the BX is for pottering around in a leisurely manner.

[Tinkley]

Des wrote
I don't think so... Vanilla is the only flavour paint worth licking


Must be an 'essence' thing

[mat_fenwick]

Maybe it should be sprayed light mint green - pistachio flavour......

Hmmm, you've given me a thought...

[Des Smith]

Okay Mat, you lick yours, I'll lick mine, and we'll report back on the flavour satisfaction test.

[mat_fenwick]

Are we still talking vehicles?