After more years than I care to remember I have finally got Patsys 2000 MKI finished. Patsy came and collected her car last night, and now I have a 2000 sized space in my workshop, oh deep joy!
Starting back when with a car that had been stood outside exposed to the elements for nearly a decade this car was a little bit rusty.
I'm no stranger to the car though having put a pair of front wings, and some sills on it in the 1980's. However another 100,000 miles, and its subsequent period of inactivity had taken its toll again.
Between us we managed to track down all the new Stanpart original panels it needed including front wings, nose cone, front valance, sills, and all four door skins.
After welding everything together the shell was taken over to SPL surface treatments in Birmingham for chemical stripping, and E-coat.
All the suspension was blasted, and powder coated. A set of Red Polybush went in, and I rebuilt the front struts with new inserts.
The car had previously been fitted with a wide track MKII rear end. A reconditioned servo, brake master cylinder, calipers, and cupro nickel brake lines made sure the brakes were spot on.
The interior trim was all replaced with new stuff courtesy of Aldridge Trimming who are more normally associated with Stag trim. The seats were completely rebuilt, and new door trims in the same colour, with carpets in a contrasting shade of brown.
The running gear went back in as it was, as the engine had been rebuilt not long before the car came off the road, and the gearbox, overdrive, and diff were reported to have been OK by Patsy.
I took the 2000 down for an MOT on Tuesday, and it passed with no problems other than a slightly low aim on a headlamp. Coming back from the MOT made me realise just how nice a good 2000 is to drive, and that its about time I put one of my fleet of saloons back on the road.
