My restoration efforts...

[Kevin MacBride]

My B20, bought back in 1999, was taken off the road in Dec 2005, and was to have a quick rub down and paint job. It was Sep 2007 before it was back on the road, in France at the St Goueno Hillclimb.
I'll post a few pics at a time, they more or less speak for themselves. I'd collected various panels over the year when funds allowed, sills, front and rear wings, door skins etc. Having these to hand made the job a little easier. The shell was seam welded along the way, so will hopefully last.
Some of you may have known the previous owner Barrie Crowe, who had the car resprayed back in 1988.
The photos are in no particular order

[fay66]

Certainly a lot of hard work!  does you credit.

What was the registration number when Barry owned it?  I might have some photos of track day at Goodwood.

Brian
8227

[chugga boom]

any more pics as you progressed? would be interested to see as we also have a b20 that will be moving up the restoration ladder soon 

[ncundy]

Great stuff Kevin, looks like a full job !

[eyore]

Having seen it at last years Classic Cars Live in Mondello I must say it is a superb car and a credit to Kevin. Really lovely.

[Kevin MacBride]

The original (UK) reg no. was 97 DXP. I have a lot of old photos of the car 'in action' but more would be appreciated to have as a history file.
At a hillclimb in 2005 I broke a shaft in the clutch housing. I took out the gearbox to have a better look, and decided to tackle the body at that time. I stripped the car to a rolling shell (left the engine in place) and began stripping paint. With a combination of paint stripper and a heat gun, and a lot of elbow grease, and working mostly in the evenings and the odd weekend I had the shell back to bare metal. On the surface it didn't look too bad, but I knew there was a few horrors hiding away. A friend of mine, who has a bodyshop (he only does classics and works alone) took the car to be lightly blasted to assess the work required.
After blasting what was revealed was a cauldren like state. Not that bad considering how old the car was and how it had been used over the years, but still requiring a lot of work. He then gave the shell a quick paint with primer to keep it from rusting further. then the cutting began...

[davidwheeler]

I sometimes regret selling my B20 to a German a few years ago but having seen your task I realise it was the right thing to do.  I've got enough to do keeping up with the Lambdas the Aprilia and a Fulvia or two.  A word of warning, try fitting the doors and winding up the windows before you go too much further, it is surprising how much a shell can twist out of shape when you take out the sills (as I found with my Appia Vignale Convertibile many years ago).

[GreenB20]

Good luck Kevin, your car looks just the same as mine did a year or so ago, luckily it's all done now and off to the paint shop in a couple of weeks for a few coats of Verde Ardenza! Ed. (See then & now pics)

[Kevin MacBride]

A few more...

[Kevin MacBride]

And one of the finished product. My car has a few mods..oil cooler plus spin on oil filter, branch manifold with the exhaust exiting in front of the back wheels, 15" rims and probably the most controversal, front disc brakes. These do make a difference, but make the car illegal to use in some competition events. I have recently aquired a complete front axle with drums, so I'll have a choice.

[fay66]

Very Very Nice

Brian
8227

[Sliding Pillar]

I have just found some photos of when Barry owned your car, one is on the Coronation Rally and the other is at the first Sliding Pillar Rally in 1991

[Kevin MacBride]

Very nice. Wonder what ever happened to the bumpers ?  I had a mad idea at the time of painting, to keep a patch of the 'original' paint, as in an area of rubbed down paint showing the various colours.
Never happened tho', all that's left to show the car was once 97 DXP is the windscreen and side window decals.
I'd like to make the sliding pillar event one day, I was at the AGM in 2003 and brought the car. Had a bit of interest from those who knew it from Barries days.

[fensaddler]

Gentlemen - when you are ready to tell your stories to the press, please let me know!

[Sliding Pillar]

Hi Kevin, glad you like the pics. Next year would be a good time to do the Sliding Pillar Rally as it is not too far for you to come and with the current euro exchange rate it is a very reasonable price, only £250 per person for 3 nights full board and all visits, roadbook etc.  Ade.