Removing 400SE front end stuff

[adam quantrill]

Well I am just about to prep the car for its front-end respray and to save the garage some time will be removing:

all front lights
pods
indicator repeaters
bonnet badge

I reckon the bonnet badge won't be too hard to remove as I could feel a couple of nuts when I reached up through the front from underneath.

Any tips - presumably once the pods are out the side repeaters are a piece of piss? I have new ford lenses to go in which will look pukka.

[ElvisWedgely]

I had the whole of the front end sprayed recently and didn't have to remove anything. I just dropped the car at the body shop, then collected it once completed. The job in my opinion is excellent and value for money. The only time I would remove things, or have them removed, is if I was having a colour change.

Tony. TCB.

[adam quantrill]

It's not that they can't do it - it will speed up the process. Plus I'll have the opportunity to give the foglamps a good clean and renew the protective film on the lenses, clean the badge nicely, and one of the sidelights needs to be removed carefully to avoid breaking it (they would add on the cost of broken lenses as it's not in the quote.)

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Adam...The badge has 2 x 8mm nuts on but they can shear the thread off so if you can give them a good dose of penetrating oil..I have a spare if you do break it...
Indicators are definitely easier to get to once the pods are out...I have one new plastic sidelight/Indicator unit...Thought there were two so will have to have another look later if it helps....Ziga

[adam quantrill]

Cheers Mark I have two anyway. Yes I will let some old brake fluid soak into me nuts - it will help them twist off without snapping the rod.

[adam quantrill]

All removed this morning and in for the respray - let's see how well they match the paint ;^)

In the end the repeaters were easy to remove but had a tie-wrap around each one to keep the retainers spread. They won't be going back in though I shall use the brand new ones.

[adam quantrill]

Just phoned the body shop, top coat and laquering all done. All that remains is the pinstripe and these are being made to order!

I might give him a ring in the morning because any delay means not attending the Sawston village fete.

I had a look on the flea and there are a few silver rolls to choose from so that might be more sensible - replace it all with one roll.