Bodywork...help!!!

[tj2002]

Hi Guys,

Recently purchased a 525 touring in need of some TLC but not sure where to start!

1st up are the roof bars which are flaking really badly and spoil the whole look of the car. Will I be ok to (carefully) mask off everything on the roof, sand down, prime and then satin black or is this a bit risky as it's on the car?

http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/dd50/dtryczynsk...

Secondly are the rear passenger arch and a bubble on the passenger door. What are my options here, is this a big bodyshop job? Any idea of expense?

http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/dd50/dtryczynsk...

http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/dd50/dtryczynsk...


Any help and advice is very much appreciated as I want/need to get this tidies up asap!

Cheers

Dom

[52classic]

Those roofbars will paint up a treat. I'd say 80 grit freecut paper followed by 500 wet & dry then a couple of coats of aerosol hammerite smooth satin black,

You may be lucky with the door, personally I would keep it local by cleaning up with a sharp instrument then touch in with dozens of light coats using a small brush. Will always look like a trolley dint but better than it is now and probably won't get any worse.

That arch is bad.. Bet the metal is like old lace once you get the paint off.
Must have a new arch panel. Aftermarket stainless eyebrows would be a good bodge if you can live with the chavvy look.

[shouldbworking]

Agree. The bit on the door could be ground back filled and painted, but that arch is shot, youre going to need a repair panel.

[tj2002]

So I could sand down and use touch up on the door rust?

Thats a pretty big panel at the back, how much do you reckon I'm looking at?

[shouldbworking]

tj2002 said:

So I could sand down and use touch up on the door rust?

Thats a pretty big panel at the back, how much do you reckon I'm looking at?

Itd take a long time to sand down the door blob Angle grinder job, fill and bodyshop repaint of the lower half of the panel imo.

As an example of cost the rear wheel arch looks to be £16.70 for the repair panel from here -
http://bap.dominohosting.biz/bap/bapdb01.nsf/Plook...

I wouldnt expect to see much change out of £300 for it all

[tj2002]

Cheers, not the news that I was hoping for! Not sure weather it's worth it really, the car only cost £650 and it's got 143k on the clock. Do I just run it into the ground and buy a new one or is that arch gonna become a problem in the not too distant? It also needs a couple of little suspension bits (bushes, drop links) and a service so need to work out what is priority before I go chucking money at it!

[52classic]

The dot on the door will be a hole by August if not already. However you could make it look a lot better if you keep the repair very localised.

The arch is shot. Too late for preventative maintenance, take a grinder to it and there will be no arch left.

As I said, the stainless eyebrows are an option. Fit them, tidy the door and the bars, smoke it for say 3 months and put it in the paper for £999.

[tj2002]

Cheers for all your advise guys. Really need to get more savvy when it comes to buying cars!