Getting Closer

In this week's episode, I have made significant progress...

• I finished sanding, cleaning up and fitting the new-to-me driver's side fender;
• I mounted the front valance with all new bolts;
• I reinstalled the bonnet (with new bolts);
• I aligned the fenders, bonnet and front valance;
• I got a really good start on the filler work on the bonnet. 

Here's what I have done, starting with aligning everything...

And finishing with the bonnet in filler.

There's still a high/low spot in the lower-middle part of the bonnet where I sanded all the way through, but it's pretty close for a first pass.  This was 12 hours of work on Friday and Sunday to get everything lined up properly.  I got extra time over the holiday as reward for a good deed. :)

Next time, I should have the bonnet finished and the passenger's fender and front valance in filler.  I don't think I need to get as crazy with the passenger's side.  We'll see.

After this, I'll sand the whole car in 180 grit, fix some spots I know I'll find, and then I can call the painter!  After I fit the front spoiler, that is...

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A New Wing

I'm not happy with the quality of the repair I made to the driver's front fender.  While surfing the eBays, I found one in Kingman, AZ.  The seller happened to be headed to an MG car show... in Peoria!  Bonus--I got to spend time at the Arizona MG Club "Wheels On The Green" show on Sunday.

Anyhow, I picked up the fender--I actually had a choice of two, and of course I picked the one with 4 layers of paint and then house paint on top of that. I do think it was the better choice.

A test fit showed it fits well...

 

And so I went to work stripping off all that paint, with my trusty sanders and a lot of sandpaper.  The fender had a layer of filler in a couple of spots in between two coats of paint; it looks like it got pinged a few times and someone covered over it instead of fixing it properly.  So after the paint came off, I did some work to straighten things out, and I think it came out OK.

  

 

Mostly, I enjoyed the car show.

Next week, I'll fix a couple of holes and the attachment tab for the inner bolt, and then get back to filler.  I should have the front of the car mostly sorted in a couple of weeks.

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