RS2000 Mk2 Freshen up.

[KelvinS1965]

Still waiting for my welder parts to arrive, so I gave it a bit of a hoover out and wipe down of all the interior as it was getting a bit dusty. It's not at all bad inside, though I will probably remove the seat covers to wash them as they are a bit dust ingrained no matter how much I hoover them.

You can see the cobwebs underneath , but bar the odd bit of surface rust it's pretty good under there. I'm still not sure what treatment I'll give to the underside as it seems a major job to get it off only to reveal solid metal underneath. If I paint it then it'll be less durable than now, but more like a show car. If I make it too shiny I might not want to drive it.

[KelvinS1965]

The interior shots. Shame about the speakers in the doors, but I like to have music in the car and it's been like that since my parents bought it in 1980 anyway.

PS. The mileage is genuine, though hard to prove now that it hasn't had an MOT since 1998 (I have nearly all the previous ones though).

[KelvinS1965]

Got my welder bits and pieces, so hope to get some time to start working on it again now (work has been a bit silly lately, which is my excuse). Added incentive is that I had a ride in a friend's TVR Chimaera and have deceided that I'd like one myself, which means I'll have to sell the RS to make room for it as I don't want to leave it out in the open on my drive. It helps with the resto choices as I don't want to turn it into a concourse example and I think a buyer would prefer to see how unmolested the majority of the car is (these sections apart) so will only clean things up a little.

What do you guys think of this approach? Would I put more buyers off by having everything too new and shiny looking or a more 'honest' condition?

[KelvinS1965]

As it's rained all day I got out in the garage for some noisy work, cutting and grinding. Just waiting for a delivery of Bilt Hamber deox C and Electrox zince primer, so I can treat the areas that will be covered by the repair section and underneath the strenghtener plate. Most of the repair section seam weld will be hidden by the top plate as can be seen in the trial fit picture.

From the lack of response to my earlier question I take it I've been 'sent to Coventry' for even mentioning selling my RS. I'm just going to clean up as much as I can while I have easy access, but my priority now is to get the welding done on both sides and get the car back on the road sooner. Once it's back on the road I can continue to improve it until such time as I put it on the market. Seeing the high (and IMHO slightly ridiculous) prices for even non RS Mk2s I should get enough for it to buy a tidy example of a TVR that doesn't need a full rebuild.

Hopefully post back later in the week with these bits actually welded in. Then just need to add the wing rail repair section...

[KelvinS1965]

Haven't bothered doing anything since the last post, kind of lost interest. Any idea what the car would be worth as it stands, or with the above repairs finished leaving the passenger side to do?

[Mk2steve]

[KelvinS1965]

Thanks for the help in this matter.

[KelvinS1965]

As it seems from the numberious PMs like £4k might be the kind of offer I'd get then I reckon I'd be crackers to sell it as it stands. However, I won't work on it though until I feel enthused again, so it'll be a thorough job. If I'd spent the time I wasted restoring my ex wife's MGB doing the RS instead it would have been concours by now...if only for the enthusiam of my younger days.

Hopefully by this time next year it'll be on the road, used a bit in the summer and maybe even a track day (insured just in case I kill it ) get it sold while it's fully upto scratch...then I can get my TVR early next winter.

I might come back to post the rest of the work if I can remember my password by then...

EDIT: MK2Steve, I still can't figure why you posted an 'angry' smilie...just think if I sell it, then someone else gets to enjoy it.

[BROADSTRIPE]

kevin i went through the same when i was doing mine but its time to keep your chin up and crack in over the winter .
just think of the fun you can have when its done
ITS THE PLESSURE PAIN thingy

[KelvinS1965]

Haven't been on here in a while. The weather is improving and my indoor DIY activities are nearly done, so hoping to get back onto the RS again soon.

For now I've given up on the TVR idea, having picked up a mint BMW Z3 3 litre to satisfy my quest for some open top fun...it doesn't need any work (bar finding a hardtop for better security as it's parked outside) so shouldn't impact on my work on the RS. Already had the 'hairdresser' comments.

[KelvinS1965]

Well nearly 7 years later, I've finally got back on working on the car. I had an accident using an angle grinder the last time I was working on the car and injured my face. Luckily I only had the wire brush attachment on, but it took a long time to heal and put me off working on cars for even longer.

Anyway, I had this week off work to get going on it, having cleared my garage beforehand and aimed to get the driver's wing back on. Didn't quite work out as my auto welding mask broke, so I got a new one from Screwfix. Then my trusty Cebora 130 MIG broke. Took me a few days to source a new handset and get it delivered, so I've only really had about 1.5 days proper work on it this week.

Got the wing rail on, seam welded and linished. Trial fitted the wing and it's all lining up fine. Just have to make a small repair to the bottom front edge of the wing and the matching part on the front panel then it can go back on.

Was going to add some photos I took of progress (just on my phone), but can't seem to add attachments at the moment. Will try again later on another laptop.

[merp0]

Good to hear of some progress

[KelvinS1965]

Thanks...hearing is probably all you'll be able to do as I still can't seem to upload pictures. Something must have changed since my earlier posts.

[alancdavis]

Keep up the good work

[KelvinS1965]

Logged back on for the first time in ages, just wondered what the deal is with posting pictures? Ones I've uploaded years ago are still there, but I don't think I can upload any news ones?

Since my last post I've done the repairs on the nearside inner wing, refitted the strut top plate and just need to plug weld the wing back onto the new wing rail I let in.

Found a 6 x 1" strip of rust under the passenger floor, but that looks (touch wood) the last bit I need to cut out and let a piece in. Then I'll have the offside wing to refit (taken off in 2009 I think ).

I'm not planning on a full respray, just blow in the bits that have been effected by the repairs and the odd scuff where it's been in the garage for so many years now. I might pay to have the nose cone resprayed with something more flexible than the cellulose paint that's on it (and has crazed). I'll give it a major detailing though, but I don't want to turn it into a trailer queen...just a car that looks nice, but can be used.

Once the bodywork is done, there will be a load of mechanical work to sort out after such a long time off the road: New radiator, exhaust, carb repairs (leaking), brakes, tyres plus all the usual service items.

Hopefully most of that stuff isn't too hard to get hold of and not major money: I'm retiring so this is my first project after I finish. I don't want to pump a load of money into it trying to make it perfect; in fact my aim is to get it on the road so my parents can have a ride in it again (they are both mid 80s now and I bought it off them in 1995).