My S2 coupe bit of a rebuild and repair thread.

[B5NUT]

There is no signs of any accident damage to the car, cannot see any additional welding or bent/creased metal and every thing else fits fine. If it was 5mm out at that point in the leg then it would be be a lot further out at the end of the leg and the front end of the car aligns perfectly. It's more likely the lower radiator bracket is slightly out from factory which is causing the issue. After measuring the lower hole on on the Nissens rad there is about 3 mm difference compared to the Behr rad. The plate is bolted to the side mounting point, and used a rule to measure the center of the nut.
measure.jpg

The paint is OK. I always get a few nibs that I need to deal with, and the only thing I want to play around with is the orange peal, as I feel it could be a lot better.

[K Simmonds]

You really are getting excellent results with the paint, especially doing the panels off the car. It surprising how much paint can vary in shade from the various manufacturers, though who knows what happened when your car got blown over, could be poor mixing or even contamination with another colour due to sloppy workshop practices.

As I mentioned in my PM I reckon it's likely the bottom rad mount has taken a knock at some point, either while on a lift or perhaps even getting caught while parking on bumpy ground, moving the bracket on the rad should sort it though.

Glad to see you've got a hose at the ready.

[B5NUT]

Cheers Kit.

To make sure I get the best possible match I'm painting the panels in the following way.

Primer coat
Black base
Original car colour base
New car colour base
2K clear.

I did it this way as it looks like they have just rubbed down the clear coat on the car then painted the new colour followed by more clear. I will never know why there is a significant change in the colour. There is no damage to the car, all the quarters are straight, doors have no damage etc. I'm guessing the clear coat has started to fail at some point and the wings had seen some repairs (clear coat and wings appears to be a common issue) so the car was resprayed.

I would have preferred the car had not been resprayed. When I saw the car I had a feeling the car had seen paint before as the bumpers, bonnet and wings were just too perfect, in respect to stone chips etc.

[B5NUT]

One other thing. Anyone confirm if their ABY has a rubber bush on the upper brace arm. Etka shows one but I don't think Etka is correct. Don't remember one on my car
etka.jpg

[Tractor Dave]

It's only on the radiator side, not the slam panel.

[K Simmonds]

Yep, that's correct, just the rad end. Radiators/intercoolers should never be solidly mounted to the chassis, even a flimsy slam panel.

[fish]

I had an emerald avant before. Hit a badger with it and mangled the front bumoer. The bodyshop painted the new bumper and i offered to fit it myself. Went and got it, and when held to the car it looked very odd. Alot lighter green. Went back and took the car with me, according to them there were three different shades with the same paint code. They resprayed it with one of the other shades and it was absolutly spot on. They know im picky too.

[B5NUT]

There is way more then 3 different shades, I've got 5 other cans to prove it.

Whoever painted the car either did a bad job mixing the paint or the customer asked for a slight change in the colour. I'm just thankful that I've found a mixture that is about 95% correct. I can still tell a slight difference but that could be just being very picky.

On a positive note, I did get a one part that went straight on the car without modification. A new upper steering cowling.
cowling.jpg

Anyone have any idea what this modification was for
old.jpg

Also they also managed to snap off one of the screw mounting points of the cowling so it was another reason to replace it. Never seen a car so badly taken apart before.
snap.jpg

Just need to find one of these screws now as there was only one holding it together.
screw.jpg

[K Simmonds]

Having worked in the motor trade semi professionally for over 20 years I'm no longer surprised when I find stuff broken that really shouldn't be, people do the most stupid things. Looking at that cowl I expect they lost the original screw and tried to force one much larger in diameter into the hole. I'm not having a dig at all mechanics, I'm far from the best but I've encountered some total Muppets I wouldn't trust with a kettle let alone a car.

The blanking plug is almost certainly for an old alarm LED.

I'll have one of those screws, even got a good idea where. I'm still on dog sitting duty today and besides I've missed the post, but could pop it in an envelope tomorrow for you so you'll have it on Saturday. Or if you can live with no lower cowl until you call around pick it up then.

[B5NUT]

Don't need it quickly, it's been like that since I got the car so it can wait.

[Rikki Kitto]

LED hole as Kit says mines got one

[B5NUT]

Yep, that's correct, just the rad end. Radiators/intercoolers should never be solidly mounted to the chassis, even a flimsy slam panel.

Just had a look at some of the first photo's of the engine bay when I got the car and there was no top rubber mount fitted to my S2.

no-rubber.jpg

They still appear to be available aftermarket 443121273E so will get one on order tomorrow

[LSG]

My ABY has one fitted, its on a 1994. Maybe diffrent years had them ?

[K Simmonds]

They all had them, though there's two slightly different types and I really can't remember which one's got which, pretty sure their interchangeable regardless. I suspect yours got lost whilst someone else was in there and they simply replaced it with a bolt, it's not uncommon to find them missing.

As I mentioned all fixing's for rad's, IC's and oil coolers etc should have some sort of flexible arrangement to prevent stress cracks from vibration.

That's one thing that really irks me with some of the super high spec builds I see, having the (often very expensive) intercooler bolted straight to the crossmember.

Will drop you a PM this evening Lee, had to go and get my elbow looked at this morning, it's okay, I've just been pushing it too hard, durrrr.

[B5NUT]

I did wonder why the bottom and side mount had one fitted yet the top was fixed.

Have ordered one won't arrive till Tuesday