Upon arrival at Finch Restorations, the 1959 Jaguar Mk2 underwent a first assessment to survey externally visibile issues, and catalogue loose parts. Molly was assigned as the project manager.
The rusted sills have been opened up, grime and body Schutz removed, and the paint stripped from the body by hand (not shown) and by low pressure blasting. This reveals the extent of rust, and in this case of this car, several existing fatique cracks.
After priming, the hotwork stage commenced to repair the rust and cracks. During the hotwork stage, it is also important to align panels and set the gaps between panels - an iterative process with other hotwork.
At Finch Restorations, one of the first steps in the 1973 Ford Falcon XA GT RPO 83 coupe project was to assign one of our project managers. A project manager was assigned before the Coupe arrived at our workshops in the Adelaide Hills.
Due to the poor condition of the 1973 Falcon XA GT RPO 83 coupe, after decades of rat-infestation while stored in an open-fronted shed, the car represented a bio-hazard to humans.
While being careful to note any archaeological details, the coupe needed to be rid of rat faeces and rat's nests. Their removal started to reduce the terrible odours, which lingered in the body until the car was eventually stripped and dipped.
The disassembly stage is a major activity during the ground-up restoration process when a car is transformed back to its constituent components. Usually the car will transition to a state where it is in more pieces than it was in the factory, as sub-assemblies used in the factory, like the drive-line, also need to be repaired and reconditioned.
"Receival" of the 1948 Jaguar 'Mk4' was simply a matter of rolling the Mk4 out of our storage building. We had been advertising the Mk4 as a project car on behalf of the previous owner.
Mocking up through CAD design, using Finch Restorations' 3D laser-scanner, is faster and safer than performing the equivalent activities in the workshop. Andrea, alone, can achieve what may require two or more techicians to achieve through the moving, hoisting, propping, and jigging of heavy and large components.
