164 Cloverleaf Makeover 2

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Lightfoot
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2016 8:07 pm

164 Cloverleaf Makeover 2

Post by Lightfoot »

As we all know, the real key to a good restoration job is in the preparation and this is where the most time was spent in my case. The painting part of the process seemed to happen very quickly once JC's men got to that stage but then, also, the truth of the matter is that very little of the car has actually been re-painted.

The only areas to receive new paint were the bonnet (they did the usual thing and 'folded' the paint over the tops of the front wings either side to lose the 'join' in that first bodyside sculpted line in each wing.

The whole of both rear wings (incl. the C pillars) were painted along with the rear door 'shuts' plus the rear panel below the tail lights. That was the extent of the painting - oh, and the door mirrors, of course.

So, no full re-spray then although the car was machine-polished in its entirety. And it wasn't just to keep the costs down or anything. The original Alfa Romeo paint was of genuinely high quality from the factory and I explained to John that I wanted to keep as much of the original paint as possible for that reason - because it was SO good.

You can always tell good quality paint from the effort required to polish it! My 164 has always been the easiest of all my cars to 'buff'. And I fully confess I haven't really polished my 164 that many times during my fifteen-year ownership (I know - disgraceful!) for two reasons:

1) She's white! So the difference is more marginal compared to say, the Alfa red.

2) This has been a professional working car living outdoors 365 days per year and driven in all weathers, all seasons - no hobby car or garage queen, this one. In other words - she's one tough mother!!
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Kegsti66
Posts: 2849
Joined: Fri Sep 26, 2014 7:20 pm
Location: Northamptonshire

Re: 164 Cloverleaf Makeover 2

Post by Kegsti66 »

Nice one, great to see another 164 having some love. 8-)

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