Got the blues (or is it greens?)

One of the biggest parts of a car's restoration, and one that has a huge impact on its finished appearance, is the paint job. Car painting is one of those jobs where skill, practice and experience are all-important. I painted my red Herald 13/60 and my Grandfather's Avenger, and although the results in both cases are OK, they're not exactly show quality. Both have orange peel, and when the Australian authorities water blasted the Herald upon import, a small section of paint came away!

This time, I decided to stump up the cash, and get the GT6 painted in 2-pack by a professional. To keep costs down I've spent the last few weeks stripping all the paint off myself. It's a slow, painstaking but oddly satisfying job - that way I get to see all the old dents and repairs, and in a funny way it's a bonding process. I can honestly say that I know every square inch and curve of the car now, from its slightly squished nose to rounded hips and tapering tail, having stripped and sanded from one end to the other.

One use for a mine-spec V8 Landcruiser!

This morning I winched the bare, gleaming silver shell onto a trailer and towed it to the painter, 200km away in Mackay. We stopped a few times to check the ropes, and I was thankful Triumph provided tie-down points at the back of the chassis - very convenient :-) I've given the painter a list of all the repairs required, parts like the replacement floorpan and dashboard frame to weld in, and a touch-up pot of Mallard (106) to match the paint to. The next time I see it, it should be blue, or green. Whatever Mallard is!



And now I'm left with an empty garage for at least the next month :-(