Home Refurbs

Has anyone tried/done any home refurbs?

What have you tried and how have you found it?

At the moment I am in the process of refurbishing the wheels, sand down, primer, and then some good old hammerite. Looks alot better than I expected.

Next job is to touch up the front grille, the only issue I have is masking the badges. I have masked up the blue "fiat" logo, but i am strugling with ideas of how to mask off the fiat stripes in the centre of the grille.

Help please!!

Could use the "speed" stripes that go down the side of your car. Halfrauds would have that, or a better car accessory shop! I've used it before and they peel off afterwards ok too. You can buy them in a variety of widths too.
Has your panda got the girlle with lots of slats, or the one with a few and a smaller fiat badge in the middle?

Cheers,
Si

I've not properly started the Fiat refurbs, though all of my SAAB refurbs on the old 96 have proven majorly successful and colossally satisfying!

The needing to take your part to be re-manufactured is a huge myth, go to http://www.frost.co.uk/ I've never actually ordered from them (yet) though they have been recommended to me a few times - I'm waiting to have a garage to justify spending all the money there!

hey jon!

you sciving off work?

My Grille is similar, if no the same to "Welsh Jon's"

I dont really want to add anything to the car, unless its a replacement part.

The 5 chrome strips on the grille come off.....they are clipped in place.

Please enlighten, i presume they are clipped in on the inside?

Pop out with a push from a screwdriver, or something more delicate?

Gently with a screw driver, if you take the grille off and turn it round you will see the clips.

Im a Few steps further with these refurbs, with the grille, I didnt want to risk snapping a clip, so I masked them and it has just been sprayed. Wheel wise, the spare has had it final coat is drying, looks a treat. The driver side front and rear have been wire brushed and are ready for priming. Its a very lengthy process but I think its well worth it, especially as mine weren't in top nick to start with. Pictures of Before and After Below.

We've just done all the wheels silver on both of our Selecta's! They look fab

You guys have inspired me to tart up my Panda, so last weekend armed with filler and paint I attacked the near side rear wheel arch.

I am not professing to be an expert, and I'll be the first to admit my techniques are far from orthodox, but I am pleaseed with the result and hopefully it should minimise the further spread of tin worm

Attached are the pictures...

PS. The over spray on the bumper is from the previous owners attempt to 'sort' the problem - Not mine

Providing the weather is good I am going to do my wheels next weekend.

Tom

You've done a bloody good job there Tom!

How long did it take roughly? Fancy doing my Selecta

Thanks.
I think all in about 2-3 hours, however alot of this time was waiting for filler to cure, paint to dry etc... I also a lunch break

I did also take the opertunity to clean out and under seal the whole inner wheel arch area too, whilst the wheel was off.

If you do give it a go, I recomend the fibre glass filler for major filling and also an air sander made the rubbing down a breeze.

Got and used both of those in the past (or dad has when I watch should I say ), nice to have the confirmation

Nice effort there!! Glad there is someone else out there repairing damaged caused by mother nature. I have been so lonely these last few weeks

To defying tinworm and beyond!

Si