Grande Punto Red Bonnet - Awful!

[Dave UK]

Afternoon,
I've got a 56 plate GP 1.9. Owned it since 2010.
Every year for the past 5 years i've looked at replacing it, but it keeps sailing through it's MOT's! Can't justify getting rid of a car that runs so well.
However the bonnet and wing mirros are awful!
Any tips at all? Just had a quote to have them wrapped, obviously won't be a match, but close enough to look better then what it does for £280. That includes stripping the bonnet and mirrors back and then wrapping.
Just wondered what others have done to make it look more presentable?!

 

[AndyRKett]

Afternoon,
I've got a 56 plate GP 1.9. Owned it since 2010.
Every year for the past 5 years i've looked at replacing it, but it keeps sailing through it's MOT's! Can't justify getting rid of a car that runs so well.
However the bonnet and wing mirros are awful!
Any tips at all? Just had a quote to have them wrapped, obviously won't be a match, but close enough to look better then what it does for £280. That includes stripping the bonnet and mirrors back and then wrapping.
Just wondered what others have done to make it look more presentable?!
View attachment 418445

The lacquer is peeling (which you obviously know) to wrap this properly it would need to be sanded back to make the surface smooth, otherwise the damage would be visible though the wrap.

If you're going to the extent of sanding it back to wrapping it, then you're already half way to a respray, which at a back street body shop is likely to cost about the same as the quote you got for a wrap.


Another option is to look for a red bonnet in better condition on Ebay. See if you can just swap it over for something less damaged. If you find someone parting a red grande you might be able to get the mirror caps as well.

Depending on your ideas of modifying you could also put a black bonnet and mirror caps on which might match well with the black appearance of the sunroof, give it the abarth look that is factory on the 124 abarth spider.

The mirrors being small you could probably do yourself with a pack of sand paper and a couple of rattle cans of red paint and lacquer.

Really the finish you're aiming for is going dictate the budget you'll need to spend.

I'd probably just look around on eBay for replacement panels in red.

 

[Ralf S.]

The beast looks like an old warhorse, so the odd bit of patina doesn't hurt.... but I agree with Andy, a second-hand bonnet is the way to go.

That colour is fairly common and the bonnets are probably all identical, so there must be a few around. A slightly used bonnet is also less likely o make the rest of the car look scruffy.


Ralf S.