body repair and respray for an alfa spider in SE UK

Dear all
do you have to recommend any panel beaters and body repair garages in
the SE of the UK, or North France?
I need to fix my spider and respray it
Many thanks
Harry

hhatza wrote:

> Dear all
> do you have to recommend any panel beaters and body repair garages in
> the SE of the UK, or North France?
> I need to fix my spider and respray it
> Many thanks
> Harry
Jamie Porter at 'The Workshop' Royston

Not that far south east, but *very* good IME

www.alfaworkshop.co.uk
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

"Catman" > wrote in message
...
> hhatza wrote:
>
> > Dear all
> > do you have to recommend any panel beaters and body repair garages in
> > the SE of the UK, or North France?
> > I need to fix my spider and respray it
> > Many thanks
> > Harry
> Jamie Porter at 'The Workshop' Royston
>
> Not that far south east, but *very* good IME
>
> www.alfaworkshop.co.uk


But are they cheap enough? Are they too upmarket to do welding on a Sprint?

ss.

Synapse Syndrome wrote:

>
> "Catman" > wrote in message
> ...
>> hhatza wrote:
>>
>> > Dear all
>> > do you have to recommend any panel beaters and body repair garages in
>> > the SE of the UK, or North France?
>> > I need to fix my spider and respray it
>> > Many thanks
>> > Harry
>> Jamie Porter at 'The Workshop' Royston
>>
>> Not that far south east, but *very* good IME
>>
>> www.alfaworkshop.co.uk
>
>
> But are they cheap enough? Are they too upmarket to do welding on a
> Sprint?
>
good god, no. They've done more welding in my cars than I care to think.
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 2.0 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

Synapse Syndrome wrote:

>
> "Catman" > wrote in message
> .. .
>> Synapse Syndrome wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > "Catman" > wrote in message
>> > ...
>> >> hhatza wrote:
>> >>
>> >> > Dear all
>> >> > do you have to recommend any panel beaters and body repair garages
>> >> > in the SE of the UK, or North France?
>> >> > I need to fix my spider and respray it
>> >> > Many thanks
>> >> > Harry
>> >> Jamie Porter at 'The Workshop' Royston
>> >>
>> >> Not that far south east, but *very* good IME
>> >>
>> >> www.alfaworkshop.co.uk
>> >
>> >
>> > But are they cheap enough? Are they too upmarket to do welding on a
>> > Sprint?
>> >
>
>
> My poor Sprint has been off the road for longer than you could possibly
> imagine. Getting it there for an estimate would be hard enough, but what
> if
> if it's hundreds and hundreds of pounds? Just the thought of it makes me
> paralysed to carry on doing nothing.
>

Sitting down? Good

That 'if' is totally redundant. You want good work, you have to pay for
it, and then there's the re-spraying...

IMHO though, get it done. They are soooo much fun. I will be very sad when
I wheel Rachel's into storage later this year.
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 2.0 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

"Catman" > wrote in message
.. .
> Synapse Syndrome wrote:
>
> >
> > "Catman" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> hhatza wrote:
> >>
> >> > Dear all
> >> > do you have to recommend any panel beaters and body repair garages in
> >> > the SE of the UK, or North France?
> >> > I need to fix my spider and respray it
> >> > Many thanks
> >> > Harry
> >> Jamie Porter at 'The Workshop' Royston
> >>
> >> Not that far south east, but *very* good IME
> >>
> >> www.alfaworkshop.co.uk
> >
> >
> > But are they cheap enough? Are they too upmarket to do welding on a
> > Sprint?
> >


My poor Sprint has been off the road for longer than you could possibly
imagine. Getting it there for an estimate would be hard enough, but what if
if it's hundreds and hundreds of pounds? Just the thought of it makes me
paralysed to carry on doing nothing.

ss.

"Catman" > wrote in message
.. .
> Synapse Syndrome wrote:
>
> >
> > "Catman" > wrote in message
> > .. .
> >> Synapse Syndrome wrote:
> >>
> >> >
> >> > "Catman" > wrote in message
> >> > ...
> >> >> hhatza wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> > Dear all
> >> >> > do you have to recommend any panel beaters and body repair garages
> >> >> > in the SE of the UK, or North France?
> >> >> > I need to fix my spider and respray it
> >> >> > Many thanks
> >> >> > Harry
> >> >> Jamie Porter at 'The Workshop' Royston
> >> >>
> >> >> Not that far south east, but *very* good IME
> >> >>
> >> >> www.alfaworkshop.co.uk
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > But are they cheap enough? Are they too upmarket to do welding on a
> >> > Sprint?
> >> >
> >
> >
> > My poor Sprint has been off the road for longer than you could possibly
> > imagine. Getting it there for an estimate would be hard enough, but
what
> > if
> > if it's hundreds and hundreds of pounds? Just the thought of it makes
me
> > paralysed to carry on doing nothing.
> >
>
> Sitting down? Good
>
> That 'if' is totally redundant. You want good work, you have to pay for
> it, and then there's the re-spraying...
>
> IMHO though, get it done. They are soooo much fun. I will be very sad
when
> I wheel Rachel's into storage later this year.


Well that's just great. To pay more money than the car is worth is really
not going to go down well. I am talking about new fabricated inner rear
arches and the fitting of outer rear arch repair sections (which I have) and
the offside sill replacing (I have a repair section). It needs one of the
rear spot welded seems in the boot redoing too, and the rear valance needs
replacing (though I might just leave that until later). And then a respray
I suppose.

How many hundreds and hundreds are we talking as a very rough estimate? Do
you think he will be able to make an estimate from a set of good photos?

ss.

Synapse Syndrome wrote:

>
> "Catman" > wrote in message
> .. .
>> Synapse Syndrome wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > "Catman" > wrote in message
>> > .. .
>> >> Synapse Syndrome wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >
>> >> > "Catman" > wrote in message
>> >> > ...
>> >> >> hhatza wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> > Dear all
>> >> >> > do you have to recommend any panel beaters and body repair
>> >> >> > garages in the SE of the UK, or North France?
>> >> >> > I need to fix my spider and respray it
>> >> >> > Many thanks
>> >> >> > Harry
>> >> >> Jamie Porter at 'The Workshop' Royston
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Not that far south east, but *very* good IME
>> >> >>
>> >> >> www.alfaworkshop.co.uk
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > But are they cheap enough? Are they too upmarket to do welding on a
>> >> > Sprint?
>> >> >
>> >
>> >
>> > My poor Sprint has been off the road for longer than you could possibly
>> > imagine. Getting it there for an estimate would be hard enough, but
> what
>> > if
>> > if it's hundreds and hundreds of pounds? Just the thought of it makes
> me
>> > paralysed to carry on doing nothing.
>> >
>>
>> Sitting down? Good
>>
>> That 'if' is totally redundant. You want good work, you have to pay for
>> it, and then there's the re-spraying...
>>
>> IMHO though, get it done. They are soooo much fun. I will be very sad
> when
>> I wheel Rachel's into storage later this year.
>
>
> Well that's just great. To pay more money than the car is worth is really
> not going to go down well.

Been there, done that

> I am talking about new fabricated inner rear
> arches and the fitting of outer rear arch repair sections (which I have)
> and
> the offside sill replacing (I have a repair section). It needs one of the
> rear spot welded seems in the boot redoing too, and the rear valance needs
> replacing (though I might just leave that until later). And then a
> respray I suppose.

Fairly normal. Thing is about rust, it spreads see?

To really put the icing on the cake, have you checked the inner front wings
recently? If you can get your hand up there, can you feel the chassis
member? Is it squidgy? Squidgy is baaaaaad.

> How many hundreds and hundreds are we talking as a very rough estimate?

I would be surpised if you had had change from 7-8 hundred from that.
Although I may be *well* out.

> Do you think he will be able to make an estimate from a set of good
> photos?

One of the annoying things about Jamie. He doesn't *do* esitmates. What
he will do is work to a budget. Tell him what you've got to spend and what
you want done, he'll tell you if it's possible / likley.

HTH

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 2.0 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

Synapse Syndrome > wrote:

> > IMHO though, get it done. They are soooo much fun. I will be very sad
> when
> > I wheel Rachel's into storage later this year.
>
>
> Well that's just great. To pay more money than the car is worth is really
> not going to go down well. I am talking about new fabricated inner rear
> arches and the fitting of outer rear arch repair sections (which I have) and
> the offside sill replacing (I have a repair section). It needs one of the
> rear spot welded seems in the boot redoing too, and the rear valance needs
> replacing (though I might just leave that until later). And then a respray
> I suppose.
>
> How many hundreds and hundreds are we talking as a very rough estimate? Do
> you think he will be able to make an estimate from a set of good photos?

Reading that, I'd sell it and buy a better one.

Yours has got to be worth £500 at least, even needing work, and a good,
solid one can be bought for £1500-£2000.

That's going to be cheaper than having the work done.
--
Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300
VW Golf GL Cabrio - Alfa 75 TS - Alfa 155 TS Lusso - COSOC KOTL
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

SteveH wrote:

> Synapse Syndrome > wrote:
>
>> > IMHO though, get it done. They are soooo much fun. I will be very sad
>> when
>> > I wheel Rachel's into storage later this year.
>>
>>
>> Well that's just great. To pay more money than the car is worth is
>> really
>> not going to go down well. I am talking about new fabricated inner rear
>> arches and the fitting of outer rear arch repair sections (which I have)
>> and
>> the offside sill replacing (I have a repair section). It needs one of
>> the rear spot welded seems in the boot redoing too, and the rear valance
>> needs
>> replacing (though I might just leave that until later). And then a
>> respray I suppose.
>>
>> How many hundreds and hundreds are we talking as a very rough estimate?
>> Do you think he will be able to make an estimate from a set of good
>> photos?
>
> Reading that, I'd sell it and buy a better one.
>
> Yours has got to be worth £500 at least, even needing work, and a good,
> solid one can be bought for £1500-£2000.
>
> That's going to be cheaper than having the work done.

I've been thinking about this in relation to the 74. I've come to the
conclusion that depsite the logic of your argument, it's better the devil
you know IYSWIM. Plus it's often simpler to fix up than trawl through
loads of crap cars.
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 2.0 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk