Bodywork Repair Recommendation South East

[svenedin]

My car is really showing its age. It has never been welded anywhere or resprayed and the paint is deteriorating badly. There's bare metal in quite a few places and rust appearing in all the usual places (door bottoms, rear of front wings, bottom of boot lid etc etc.

At car shows lots of people say "keep it like that, don't respray it, originality is best" and so on and so on. I can't keep it like this because the car is on a downward spiral. Something has to be done. I am quite ashamed of the car's condition. To me it looks shocking and I feel a bit despondent about it watching my beloved Minor deteriorate.

The underside of the car is in good condition. That is not just my opinion but also that of ESM who inspected (including sills) and quoted for an "Upper body restoration".

Basically, the ESM quote was astronomically expensive. I have absolutely no doubt it would be a good job but I do not have that kind of money. I was going to ask Chertsey Minors for a quote but they have announced their retirement.

Realistically, I can't do this work myself. I don't have room to paint or the equipment or skills or time (I am not retired).

As far as I know, the doors need re-skinning (or swap for better condition doors) and probably two new front wings. The rear wings may be salvageable. As the paint has bubbled and fallen off in places, the car would have to go back to bare metal I suspect.

Does anybody have any suggestions for a business or one man band in the South East UK who could restore my bodywork without bankrupting me? The ESM quote is so expensive it just won't get done.

Stephen

[les]

There is a company called Jentree in Uckfield that do body work, they are good but doubtful any more affordable than ESM.

[svenedin]

Thank you Les. At the very minimum I need to get some more quotes so I will follow up on your suggestion.

I think the ESM quote is so high because it is aiming for perfection and includes bright work, interior, a new hood etc. I would be happy to stop the rust and have good bodywork and original shabby brightwork and tolerate the ripped seats. Those parts could be done in the fullness of time .

Stephen

[myoldjalopy]

This sort of work is always going to be expensive, Stephen. I had a bare metal respray done about nine years ago, including repairs to the door bottoms and a repair to a front wing. I sourced my own replacement brightwork over the previous year as required (second-hand but good). The re-spray has stood up well to the tests of time, but for a price of over £5K it ought to. It might help others recommend somewhere if we knew what ESM's quote was.

[svenedin]

Thank you. The ESM quote was more than just bodywork so it is not directly comparable. It was for a bare metal re-spray, 4 new wings, 2x door skins, a new hood, most of the interior, new bright work, a new wiring loom and painting the engine bay. It was 5x the figure you quoted. In other words more than a concours condition factory tourer would cost.

As far as I’m concerned the tatty bright work can go back on, the hood can wait and so can the interior. Then I can do the other bits when I can afford it.

My goal here is a nice condition, useable car that I can carry on driving for another 30 years or so until I’m too old!

Stephen

[svenedin]

There is a company called Jentree in Uckfield that do body work, they are good but doubtful any more affordable than ESM.

Les, I rang Jentree earlier and I have agreed I will drive down to see them in the next few weeks so that they can give an estimate. Thank you for the recommendation.

Stephen

[les]

Great, hope it goes well !

[svenedin]

If anybody has any other suggestions do please either post on this thread or PM me.

Stephen

[simmitc]

It depends on how far you are prepared to travel. If you fancy M25, M11 and a little bit of A14 then Ian Allen of Minor Services in Witchford near Ely is very good. Unfortunately he usually has a waiting list and is winding down a bit; but if you are prepared to travel then give him a call. Highly recommended, he will tailor from "make it look OK" to full restoration.

[philthehill]

Pinchbeck garage Middle Wallop.
https://www.pinchbecksgarages.co.uk/
They are Morris Minor enthusiasts and the family own several Minors and MGs
They recently repaired the body work on my Honda Jazz after someone ran into it and they did a superb job.
They also supplied and service my Honda Jazz.
A few years back I bought a Ser 2 Minor off them for going backwards and forwards up the M6 to west Cumbria. It was fitted with a 1098cc engine and Marina running gear.

[svenedin]

Thank you Simon and Phil. There is no substitute for asking around. I am just fed up with feeling ashamed of my car and something must be done or it will simply rust away. I managed to have a very minor prang on "Drive it Day". Somebody totally boxed me in and cars had also parked in front of me. There was nobody to guide me and to my horror I managed to misjudge things by maybe 1 or 2mm. I grazed my rear wing on the dome headed bolt of another Morris Minor front bumper. The other car was completely unharmed except for a little light blue paint on the dome headed bolt. My car ended up with a slight crease and a scratch. I was upset about it but when I really looked round my car I decided it was a trivial injury when compared to the general state of shabbiness of the whole car. Enough is enough. My car has done very well to have got 55 years without ever having any restoration but the time has come.

Stephen

[radioactiveman]

I've just stumbled upon this, and you may already have this sorted. But there's a place in Chessington called 'OSC' which I've heard people talk about approvingly. I've not used them myself, but I believe if you search there is a reference to them on here