Scimitar GTE Body off restoration, Classic

Please note this will go to a 10 day auction in 2 weeks if it does not sell

Hi and welcome to this auction for my scimitar GTE. For me originally it was all about the colour scheme. it's so seventies it hurts! If you don't “get” the colour scheme then don't read on. If you do “get it” then read on. but do bear with me as it's a bit of a story………….

As many of us have. late at night on eBay and after maybe one or two many beers. I found I had won a bit of an impulse buy. in  this case a seventies classic for £1200. The seller said he was a mechanical engineer and that he had brought the car from an old boy who had owned it for around 20 years. He was “flipping” it for cash. and assured me mechanically it was super sound and the chassis was rock solid. He was right the chassis on these cars are like girders and was rock solid. what he didn't tell me was the all-important outriggers had the structural integrity of cheese. Unaware of this I had new leather seats and a full carpet set fitted at £1200. (As this story develops you will realise I have spent a fortune on this car. in fact far more than I will ever get back. but let's not get bogged down in that. or I will probably end in tears again!)

We digress. nbsp;             there I was waiting in the MOT station. proud as punch of my classic car with a brand new interior. expecting to have a clean MOT only to find it was  effectively a right off. In fact the MOT mechanic must have ran out of ink filling the fail sheet in!! So I am now around £2400 into the Scim which was effectively a scraper. Not good you might think. and you would be right. At this point enter Kevin Guy. a REAL master mechanic having worked as a mechanical engineer for the ministry of defence for 25 years and is now currently employed by my company as our maintenance technician for our vehicles and machinery. This guy makes Ed China look like an apprentice. There is nothing he does not know about the internal combustion engine and the vehicles it may power. It was decided that I would pay him to take the body off the car and repair the outriggers. so you need to bear in mind this has been restored buy a meticulous mechanic. not a hobbyist in a shed. in fact the only shed involved was the shed load of money I have spent on this car.

The body came off and the chassis was restored to as new. but now this far in you cannot leave it there. Don't get me wrong this is not a nut and bolt rebuild as it would never be viable to do this to a scimitar. instead Kev's brief was to restore it to a standard that it would go through the next 3 or 4 mot's with no problems. ” In for a penny” and all that. Kev has striped. cleaned. everything. there is literally to much to list. and if interested call and Kevin will talk you through it. but here is the basic list

Chassis   New  O/S and N/S outriggers. shot blasted and zinc primed and stone guarded. All seat belt anchor straps renewed. front sub frame shot blasted and painted.

Rear axle   Oil drained and refilled. pinion seal renewed. hub bearings and seals renewed. new wheel cylinders. shoes. brake pipes and hand brake cable. shot blasted and painted

Propshaft     replacement prop cleaned painted. uj's greased

Rear suspension     new trailing arm poly bushes. rear shocks cleaned and painted

Front suspension     New upper ball joints. track rod ends. trunions overhauled & greased. new fully adjustable dampers and springs (not on photos )  New wheel  bearings and seals. brake pipes. callipers overhauled new pistons and seals. replacement steering rack cleaned painted new gaiters. wish bones shot blasted and painted.

Engine new mounts. timing cover gasket. oil seal. valve clearances. rocker covers cleaned painted new gaskets. sump gasket. block cleaned painted  (heat resistant) manifolds blasted painted new gaskets. carb stripped cleaned new fuel pipes. fuel pump gasket. thermostat and gasket . new water pump and coolant pipes( inc stainless) replacement rad flushed cleaned painted. header expansion tank modification manufactured and fitted. new plugs leads coil. new alternator steering belts. oil and filter. Kevin has checked everything accessible and believes the mileage to be genuine; it can only be described “as sweet as a nut”.

Gearbox      cleaned. new seals. new oil. cleaned and overhauled oil cooler

Electrics      New battery. new  fan motor mountings . ssemblies overhauled . all bullet connectors  cleaned/renewed. earths upgraded renewed. all electrics  restored to original and soldered not crimped. new  rear fogs number plate lights. front side repeaters. gearbox loom renewed. all fuse box connections cleaned. new washer bottle and pump. centre dash removed and connections cleaned. New alpine head unit (ipod compatible) new 6x9s and power amp   

Also new speedo cable. seat belts. Motolita steering wheel (same as a Jensen) 4x new Uniroyal tyres. wheels nuts centre caps. sill guards wiper blades.    This all equates to over £2000 excluding Kevs wages! Just imagine how many hours this took!!    (feel the tears coming on again)                       

Finally all back together the Scim went to the body shop. for originally a few bits and bobs but ended up having about 90 percent repainted costing nearly £2000   (sobbing now!) But finally we have the Scim ready for its MOT. which it sailed through. of course. with no advisories. of course!

To summarise. we now have a body off professionally restored Scimitar. with the all-important new leather seats(rare) and carpets. in fantastic mechanical order and beautiful paint work. This is a highly usable every day classic in original specification which was. when new. a top sec car with auto box. leather seats and of course that special seventies colour scheme. It's all about  the colour scheme!!!!!

Please note this will go to a 10 day auction in 2 weeks if it does not sell

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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