Hi all I thought I would share a link to the video made by the guys sorting the bodywork on my 1979 308 GTB. I have had the car for two years, and when I bought it the paint looked great and the shut lines decent. Over the next few months, micro blistering started to appear and spread, and I kept noticing what looked like a sagging in the paint emerging in various areas. By this point, though, I was smitten with the car, which had done very few miles in the previous owners hands and did not run well, so I set about sorting the mechanical issues first, with a lot of help from this forum. I also modified the suspension which gets a brief mention and I know will be controversial, but for those who don’t like it, rest assured that it was an entirely bolt on job, and the konis are safely tucked away in my garage. The car handles so much better now, though, imho, and getting a 308 sitting right on the road transforms how they look (again imho). Anyway, back to the bodywork. The more I worked on the mechanicals, the more time I spent looking at that paintwork and the more it annoyed me. So, having got the car running right, I booked it in for a respray. It has turned out a little more involved!
Interesting to see how much is put back ? You could see imperfections of various dimensions before and after the epoxy first coat . I understand they dabbled in filler @ the factory …..but not to this extent . Old fashioned magnet test would have given you ( the paint shop guys ) a heads up . Looking Fwds to the various stages Ps keep posting .
Thanks for posting. They must have shed 100 pounds of filler away. Do you have a photo of the GTB showing off the stance after your suspension work? You are right, it will get a lot of attention. Or you can keep us in suspense until the car is completed.
Wow, the car is going to look even smaller when it's done! I can't believe there is that much filler.
A huge mistake on your body shop's part. You have one of the rarest 308 models: a very late vetroresina/steel hybrid shell and they've absolutely ruined it. A real shame. See if they can't slather on a nice thick coat of fiberglass to restore it properly. There was another F car like this a number of years ago (60's vintage?) on FChat that the owner had no idea it was more filler than sheetmetal when he elected to get a respray. Yours is a special kind of Bondo artistry, I give 'em that. -w-
There is a second video on their channel which shows the metalwork repair, so should be a lot less filler going back in!
Bizarrely, there was no rot under the filler - I think it was caked on to hide bad metal repair - so probably not as bad as Harry’s Zagato.
This filler artistry was done before I bought the car, unfortunately. Whoever did it was a dab hand with the sanding block! All being sorted now, though.
Not intentional, but I will have to keep you in suspense as I don’t have any photos that show it properly. Like a lot of 308s on the standard suspension, mine looked a little ‘nose in the air’, which I did not like. I actually have an original 308 marketing brochure from the 70’s, and I see that from new a lot of them looked like that! Getting rid of that, lowering slightly and ensuring consistent wheel to arch gaps around the car was very satisfying - could all be done with standard coil overs, I accept, but being able to run it a little lowered and then pressing a button to travel over the speed and other bumps is super convenient.
This is some of the worst metal work job you can come about and there will be a lot of rust behind these poorly inserted sheet metal pieces, if not now then very soon. It's simply a con job. It just goes without saying that you need to bring an knowledgeable person and a magnet with you for inspection before you buy a used F-car. Best, Peter
It’s a UK supplied, RHD, dry sump GTB - there aren’t that many of them around, and the UK climate will not have been kind to any of them. They haven’t always been valuable, leading to bodge repairs. Sorting the body work is not cheap, but it’s less than the annual depreciation on other cars I have owned, and it will give me a lot of satisfaction to have the car back in great condition.
Wow... you've got me worried now. Sanding on my '79 starts tomorrow, and I'm a bit apprehensive about what's lurking under the current mediocre paint job.
I've run into a bondo problem like this on a few Ferrari's for a repaint and no reason was found for so much filler to be used. Most recently one of them had lived in China, the other in CA. As material came off we had a 1/4" step in the bodywork until it was all stripped off.
That shop seems to really know their stuff - nice English wheel work on the panels. Are those Alfa 9 wheels? 17 inch?
Many thanks for the comment - yes good spot on the wheels - they are made by NTM, and also supplied by Alfa 9, I believe. 17 inch. I would accept they are a little ‘blingy’ and wheels are very much a personal choice, but I really like them - and they are nicely made. The additional width, as well as the offset means they really fill the wheel arches. The original wheels are safely tucked up in my garage to mitigate purist anxiety!
The metal working looks very good , great .No doubt you will compline a photo album ( one way or another ) ? This will add value definitely because the works done correctly.It’s a Brit thingy total restoration with correct documentation which enhances the values .It means they become more desirable as a USABLE classic car that’s not gone through it . This psychi works well but only if it’s ( the resto ) done right .No bodges and quality metal work . Double edge sword on you tube though as it gives an impression there a lot of bodged ( stuffed with filler or badly repaired ) out there for prospective buyers thinking of entering the classic F car arena . Noticed the resto guy sounded a little sheepish explaining “ his “ use of filler .I did say earlier it was used sparingly at the factory back in the day . Anyhow all good . £50-85 K 308 prices are one thing but I would hate to ever spend £300-350 K on a 246 Dino without it have had a well documented bare metal / recent ish resto .
Factory seam work was leaded. Polyester filler was used on some areas to hide hammer fabrication marks. Most of the 308 body work was leaded. Good luck taking one down to metal, but the lead is metal. Crash damage and rust repair will be pretty obvious. But some cars that show rust "issues" are actually crash free...go figure.
I remember reading somewhere that it was common practice to put a skim coat on a lot of panels. Is that not accurate? (not that what we're seeing is a skim coat mind you )
I've restored original paint cars and never noted any body filler or a skim coat. High build primer to make them straight and lead to get the gaps right, lead to shape the quarter panel lip where it meets the rear lid. Some on the lid as well . The seam that surrounds the side air intakes and the weld along the fenders just below the top body line also has a very small bead of lead.
Here's my first 79 GTB. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
