Rear parcel shelf pt1

Like most 7s the rear self vinyl has blown in the corners, and mine also has some small cutouts where I had fitted internal fog lights.

The donor cars self had completely blown across the 2 section compartment, so I decided to remove and recover this one as mine only has a couple of corners blown.

Started by removing the remaining vinyl. The pressed card construction is fairly wobbly and around the fixing holes the card had become distorted.

To add some strength and straighten the lower and top fixing edges, I used a couple of layers of glass fibre clamping in place while setting. After I cleaned up with sanding disk and removed any high points.

On the lower edge I used some body filler the flatten out a couple of depressions and then give it a coat of paint the seal it which should help when sticking the new vinyl.

I need to source some black vinyl covering with enough stretch to allow me into the corners.

4hrs

Header tank mod update...

One of the updated on the 7 is to replace the plastic expansion bottle with a later model header tank.

I found one on ebay with all fittings for £20 delivered. I will need to change the thermostat housing and get a later spec rad - hoping I can do recon exchange but get a newer spec.

Painted and cleaned up very nice - maybe too much brass, will see what it looks like when fitted.

3hrs

Front offside wing repair pt5...

So a first time for me... lead loading. Cleaned the surfaces with flux paste and started melting the lead sticks along the joint and over the spot welds - the first few inches I had more lead on the ground until I got the right melting point figured out.

Using a flat and half-round file I quickly removed the excess lead and started reshaping the edge.

Since these photos I've used a dual action sander and found that the spot weld will need body filling as the lead is too soft even using by hand a fine wet and dry paper unless its my skill level?

5hrs