Fearny's Motors(My BX used in latest BetVictor Ad)

[ianfearn]

OK, so its not that retro but I reckon the Ford Puma is a classic waiting to happen! So hopefully i'm allowed it here . Bought last year to get me through winter and keep my other cars away from the salt with a bit of fun thrown in for good measure.

Every Puma seems to have rusty arches so this is my attempt to sort it once and for all..... My bodywork skills are miles off TonyBMW standards (or many others on here!) but looking at the amazing work being done by others has inspired me to sort the bodywork out on my cars. This is the first time i've done jobs where the cosmetics actually matter at the end!

Its a pretty tidy car with just a few bits letting it down, I've not found a full arch repair write up on the net so here goes.

Bumper off, few little scabs round the arch






Inner arch


As far as I know, there's only one company supplying rear arch repair panels and they're in Germany. Apparently they're not curved either so I bought a Peugeot 206 front wing from the well known auction site and cut a section out of that. The profile is virtually identical.


Start cutting


The whole length is rusty, its just a moisture trap. Well done Ford


Fully cut out. Inner wing rotten too.


Inner wing repaired.


Weld through Zinc primered.


New arch tacked into place.


Fully welded. Did this a little at a time to try and prevent too much distortion. The metal isn't especially thin but hey, its a Ford!


Welds ground back.


Trowel on some filler


Acid etch primer applied


Just need to get some Medium Steel Blue tomorrow and get it finished off. This rain is driving me mad, my garage is sooooo small!

[l33dwc]

Nice repair on a car that is at the banger stage of it's life. Keep up the good work

[SamR380]

You make it look so simple! That would probably take me two days to, and not half as good a job.

[ianfearn]

Jul 8, 2012 13:27:24 GMT SamR380 said:

You make it look so simple! That would probably take me two days to, and not half as good a job.

LOL!!! It did take me 2 days!!

Thanks for the kind words, i'm no bodywork expert, just a bloke with a low end welder, a grinder and some balls to make the first cut

[MK2VR6]

I remember the original tv ads for these with cuts of Steve McQueen (from Bullitt) helping to sell it. Shame Ford never replaced it with another small sports coupe.
Great to see one being done properly; there must be so many with pog loaded into the back ends by now!

[ianfearn]

I'd forgotten about that ad, here it is though by the power of YouTube

[richrolls]

Smart well thought repair there. Good spotting of the Pug arch as a panel

[ianfearn]

Masked ready for top coat


Can you tell what it is yet??


First coat of Medium Steel Blue


My paint gun is hopeless, i've never been able to get it right and its making my paint look nasty.

Can anybody recommend a good budget paint gun?? Ideally one from this place as its 5 mins from work: www.spraygunsdirect.co.uk

Also went playing in the floods today ;D

[mdh]

What happened to 'enter slowly and push the bow wave'?? ;D

[teaboy]

Jul 8, 2012 13:31:32 GMT ianfearn said:

i'm just a bloke with a grinder and some balls to make the first cut

Good lord, I would try to keep my balls away from the grinder!

I like the use of a front wing to repair the rear arch, top job.

[Rich]

Nice repair work! Good stuff!
But get some pics of your BX up!

[ianfearn]

Jul 10, 2012 19:46:35 GMT Rich said:

Nice repair work! Good stuff!
But get some pics of your BX up!

I've posted this car on another link but just for you, here it is again.... I love this car! ;D

[ianfearn]

Finally after all the awful weather i've managed to get some more time on this and finish it off.

Generally, its ok. The weld is completely invisible and the new paint is lovely and smooth with a nice depth to it but the paint match isn't amazing so where old meets new its not great. With hindsight I should've painted the whole rear wing and the swoop round the top of the door but hey, you've got to learn somewhere.







Next up is the BX speedo cable which has gone for the umpteenth time now and is of course obsolete so i'll have to go down the custom route.

[waylander]

cracking job mate had a silver one a few years ago lovely car awesome exhaust note when you opened her up felt as tho she would just keep goin and goin luv another just the rust puts me off but now i know where to get repair panels haha also love the steve mcqueen advert classic !

[waylander]

also forgot to say love the bx looks really well got a zx 16v and an axgt myself

[trigger]

I'd be pretty bloody chuffed with that repair if that was me mate, it looks very good for a D.I.Y'er!

[ChasR]

From those pics looks like a good result from a DIYer .

[ianfearn]

Thanks for the comments...

Waylander, LOVE the AX!

The BX is a cracking old motor, the front drivers side inner wing is starting to get a little crusty so might start that soon. Compared to the Puma though, the BX is a bit on the sluggish side!

[mrbushrat]

Nice job on the puma rear arches. I used to road rally a puma and my dad now runs it and still going strong and winning events with a 160k on the clock!

[DarrenW]

Nice work The Peugeot repair panel is well known it seems, nice to see how it's actually done.

I've just bought a Puma, the arches are fairly tidy but I'm sure it'll be needing attention at some point...