So, long timey no Talkey
And unfortunately that is because to be honest I’ve done nothing with the 5 for at least a 6 weeks.
That kangoo van up there got a new (to me) gearbox, new clutch, clio 16v front shocks and springs, new(to me) rear axle, complete rear brake lines, clio 16v rear shocks. I wet sanded it like a savage too then polished it, it’s improved, but is still unquestionably a scabby works van. And it just passed its mot yesterday.
I’ve had the clio on the road for about a month now aswell before that runs out of mot. Needed an exhaust and some other bits I’ll do a wee update on that thread.
Having got the van to a point of readiness, after fixing bits on the clio to use it for the time being I have returned my attention to the 5 over the last 2 weeks just, been a couple days, but I did start sanding the body down like I said I was going to in March.
Started with the engine bay, then decided I was going to rub and paint the scuttle area with aerosol so I could stuff the loom in there and mask it off for painting the bay and car. Used some ford space grey I had lying about. Looks fine for something I’ll never see anyway.
Rubbing down the engine bay as an easy way to get into the swing of it, just small areas one at a time.
The window sill/area/repair on the rear got a skim and flatten back, it needs another wee skim but I’m hoping to get the car in primer relatively soon, go over it and final flatten back for colour.
I am not going for professional body shop levels of finish here, I am not that fussed, I want to have a go because I haven’t since I was in college. It’s primary use is going to be getting driven on track I hope.
So after the bay was done I set about sanding the big areas, so the roof has been done, taken back far enough to eliminate the laquer blistering that was going on.
Windscreen surround and wiper area all done, side of car you can see, door stripped and sanded in and out and os door shut
So the ball is rolling.
At the moment I can’t even turn the car around as there is a big BMW estate in the middle of the unit (it’s been there for weeks

) let alone get right around it like I’d like to.
Might move this to the house, push the clio in the corner here when it goes off the road.
My garage is big enough to paint in aswell I’d say.
We’ll see how it pans out, I’m not in work tomorrow, so might get a day on the car.
Cheers