Project Status & Gallery

The Doretti has arrived and is awaiting inspection to see exactly what is going to be involved. At some time in its past it was involved in a front end crash and the whole front inner structure was removed and lots of other stuff changed to fit a different front nosecone. We’ve sourced another inner structure and will piece it all together to make everything right. It’s been fairly well butchered and the replacement panels aren’t in great condition either so it’s going to be a very involved job. I can’t wait to get started!

It’s been stripped down and there sure is a lot of work ahead. Lots of rust, lost of old repairs to correct and lots of missing things to be remade. Plus the chassis needs to be straightened.

The rear inner structure has been repaired and is ready to be fitted to the chassis to finalise the body mount heights.

Construction of the new inner front structure has begun. Combining some bits from the original car, some bits from a replacement section and a lot of fabricated panels. Obviously no repro panels available for this car!

The chassis has been straightened, repaired, acid dipped and primed. Then I was able to fit the rear section and finalise the body mount locations. Now for the front!

After a truly herculean effort the front body section has been made and the body has been trial fitted together with the bumpers and grille as well. All new floors have also been made.

Lots of small parts have been painted black and panels in epoxy primer. Doors and bonnet were de skinned to clean up all the corrosion in the seams. Doors were test fitted without skins to check gaps before the original skins were refitted.

A colour has been chosen and so lots of interior panels have been painted.

Very exciting to get the rear body structure in colour so the shroud can be permanently fitted. Plus more of the endless painting parts black. Also redid all the wired edges of the guards as they were very rusty. Theyve been cleaned up and properly etch primed so they wont rust again.

The rear shroud has been prepped and painted in colour on the underside. Then the remade front body structure was media blasted, primed, bodyworked, seam sealed, stoneguarded and painted in colour.

Final few repairs made to the chassis before that was primed, a little bit of bodywork and that was painted satin black before assembly was started.

Work continues with cleaning, painting and fitting parts, the fully reconditioned radiator with new, handmade, brass top tank painted, assembly on front body structure with new brake and clutch lines and reconditioned parts being fitted.