Painters/bodyshop advice - cost sensitive - please

[Jackonicko]

My Pac Blue Elan has the usual patches of 'lifting lacquer' here and there, and a couple of really scabby areas (gravel rash across the front and mirrors, dire problems around the filler cap, and a nasty patch on the edge of the front bumper).

Thanks to some envious scrote's psychological problems it now also has a single 'kick'-sized dent on the driver's door just below the 'crease'.

This latter has elevated the need to 'do something about it' from "eventually" to "imminently".

I don't want to change colour, I don't need the car to be concours, and it won't be hard for the car to look better than it does now.

I don't want to spend a fortune on this, as I do have other priorities (brakes, hardtops, etc).

Does anyone have any recommendations - especially if they also have 'guesstimates' as to the likely cost?

Does anyone have experience of using Steve Williams for minor bodywork/paintwork?

Does anyone have experience of Specialised Paintwork in Reading?

Does anyone know who Will B uses? SurferPhil? Clemo?

[max and andy]

Would you not be better flogging yours and taking advantage of the times? Then you could buy that S2 you have always dreamed of. M&A

[Jackonicko]

1) Mine is worth very little. Even less with a f****** great hole in the door.
2) I'd have to spend a great deal to get a significantly better one.
3) There's a recession on. I've lost two major contracts this year (Costing me in excess of £20k) so I have NO F****** MONEY!
4) I don't really want an S2 (nasty wheels, power-sapping cat, etc.)
5) Mine is worth very little primarily because she's tatty. She has a good roof and a reasonable interior, so a respray will do a lot to improve her.

Apart from that, really helpful advice, thanks mate.

(Unless of course you're so awash with money that you're offering me a massive sub.......? Or unless you're offering to buy her for £6K or so.....?





OK? Thought not.)


Did I mention that I have NO F****** MONEY?

[Jackonicko]

No-one has any recommendations?

[ektrolleyboy]

I don't think you're going to get anything done cheaply to be honest. Not with fibre-glass...

You could try the local college, garages etc. Look for an apprentice painter that needs to practise. You pay for the material etc. He/she does the work.

[Jackonicko]

Good lateral thinking, ET!

By cheap I guess I mean anywhere south of a grand.....

[Specky]

I've seen Steve and his team at work in both Maidenhead and Winsor (Hell of road on the suspension), sadly all I can say is.... it looked alright...

Also I never seen any "before and after" cars that have been worked by SW.

I don't know anyone who's had body work done, you could try on the LEF, but saying all that he does seem to have a different Elise in the bay daily...

TTFN

[Dave Eds]

Jon - Dave Freeman over on LEF has given me the no of the chap he uses in Harlow, Essex. I will be getting a quote from him for my car in the next couple of weeks, when I find some time! Any use?

[Jackonicko]

Yes indeed. Thanks D.Eds.

[al]

I've seen Steve and his team at work in both Maidenhead and Winsor (Hell of road on the suspension), sadly all I can say is.... it looked alright...

Also I never seen any "before and after" cars that have been worked by SW.

I don't know anyone who's had body work done, you could try on the LEF, but saying all that he does seem to have a different Elise in the bay daily...

TTFN

I had some accident damage done there, but I don't think I'd go again to be honest, the paintwork has since started showing stress marks, which, I'm told, are there because the old paint wasn't sanded down & prepped properly, also they charged for a new rear light cluster which never actually turned up - I had to go and find my own after a couple of months' repeated phoning and waiting for them to sort it out.

[CJ101KT]

Option 1 (http://www.option1sportscars.co.uk/) will be at a Lotus meeting on this coming Thursday at the Arrow Mill Hotel, Alcester, Warwickshire, if it is of interest to you or anyone else. They will be there for a talk and to offer advice. The meeting kicks off at around 7:30pm.

[Rice crispy]

jackonicko,
did you get the paint job done ?? if so was it where dave eds suggested ? i need to get my bumper done a maybe a couple of other panels if funds allow.

anyone have any suggestios of where to go in essex other than Sinclairs (will be too expensive i think)

david

[Dave Eds]

Stock Coachworks mate! Not far from you!

[Jackonicko]

How much did they charge, D.Eds?

[Rice crispy]

Cheers Dave

[tomac1975]

Hi,

I think I remenber surfer phil mentioning a bloke in chalfont that he uses, maybe worth PM ing him as if I recall from a brief chat with him i think it was reasonable. sorry i can't recall costs.

cheers,

Tom

[Dave Eds]

How much did they charge, D.Eds?

Dunno! Bob had some work done there, but they are highly regarded locally.

[baldyash]

Definetly recommend stock coachwork----nr chelmsford