Series 1 Coupe - stonechip ?

[MattNoVAT]

As my S1 is approaching the point where it will soon be entering the paint booth, I need to confirm whether the S1 Coupes originally had stone chip the full length of the sills?

I'm having the inner arches stonechiped for extra protection and the inside of the wings too, but it is so long ago that I stripped the paint off the car that I cannot recall for definite plus some of my cars dark history has muddied the waters. 

My car had stonechip along the full length of the sills but we think that may have been done by someone during an earlier repair following some dodgy sill welding and they wanted to cover up with a thick layer.

Can anyone with an unmolested early car help confirm?

Cheers

[archigraphe]

on my scrapped 1800 coupe beta from 1974,

the inner wing have'nt a stone guard... juste the low mainframe was stonechip....

[rossocorsa]

Matt

not sure about the answer on this, what I do know is that only S2FL2 coupés had a black finish to the sills from the factory and prior to this they were body coloured. Just my personal opinion but, as the sills are vulnerable to chipping, I would have them stone chipped and painted body colour, many years ago when I restored a 2000HF I got the bodyshop to apply stone chip as smoothly as they could so that it was barely obvious; for me it was worth it for peace of mind and it always looked fine, the car was restored in the late 1980s and AFAIK hasn't yet required any further welding to the sills since (it is currently owned by Alan Murphy)

Alan   

[MattNoVAT]

Alan, that was my plan.  Seems crazy not to protect the vulnerable areas at this juncture.  It's just asking for trouble later on.

[capriblu]

I'm pretty sure all cars including the S1 cars had stonechip applied to sills as well as front and rear lower valances.  I did the bodywork on mine in 1990 (OMG!) and remember having the same debate.   I think the key thing here is to recognise that on the sill areas at least the factory stonechip finish was quite subtle.  Best way is to find a product that leaves a relatively smoothish finish or lightly rub down standard moderately rippled finished product after application.  Another tip that was given to me was that when putting colour topcoat onto stonechip use a little bit of matting agent.  This just limits level of gloss that can be developed in these areas and helps to subdue visual attention to stonechip finish.  There's nothing worse on restored cars than seeing full course texture / gravitex type finishes on outer panels duly overcoated with the blingiest ultra glossy 2K paint - generally looks truly shocking and nothing like factory.    

[smithymc]

Matt

My coupe may not be the earliest, but is at least as it left the factory.

The sills definitely have a lightly textured body-coloured finish, which may show on the photos on my thread.

Mark