TESTING OF PAINT COLOR. BRITISH RACING GREEN.

TEST COLOR DARKER BRITISH RACING GREEN.

THE GOAL, BRITISH RACING GREEN...

SAND BLAST CABINET A MUST HAVE...

BEFORE AND AFTER... I USE "KLEEN BLAST" FOR BLAST MEDIA...

INSIDE BLAST CABINET, KLEEN BLAST MEDIA WHICH IS COPPER SLAG.

FINALLY GOT THE COLOR RIGHT... DARK BRITISH RACING GREEN...

  A FTER METAL PREP MX-520 & 579 CHEMICAL METAL TREATMENT. THIS PUTS A ZINC COATING OVER THE METAL AND NEUTRALIZES ANY RUST THAT MAY BE PRESENT. HOWEVER I GROUND ALL THE RU ST AWAY. 

YOU CAN SEE THE ZINC COATING... N O RUST NO WORRIES.

  HOOD AFTER FIRST TEST PAINT, 2 COATS OF CLEAR AND WET SANDED AND RUBBED OUT YET. THIS IS JUST TEST PAINT TO MAKE CERTAIN OF THE COLOR. THIS WILL ALL BE SANDED BACK TO METAL, RETREATED AND FINALLY READY FOR THE REAL THING (PRIMER&PAINT.) 

  AT SOME POINT I WILL BE REMOVING AL, THE FENDERS, REAR CLIPS, DOORS, GRILL & REAR VALANCE IN ORDER TO SAND, PRIME AND PAINT ALL PARTS. ALSO AT SOME POINT I WILL BE STRIPPING THE CHASSIS MOST LIKELY AT THE SAME TIME AS EVERYTHING ELSE.

THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE AFTER GETTING LEAKED ON FOR A YEAR, RUST GOT UNDER A CLEAR PROTECTION COAT I HAD ON THE METAL BEFORE I PUT IT IN STORAGE FOR LATER RESTORATION WHICH I AM READY FOR NOW...

THE HEALEY WAS STORED AWAY SINCE 1997 AND MUCH TO MY SURPRISE THE GAR AGE ROOF HAD A LEAK WHICH RUSTED THE CAR OVER TIME. IT WAS A GARAGE WHICH I RARELY WENT INTO.

I AM AT A BIG ADVANTAGE FOR HAVING TO WORK PROFESSIONALLY RESTORING THESE BRITISH CARS FOR 4 YEARS... THAT KNOWLEDGE IS WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD.

TERRY THE OWNER OF "THE TOY SHOP" AN AUSTIN HEALEY RESTORATION COMPANY THAT I WORKED FOR. HE STARTED IN 32nd AND WOUND UP WINNING THE RACE...

TERRY & STERLING MOSS 1987...

  Hello All

Years ago in California I worked for an Austin Healey restoration shop which my close friend Paul's older brother Terry owned and still owns. The name of the company was "The Toy Shop" and when you see the race cars in these photos you will understand the name. Terry has been restoring these cars for the last 40 years for the love and a living. Most restorations take anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 years depending on many facets. In these photos you will see the race cars Terry raced and still races in Monterey California Laguna Seca Raceways. It is the annual British Car races which were sponsored by BMW at the time. These Austin Healeys, Triumphs, MGA's etc etc all have quite the impressive history. In these photos you will see Terry standing along side Sterling Moss at Sears Point 1987. Terry was also personal friends with Donald Healey who designed the Austin Healey Sprite series. Donald Healey use to fly in from Britain every year and stay at Terry & his wife Robbin's house and then go to the races with Terry that week. I also rented a room off Terry for a couple of years in the huge house he owns and yes Robbin was a good cook lol. Anyway while working for Terry I purchased one of his Sprites, a 1969 Austin Healey Sprite MK IV, the cool part is Terry has photos of the now "past on" Donald Healey sitting in my Healey. I have owned my Sprite for 20+ years and have had many fun years driving it all over California and Washington. My Healey was put in storage back in 1997 and do to an unknown leak in the garage roof over the years it rusted fairly well but not beyond repair especially for a guy who worked restoring them for 3 years (Me)... The following photos are my step by step restoration of my Austin Healey Sprite and also Terry and the race cars back in the day at Laguna Seca in Monterey Ca... ENJOY....

Joe

Sequim, Washington