What to do with the red shell?

[Kitch]

Right, well I've decided that if I don't find any reason why it's a non-starter (liked chopped wiring and bits of metal cut off that I'll keep it red and do my best with the bodywork as it is.

The offside front wing is badly dented, and the bonnet is faded, with a dodgey colour match. Other than that it's pretty straight and has responded to polish in the areas I've tried it.

So with luck, there will be a red ph2 16v for sale sometime next year. It'll have a sweet engine too, I'll make sure of that

[Kitch]

Think I need to get a valver soon, before prices go out of my reach

Just one question on looking back at the photo - has it had paintwork around the fuel filler? Looks a mismatch of colours. Might be worth having a good look around underneath that if it has to see whether it's been done well. Though I'd imagine if it was done a while ago and not rusted through yet, it must have been a decent job.

Don't think so, think it's just faded unevenly. Happens on BAH when it does start to go.

And yes, you do need to get a 16v

[Tinkley]

A lot of reds fade, seems to be the pigment type. Even quite a few more modern ones do and some of the Vauxhalls are pretty bad even 8 year old ones. It might also be that the more 'colour fast' red pigments are significantly more expensive, with blues, true cobalt is many times the price of other blue dyes/pigments. Hence only the premium makers such as Porche buy the higher quality reds, haven't seen too many of them looking like a Corsa (in red) after a few years.

Well done Kitch, probably the wisest course of action, now if there's a spare n/s rear door off the grey...I would be after it!. Not too critical but I can put my finger through the bottom flat part
Having lived with a platinum grey car for a few years, I rather like it, not too old a colour in modern company and suits the shape. The red is great on a 16v though, sorry just don't like black very much and it is as hot as hell come summer....

[Captain Slow]

How much will you be looking for if its grey....I couldn't have a red one...

[electrokid]

I've had a grey car - it's a pleasant colour, but red is possibly safer - more visible. Grey is, after all, the same colour as the road... and fog... and stuff like that.

[mat_fenwick]

I know you've made your mind up now but the other thing I forgot to mention was that if you swap all the grey panels over and just paint the roof/door shuts etc, unless they're perfect they're still going to stand out against a fresh paint job. So you might have had to do the whole lot anyway to get it looking right. Post up some pictures of work in progress so we know you're not just filling that pillar with newspaper and filler

[Tinkley]

Careful with camouflage colours! Way back, green was the worst colour ie most accidents then red as at night it is not too far away from green in tone. White and yellow obviously most visible and I do try and remember to turn on the side lights a bit earlier with this grey car as opposed to my old white one.

Mat wrote 'we know you're not just filling that pillar with newspaper and filler' Far too good for it...
more like a bit of tape...

[David]

Hi, I would have to go with what others have said; get it going then decide on the colour.
As for the hole... Expanding foam & paint?

[Kitch]

If all is ok with the wiring, then I'll be getting it going later in the winter/early spring. I'm insanely busy with cars, so I'm not going to pretend it'll happen quickly, but I'm confident I can get it done.

[Dollywobbler]

Yellow may be most visible, but didn't stop some idiot driving into my Daihatsu Sirion the other day.