1962 Austin Healey BT7 Mk II Restoration
Part Four
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The majority of the "panel beating" was done by BENZINI. The high spots were hammered out, the
surface was filed smooth, and epoxy primed. Then a "sandy-primer" was applied and the surface sanded
again. This was done to all the body panels, during 1995 and into 1996. The inner fenders were
sprayed with a "chipguard" material, and then all the parts were sprayed with black basecoat and
block sanded again and again. There are over 400 hours in the basic body preparation and finishing.
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After the body panels were to this point, I took the car to PERRONNE'S AUTO BODY for final fit and
finish. I had mounted all the panels to the car, after the black basecoat painting. To do it over
again (Ha, Ha), I would have spent the additional time to assemble everything in the primer stage.
I was having a problem getting the doors to fit. When I had an equal gap all around them, then they
wouldn't close. I also had inflicted a few scratches and stress cracks in the fenders and hood during
their installation. The car was in his shop from August 1997 until May 1998. After final fit and
finish, (lots of block sanding and polishing), the car was ready for upholstery. When the car was
back home again, My wife and I spent some of the most frustrating hours of the project assembling and
installing the windshield (it took both of us to get the windshield gasket compressed and the
bolts started).
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'62 Austin Healey restoration, Part One
'62 Austin Healey restoration, Part Two
'62 Austin Healey restoration, Part Three
'62 Austin Healey restoration, Part Five
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