Now the fun begins!! Swiss files, wet and dry in every grade possible and in abundance, extremely sore thumbs (or was that for another reason) a lot of time, no, a hell of a lot of time. It is important to get out every last mark because if you can see it you can bet your bottom dollar it will look twice as bad when it's plated. By the time you get to 1200 grit paper a shiny metal part should be materialising and be almost ready to be plated. Sometimes a pit mark is just too deep to get out without the whole thing looking like a roller coaster by the time it's disappeared. Options are to clean it out and make it smooth inside so at least the plating will adhere to it, or try and plug it with copper (can be a dodgy business). After everything is plated and looks the part it is easy to see why it can be so expensive to let someone else prepare it for you, all that time it takes has to be paid for somehow. Also, many platers seem to be geared to industrial jobs and as such their machines are just too big to manage all those little curves etc. without annihilating the little details that make or break a trim part. The bumpers are going to be a totally different ball game, I will probably get them stripped and basically polished and then have a go at finishing them off myself, unless of course a miracle happens and every thing turns out ready for plating.

Overall, so far I have been pleased with the results and as the platters have only had to strip and plate, the overall cost (excluding my own time, obviously) has worked out only a few pounds per item. Well worth the effort in some cases.

The last pieces of rubber trim have been ordered from Canada, just leaving some mechanical parts to get. I've had good quotes for the parts still needed, but, if something is very expensive it's worth shopping around. The latest case concerns the front brake cylinders. It seems that this particular item is now unlisted and has to ordered from the after market suppliers. After discounts and much arm-twisting, UK quotes seem to fall into the £50 - £70 range each! A quick fax to Canada and just like the supermarket ads say - "buy one, get one free" or "two for the price of one".. £42 a pair. Much better. (Sewing mail bags in this place does not pay well, so every penny counts). OK, there will be duty and some shipping charges to add on, but they will go in the next package and I will still make a handsome saving.

The final big job that is left to tackle is painting the thing. As I may have mentioned before, quotes for this have ranged from the ludicrously cheap, to so expensive I may as well ship her back and get Fords to repaint. So having thought long and hard I have decided to do it myself (a bad habit!).

So having actually managed to make a start, I must say that painting is not as difficult as I at first thought. It is a b****y sight more difficult. Still, the only way to learn is to have a go, and I am determined I am going to get there, somehow. The real consolation is the money I am saving, not that I had it to spend in the first place.

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