A small update stone chip followed by paint starting next week so the shell is in final stages, I'll have a few pictures to go back in time with then when I get my camera back.

I was hopefull to have the electro plated nuts and bolts back by now but it's taking a little longer than I had expected so another week or so realistically on those yet.

With both bumpers being painted as well I picked up a few more rusty parts today to work on.....







Lets see what I can make of those when I clean them back, there's a few bolts snapped off so I will take them into work for drilling out and re tapping next week and hopefully I will be able to re use them ok.

Also a big thank you to Alyn at A.S. Performance for supplying a nice box full of parts Friday, some nice uprated bushes plus the main crank seal and new "O" rings for the rear diff plus a few other bits an bobs.... Really nice to be able to do business with someone that understands my requirements and is able to assist as well as supply the items that are needed for this project.

I've also got to add a small story about a part that had become my nemesis... That being a "grommet" in particular the bulkhead one that the air con pipes go through, this one item without a doubt has taken more time and effort locating than any other part of the car, mine had a knife cut through it so after talking to a couple of breakers no joy, the main dealer.... Chassis number, import.... We will get back to you... (Cough) finally ordered a new one from Japan on a two month lead time... Nearly 6 weeks go by and it's still a two month lead time... Then I dropped a wanted in here and one member had one with slight damage to it if I needed it... Thanks to super ted. I also completely forgot the fact Stu 53 had a shell on his driveway he broke and scrapped with the grommet in place as it got dragged off... But I then decided to try for a good one a final time and Alyn advised I try HDC Subaru, baring in mind I have owned a Subaru over 10 years I had not even heard of these guys and they had been in business 20 years !

Well what a saga lol anyway spoke with June at HDC Subaru and e mailed a picture, later that day June replied and said Howard knows he has one as he remembers seeing it but he can't find it... Bare with us we will carry on looking was the reply, then the following day still no joy but Howard's not giving up he knows he has one somewhere... Then a day later yes Howard has found it and it's in the post, what fantastic service then yesterday it arrives in a envelope in great condition. Baring in mind now I will add I have never done any business with HDC before and how easy it would be to say sorry don't have one I really cannot say anything other than praise for them to spend all that time looking for an item for a stranger (me) and something only worth peanuts in reality.

So a massive thanks to HDC from me for what seems like such a small thing but as said it was my nemeses and I was not going to be beat by it !

Frayz has "The Bomber" and I have "The Grommet" lol

Anyway just wanted to share a few things this week showing the up's and downs of restoring a car... I've still got a long road in front of me yet !

Oh I've also found a really nice later interior and will be collecting that next week as well.

Simon.