Preparation for paint shop

By now we should have a fully functioning car, but without any seats or much of a cockpit to speak of.

Sadly, a lot of it now has to be stripped off so it can get a coat of paint, assuming you don't have a gel coat base colour.
You can of course have anyone paint it but the chaps who hang out next door to AK know exactly how it's done and their work seems to be as good as it gets. Plus we can have AK look over the build and laugh/admire your work and suggest changes you may need to make, especially for the IVA test.

So, remove all lights, bars, windscreen, fuel filler,  exhaust silencers, wash and wipers.
Remove the chrome cover on the door lock but leave the lock in place. Leave the rubber door trim in place. Leave the boot and bonnet rubbers in place. Leave off the inner cockpit panels. Remove the handbrake and tie the cable out of the way if you have the large Jag wheels fitted from the donor car.

The boot and bonnet gas struts must be fitted as well as the boot handle and the bonnet handles.
The work on the car will include improving the fit of doors, bonnet and boot and of course repairing, fixing up all blemishes etc on the body.

The inner skins of the boot lid and bonnet will be painted body colour if you wish.

As the above items are removed, check the clearance around the fitments. The paint will take up a millimetre or more so make sure everything has a reasonable clearance for when you refit.

Same with the dashboard. Make the holes for switches, instruments and lights up to 2mm larger to allow for the leather covering which will be folded into the holes, but maybe only 1mm for the small lights which are just a push fit.

At the same time, drop of the doors cards with the dashboard for the trimmer unless of course you have your own solution. Spend absolutely hours with Wendi choosing colours and the finish of the cockpit. Drink several cups of coffee, a few biscuits and when done make your way home to an empty garage/workshop and wonder what you are going to do for the next four weeks or more. In my case, decorate the kitchen.