How to build an 1800ES body

This video, borrowed from the Swedish P1800 club, shows in a pretty detailed way how the body of the 1800 was manufactured in 1972-73 at the Olofström plant. Even if it was in a way mass production, the rate was so slow (8.048 cars in about two years) that quite a number of operations relied entirely on manual adaption and real workmanship. It was also constructed in a way which involved making a number of "invisible" weldings like at the front where the front wings meet the nose and towards the windscreen, typical for a sportscar of that time. The way it was done is shown in great detail in the video; first manual adjustment (using steel scissors), the gas welding and grinding, and finally lead sealing of the seams to make them completely invisible after painting. Amazing to watch!

Unfortunately, even if a number of measures were taken to protect the body against rust, the construction itself contained a number of hidden bombs which were almost impossible to avoid over some time. The result is that almost all 1800's which were in regular use developed serious rust problems after few years. Front crossmember, wings, sills etc. just rotted away, and when it finally became apparent, the full extent of the damage was still hidden underneath.

My car seems to have avoided the worst, even if it also showed to conceal quite some damage under a still decent surface. The reason is certainly that the worst was stopped by cleaning and surface treatment of the inner sills about 25 years ago, the fitting of inner mudguards and finally stopping using the car during winter, thus avoiding the salted roads. For those not particularly familiar with the P1800 and looking for one to buy, this should serve as a warning. A decent exterior can hide serious rot, which might in the worst cases cause the car to be dangerous to drive and even fail the inspection. There are simply no quick or cheap fixes to this, and anyone in this situation should know the risks involved and make the most to know what they actually consider buying. But I know the feeling; it's almost as taking a look at puppies even if getting one was not exactly the plan. The 1800 is simply so breathtaking in its lines that common sense can evaporate in a split second. I was definitely lucky with mine, but I know several cases of people who were not.

Update 25/5: Joyful news, as Mark has informed me that both wings are now finally fitted. They are now working on cleaning window apertures and floor pans. If nothing major is discovered during this process, then the next step will be to prepare the car for the paint shop. The doors have meanwhile been given a special treatment, involving paint stripping and dipping to eliminate any rust. Pictures promised in a few days!