A Bondo Masterpiece

I’m convinced that this car started out as a giant block of Bondo and an artist chiseled it away to reveal an MG that he saw inside.

I started assessing the body by investigating the A posts and areas under the front fenders. As it turns out, a previous owner, in perhaps wanting the car to look more like an MGB, bonded the A post skin to the front fenders. The seam on the driver’s side jumps out because the bondo cracked, revealing the truth.

There’s a point of no return when you chisel away the first piece of bondo. I chipped and chipped at the bondo, slowly accessing the base metal underneath. In chipping where the seam should be between the front fender and A post, it revealed that these parts were welded together in those places. They would have to be cut apart in order to remove the fender to see the underlying structure.

As I ground away the paint on the driver front fender, it revealed big rust holes. Peering out, I spotted an easter egg left by a previous owner. With the interior trim removed from the driver’s footwell, I could identify that it was a razor knife which had apparently fallen down between the footwell skin and the fender. Other notable body filler and rust extended down onto the outer sills (rocker panels). Removal of the front fenders allowed for closer investigation of the A posts. The passenger one was particularly bad with a large hole on the forward surface. Rust in this cavity compromises the integrity of the lower door hinge panel.