We came back and Alhamdulillah, the vehicle performed pretty well. Now that we were confident on the mechanical works, we had decided that it should now go in for a paint job primarily and full and final cosmetic restorations as need be.
For this purpose, we identified the following things required to be done:
1. Scrapping the old paint
The truck had a lot of putty on it, the previous paint job was not that good done (few pieces were genuine too) but the previous body shop, wheresoever it was fixed, was either crossed at the workshop owner and was wasting putty or he had some kind of love affair for it.
Almost every panel had multiple coverings of it, most of the curves were hidden inside it. So first thing first, we needed to get rid of all the current paint, putty, give it a good denting and bring it back to its original shape.
2. Addition of some more stuff:
I wanted to add a snorkel to it and wanted convert its radio antenna to a powered one (not a stock feature on LN107). Why I wanted to do it? The antenna is on the left fender on the passenger side, and its practically impossible that while the vehicle is moving, you can operate it (I donât know why, but this is how it is).
3. Vibration Damping
One of the key challenges on an old vehicle is the ample amount of vibrations you have. Mostly due to age factor. I had decided to put on modernised vibration damping sheets, wheresoever and as much as required to increase the drive quality.
4. Heat Insulation
If you meet any old SUV owner, one of the most common issues you will get ot hear is the âUnrealisticâ amount of heat coming in to the cabin. And its literally coming from everywhere, the floor, the firewall. While I planned to strip off the whole vehicle, heat insulation was also on the menu.
So guys this was the primary task list on my mind, and with high hopes and spirits, we went into the workshop once again! As we speak of this stage, we are 8 months into the project already! It might seem like a simple 20 mins read, but trust me guys, it was actually some real painstaking job. Restorations are a test of patience and if you ask my advice, if you donât have the time, patience, connections and resources at hand, its highly recommended that you either buy a new model machine (a well-kept one), or if you are an enthusiast for a specific model (like we were sticking to LN107), then buy the vehicle from someone who has taken this road already.
