salam!
So I’ve got a Charade 1986 that’s been standing idle for a few years and got quite rusty. It originally belonged to my father and was in decent shape engine-wise, so I decided it’s time to bring it back to life. I took it to Ayesha Manzil to find a good denter/painter, since the body was in rough shape. Found a guy who quoted me 80k for complete denting, bhatti paint, new door panels (pallay) and new front fenders (the old ones were full of polygate and rusted badly). It’s been around 2 months now about 80% of the bodywork is done (scraping, welding, denting, filling, primer etc.) and only the bhatti paint is left.
Now the issue is, the mechanic says he’s unable to find the driver-side fender (front right). He did manage to get the front left fender in mint condition from a "Bohran Wala" (idk who that is) near Lalukhet Daak Khana for around 5k but says the right one is “impossible to find”, from the same guy. Also, the front bumper is missing and he couldn’t source that either. I find it hard to believe it’s that difficult to find Charade parts in Karachi, considering how many people are restoring them these days.
Took matters into my own hands, went to manghopir, checked around Ayesha Manzil parts shops, but couldn’t find anything decent. One guy told me that the front bumper would be 17k if I could find one, which is just bonkers. So now I’m planning to head to Plaza and Shershah as a last resort.
I just need some guidance from experienced Charade bros / Karachi walay restorers and senior ustaad members where exactly should I look for these parts (especially the front right fender and bumper) and what’s the realistic price range? Any trusted shops or areas in Plaza or Shershah you’d recommend? Also, any tips for first-timers going there (bargaining, what to avoid, etc.) would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance for any help, really wanna get this project done properly.
@Xulfiqar
