Bean Posted December 21, 2016 Report Share Posted December 21, 2016 That sucks that your friend as the same colour! I feel your pain and would be hesitant to paint it the same colour as a friends car - and I'm not sure I'd be a fan of the light grey interior. Was the interior ever black or tan? Any stock burgundy or dark red colours? I googled 404 Coupe images and the white just doesn't do it for me... It looks stunning in the darker colours, and with a black or black/tan interior it would be amazing. Kicking myself for not choosing to buy cooler cars to buy when I was younger! A long nose 911E was cheap when I was in high school, and I bet I could have found / afforded a 404 Coupe when I was younger as well. Pretty sure the 404 Coupe has exceeded my desire for a 504 Coupe - it has gorgeous lines. (I still want both though...) Edit: I just wanted to temper my assessment of the white. A Coachwerks refinished perfect body in white will never be a bad thing. While I'm not a fan of most white cars, I had a white 505 Turbo and it was a great colour for the car, and was particularly striking when it was spotless and gleaming. So you really can't go wrong with white either should you choose it. Rabin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2016 Well the blue thing I can get over, it's not like we will be driving our cars together much if at all. The light grey seats would be offset with dark blue carpets. Rather than cloth I would go for leather (not OE for a Coupe but what the hey). Black vinyl seats were also available with any Coupe but a dark interior with a dark exterior doesn't do it for me, even black leather. No matter what the seating colour, the dash pads, door cappings etc were all black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bean Posted December 21, 2016 Report Share Posted December 21, 2016 Dark blue with the tobacco brown/tan/black interior would be nice. The Delft Bleu 505's with blue interior is just too much blue for my tastes. Light grey/blue interior should be nice, but dark blue on brown can be really nice as well. My 2000 Volvo is a dark pearl blue with anthracite/dark grey interior and it's one of my favorites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2016 Fancy looking Volvo there! ...so yeah I am definitely looking at dark blue on light grey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRDT Posted December 21, 2016 Report Share Posted December 21, 2016 Light grey for me, was Pininfarina using special non-Peugeot colors? They did that on the 205 Cabriolet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2016 They used colours that were specific to the 404C models, all (other than Noir 1000) of which were different from those available on other 404s. 1962-1966: White Saratoga, then White Arosa 1132; Black 1000; Dark Grey 1055; Dark Blue 1057 on Coupés. 1967-1969: White Arosa 1132, Light Grey Metallic 1162, Light Blue Metallic 1158, Black 1000 I get to choose a colour from the 1962-1966 list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bean Posted December 22, 2016 Report Share Posted December 22, 2016 What colour would the interior be if it was white? Ferrari is Pininfarina as well so I figured it was a viable example. Rabin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2016 White has a dark blue interior. Original upholstery was a woolen cloth which moths ate and faded ferociously in the sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bean Posted December 22, 2016 Report Share Posted December 22, 2016 Dark grey with the light grey leather seats, and charcoal or black carpets might be a nice option... (or with dark blue leather too...) I don't envy your decision one bit! Tough spot to be in but I'm fully confident whatever you choose will be perfect for it. Rabin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2016 Coachwerks recommended a dark colour and the one he mentioned was dark grey, but that's because a '66 911 with immaculately applied grey paint was in the other room...but that car has red leather interior but that's not a 404 interior colour. I prefer the blue and so does Sandy. But there is time yet, still to vacillate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2016 I have been continuing to clean up the suspension as a priority, so the completed shell can be mounted on it just before the car is returned to me early in 2017 (spring?). Bear in mind that the car only has 82,000 miles on it from new. Summary: The struts will have new shocks installed (OE Peugeot) and I will have this work done by a motorcycle guy who does this in a big way. Both struts will be cleaned to the bare metal and the cast iron parts at the base and at the spring mount coated with Zinga under the satin black topcoat. The right one is primed already. I checked the track arm position with my factory tool and it's fine. Both front springs are in good condition but need some touch-ups with black paint. I will do that by hand to keep the mostly intact factory paint. The upper shock mounts are crap and I have two nearly new ones to use that I have had for decades, with another few decades of life left in them. The steering swivel needle bearings and races will be replaced, as will the grease seals. New shock bellows, new front wheel bearings will be used. Suspension arms are iron - the transverse ones were in good condition but needed a serious de-rusting and new bushings. They're both cleaned and primed, and once painted, will have the new bushings pressed into place. The front diagonal suspension arms are also iron and the first one I took off stripped its threading so I had to order two new ones from Germany. They're en route right now and will be used in reassembly. The other original diagonal arm came off intact and I will keep it as a spare. The cast iron front crossmember and related cast suspension mounts will be sandblasted and powder coated. The steering rack will have new dampers and springs fitted, if needed. The rear springs are heavily surface rusted so they will be sandblasted and powder coated black. The Panhard rod is also heavily corroded and needs new bushings so it will be blasted and coated, new bushings pressed in. The rear shock absorbers are original but seem OK. They have been primed and are ready for a top coat. If they're not working properly, they are easy to change. The torque tube will be refinished in dark grey after derusting. The aluminum rear axle will not be dismantled at this time but will be opened up for a cleaning. I have new worm and wheel, bearings, oil seals and more, but it seems to be in good condition so I will save those parts for later use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRDT Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Can the old shock absorbers be opened? They may just need new oil and seals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Front ones: yes, rear ones: no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goce Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Mike, progress looks great, for the rear diff i would take the rear cover off check the color of the bearings, teeth and reseal it with new oil seals and copper washers on the drain and fill plugs, every peugeot rear diff i've seen is covered in oil and dirt from leaking oil, and couple of decades old oil seals should not be reused, as for the shock absorbers, i'm very impressed with the quality of shocks peugeot used on the X05 series, i own cars that have turned over the clock on the speedo and are on factory shocks, that said i don't drive fast over the big bumps, but i don't care if it's paved or not if i need to go somewhere it takes me there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N9TE Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 Hey! This is great news Mike! How appropriate that a guy who really would appreciate this more than anyone would get this chance. Make sure you insure it properly when it's done and drive and enjoy it! Awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 It's already insured for 7 grand w. Hagerty and will shortly be insured at an agreed value of $55K with them, once it's restored. Driving this car is the plan. Every time I drive a 404, it feels GREAT! I look forward to that feeling again. The diff is OK. It's worm drive and did until 1989 have the wrong oil in it, but it's OK for now, not unduly worn. Oil seals will be examined but I am not going to take the differential apart for now. I have new bolts and worm and wheel, plus the factory tool kit. Even the brake linings, with 82,000 miles on the originals, have lots of life left in them (they usually lasted 150K miles when the cars were new). Rear shocks are not rebuildable but they seem serviceable and I will see how it goes. Having run both Boge and Koni shocks in a 404 previously, I can say that they're both rubbish so I am not too keen to bin the rears for some aftermarket brand if I can avoid it. The bodies were rusty so I repainted them. Peugeot doesn't make new replicas of rear (or front) 404 shocks, yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 The struts are both cleaned and one is painted, one is primed as of Wednesday evening. Main suspension arms are painted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRDT Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 You know who made all these OEM shocks? Peugeot. Until the early 2010' all shocks where designed and manufactured in-house by Peugeot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 Yes, I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted January 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2017 Seat foams arrived today. Left is backrest, right is cushion. And yes, I got a second pair for the other seat! Source: Comptoir du Cabriolet in France. Double yes, those grinders are both Peugeots! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goce Posted January 4, 2017 Report Share Posted January 4, 2017 Wow these look great, at first look i thought they were white leather, i'm sure they are very comfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted January 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Today I made another visit....to drop off a cheque and to see the car. The work on the bodyshell has just begun, because only a day ago did the panels I dropped off at Island Quick Strip get back to Coachwerks! NOS panels after blasting (the other half floor is on the other side of the shop). Floors cut away completely, tunnel intact. Floor pieces! Next stop: recycling! 404C on the cart....300 SL in the background. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bean Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Definitely in good company! Thanks to your tip I toured Rudi's shop and saw his collection - your 404 is going to be stunning! Decide on colour yet? Any idea which paint company / system they use? Rabin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted January 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Colour will be Bleu Foncé 1057. I am not sure what paint system they use. For box sections, they use Waxoyl to provide rust inhibition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRDT Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Nice choice: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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