Having bought the car in 1979 and filled the holes in the bodywork with filler and resprayed using a garden sprayer a couple of years later it failed the MOT due to excessive chassis rust. So in June 1981, and taking seven years, I started a major rebuild. The aim of the was to have a 2 litre (6 cylinder) Vitesse engine and chassis while keeping the appearance of the 1200 Herald (with me doing as much of the work as possible).

	The car - before any work was carried out going on the family holiday to Cornwall, Summer of '79

	My first attempt at tidying her up, plenty of filler and re-sprayed using a garden sprayer. Diminishing white stripe makes it's first appearance 1980

The problem - excessive chassis rust front to rear.

	The dismantling, along with a donor Vitesse

	Every parents dream!

	Rebuilding the chassis

	All outriggers were replaced and minor repairs the the chassis backbone were needed

	Chassis subframe assembly before...

	Chassis ready...

	...and after

	Rolling chassis ready for the bodywork

	Bonnet rust holes revealed after removing filler

	Both wings and outer wheelarches replaced

	Extending the bonnet by 3 1/2 inches to accommodate the larger 2 litre engine

	New metal welded in place...

	and then filled...

	...and undercoated

	Then on to the front bulkhead

	Both front footwells replaced plus repairs to the A panels and mounting brackets

	...and undercoated

	Removal of filler from doors

	Replacement door bottoms and new doorskins for both doors

	The rear end

	Boot floor removed and repairs made to the rear lip and inner wheel arches

	New boot floor bought (after 6 months searching)

	Primed and ready for top coat

	Drivers rear wing repaired while passenger side was replaced completely

	Coming together

	Engine replaced after being cleaned up

	Sprayed one side at a time, the car having to be rolled out and then pushed back in to enable the other side to be sprayed

	New top coat

	...and ready for the shiny bits

	All ready to go

	MOT'd and ready for the road

	KJJ 178D passed her MOT in March 1988, 7 years after failing her last test

	The trial - touring in Scotland. Over 2000 miles covered in two weeks