1986
Ford Capri
2.8i
Brooklands · Full Restoration & Respray
A full structural restoration and custom respray on a 1986 Ford Capri 2.8i Brooklands, completed at our bodywork and restoration workshop near Milton Keynes. Extensive rust was cut out and replaced with hand-fabricated panels, the entire body stripped and reprimed, then finished in a custom VW blue with metallic flake and lacquer.
Project
Overview
What We Found
- Heavy rust through the sills, floors, boot floor, and scuttle panel – structural areas all compromised
- Bonnet and bootlid too far gone with rust to save – both needed full replacement
- Poor previous paintwork on the roof that had to be stripped back to bare metal
- Cracked dashboard needing repair and repaint
This 1986 Ford Capri 2.8i Brooklands was brought to our workshop near Milton Keynes for a full restoration. What started as a respray quickly became a much bigger job once we assessed the extent of the rust. The sills, floors, boot floor, and scuttle panel were all compromised – this wasn't surface corrosion, it was structural.
"Once we started stripping it back, the rust was everywhere – sills, floors, boot floor, scuttle panel. The bonnet and bootlid were beyond saving. This needed proper metalwork, not just a paint job."
The bonnet and bootlid were too far gone to repair and had to be replaced entirely. The roof had been previously painted to a poor standard, so that came back to bare metal too. With the windscreen out for scuttle panel work, we also repaired and repainted a cracked dashboard – making the most of having access while the glass was removed.
The goal was a full classic car restoration – not just cosmetic, but structural. Every rusted section was cut out and replaced with hand-fabricated panels before any paint preparation began. Over 150 hours went into this build, from stripped shell to finished car. The customer chose a custom VW blue with added metallic flake for the final colour, finished in lacquer.
Step by Step
Rust Removal & Bare Metal Strip
The car was stripped back to assess the full extent of the damage. Rust was found throughout the sills, floors, boot floor, and scuttle panel – all structural areas that needed addressing before anything else. The windscreen was removed to access the scuttle panel properly, and the roof was taken back to bare metal after finding poor previous paintwork that couldn't be built on.
Hand-Made Replacement Panels
Every rusted section was cut out and replaced with new metal, shaped entirely by hand. Replacement panels were formed using a shrinker/stretcher, sand bag, hammers and dollies – recreating the factory lines, edges, and fixing holes to match the original pressings. The bonnet and bootlid were too far gone and were replaced outright.
Welding & Corrosion Prevention
All new panels were welded in using weld-through primer on every mating surface. Areas that would be inaccessible once assembled were treated with wax oil to prevent future corrosion from the inside out. With the windscreen already removed, the cracked dashboard was also repaired and repainted at this stage.
Epoxy Sealer, High Build & Block Sand
The whole car was sanded and primed in epoxy sealer to seal the bare metal and new fabrication work. High build polyethylene primer was then sprayed over the top and block sanded entirely by hand through 180, 320, and 500 grit – perfecting every body line and panel gap. A second coat of epoxy sealer was applied over the high build, creating a sandwich that locks out moisture and prevents future rust.
VW Blue with Metallic Flake & Lacquer
With the body fully prepped and straight, the car was painted in a custom VW blue – a colour chosen by the customer with added metallic flake for extra depth and pop in the sunlight. Clear lacquer was applied over the top for UV protection and a deep, wet-look finish.
Wet Sand, Machine Polish & Final Assembly
The lacquered panels were wet sanded through 1500, 2000, and 3000 grit to level the surface completely. Machine polished with 3M Fast Cut Plus cutting compound to remove sanding marks, then refined with Roar 620 Extreme Fine Cut for a mirror-like finish. Doors, bonnet, boot, and mirrors were all refitted, and a new bronzed windscreen was installed by a specialist window fitter to complete the build.
Photography
Results & Finish
Show-Quality Metallic Finish
Six stages of sanding and two stages of machine polish delivered a VW blue metallic finish with real depth – the added flake catches the light and the lacquer gives it a wet-look gloss that holds up under close inspection.
Structural Restoration
This wasn't just cosmetic. Rusted sills, floors, boot floor, and scuttle panel were all cut out and replaced with hand-fabricated metal – restoring the structural integrity of the car, not just its appearance.
Built to Last
Weld-through primer on every join, wax oil in hidden areas, and an epoxy sandwich sealer technique – this Capri has been built to resist corrosion from the inside out, not just look good on the surface.
Build
Details
Got a Classic
That Needs Work?
Whether it's a full structural restoration, a custom respray, or targeted bodywork and rust repair – we work on classics and moderns at our workshop near Milton Keynes. Get in touch, tell us about your vehicle, and we'll give you an honest assessment and a clear quote.