Estafette Restoration

While waiting on the materials and timber for my next kitchen commission, I am giving my work horse a bit of a spruce up. The van is a 1978 Renault Estafette imported from the South of France and has proved itself very useful over the last year particularly for restoration work. However as you can see from the photos, it was not the prettiest of vehicles on the road and my children have reminded me of this at every opportunity.

This has been my first vehicle respray and unfortunately I have had to do this all outside because of its size which has made for some additional challenges not faced in the spray booth, like trying to land paint on the surface evenly in a 15 mph wind with only 6 hours until the next forecast rain shower and with weather 10 degrees below the recommended application temperature.

Despite this, it is beginning to take shape and assuming I can remember where everything goes it should be out of my workshop just in time for the arrival of 2.5 tonnes of timber.