885041 – Saving the original picture frame

This car came into the shop with the repairs to the shell completed and a nice set of frame rails mocked up already, that included a new picture frame. But it also came with the original picture frame as well, and I wanted to get that back on the car for three reasons:

A) It’s an early car.
B) The replacement frame was stamped incorrectly, with HUGE numbers, and
C) I like to have the original picture frame on the car if at all possible. I think this comes form my obsession D-Types as a kid – where the picture frame is everything. I guess when there’s only 87 of something, people can and do keep better track of it. You should read through the D-Type histories sometime – there is a section for them on xkedata.com – it’s fascinating what individual cars have gone through – AND how for a few of them, there are TWO of the same car! One has the frame rails, the other has the tub, and BOTH swear up and down that they are the real thing! It’s a good way to blow a few hours on the internet if you have the time. Those days are long gone for me now – all I do now is what you see in these blogs – day and night it seems!