I have a Triumph TR4 thats a rolling resto project. I’m now at the stage where I’d like it resprayed to sort out the previous poor paint job it arrived with. I’ve approached a couple of local bodyshops but they are not to keen, suggesting I’d be better finding a classical specialist. I’m based in the central Pyrenees and wondered if anyone had any suggestions for classic car specialists in the general area. I’ve found one in Toulouse but open to other suggestions/recommendation etc. Cheers!
Aha… hope you find someone you are happy with.
Might be an idea to check out who the Insurers use.
I say this as our local spray shop gets work from all the Insurance/Businesses due to the high quality of its work.
When you do find someone, talk about options. We were offered a quote to do the work within a 2 week window… “or, Stella, you can leave it with me over the winter and we will get it done as and when”. (it does help that all the firm love classic cars 
)
We went for the latter option which was much cheaper. Dropping by to check on progress … when out and about… helped let us see and appreciate the meticulous work they were doing.
Since then, we have had other classic cars sprayed there and have no qualms referring others to them… but… they are too far away for you.
Other excellent sprayers do exist… and someone will, hopefully, come up with a name…
Stella - A good spray shop who understands classic cars and is sympathetic is NEVER too far away…
I have seriously considered sending my Daimler to Holland for work based upon the recommendation of a Dutch friend who also has Jaguars. The only thing stopping me at the moment is finding the time to get it sorted!
These guys are amazing… from “the old school” all of them, hands-on magicians…
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Agreed, distance not too big an issue within reason, especially if I were to leave it over the winter for example. As with all old cars it won’t just be a straight respray, there will be some panel adjustments, door gaps etc to adjust and who knows what else! That’s why I was looking for a specialist really. Where is your local guy based Stella?
Very nice too… subtly different, of course, to the TR4A…
How long have you been working on it… ?
Yes, a little simpler than the A. Solid axle, some trim differences I believe. This was a USA import originally, I’ve had it for about 4 years and done a lot- suspension,brakes, exhaust, wiring etc etc…But bodywork is not really my thing. To be honest I’ve been looking to sell it as I have a new project on the go but it was clear the bodywork was putting people off. Also I’m in dispute over the carte gris not showing vehicule de collection status.
Snap… ours was US import… it went back to UK . We found it there, we bought it and trailered it back to France…
It was the first car I liked on sight (fell in love with) OH was staggered as he had been beating his head against a brick-wall for years… previously cars for me were just a means of transport.
Also, it has pont rigide/solid axle … not the IRS which so many of the export 4A’s had. Our French pals called it a “dinosaur brutal” , being very heavy to drive… but, oh, what fun…
You can have the TR on either CG… your choice, you go the Certificate of Conformity/DRIRE route for Normale… and FFVE for CG Collection.
who are you in dispute with. …
I have a copy of the CG from the owner before the guy I bought it of and it shows Veh de C clearly. But it has lost that somewhere between then and now. And it came to me with the extended CT. When I took it in for CT here the technician did under normal CG not Veh de C as that was what his computer said. I’ve been through ANTs and they marked it as case closed so I’m hoping there is a new amended CG on it’s way. But that was nearly 3 weeks ago…
what happened to the CG from the guy who actually sold the car… ie in his name… or did you buy from a Garage
Since going on-line… it is no longer possible to argue the toss face-to-face… and get things sorted.
Hopefully the correct CG will arrive soon
It was a garage I bought it from but in his name. And not marked as Veh de C. I live in hope it will arrive. Along with my french driving licence which is supposed to be in production…
OK, so you bought the car from a garage and got the CG in the name of the person who sold it to the Garage… all well and good.
However, if the CG does NOT say CGC then what makes you think it is so registered ??
This is intriguing. We had our TR4A on CGNormale at first, only changing it over in 2011 ish. Many of our Paris TR pals… still have their cars on CGNormale. They seem to prefer it… 
Yeas I have a copy of the CG from the person who sold it to the guy I bought it off. It shows status as Veh de C
My word… are you sure the “new” guy didn’t change it back to Normale??
It can be done… but is a bit of a bind, so rarely happens… 
My word… this is one to chew over when I see the gang again… (no names, no packdrill of course) 
I don’t think so. He gave me a CT that he had done which was done as a Veh de C. Because It was 5 years I hadn’t really looked at it until I had a new CT done pre sale.
Any comments welcome!
I suspect my pals will simply look at me pityingly… and say… Stella… everyone should scrutinize all the paperwork before buying any vehicle… 
and I suppose that is a fair point… if you know what you are looking for…
We Brits (certainly me) are not immediately au fait with French paperwork… and I was fooled by a smooth talking salesman (only once - quite enough). That fiasco taught me caution… certainly where money is involved…