End of June
One thing worth mentioning is that, while Beaconsfield are rebuilding my car, they're also dealing with three or four Emiras every week needing replacement panels under warranty for panel blistering issues. Those jobs have to be turned around fairly quickly, so understandably these cars take priority.
I'm perfectly happy to wait a little longer if it means my car gets the attention it deserves. As long as I have my car back before the third week of July, my planned European road trip is still on. (Or, failing that, I still have enough time to cancel nearly everything before the refund expiry dates, hotels, ferries and the like.)
That said, I also can't wait to see the finished car and have my Emira back again.
The good news is that all of the body panels are now painted—front and rear—I haven’t a photo with the bonnet resprayed but I assume it has been. The resprayed panels are the first real indication of what the finished car is going to look like.
View attachment 84052
View attachment 84053
One thing to bear in mind is that these photos are taken under the body shop's bright LED lighting. That tends to exaggerate the slight green tint in the paint, making it more noticeable than it is in natural daylight. (For anyone interested in the science, white LEDs are actually blue LEDs with a yellow phosphor coating, which tricks our eyes into seeing white light.)
The roof is now painted, and the engine cover is starting to go back together (well, apart from the bits sitting the passenger seat).
View attachment 84054
Then comes what is probably the most exciting stage so far...
The first test fit.
With the doors and rear hung back on, the car suddenly stops looking like a collection of painted panels and starts looking like an Emira again. Wow!

Subtle is one thing it is not.
View attachment 84055
Check out how the colour is changing tint slightly under different intensities of lighting.
Although it looks almost finished in these photos, appearances are very deceptive. There is still a lot more that you might expect still left to do.
Both doors still need completely rebuilding internally. A lot of electrics need to be refitted front and rear. Every light, vent, grille, bracket, seal, trim panel, mirror, fuel cap, badge, decal, number plate etc. has to go back on. Then comes what is probably the most time-consuming part of the whole repair—adjusting every panel until all of the gaps are exactly right.
When Beaconsfield replaced my driver's door previously, it came back with panel gaps that were actually better than when the car left the factory. I also had the infamous issue of the rear bumper sticking out slightly on one side. My dealer's response was the traditional
"They're all like that, sir." Beaconsfield quietly adjusted it and made it properly flush. So my expectations for this repair are understandably pretty high.
It’s worth remembering next time you take your Emira in for replacement panels – it’s a lot more than a quick old panel off, new panel on and respray.
And that's where things stand today.
You're now pretty much as up to date as I am. Tomorrow is my scheduled weekly phone call—by now it's probably become part of Beaconsfield's routine—and hopefully there'll be another batch of good news and progress to report next time.