And the Fiat progresses...

many944s · 07-19-2007, 12:58 PM

Well, it's been a couple of months now, and the Fiat is coming along fairly well. I started off by completely sanding the entire car, frame and all, and removed the old Bondo that someone had put in it. There was about 12-13 rust through spots that I had to cut out and am in the process of welding and leading. The front of the car is finished, I am now working on the last 4 patches on the rear quarters.

I just finished welding in a new cross frame member and all new seat mounts, then sprayed it all with rust-shield.

She's all covered in primer now, give it another month, and she should be finish sprayed.

Here's some pics... Enjoy! (Sorry for the quality, I had to use my phone-cam)

Overpaid Slacker · 07-19-2007, 01:14 PM

"FIAT" and "progress" in the same sentence. I had to look!

A buddy had a 124 Sport Spider (he went through 4, actually, in 18 months...). I learned more about fixing cars due to his FIAT ownership than I've learned just about anywhere else! I hated and loved the thing, in equal portions.

Good luck!

JP

w21055 · w21055's Garage

Looks cool, can wait to see the progress!

DanielDudley · 07-19-2007, 02:58 PM

Nice. Great cars. Keep us posted.

Shaun @ Tru6 · 07-19-2007, 03:01 PM

Nice! Did you lay a base of self-etching or epoxy primer? or what is rust shield? POR15?

miss my 850!

many944s · 07-19-2007, 06:10 PM

Yup, I shot the body with self-etching, then again with 2 part prime. The entire under body was etched then got the rust-shield. Basically it's a rubber spray coating that has a POR15 type protective compound in it to *prevent* rust. I use it on almost all of the cars I restore! Not only does it do a great job preventing rust, it doesn't chip, peel, scrape off, and it works as a great road noise deadener. Plus you can paint over it, so the inside of wheel wells is a breeze.

The plan is hopefully shoot the main paint toward the end of August. September will be sewing / fitting / installing the interior. I already have a full rebuild kit for the engine and a new clutch, so that should be built and dropped in toward the end of September. I'm planning on having it finished around mid October, Just in time to start the next restoration sitting in the shop.... a '68 Mustang.

The fun never ends...

cashflyer · 07-20-2007, 05:20 AM

Looks like a 70-73 chassis.

I'm starting on my 2L engine rebuild today. I'll drop it into my 75 chassis when it's done.

I have a Croft prepped head with 3A cam set. That, and a few other goodies, to try for 200hp.

many944s · 07-20-2007, 06:00 PM

Yup, a '73. It hasn't been a bad project, other than it had been in an accident and "fixed" with Bondo

The floor pans near the firewall were all but gone, and I've already used the better part of 6 pounds of lead in the brows over the headlights, rockers, and the front wheel wells. Thankfully I haven't gotten attached to it. I need to sell it so I can start hunting for a nice project of the other Italian "F" car persuasion

Cash, you'll have to let me know how that 2L works out for ya!

-Nick

cashflyer · 07-23-2007, 05:12 AM

When I first got my Fiat in 2001, I had to fab new floorpans, reinforce the trailing arm mounts, and weld in a replacement headlamp bucket.

I really like the bumper and signal arrangement on the earlier cars. Since my 75 had those 400 pound bumpers, I will most likely go bumper delete.

Disassembled the 2L over the weekend. I plan to take the block to the machine shop this week. So far, it's a LOT easier work than the 911 engine was!