1978 Restore in Alberta

[ammonite]

I found a non running 1976 Fiat listed on Kijiji for $1000 in the next town to mine in May of this year.



Gas down the carb got her to start but nothing I could think of would keep it running. Offered $900 just so I could claim bargaining creds and towed her home. Replaced the fuel filter, fuel pump, accelerator pump diaphragm, overhauled the carburetor, blew the fuel lines, cleaned the gas tank and replaced the fuel sending unit ... then she started. And then overheated. So I wired a toggle switch from the fan to the dash and she hummed and kept her cool. A trip to Motor Vehicles for plates and registration was dashed as I learned that it required a notoriously strict Out-of-Province Inspection which declared that I needed signal lights and 4 way flashers, defroster and heater, wipers and window washer, Left Front side marker, bumpers, repack wheel bearings, 5 new tires, front brake pads, front and rear brake hoses, new front rotors, rear rotors reground, emergency brake handle and cable, muffler and exhaust pipes and minor sheet metal repair on front rocker panels, left AND right. So I went to Europe for a month. Arriving back home broke but anxious to start the restore I needed to raise some serious cash first. I whipped together a couple of gemstone ammonites (see my website http://www.ammonite.com) and started searching ebay for parts. Wow! Everything I needed was there and relatively cheap and customers kept stuffing cash in my paypal account so I was all set. 2 months later and approximately $4500 and I have a whittled the Inspection list down to e-cable (on it's way) and Hazard lights which defy all attempts to isolate. I might need to attempt a complete rewiring job before I can get her on the road. Yikes! And what fun!



I have posted more images of the exterior work on photobucket here: http://s1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff371/Tommy_Dryden/.

Images of the $7 rubber bumper blocks I installed temporarily but am growing quite fond of are here: http://photobucket.com/fiatbumperblocks.

I have many pieces left over and hope that someone(s) can help me identify them before the car shakes itself apart in absence of them. Images of all the lost parts here: http://photobucket.com/fiat_parts.

And here:



































Thanks for all the help from the forum - I could not have gotten this far without you!

Tommy

[baltobernie]

#1 is one of a pair of "shoulder pads" that secure the forward edge of the boot cover to the convertible top frame. A boot cover is the "U" shaped vinyl piece that hides the underside of the convertible top when it is stowed. The shoulder pads hold the front, and the rear is attached to the two chrome boat hooks forward of the trunk lid.

Rubber grommets are used throughout the car; main battery cable exit on firewall, center bearing driveshaft support bracket, some air filter brackets to the cam box ,etc.

[azygoustoyou]

#2 is the washer that goes to the top bolt for the upper control arm.
#3 is a washer for the top of the shock.
#9 are clips to hold the trim on the door seal on top of the seal plate.
#10 goes under the A frame trim on the doors
#12 goes on the tranny cover plate under the shifter to let the reverse cable come through.
#15 the first and second one goes under your antenna. The three below it goes in the interior- caps.
#16 goes under the wiper cowl in the front.
#17 goes under the door seal on the outer part.
#18 looks like the rubber that goes under the trim on the front of the hood.

[mik]

#4 are the clips to hold the cowl grill in place.

[ammonite]

Wow, thanks for the quick answers. This is a VERY knowledegable group! I extend much gratitude.

[ammonite]

[quote="azygoustoyou"]#2 is the washer that goes to the top bolt for the upper control arm.
Is that the control arm for the top?

#3 is a washer for the top of the shock.
The bumper shock?

[124JOE]

#2 is the washer that goes to the top bolt for the upper control arm.
Is that the control arm for the top?

#3 is a washer for the top of the shock.
The bumper shock?

#2 is a pair of washers the cups face out away from the bushings on the upper control arm

#3 is a pair of washers for the shocks the meatal washer rubber car body another rubber then meatal then nut.joe

[Danq]

#5 Gauge mounting clip.
#11 Looks like the pads for the hood.

[ammonite]

Some clarification please:

"#11 Looks like the pads for the hood." - Where on the hood?

"#3 is a pair of washers for the shocks the meatal washer rubber car body another rubber then meatal then nut.joe" - Not sure what this means??

Thanks again!

[124JOE]

well a pic is worth a thousand words

[drovak]

#8 are the seat stops to prevent the seats from sliding back too far. These bolt on underneath the seat rails using the same two bolts that hold the rails on. My car only has them on the passenger side, so I'm not sure if it came that way or if it would've had a set for the driver's seat too.

Hope this helps!

Kyle

[Danq]

They go on the trailing edge of the hood to protect the cowl