1978 rolling restoration

[courtenay]

Looks good, Don. I enjoy reading about and seeing your progress. Keep it up. Will be down your way for a week at the end of September golfing in the Spokane area - with Circling Raven on our list of courses to play. Looking forward to it!

[DocGraphics]

Thanks Bruce, I'll PM ya my info & maybe we can hook up while your here.

[txSteve]

Don, I am curious whether you were able to find just the rear bumperettes for sale or whether you bought both front and rear? Also, did you have any of the mounting issues discussed in other discussion on the forum (like http://wwwe.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopi ... =7&t=18579)?

[txSteve]

Nevermind, I found the ebay url.

[DocGraphics]

Glad you found your answer.

The bumperettes I bought fit perfect in the rear, I had to push them in real hard & depress the rubber gasket to get the bolts in so they are very solid.
I haven't put the fronts on yet but will post the progress when it happens

[DocGraphics]

It's been a while since I have updated this thread so here goes.

It's been slow goin, takin my time, doin it right (not to mention 5 week "vacation" without work or money during job change)
I now have all the parts pulled, clean &/or painted & ready to start putting her back together (less 1 more forgotten gaskets order)
Took a while to find a matching slotted exhaust gear which slowed me down too (thanks to John Erskine).

Now to change all the front seals & put her back together with new timing belt & bearing, new pan & valve cover gaskets, all new hoses, upgrade to 4-2-1 exhaust, upgrade to elect ign & get all the rest of the pretty painted & cleaned parts into the freshly scrubbed engine compartment.

It's been over a month since I started all this & man am I dying to drive her again!
Also to see how performance has increased from adding the header & elect ign to go with the 32/36 weber I put on a couple months ago.
& hopefully no more oil leaks (I know wishful thinking)

Here's a few pic of the progress

Striped & cleaned engine


Cleaned & painted parts







& here's the gold pieces & the exhaust manifold mocked up to check the look


I went with the gold to go with the burgundy painted car on just the large pieces & all the other stuff is either silver or black for accent.

Hopefully by next weekend I'll have her on the road again!

I also need to get the front bumperettes & Marks front marker lights installed while the grill stuff is out, That with the chin spoiler should finish up the look I want for the front.

[RRoller123]

As we say here in Bahston, wickhud pissah!

[majicwrench]

OH NO you aren't driving your car?? We FINALLY get something close to decent weather and you aren't driving your car?? Heck, summer could be OVER in a week!!!!
Been driving the s--t out of mine FINALLY. Gads it has rained a lot. Was thinking about trying to arrange a trip to Stateline. Better get yours back together before something breaks on mine.
I'll be swinging thru that area (not in Fiat) in a few weeks, might have to swing by and say hi.
Keith

[DocGraphics]

Ya let me know Keith if your down this way.
Hope to have her back on the road next weekend.
I wasn't missing much driving weather there for a while when it rained EVERYDAY but now jonesing!

[124JOE]

totaly the oppiset over here no rain for 35 days 10 days at 99 and finaly a break
tonight around 7:30 a front moved thru blowing 78(temp) feels so good

mabey ill get to drive her sunday

[happybeachgoerm]

wow! u guys r lucky...weve gone about 2 and a half months with no rain..last month has been at least 100 every day....we got rain for the first time last night...lol

[DocGraphics]

I made a timing pointer today to be able to run without the belt cover on my 1800 & still be able to adjust the timing.

There are 2 bolts for the front crank seal cover in the same plane & in the right area, so I bent up a bracket to mount there & wrap around the aux pulley & point out over the crank pulley in the right spot.

I used cardboard to make a template then cut & bent one up from .063 aluminum




I tried straightening the old timing cover to find TDC but it was very inaccurate, so I put a dowel down the #1 spark plug hole & rotated it back & forth to get it right on TDC.
With the crank at TDC the crank key was straight up & there is a pointer on the front crank seal cover that points there exactly, must be what it's for.
Then I printed a degree wheel off the internet & glued onto plastic & mounted it to the crank pulley to mark the advance (10*, 5* & TDC) exactly on the pointer I made.



With the timing marks made I cut them into points like the pointer on a 2000, painted the bracket silver & painted the timing mark on the crank pulley bright yellow.



Here's a view from timing light perspective



Quite a few hours today to get this right but couldn't be more pleased with the results, looks stock.

I also made a bracket to mount the windshield washer bag out about 4" & parallel to the fender so that I can move the electronic ignition coil & heat sink over & behind it without any interference w/ the bag & solve the issue with not being able to plug in the connector to the ignition module.



Good day in Fiat land, hopefully I will have her together & running next weekend!
That's the end of the fabrication (except for the exhaust) & all the rest of the gaskets should be here this week.

[RRoller123]

Really nice work!

[4uall]

I want your talent & skill

[OffThaHorse]

doc what are you using to cut and bend aluminum so sharply and accurately?

my floors look alot like yours did, and id like to do the same thing you did.

Great thread by the way, very inspirational