750 Series Giulietta Spider

[Davidm1600]

Hi Chris

Not a problem, totally understand where you are coming from.  I am sure it will be rewarding experience.

I have done the South Coast Track many years ago.  It sure is a spectacular walk/coastline.  By all means if you want to catchup with us Tassie Alfisti while down here, just pm me and I am sure I could arrange something.

We had our Annual Club Display today and included in the lineup of lovely cars was the '58 750 Giulia Veloce Spider that I had previously mentioned.  The owner ended up winning the Shannons Show and Shine trophy.  It sure is a lovely car. I have some pics of it.  Oh and btw the price I had previously thought he  bought it for was incorrect.  The rumoured price was somewhere off the mark.  $65K not $25K !  But that still is not bad considering its condition.

[GG105]

I have just picked up your thread Chris, its looking good.

Mine looked like yours underneath, we had to replace all four sill layers and the floors after a bodgy US "resto". Mine is about to receive paint. If you need any help or sympathy, send me a pm!

Here is mine off the BB

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/giulietta-giulia-1954-65/188571-giulia-spider-veloce-refresh.html

A couple of comments further to earlier posts. I find it very difficult to believe that the Rainsford car sold for $25k. The CTS/ Dutton car is not a Spider Veloce I think its a 101.19, that is a RHD Spider Normale. It is dressed to look like a Veloce.

Cheers
John

[1750GTV]

Thanks for your interest John. I've been quietly following your posts on the alfabb for quite a while and am very impressed with your attention to detail.

I sourced my sills from Texas (Lionel Velez) and the floor panels from Italy (Biondi Lamierati). Now the only part left to find is a replacement lower rear valance.

The 4 speed tunnel box and the diff were completely rebuilt by a local firm who specialise in veteran/vintage European cars and the engine will be done by a Giulietta Sprint owning mechanic on the Gold Coast. He has a couple of Sprints (races one) and has a reputation for good work.

Like you, I've got a fair bit of electroplating to be done which can wait until the early New Year when I hope to be a bit less busy at work.

As you and anyone else that has taken on a job like this knows, the journey is as much fun as the destination. I'm determined to do this right and hopefully end up with a beautifully restored early 750D which I can drive with pleasure.

I'll keep you posted.
Chris

[massiveluvbuddy67]

I have just picked up your thread Chris, its looking good.

Mine looked like yours underneath, we had to replace all four sill layers and the floors after a bodgy US "resto". Mine is about to receive paint. If you need any help or sympathy, send me a pm!

Here is mine off the BB

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/giulietta-giulia-1954-65/188571-giulia-spider-veloce-refresh.html

A couple of comments further to earlier posts. I find it very difficult to believe that the Rainsford car sold for $25k. The CTS/ Dutton car is not a Spider Veloce I think its a 101.19, that is a RHD Spider Normale. It is dressed to look like a Veloce.

Cheers
John

I had a look at this car and it is beautiful. The story I was given did not add up for me, but, I am not an expert. You need to do thorough due diligence on that car before paying the big $ IMHO. Caveat emptor.
Regards
Phil

[massiveluvbuddy67]

Thanks for your interest John. I've been quietly following your posts on the alfabb for quite a while and am very impressed with your attention to detail.

I sourced my sills from Texas (Lionel Velez) and the floor panels from Italy (Biondi Lamierati). Now the only part left to find is a replacement lower rear valance.

The 4 speed tunnel box and the diff were completely rebuilt by a local firm who specialise in veteran/vintage European cars and the engine will be done by a Giulietta Sprint owning mechanic on the Gold Coast. He has a couple of Sprints (races one) and has a reputation for good work.

Like you, I've got a fair bit of electroplating to be done which can wait until the early New Year when I hope to be a bit less busy at work.

As you and anyone else that has taken on a job like this knows, the journey is as much fun as the destination. I'm determined to do this right and hopefully end up with a beautifully restored early 750D which I can drive with pleasure.

I'll keep you posted.
Chris

Hi Chris
I am very impressed with the attention to detail. We are only custodians of these wonderful cars. You have a little jewel (sorry). Good luck and keep us informed.
Best Regards
Phil Nash

[1750GTV]

Xmas and the New Year breaks are over now and it's time to get busy on this car.

The floors have been removed from the front (under the seats), middle (under the spare wheel) and rear (the boot) of the car. Both outer and middle sills have also been removed leaving the only support supplied from the centre transmission tunnel, the inner sills and the bracing that was welded on prior to removal. This will be enough to prevent 'banana-ing' of the remnant skeleton. Next week the car goes to be media blasted - hopefully no more major problems will be found, but you never now ...

The bonnet, boot lid and passenger doors are all in very good shape. The drivers door needs major repairs as the lower 10cm or so is very rusty.

Both front and rear cross members are in reasonable shape and can be repaired. Everything above about a 10cm line around the car is in excellent condition and reassures me that this rebuild, though undoubtedly a very major (and expensive) job, will be worth it - or at least, it will be to me. I'm still chasing a few minor bits from Canada, Italy and the US though if they do not turn up, they can be made locally.

So far very little bog has been found though the nose has had a bit of a biff in times gone by. There is lots of lead fill in these cars, probably an original 'option' though in general the workmanship evident from the Pininfarina factory is excellent.

The seats have been stripped, the frames blasted and repaired (very little damage), then rustproofed and painted awaiting reupholstering.

Mechanically, the last major job is the engine and it will be rebuilt when I find suppliers for a few of the rarer parts (eg: top timing chain).

I'm also now hunting for accessories - jack, toolkit etc. Wish me luck as these items are rare, closely held and when found, very expensive.  A few months ago, I sourced an original Italian language Instruction Manual.

I've restored a few cars over the years and have always bought runners, generally staying away from basket case cars that have been stripped but are 'complete'. I couldn't help myself with this one as I've always wanted a Giulietta, was willing to invest some time finding the missing bits and am a bit of a masochist at heart So far I haven't been disappointed though I must say that having a tolerant wife is a major relief as the house is festooned with all manner of cleaned and rebuilt parts.

A couple of photos of the skeleton are attached with hopefully more to come in the next month or so.

Chris

[1750GTV]

Work is progressing slowly.

The body has been bead-blasted and coated in primer to prevent surface rusting and the only panel I'm currently chasing is the rear lower valance as the one on the car is full of pinholes. I have everything else - it looks like a large meccano set.

As the paint came off, I noticed an amazing amount of lead filler in these bodies, presumably from new. Nowadays there are better ways of finishing a car body.

I've attached a couple of photos - it looks much better in the photos than in the tin.

Next job on my list is the engine rebuild. I've elected to leave this with an expert rather than attempting it myself and making a mess of it.

Chris

[1750GTV]

While the body work slowly progresses, the engine is being assembled.

All parts have been blasted, the flywheel lightened by about 500g and sportier camshafts sourced. The inlet ports on the sand cast head have been cleaned and polished and once the clutch assembly arrives it will all be balanced.

Chris

[1750GTV]

More cleaned bits

Chris

[massiveluvbuddy67]

Looks great! Well done!

[1750GTV]

It's been quite a while since I wrote anything about this restoration largely because not much has been happening. That all changed about 6 weeks ago with the measuring, shaping and cutting of about 80 patch pieces and panels.

Over the last month the main cross members, chassis rails and suspension pickup points were all repaired/replaced and strengthened.
Next the sills were replaced after the car was suitably braced.
The boot floor and new rear valance were installed. 
Lots of old filler was removed from one rear fender where there had been previous accident damage and the panel repaired properly.

Work will begin on the remaining floors and the nose section next week.

The car was very rusty and it takes a lot of time cutting, repairing and replacing the fiddly little bits - a job made more difficult because of all of the curves. The guys use English Wheels to shape the parts and they are very good at it, but even so, it is very labour intensive.

They have also been taking lots of photos as they go along though most are closeups so you tend to lose the context and scale when viewed in isolation.

When the body is finished, work will start on the doors, bonnet and boot lids all of which need attention.

It's nice to see it all looking good.

I've attached a couple of photos of the pre-repair front and rear jack points and a shot of the repairs so far.

Chris

[1750GTV]

A couple more before photos

[1750GTV]

Restored sill on the RHS and sections of new floor.

Slow work ...

Chris

[Davidm1600]

Sure it may be slow, but slow and steady wins for the repaired sections are looking good, and sure beats rust !   Keep going Chris for eventually she is going to be sweet.

[1750GTV]

Thanks David.

The work that they are doing is high quality and methodical. Apart from the sills and floors over 70 patch panels have been painstakingly fabricated, labelled and photographed. It's like a big jigsaw puzzle.

It still looks a bit rough at the moment and will do so until all of the major parts are welded in.

When it's done I'm hoping to have a fine example of this model in factory fresh condition. If it had been in better condition, I'd have just done a recommissioning, but it was a rusty basket case delivered to me in a thousand bits, so a full restoration was required.

I'll post more photos as they come along.

Chris