Restoration begins

[1750GTV]

Attached are a few photos of the early body work on my 105 1750GTV. I delivered the car to my mates panelbeating workshop with just about everything removed and then spent half a day taking off the doors, bonnet and bootlid. The photos were taken half way through the second day when we started to strip back the paint to see what was underneath. The car is very straight with virtually no rust - remarkable - but then it's been a garage queen for quite a few years. This is its first repaint in 38 years.
He and I are undertaking the work (him mainly - I'm just the gopher) over a period of about 4 weeks. He is a very experienced panelbeater having restored quite a number of British (Austins and MGs) and American (from an 1928 Essex to a late model Corvette) cars and I'm not expecting any nasty surprises.
I'll keep the photos coming as the work progresses.
Chris

[1750GTV]

I got the car back from the painters a while ago and have been slowly reassembling it. I've still got a bit to go and took these pictures yesterday after a drive. The LH inner headlight will be fitted later today when I've painted the bowl that it mounts in. The front bumper is being polished and will be fitted this weekend. The door trims, complete with new rubbers and seals, are nearly ready to be installed. I also fitted an original Blaupunkt Frankfurt radio that I got from overseas - it's an early 1970s stereo model that works perfectly and I've got a spare amp that will go in the boot. If I can work out the optional cassette player I/O connections, I'll also be able to connect my iRiver.
Just thought you may be interested,
Chris

[Colin Byrne]

Looks fantastic! love the colour
keep those photos coming and good luck getting those new door rubbers in they can be a real pain

[1750GTV]

Colin,
Thanks. It took me a few years after I bought the car to get used to the colour but I really like it now.
Amongst other things today, I fitted one of the quarter window rubbers and it took me a while to get the hang of it. I'm not looking forward to the door rubbers as I've done them before on another car and they do take a bit of patience. I don't know when it will all be done - is anything like this ever completely finished? - but I'm quite happy to plug along doing a bit here and a bit there.
I appreciate the encouragement though I'm not short of motivation.
Your car looks nice too - I'm assuming that's it in your avatar.
The 105s are lovely cars and well worth preserving, or at least that's my opinion.
I'll keep posting photos when I can,
Chris

[pep105]

Great work your 1750 looks great, cool colour nice change to the typical 105 - such a period colour.

Youve inspired me to pull the finger out get off this computer and get stuck into my 105 resoration keep the photos and updates coming

[GLittle]

Hi Chris,
The car looks great. Have you progressed any further? I was interested to hear you comments on the fitting of the door and window rubbers. Where did you source the rubbers from? I am also doing a 1970 GTV 1750. I have been on the project for about 3 years and also stripped it down to zip. I ended up painting mine the original white, but I must admit I do like your colour. What is it called?
Have you had to purchase many new bits and if so where did they come from?
Good luck
Regards,
Graeme

[Davidm1600]

Hi Graeme

I too need to restore my 1750 GTv series 1.  It is currently white but am wondering about re-painting it navy blue or something else ??  Any suggestions anyone, but not red.  I already have a red AC 124 sport (restored).  I suspect though, I had better finish off the Super before starting the next project though.

Now re your questions as to where to get parts from, you are spoilt for choices.  Marc and Mario at Milano Spares have a full range of parts, prices seem reasonable.  The 105 Factory is also an obvious choice.  Then there are the overseas options, the best ones in the UK are Classic Alfa (Richard Norris) , also Alfaholics (Richard and Max Banks), EB Spares and Highwood Motor Co.  All have websites, pictures, prices etc.  I have bought a lot of parts for the Super restoration from both Milano and Classic Alfa having compared prices with all suppliers.  I have met Richard Norris in London a couple of times and he is a great bloke (has a mint condition 1750 s2 with v.low miles and a spider + a Dino !!  Ditto have always had good dealings with Marc.  In addition there are parts suppliers in the US and a e-bay store Ricambi Automobilia.  I have dealt with the guys from Ricambi and they too are really helpful.  Lastly obviously there is e-bay, I have got a lot of the really hard to find parts from there for the Super.

Hope that helps a little. 

Not sure what the Alfa colour is called but Fiat produced a similar colour for the 124 sport, 850 sport and 128, which is called Positano Yellow (I know it is a mustard colour).  It is a really nice period colour.  Strangely I didn't use to like it, I do now.   Hence the 124 sport was painted Lancia red when restoring it. 

Cheers Dave

PS good luck with the 1750 resto

[1750GTV]

Dear All,
As Dave said above, nowadays there are many reputable businesses selling both original (mainly NOS) and remanufactured (often better as the 'bugs' are sorted) parts for these cars. I must admit that I get most of my stuff from the UK, for no particular reason other than I started buying from there years ago before the internet made it easy - remember those days ......
I've dealt with all of the UK merchants Dave mentioned - Chris Sweetapple (www.highwoodalfa.com), Max Banks (www.alfaholics.com) and Richard Norris (www.classicalfa.com) - and they are all great. I've occassionally called Milano Spares in Australia, between Marios fractured English and my tortured Italian we make ourselves understood, and can recommend them also.
Get yourself started and do a little bit at a time to spread the financial pain.

The official colour of my car is giallo ocra (literally translates as yellow ochre - Alfa code #109). It's a real 70s colour that grows on you though my long suffering wife continues to describe it as baby poop brown - very unflattering. It matches the reds and oranges of the indicators well. The new paint has a real depth to it that the 38yo paint had long since lost and I'm glad that I got it done.

I intend to put a few more bits on it tomorrow so will take some more photos and upload them.

The door rubbers weren't that much of a hassle really - you just need lots of patience, particularly around the door hinge areas. I suspect that they would be much easier to do with the doors off. The window area rubbers were not much of a problem either and the bailey channel is available locally. All up, good fun.

Good, bad or indifferent, post some photos of your 105s.

Cheers,
Chris

[lhodgo]

Mate, looks beautiful.

I had a 1600GT Junior as my first alfa in the exact same colour. I remember seeing it for the first time when my mate bought it. I remember thinking "first thing I would do is change that crap colour". after a while I fell in love with it and hasselled him for the next 18 months to sell it to me.

That was a few years ago now and I sold the 1600 when I left melbourne and headed to Brissy. A few months ago I took the plunge and bought myself a red 1750GTV (http://www.alfaclubvic.org.au/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,68/topic,1171.0/) and low and behold the colour underneath is Ocra Giallo!! Look out restoration here I come.

Keep the pics coming you are officially my test pilot.

Lucas.

[Mark Fletcher]

They are beautiful things... being a 2000 owner...I am sooo jealous of those beautiful 1750 seats... and the luverly organic Dashboard.

Bella