Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[kevin2306]

spot on idea to repair the mats!
what I like about this rebuild is its retaining a whole lot of patina, lookng really lovely

Kev

[colwyn500]

Glad someone else sees my point of view. I do think I'm going a bit far sometimes. I retained the rusty rear number plate screws and bought a pair of the plastic ones for the front just so I got a spare plastic nut and could re-use the slightly discoloured plastic bolts which match the original number plate.

[colwyn500]

Carrying on with the cleaning I have included some details as a record which may be relevant to other restorers.
The rear wheel-arch covers came up fairly well but seem easily available new. I notice one of them has a slightly different shape to accommodate a chunk of wiring. I wonder if they are always fitted as original here, with strips of foam rubber to stop vibrations?
BRA_6288 by peterthompson, on Flickr
BRA_6287 by peterthompson, on Flickr
The knee-pads for the dash are missing some of the fixing studs but I will glue them on with PU sealant. For the record, they are very crudely made by hand by stretching the vinyl over a shaped piece of sheet steel.
BRA_6279 by peterthompson, on Flickr
I am retaining the door striker plates and screws as there is no wear at all in them. On the reverse you can just make out a wisp of some sort of coarse fabric which must have been there to soften the tight contact between steel and paintwork.
BRA_6283 by peterthompson, on Flickr
Tony explained how to fit the battery retaining strap and I have hit similar problems to those that he did. I have re-inserted a couple of packing pieces of rubber that came out of the original battery box. I am not sure what they are specifically needed for.
BRA_6282 by peterthompson, on Flickr

[vitesse]

Rubber mats look good I wish I could afford a set!!!!!

My original side panels looked like they had foam on at sometime but for some unknown reason someone had pulled it off. My originals were held together with tape.

What's that extra wire for coming off the battery lead?

[vitesse]

Oh and least you fitted your head lights correctly unlike me first time around. When I went for an MOT myself and the tester spent ages trying to get the headlights adjusted, it was fine on the near side but we spent a good 30 minutes on the off side adjusting it. I asked if that was a fail and he said "No I am hardly going to fail an old car like this that has just been restored because one of the headlights isn't level".

It turned out that I had used the adjuster screws as mounting screws through the bodywork, so instead of mounting the headlights with the screws already screwed in. I put the headlights in and then put the screws through the holes in the bodywork. I was sitting there for ages trying to workout why I couldn't get the headlight to come down to the correct level.

My neighbour corrected the error of my ways.

[colwyn500]

In the olden days my Fiat's headlamps had corroded so badly I couldn't achieve any adjustment. That's how I knew the trick with the lights.
I have no idea why the new battery cable has a low amperage supply fitted or why it is red
I will just make it safe as it could be handy one day.

[colwyn500]

[colwyn500]

http://www.fiat500club.org.uk/clubchat/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6363

[kevin2306]

My supply of Gummi turned up today.
Remarkable stuff, certainly seems to revive tired rubber seals and trims!

Kev

[colwyn500]

I will try some of that "Gummi" but the "Autoglym" stuff is doing a good job for me and doesn't go over-shiny.

I am still tinkering with odd bits of trim etc. and searching for a few bits which have gone astray despite me organising storage very carefully. I even labelled things as to which side they came off the car and that has proved useful. The aluminium door sill plate is a cheap item which I could get brand new. But in the original fit and over the years it has been slightly moulded to its position and I don't thing a new one would look as good. I avoided the temptation to straighten slight flaws and this turned out to be the right move.
BRA_6576 by peterthompson, on Flickr
I re-fitted the sunroof having saved all the tiny nuts and washers that secure it at the rear. They are a pain to refit and even with care a couple ended up lost in the hollow of the roof. I also need to get a couple of the right sized self tappers as originally fitted for the ends. I Waxoyled the area where the fabric meets the roof and didn't replace with a strip of foam using a bead of the non-setting window mastic instead.
BRA_6564 by peterthompson, on Flickr
BRA_6568 by peterthompson, on Flickr
The catch at the front has two shims fitted showing how carefully this would originally have been set up.
BRA_6569 by peterthompson, on Flickr
Note that on the pivot bars the securing stud has three washers; a serrated one sandwiched between two flat ones.
BRA_6574 by peterthompson, on Flickr
I guess little details like that may have gone adrift on many cars. I can't tension properly until all the screws are in place but it feels good to have it secured.
BRA_6575 by peterthompson, on Flickr

[peter scott]

_________________
http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[colwyn500]

Nearly there Peter...maybe next week

I reached a milestone with one of the windows being back in.
BRA_6578 by peterthompson, on Flickr

There should be afoam seal under the intake grille but again, I used the non-setting mastic and plenty of Waxoyl.
Also following Tony's advice the heat shield went back easily, thanks.

[D4B]

he he love the Arthur Daley sticker, just need to watch out now for the grass growing out of the front wing, where mud was used instead of filler

[colwyn500]

[D4B]

Hi Peter,

Wow you have been busy!! Great to see it coming along. My wife saw your number plate and said "Medicines Use Review" she is a pharmacist Strangely she was born in 1970 too.

Steve