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1966 Fiat 500F Restoration
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vitesse



Joined: 03 Jun 2013
Posts: 561

PostPosted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 10:33 pm    Post subject: 1966 Fiat 500F Restoration Reply with quote

Hi quick intro my name is Tony and I found this excellent site by Googling Fiat 500 restoration and I found Colwyn500's aka Peter, post on his current restoration so thought I may as well add my restoration as it means we can share info any tips we pick up on the way.

Really at an early stage at the moment basically engine and gearbox out which took a few hours and removing all the trim, lights and other shiny bits before I start to rub down and see what horrors I find Shocked

So a few pic's to begin with. I hope????







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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22429
Location: UK

PostPosted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 10:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great, thanks for introducing your project Smile

R
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colwyn500



Joined: 21 Oct 2012
Posts: 1745
Location: Nairn, Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 7:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Tony, I'm not jealous one little bit at all..no I'm not! Really! Twisted Evil

Seriously, that looks a fab car and what I would call...finished!

The paint looks very good; is it original?

Keep it going.

Peter

Very Happy
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D4B



Joined: 28 Dec 2010
Posts: 2083
Location: Hampshire UK

PostPosted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 8:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cool Cool Cool Cool
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vitesse



Joined: 03 Jun 2013
Posts: 561

PostPosted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 3:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Peter no it has had a dodgy paint job at some time in the past and I have been rubbing it down (by hand it seems a lot easier as you suggested) this afternoon and have discovered a lot of filler on one of the rear wings.

See picture not sure as there appears to be so much of it and it is very corroded at the bottom, whether it would be easier to replace the rear wing?

What do you reckon? The rear wheel arch needs doing definitely, just looking at what repair panels are available. Oooh there does seem to be one panel that may do the job, wheel arch repair with sill. Most of the white appears to filler the base coat is a yellowy white colour.

In one way its easier when you have loads of obvious rust on an original car than one that has been tampered with!!

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D4B



Joined: 28 Dec 2010
Posts: 2083
Location: Hampshire UK

PostPosted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 5:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you want to know what's under the filler you'll just have to get busy with an abrasive disc on a grinder or perhaps a wire wheel... trouble is it can mean no going back as happened to me here:

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=12943&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30
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colwyn500



Joined: 21 Oct 2012
Posts: 1745
Location: Nairn, Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 7:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would follow that good advice from Steve. Take on the bottom 3 inches or so first. The bit in the photo, I would call the bottom of the sills. Easily and cheaply available but in retrospect, I would now pay more for original panels as the pattern ones have much less crisp pressings. At that point, at the rear sill there is a reinforcing plate behind and the flange of the floor and of bits of metal around the jacking point which tend to accompany the sill on its way out. Just keep digging away logically at the bottoms and keep us posted. Below is a repair I did behind the sill by welding in a piece of steel to patch the rusty bit. The whole panel is commercially available.

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjthompson/8332201440
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vitesse



Joined: 03 Jun 2013
Posts: 561

PostPosted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 8:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Steve, Peter, that's the problem you start digging it out and you don't know when its going to stop. Going to dig it out tomorrow and see how bad it is.

I have realised that the coats of paint appear to be a white base coat that looks like filler followed by the original blue the the yellowy white second primer then another coat of blue, so it may not be as bad as at first thought.

Spent this afternoon rubbing down but it was a nice day so did it in the middle of the garden!!!! Doors and front wings are solid, I was expecting to find filler.



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colwyn500



Joined: 21 Oct 2012
Posts: 1745
Location: Nairn, Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 10:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looking more closely, your car looks to have very good door gaps and very precise fit of the sills and front wings. you might be in luck that it hasn't had too much done to it. Despite my example, I would avoid ripping out any parts of panels that you don't have too. I have used just part sections of some of the repair panels I have bought.

It seems that in most serious restorations people put in new floors, sills,front wings, wheelarch panels and front end. they go mad with inner sills, inner arches etc etc. I think it's perfectionism gone too far just beacuse panels are in ready supply. I prefer to "let-in" metal when I can.

By the way, I do have some full panels that were surplus and even some scraps of pre-formed panels that you might want to buy at a significant discount. I know I have a 3/4 wheel-arch panel but I think its for the off-side, also a door bottom for the same side.
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vitesse



Joined: 03 Jun 2013
Posts: 561

PostPosted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 7:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Peter I spoke to my next door neighbour who used to own a company that restored classic's. He is of the same mind as you regarding the panel replacement. Where there appears to be a lot of filler on that rear wing there is no sign of dents or corrosion from the inside, so it maybe have been done just to smooth in the repair that has been clearly done on the arch itself.

He said it depends on what you are trying to achieve i.e. concours or just to get it look tidier with a new paint job etc... Which is the later in my case.

He also said, like you, that the more metal you cut out the more chance you get of panel distortion and as the door fit is so good, cut out and patch as little as possible.

I have cleaned up that area with a wire brush and in the pics below you can see that the back plate is in pretty good shape. It's the base of the rear wing that has corroded.



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vitesse



Joined: 03 Jun 2013
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 7:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seats and trim removed now and tomorrow will be another day of endless rubbing down. Thank god it is so small. So in summary it looks like there are 2 patches of rust on the back near side wing that need sorting other that that it is really solid. Not bad for a Fiat that is 47 years old.



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colwyn500



Joined: 21 Oct 2012
Posts: 1745
Location: Nairn, Scotland

PostPosted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tony it looks like you have a certain amount of previous repairs showing through there. Are you using an ordinary wire brush because you really need an electric grinder. I would get one with a very narrow cutting disc and carefully cut a minimal amount above the messy bit without letting the disc any deeper than the outer sill. You need to peel back to see that the steel behind is possible to weld to.
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vitesse



Joined: 03 Jun 2013
Posts: 561

PostPosted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 11:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes Peter just a wire brush on a drill. I wanted to just clean it away to see what was what really. Agreed it does appear to have several past repairs.

The intention is to go over the whole car rubbing down to find bad corrosion I.e any holes that need the grinder on and then deciding the extent of what welding repairs are needed.

So far it is all on the rear near side wing, the part at the base of the wing as per pictures, that plate behind by the jacking point is solid, so should be no problem welding to it. On the actual wheel arch itself there are two holes in the arch so rather than replacing the whole arch I am thinking about getting the repair panel and taking the metal I need. The holes are about 6-8 inches apart so it would mean cutting out what is needed and making good.

The front panel on the car looks like it has be replaced at sometime as well because I think the 500F should have a hole behind where the badge sits for the horn and this one doesn't which would suggest it has a 500L front panel but rather that plug weld or spot weld it to the wings they have just dabbed a few bits Mig down where the panels meet so they need looking at.

Lets face it, it isn't going to get much of an NCAP rating with the fuel tank basically sitting on your lap Shocked
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vitesse



Joined: 03 Jun 2013
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 9:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In its new home for the next few weeks. Spent the day removing remaining trim and rubbing down.



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Rick
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 8:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's interesting to follow these two 500 rebuilds running in parallel, keep it up Smile

R
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