I stand at the crossroad, patchwork Duetto

Craig_m67 · January 09, 2012, 06:41:30 PM

Strike that.. new bonnet has arrived.

Side by side shot, for those of you playing at home. I think the frame structure changed between the 1600 Duetto and the 1750 Veloce. The OCD alfapurists amongst you may have a fit that I'm not reskining this with recycled Russian steel hand stretched by Italian virgins... but I can't afford them any more (I don't know what I can afford any more, I'm not looking).

My pièce de résistance is on it's way... can't say what it is yet, don't want to jinx anything

MD · January 10, 2012, 07:00:12 PM

Seems to me the one on the right has better skin bracing geometry and will result in less flexing during washing and polishing and likewise from air moving over it at speed.

BTW I believe that the combination of Italian & virgins is an oxymoron..

Craig_m67 · June 13, 2012, 07:50:52 PM

Been a while between updates .... I tracked down the eight pieces that make up the radiator support cross member bit (technical term) a month or so ago.. completely different to the later Veloce, Junior and S2 cars of course

My latest procrastination efforts have finally rewarded me thus ..... ta da !!

Replacement nose for a roundtail, Veloce/Junior (obviously

for those still playing at home there's a hole in the lower panel, the Duetto had no hole). I'm told it's original.. I have my doubts, it's definitely old and constructed from three separate pieces. Lower, Scudo heart and top. I think I've seen them portrayed thus in an old parts manual... Anybody have any history, thoughts, gossip

It has part number 10503 54 040 0102 written on it... which is apparently correct...ish

I should note, I already have good reproduction pieces for the nose bump and topcowl, so will see which one looks and fits the best.

I really ought to fire up the welder.. Anybody wanna help

Craig_m67 · April 28, 2014, 03:03:47 PM

May I present my rotisserie, resplendent with revolutionary axial freedom.
Also removes the need to weld upside down which is a good thing as my upside down welding is cark.

Yes, I may have under estimated the amount of metal above the midline (axis) .. We'll see what happens tomorrow.
Hoop ID is 1800m, centre of axis (height) in line with adjustable arm mounts (holes)
Frame is fixed to steering box mounts and rear trunion.
Really quite solid

**Note to self, drain fuel before rolling over

AikenDrum105 · April 28, 2014, 03:16:46 PM

LaStregaNera · April 29, 2014, 09:02:04 AM

I wish I'd built something like that when I did mine...

Craig_m67 · May 06, 2014, 04:46:38 PM

Did a bit of old school panel beating today... These ends were creased and folded up like an old bit of paper inside the radiator supports (under the front cowl), impossible to see given the bog and mastic that was slathered around it. Still need to work that crease out of the RH side.

I'm half way through removing the front bar.. One side was easy

In other news, the LH bottom bit is as toasty as thought

Somebody paid good money to hide all this repair!
I could rebuild it out of galv using the good RH side as a template.
But then I wonder if anybody might have a LH front cut, from the castor rod forward... that is "whole" ?
(Anybody, anybody, anybody.... Bueller)

I'll remove the battery tray tomorrow, reveal the complete devastation.

Craig_m67 · May 07, 2014, 05:26:58 PM

Battery tray out... Somebody has mucked around in here before too, FFS!!

I cut the rail back to 'good' metal, somebody else hacked the inner wing?
Will reconstruct all this using the RH side as a template.

Interesting construction the inner wings.. Absolutely no protection on the inside as per factory, wonder if I can squirt some POR and cavity wax in there

LaStregaNera · May 10, 2014, 10:17:24 AM

On mine I found evidence of the panels having been phosphated or something, but it's not a great deal of protection when it's trapped water.
I reckon you'll be hard pressed to find a donor section, they all trap water and battery acid on the passenger side, my drivers side was good, passenger not so much!

Craig_m67 · May 10, 2014, 11:21:09 AM

Yep, I agree. I've started templating bits to reconstruct it. All good experience

Craig_m67 · May 19, 2014, 03:45:30 PM

Changed the nylon boat rollers for some HD castors with proper bearings..... and immediately the centre of gravity declares it's 10-20cm top heavy, it tried to roll straight upside down on its own

Can spin it easily, will post up some pics.. Very cool if i do say so myself.
No excuse not to actually work on the car now, although it needs a brake.
Tempted to move the front hoop to the A-Arm pickups, the steering box pickup takes up a lot of room.

Craig_m67 · May 29, 2014, 02:19:35 PM

Out with the first half of the old floors. There were patches on patches in places.
Lower chassis members look okay.
Rear sub floor, leading up over suspension is toasty in places

Loving the rotisserie, I can roll it with one hand and get to either side easily.
Not looking forward to drilling out spot welds though $:-\$

LaStregaNera · May 30, 2014, 07:59:22 AM

Next time I do a car, it'll be a rotisserie job.

Craig_m67 · May 30, 2014, 07:59:28 PM

Starting drilling out spot welds in earnest.
Anybody have a recommendation for drill bits (type/brand) that won't go blunt straight away?

Am I right to think its smarter just to drill straight through both pieces of metal where possible, that way the new panel/piece doesn't need drilling and I can just rosette weld in the original hole... talking to myself it makes sense??

AikenDrum105 · May 30, 2014, 08:32:03 PM

Cobalt / Carbide will last longer - use some lubricant and slower is better

Are you using the spot weld drills ? they have a smaller pilot on the tip, then a wider flat edged area like a milling bit that cuts the spot weld - that way you end up with only a small hole on the back sheet. There's also some expensive ones that are like a mini-holesaw

Amazing work C !