Edit... Resto mod FIRST DRIVE

[fiat218]

budgets dont work

[njoconnor]

Amen, Jim.

[SoFlaFiat]

Let's just say "Budgets are like rules... Made to be broken!"

[Ptoneill]

Wow....I thought I was going over the top!! It makes mine look like a kid playing with his dad's car ....very nice. I really like the idea of building the engine/transmission and putting it in from below I am going to be terrified putting mine in the "normal" way over a very expensive paint and body job!!

[SoFlaFiat]

Thanks Pat! Yours is looking amazing! I'll bet your budget is as whacked as mine!!

Today I managed to reassemble my header and heat shield, hang the driveshaft and then got really stupid.



While waiting for my muffler and other exhaust bits to show up I thought I'd start getting rims ready. I scuffed and painted one of them a while back, just to see whether I liked a color matched rim. I do and it was great except for one scuff. Not being smart enough to leave well enough alone, I went about stripping it today and made my issues exponentially greater! Stripper ate the tape, and therefore the clear coat on the polished edge
This may become my spare while I blow the budget some more and order another rim!

[Ptoneill]

I have been keeping most of my receipts ....that being said I am very afraid to add them up, I figure somewhere north of 20 in just custom parts at this point. It is important to keep the receipts so when you go to get collector insurance you can prove the value.

I have a lot of people who tell me I will "never" get my money out of it...they of course are right but they don't count the fun of building something with your hand, putting your own ideas and "what if's" into something that is unique. My car is my escape from the everyday BS and that is Priceless....so the heck with budgets!!!

[fredguaz]

I agree. A lot cheaper than a therapist.

[SoFlaFiat]

I hear ya Pat!
I've been keeping a very precise spreadsheet going...
Still PRICELESS!!

I agree. A lot cheaper than a therapist.

Haha, I've used that excuse many times!

[kev]

I went about stripping it today and made my issues exponentially greater! Stripper ate the tape, and therefore the clear coat on the polished edge
This may become my spare while I blow the budget some more and order another rim!

That sucks...at least you have a spare now, ha. Car is looking great!

[SoFlaFiat]

Thanks Kev,
I will see if I can reclear and paint first, especially since I have a spare already.

[SoFlaFiat]

I finally got my muffler and made some progress on fitting an exhaust. I managed to weld all the bits between the two mufflers where I will use clamps, in order to be able to get the thing in under the car.





Here is the rear muffler



The section up over the rear end



And the center muffler



As the first picture shows, I got the whole thing welded up after fitting all the bits and tacking them in place as I went.
Still working on routing the e-brake cable around the 2 1/2" pipe...

[SoFlaFiat]

Here are the before shots





Heading up to see Beek tomorrow and rebuild one of these, pick up my powder coated brake bits, and assorted other parts.
I'll be late getting home tomorrow but I will post an after picture soon.

[SoFlaFiat]

Well, I did my mad dash up to Groveland to see Beek today. As a great turn of events, Andy (Toplessexpat) was in Orlando this week for business and spent the better part of the day at Beek's as well. I can't find the words to describe how great it is to listen to people who know what they are talking about. I always learn!!
Beek has a gutted Red 69 in his shop and was lamenting about the cost of shipping to the scrap yard... So depressing how expensive that shipping can get!!
In any case, in between all the bsing... Beek ripped my trans apart



Holy crap, I'm glad he knows where all that goes...



All back together!
I brought a couple spares with, to steal parts and got lucky! Everything in good shape with new syncros etc.

In the end, a great day and great to meet Andy!

[toplessexpat]

T'was great to meet you too Alan (and Beek!).

I'm very tempted to make an offer for that old scrapper he's got there.... $250 I think... given the cost of shipping to Texas as it's definitely a non-runner....

[fiat218]

scrap red car huh lol