I did it again ... this time it's a 1972 Lancia Fulvia Coupe

[Cees Klumper]

Today's progress - repair a section of sill that has rusted through in various places. 'Before, during and after pics':

[Cees Klumper]

more:

[Cees Klumper]

Making good progress, I figure I am about halfway this complete restoration. I welded in the driver's side fenders (my biggest apprehension, as I have never done this type of work before) and it came out very well. Rebuilt brake master cylinder, lots of chassis parts cleaning recoating, R&R'd the fuel tank, radiator and heater core, and did lots more bodywork/rust repairs. Primers & fillers, paint booth filters, sandpapers, sanding blocks, compressor, extra air tank, paint guns, mixing board - all is in and I am starting to think about the painting prepwork, and getting the original 'rosso corsa' paint mixed. Hopefully in another month or two I will have painted the car, and can start putting it all back together. I also found a nice set of alloy wheels that should fill out the wider wheel wells nicely, with some spacers.

[Leester]

Nice work!! Will be a beautiful car when finished.

[Cees Klumper]

A lot of work has happened since my last update, almost a year ago. Not as much as planned, surprise surprise, but that was also due to taking on several other cars: my 411 Volkswagen, that I restored and repainted in the meantime (see other thread on that, soon to go onto BAT) and my son's Datsun 240Z which needed some rust repairs and mechanical issues to sort. That, and other projects such as replacing the cylinder heads on my '90 Bronco II, the roof liner on our modern Volvo C70, and our house's underground sprinkler system that had developed a serious leak. And we spent two months in France this summer.

Anyway, I am back on the Fulvia and since returning from France 3 weeks ago, have completely cleaned, wirebrushed, rust-repaired and coated the underside (first two coats of epoxy primer, then 3M rubberized undercoating):

 

[Cees Klumper]

Next projects were the trunk/boot and the engine compartment. Same process, but finish coat for the engine compartment is in the new color (well actually the original color, Rosso Corsa):

[Cees Klumper]

Last week rebuilt the rear brake calipers. All 4 pistons were stuck and it took a lot of manipulation and compressed air to get them out. But inside they were in good shape, so after some polishing with 3000 grit and new seals, they move as they should once again.

All four calipers have now been rebuilt, and I am replacing all brake lines and hoses. So far I tallied over $10K in parts purchases alone:

 

[Cees Klumper]

This weekend it's the cabin's turn for a recoating. Hours of wire wheeling, manual sanding, vacuuming, degreasing and then two coats of epoxy primer/sealer, to be followed today with seam sealer where needed, and then a coat of the Rosso Corsa. Once that is fully cured (I'll give it a month at least) will spray the chassis cavities with rust preventer, then cover it all up with Eastwood's version of Dynamat for heat and sound insulation:

With as light as the car is, I am happy with its exceptional rigidity. No discernable flex whatsoever when I lift the body at any single point. I did weld the inner to the outer fenders, when from factory they are only seam sealed together, which does make a difference.

[kampala]

Cees

Very nice!  You get stuff done - that’s for sure. 

[Cees Klumper]

Thanks Aslam! You must be either in France or an early riser ...

Last week I expanded the filtration system of my makeshift paintbooth by about 50%, it now covers one entire side. It 'breathes' easier now and with the overspray that's never a bad thing:

[kampala]

Early Riser.   In LA.  Want to see the action in the flesh.  Lunch on me this time. 

[Bonnyboy]

Very nice - something satisfying about seeing vice grips holding metal in place getting ready for welding.  Its like a new beginning.

[Cees Klumper]

This is what I am going for, sans the matte black parts. A tribute to the 'Monte Carlo' version that was in turn a tribute to the Fulvia's wins in this rally classic. And a nice review of the model in Hemmings, 2005:

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/1963-76-lancia-fulvia

Lunch anytime Aslam, it's a date!

By the way if anyone knows of a garage space available for when my wife and I move back onto our boat in Marina del Rey / Venice in about a year's time, so I can continue this hobby, would much appreciate any leads. There are hundreds of thousands of garages around but I can't find one for rent (other than for 'strictly parking').

[Cees Klumper]

And the color is now on - two coats of single stage urethane, $230 for the gallon kit from TCP Global Corporation (a gallon of paint plus a quart of hardener):

[Cees Klumper]

Have made good progress on the body in the past few weeks. After having first done the painting preparations on the hood, doors and trunk lid (all aluminum just like on the Pagoda) I moved onto the body. Ran into a couple of issues here and there (holes in the front valance that a PO had made to mount fog lights, a couple small rust spots) so that slows down a bit, but I got it all taken care of. It seems the car was painted over maybe 3 times in its life, and that meant a lot of sanding with a DA with, eventually, successively finer grits.

Then last night it was finally ready for 2 coats of (white) epoxy primer and this morning I added 3 coats of (grey) urethane primer. Next will be block sanding that back with 320 grit on a variety of firm and soft blocks to reveal any highs and lows and I hope most will not require more than a thin skim of 2K glazing putty, which I had good success with on the doors.

I am slowly but surely figuring out the painting process. I decided to get me a decent paint gun, an Anest Iwata LPH400 with a 1.4 cap. It atomizes great with only 14-16 psi inlet pressure, it's LVLP (Low Volume Low Pressure) so my compressor keeps up fine.

 

[Cees Klumper]

The cosmetic correction work on the front valance:

[Cees Klumper]

And after glazing putty application.

I expect to be able to apply the actual paint within the week. Bit apprehensive, will practice a bit first ...

[Pawel66]

I have never had enough patience for these kinds of jobs...

[Cees Klumper]

But Pawel it's my hobby, so I can never wait to get back to it!  People are so different 

Before a couple of years ago, I did not understand why some guys would buy a basket case, restore it, then once it was done sell it and start all over. Now I have been bitten by that same bug ...

[Pawel66]

Nice bug to be bitten by!
I can do all kinds of jobs on the car, not always correctly, but I enjoy it. But this kind of job - you do the preparatory work that is an exercise to patience, you think you got it ok, you apply primer and you see what you did... and have to do it again. And again... chassis work is not for me, I guess.

[kampala]

Cees,

I bet it's great to see it all in one color.  I know that was a big milestone for me.   However, once in one color, you will find the subtle lows/highs that were not easy to spot.   Since I have seen your work-in-progress in the flesh, I can say --- amazing job!

You will be glad you did different color epoxy vs the sanding primer.   Use that guide coat and  have at it.  Like you, I loved this stage.

[Cees Klumper]

Hi Aslam - yes, great to see the transformation from old to new ... indeed very practical to have the epoxy in a different color from the primer, let's me know when it's time to stop sanding and start filling the lows. Got about 2/3 of the car done today, meaning block sanding, identifying the final correction spots and filling those, then sanding back down the filler. I will need to apply some more primer to the fenders and sand that back again, and that should be it. I had to order additional primer and reducer today and if that arrives in time I should be able to apply the topcoat on Friday or latest the weekend.

[Cees Klumper]

Started applying the actual paint today. I decided to only do the trunk lid, so if something went wrong I could correct it relatively easily. Fortunately all went well, and the panel is curing as I type this. Over the past few days I made sure everything was dead-flat: 3 coats of urethane primer, sanded back, lows filled in with 2K glazing putty, recoat with primer, sand back again with 320 grit, address just a couple final spots, then sand with 400 grit, clean, degrease, wipe with tack rag, and after building the positive pressure paint booth back up (plastic sheeting) onto the single-stage 'tractor red'. Tomorrow will paint the doors and the hood, then once that's cured will paint the body:

[Jonny B]

Looking good!!

[hauser]

Nice job!