Progess on the 77X

It can be a bit nerve racking to put electrical power to an old vehicle for the first time. Especially when things have been modified and heavily worked on. When that's the case I use a smaller battery first; like a little Lithium Ion power supply or a small motorcycle battery or even a 9-volt (like radio battery). That way if there is a problem it does not have enough amperage to damage things. Then when everything looks good I connect a full size car battery to further test things.
A power supply with adjustable current limiting can be handy for that.
 
Is that a readily available item, or something you make?
It is a pretty common feature on bench supplies. I think a number of the adjustable communication equipment power supplies have that feature as well. You can find a 20 amp supply for under $100. That is enough current capability to detect (or smoke out!) a problem.
 
My initial concern was with spinning the motor so smaller batteries were not useful. The original battery was at least 10 years old and did charge to 12 volts but had no push to turn the starter. While not terribly hacked, the car had been converted to the later AC with all the wiring that involves (pretty sure I got all that removed), apparent relays for the headlights and some custom tunable ignition that I removed and now have a stock Bertone electronic. I pulled all the wiring that went to various emission devices in the engine bay. Can't wait to play with the headlights but I'll leave that for last...I don't need the migraines that produces should things not work right.

First things first, let's get the motor running.
 
As of today, she runs! Well, it fired up and ran for a few seconds. The oil pressure gauge twitched but I'll wait till the oil light sender shows up in the mail soon. I have no muffler on the headers so couldn't run it very long. In retrospect, cutting up the stock muffler was a stupid idea as it would have bolted up to the header and even if I didn't plan to run a stock muffler it would be useful for testing.

Sorry, no cool video of an engine running.
 
Nice progress! I enjoy watching this along with all your Fiat rescues. Far above in this thread, you mentioned clear brake reservoir hoses...what's the source for those? Thats on the not-immediate punch list for both my X19s.
 
Got the hoses from McMaster-Carr. They are Tygon hoses but if you decide to order some check with me to make sure you get the proper ones that are OK for brake fluid.

Just installed the high tech turbo motor on the headers so hope to fire up the motor again after wasting my time on the computer on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

I'll give you a heads-up when it's for sale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Well, that's weird. Started up the car and it's idling happy as a clam. Went to set the ignition timing and it's at 55 degrees at idle and anything less and it won't start. This is a 1500 with FAZA cam and a DMTR. Clearly something is way off, This was timing taken at the timing marks on the front of the motor and I tried to check it at the flywheel but couldn't see any marks. Ran out of time today but will check the mark on the flywheel and paint it (thought I did) so I can see it. I'll check the timing light on the Bertone to validate it's not the timing light. When I got this car it had a 1300 cam sprocket and the AC hardware on so I did change to a non-AC crank pulley and timing plate. I'll also note the car is running painfully rich, I was practically crying during the timing process.

Not looking for any in depth responses here but start thinking about it.
 
Nope, #1, next to the cam belt. Hopefully I can investigate today and will report back under a separate thread.
 
Nope, #1, next to the cam belt. Hopefully I can investigate today and will report back under a separate thread.
As long as you are checking ignition timing at the flywheel (or crank pulley), you can choose either plug wire #1 or #4. If you are pointing the timing light at the cam pulley and associated marker, you need to use #4. Using the cam marker is tempting, as it is so much easier to see. The downside is that if your cam timing is off, your ignition timing will be off too.
 
As long as you are checking ignition timing at the flywheel (or crank pulley), you can choose either plug wire #1 or #4. If you are pointing the timing light at the cam pulley and associated marker, you need to use #4. Using the cam marker is tempting, as it is so much easier to see. The downside is that if your cam timing is off, your ignition timing will be off too.
Good point about using the cam timing mark to set the ignition timing. Also, you can use any of the plug wires to set ignition timing (they all fire at the same position - unless the crank is BENT).
 
Good point about using the cam timing mark to set the ignition timing. Also, you can use any of the plug wires to set ignition timing (they all fire at the same position - unless the crank is BENT).
You have to use #1 or #4; #2 and #3 fire when the flywheel and crank pulley marks are 180° away from the marks on the bell housing / block.
 
I got the timing from 55 down to 20 degrees yesterday but it's running on the ragged edge. I moved further discussion over to tech.
 
Made some more progress. was happy to get the engine fired up and running for the first time in about 10 years. It now starts instantly and will idle after it warms up a bit (choke not hooked up). Leaking oil around the filter, need to look into that. Gauge panel seems to work with the oil pressure gauge and light functioning. Alternator light goes out when running and I think the temp gauge works. Tach is dead, another tach read to high and I haven't tried the third tach yet. Brakes bled, clutch bled. Exhaust under construction with turbo muffler and some 90 degree bends that showed up today. Next project to tackle is the heater. The car came with a later AC system added on and I removed that. Soon as I source a non-AC heater assembly I will install and struggle with the three cables.

I think at this point I could actually putter around the block which would be the first time in about 10 years it moved under it's own power.

I may take a small break and cobble up some aluminum door panels for the red Bertone. The factory door panels look OK but are all swollen up with all the rain we have had. I put aluminum door panels on one of my spiders and it looked very racy....in style with the theme of that spider and I hope to get the same effect for the gutted red Bertone. I got the 2'x4' aluminum panels from Lowes but they are very expensive.
 
Made some more progress. was happy to get the engine fired up and running for the first time in about 10 years. It now starts instantly and will idle after it warms up a bit (choke not hooked up). Leaking oil around the filter, need to look into that. Gauge panel seems to work with the oil pressure gauge and light functioning. Alternator light goes out when running and I think the temp gauge works. Tach is dead, another tach read to high and I haven't tried the third tach yet. Brakes bled, clutch bled. Exhaust under construction with turbo muffler and some 90 degree bends that showed up today. Next project to tackle is the heater. The car came with a later AC system added on and I removed that. Soon as I source a non-AC heater assembly I will install and struggle with the three cables.

I think at this point I could actually putter around the block which would be the first time in about 10 years it moved under it's own power.

I may take a small break and cobble up some aluminum door panels for the red Bertone. The factory door panels look OK but are all swollen up with all the rain we have had. I put aluminum door panels on one of my spiders and it looked very racy....in style with the theme of that spider and I hope to get the same effect for the gutted red Bertone. I got the 2'x4' aluminum panels from Lowes but they are very expensive.
Are those panels made to fit or will You make them? And how are You attaching them?
 
I will have to make them, they are just flat stock metal. I'll attach with sheet metal screws around the edge, like many spider and X panels end up being secured. Chris G. has that spider now, maybe he can post a picture of the door panel I made for that car.
 
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Here are pics of the exhaust for the 77. I'm just too lazy to make something up that will poke out the stock opening, this will just stick out the grill.
 
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