Rusted Out 1970 850 Spider Fix-Up

It's come a long way!! Mine is still in the same state it was - sitting in the shop, waiting for me to get time to look at it - and we got them about the same time :)
 
Bodywork continues apace. Decklid is just about done. Passenger door is about as good as it can get. The thin primer on it in this picture makes it look worse than it is. However, due to rust, it is warped along the bottom edge, and I cannot fix that. So many little spots to go back and resolve once the primer dries. So much for a 100 point car! ;)

IMG_1556.JPG


I also painted the underside of the top cover. Nothing I could really do about the rusted missing chunks of metal, so they will just have to remain this way. Perhaps someday I will come across a better one. Until then, no one will see it.
IMG_1557.JPG
 
It may not look like much progress, but there is some. Major bodywork is done on the back panel. First prime and then spot putty time. Yeah, I am still working on that door. This time, I really am getting close! Also, I have one more layer of prime and final sand on the decklid and top cover.

IMG_1581.JPG


Going down the drivers side now. Taking the long board to my previous body work has revealed some high and low spots. That was expected. This side is not nearly as rough as the passengers side. And, I see I forgot to take the brace off the passenger door! Oops.
IMG_1582.JPG


The wife tells me it looks better already. I guess so!

Oh, and I think I have found a pair of spitfire seats that should work in it! More to come on that.
 
Had a business trip that lasted a couple of days, but back at it! First layer of primer over the bodywork on drivers rear fender. So many little issues...it seems never ending! But I did remove the passenger side door opening support! I then jumped up and down in the car and it did not collapse!

IMG_1608.JPG

Back panel getting closer. I am counting on the bumpers and license plate to distract your eyes. ;)
IMG_1609.JPG


Why yes, I AM still working on that door. All the high spots from the welding keep bumping up enough to be there. Grind and putty, then sand again. I will get there!
IMG_1610.JPG

I am shooting for presentable with this car. That will be success to me!
 
I took the day off to get the bodywork done, and that is it...I am calling it done. Time to prep and paint door jams, under hood, etc. I will let the outside settle and then final tweak if before color. So here it is!

IMG_1636.JPG
IMG_1637.JPG
IMG_1638.JPG
 
I have these seat covers in a box around here somewhere. They look like they belong in an 850 of some type. I bought them off Ebay many many years ago because they were listed cheap and it said "X1/9 seat covers" in the description. No pictures though. When they arrived they obviously were for another Fiat. An X doesn't have a backseat. :)
IM002644.JPG IM002640.JPG IM002641.JPG IM002642.JPG IM002643.JPG
The camera lens fogged up on me while taking the pictures back in 2010. :rolleyes:

Your seats look a little wasted, but these might help dress them up.
 
I have these seat covers in a box around here somewhere. They look like they belong in an 850 of some type. I bought them off Ebay many many years ago because they were listed cheap and it said "X1/9 seat covers" in the description. No pictures though. When they arrived they obviously were for another Fiat. An X doesn't have a backseat. :)
View attachment 26615 View attachment 26616 View attachment 26617 View attachment 26618 View attachment 26619
The camera lens fogged up on me while taking the pictures back in 2010. :rolleyes:

Your seats look a little wasted, but these might help dress them up.
Jim, I sure appreciate the offer, but I do not have the stock seats anymore. I literally ripped what was left out and took them to the curb. I think that since I went with flat floors, the stock seats would not work anyway. But thank you very much!
 
It is finally a rain-free day, so let us paint! First, the door jambs! Passenger side beforehand:
IMG_1668.JPG


A light priming to make the paint stick:
IMG_1670.JPG


And then color. Other side is done as well. Now to paint under the hood, and around various rain gutters.
IMG_1671.JPG
 
Y'know, I was kinda worried about the quality of my paint job...whether or not it was up to fiat standards. Then I looked at my old hood with it's original paint, and I saw how thin it is and all the runs. I am feeling much better!

IMG_1673.JPG


Speaking of hoods...bottom of my new one is painted. I may put one more coat on it. We will see after it dries and I scrape off the bugs. Overall, I am extremely pleased with my $100 paint job so far. The Valspar is going on nicely, and is very shiny.
IMG_1674.JPG
 
So, in an effort to get as much done today as possible, I changed the oil and I wanted to get started in the cooling fan. However, the manual is very vague on this. Is it do-able to get the fan off and on without removing the pump?
 
Back
Top