500 Abarth 1.4 Turbo swap.

[Mike Schofield]

Next batch will show some strips of metal fabbed up to prevent wiring and heater hoses from getting caught up in rotating bits as well as the view from inside the scoop showing some of the structural reinforcements added.

 

[fastx19]

These are some great pictures. I like this type of stuff.

Thanks!

 

[Mike Schofield]

These are some great pictures. I like this type of stuff.

Thanks!

Tony is the brains, brawn and photographer and deserves all credit. I simply upload the pictures, tell the story and help when I can.

 

[TonyK]

I look in on this project every 3-4 months to see how it’s progressing. I get an anxiety attack every time over the amount of fabrication. I can say the total run time on my MIG is probably equivalent to the time spent on just ONE of your fabricated creations. Just incredible. Looking forward to its completion.

In answer to welding with my MIG machine it is old and from Italy Cebora 130 AMP, the machine for the most part is good but it came with a stinger with a plastic liner. Well as you have said I put a lot of wire through that machine and replaced the stinger with a Lincoln unit with replaceable steel liner. This machine works well with sheet metal. At 130 amps it doesn't have a lot of punch for thick material over 1/4" so preheating and several passes are required. I normally load an 11 pound coil of wire as the 1 pound coils just don't last very long. I am in the process of replacing my TIG/Stick welder there are few pictures, more on that latter. I can tell you that the machine is expensive with all of the options I decided to get. The thing about tools is that you can't expect better results with lower quality tools no matter how skilled you are. This new welder will help me kick it up a bit from the work I have been doing. On the down side my old machine was simple, no menus no blue tooth just a very basic machine that I paid $1400 for 30 years ago. I won't tell you how much I paid for this machine and the options, you can look that up, just be sitting down when you do.

TonyK.

Grimsby Ontario Canada.

 

[GregS]

Nice, but out of my league. Just out of curiousity, with structural thin steel body work, when do you prefer TIG over MIG?

 

[TonyK]

Rarely will I use TIG for Body work, that said if I have a component that I want fastened to the body with a small weld line I use TIG as I have better control over the heat , fusion and filler material being added to the puddle. All of the Exhaust work is done with TIG, but can be done with MIG, no flux core. A lot depends on the machine and how it lays the bead. The Cebora I can weld in a hole by just going around in circles, it is a constant voltage machine. I have done some 1/8" aluminum with MIG as well using straight Argon, high wire speed and lower current.

TonyK.

Grimsby Ontario Canada.

 

[Mike Schofield]

After checking for fit and interference, the engine comes back out. Three spots needed to be addressed. Then a couple more studs and brackets were fitted. The test body provides some measurements. All work is complete in the engine bay. Preparation for sand blasting in next. Lots of masking is required to prevent unintended damage. Once that’s complete, cleaning and painting.