I think it's time to.....

Jeremy128

Jeremy128

True Classic
Get serious about my 128. While it only has 51,000 original miles on it, it has some issues from age, and sitting for what looks like a couple decades.
I got home from work tonight and decided to take advantage of the fact that the family was asleep and I had some free time. So I started to remove the old front O.E. struts that I have been using with the x rear springs. I recently got the rebuildable rear X struts back from Matt and planned on getting started on replacing them. Well, in typical FIat fashion, I ran into a problem. The bolt on top of the X strut is a larger diameter than on the 128 strut. The only problem this causes is (sorry I dont know the name of the part) the round metal bell shaped peice that slides over the top of the strut. The diameter of the hole is too small to slide the x strut top bolt through it. No biggie, I will just have to drill it out to fit (I guess).
So, as I sat there thinking, and just looking around the inside of the left front wheel well, I started noticing things..... bad things. I noticed that the inner and out cv boots are split. Again, no biggie. I noticed some rust (DUH!) and some other issues that made the car look like it was in need of some help before things got worse. I noticed a small bubble in the metal beneath the battery tray (inside the wheel well and inside the wheel well). I poked on it, and went right through the metal. Disgusted, I started looking around in diffenrt places and not liking what I saw. Nothing horrible, but things that need attention. Then it dawned on me. I think it's time to start planning the restoration of the 128!
I've always said I'll get to it eventually, then we had the adoption of our son. Then I started a new job, then this, then that, then moving. Now that I am gettign pretty settled, I am very slowly gettign some down time here and there. One issue I had was space in my last garage. Now that I've moved, I have an a 3 1/2 (more or less) car garage with 10 foot ceilings.
So, who here has restored a 128? Where should I start? I knwo I need a plan before doing anything. SO what should the plan be? I will need to start by building ALOT of shelves to store the parts while disassembled. THat's not a problem.
Here's kinda what I have in mind. Strip it down inside and out. Yank motor and tranny. Take it down to just the body. THen take that down to metal. This way, I will see where ALL of the rust is. Then, where the rust is only surface rust, clean it up, treat accordingly. Where the rust is worse, cut out and replace. Once this is done, address ALL body issues. Fix small dents and such. Opinion and question time. Should I install the front and rear fender flares on a 4 door? Also, will the flares from a 2 door work on a four door. Afterall, the 4 door is 3 inches longer than the 2 door. Anyone have experience with this issue?
My overall goal of my car has always been to take it back to its "roots" of rally/road racing. So when it's finished, I will be a very fun, spirited daily driver. You know, fun and fast, but tame enough to commute in.
I think it would look cool with a unique but not obnoxious color (maybe a lighter blue color like that of the 2010 ford mustang, or the cool mini color, something along the lines of smurf blue, but with a bit of gray in it). Sport seats with shoulder and lap belts in front and rear. tweeked engine with free flow 4-2-1 exhaust. Over the last year or so, I have assembled some parts for this restoration liek a 1500 motor, and the exaust parts.
This will not be a balls to the wall resto. I have competing interest with both time and $. By the time it is all said and done, I think it will end up taking a couple yers realistically.
So, anyone have resto ideas for a yellow 79 128 4 door with a mostly bone stock 1300 4 spd?
 
Sounds like some great ideas. At the top of the list for me is new wheels/tires, new lowered struts/springs (X1/9) and a 5 speed transmission. I also need a paint job, but that's not a big deal for me as I do the bodywork. Oh and a nice free flow exhaust would be nice too.

Rust is the most important thing to fix. I've been going through my car with POR-15. Under the battery tray and the frame below it in the engine compartment is a particularly important area to keep free of rust. There aren't a lot of 128's left and we all know the mechanicals are good and cheap to fix, so focus on the body as the priority.
 
Also, I always thought a 1.5L FI engine would be a hot setup. FI is the way to go if you want to keep the car on the street and run in all weather conditions.
 
OPINIONS AGAIN

The car is only original once. This may be the last nice four-door left on the planet. At least consider an in depth repair without destroying the originality of the car. Then leave the resto-mod approach for the other %99.999999 of the cars out there that are old beaters.

I feel the same about early Beetles and other rare original survivors. Wish I could start a museum of every-day cars.

If you take this approach: strip the car down to it's bare body. Use lot's a zip-lock baggies to keep all screws with the original component they held down. Label the CRAP out of everything because you will forget. Document and take pictures like crazy.

Once you have the body shell stripped, see if you can avoid a complete paint job. Repair only what's needed, but plan on a complete respray for everything underneath.

Strip all the undercoating and seam sealer off and re-do using modern sealers. Use rust-inhibitive phosphor rich primer, then respray. You don't have to be real talented to paint the underside of a car. Just spray it thick.

Reassemble using new stuff only when necessary or safe. Restore each component one at a time as you reassemble. Enjoy owning a time machine back to the good old days!
 
Hey Jeremy... a couple of RULES for ya...

1. Keep it FUN... if it becomes WORK, then it is no longer a HOBBY.

It appears you are on the right tack here with the space and time and dollars. None of which should have ANY restrictions. If you restrict the space, time or money... then it becomes more like WORK again.

2. Build it the way YOU want... no matter WHAT any one else thinks!

I like what Eddie had to say about pristine ORIGINALS... and MAYBE this car MIGHT fit in that category... but I just can't get my arms around a 4 door 128 in that manner. Originals, BTW, are the MOST expensive form of "restoration", and in fact, it is the truest sense of the word...

BUT...

For me, and possibly for you... here are some ideas that crept up on me while you were RANTING on and on...

Build the Rally car for a FAMILY of FOUR! I saw something similar done once in a DRAGSTER theme with a 210 '55 Chevy 2 door post. It had a BLOWN BBC, tubbed rear and monster slicks and FULL roll cage... painted a MINT GREEN with a Grey and Mint Green textured cloth interior... and...

HOLD ON NOW... with FOUR RECARO RACING BUCKETS seats that had MATCHING CLOTH INSERTS and 5 POINT RACING HARNESSES!

It looked like an "E" Ticket Ride at Disneyland inside, the roll cage enompassing all occupants, padded and cloth covered to match... kinda giving everyone the same "experience" as the driver... as well as "value-ing" them a much!

Now imagine your little 128 with fender flares, and the same form of interior, wide rally wheels and tires, a wild color like a Yellow or Green with a MANDATORY racing stripe or stripes going from front to rear... or an Italian Flag roof color... and your entire family aboard enjoying the sound of that new high winding FI or dual carb 1500 you installed with some kinda OBNOXIOUS looking, but mellow sounding exhaust...

Kinda over shadows a piddly little stocker, huh...

Just a thought...

HA!
 
All I want to know is this..

If I come down there to help, do I get paid in potato salad? :)

I would need to see an example of a 128 with flares before I could form an opinion on that question. Get in there and clean up what ever areas you are worried about structurally and then you can see how you feel about the custom modifications.
 
I like to see original cars too and I actually am more impressed with unrestored cars than restored ones at the shows. When someone completely rebuilds a car and everything is replaced including every screw, nut and bolt, thats excessive to me. However in the case of the 128 I see nothing wrong with using updated performance parts to help the car keep up with moder cars. I dont view the 1.5 engine as ruining the originality since the block is the same and theres almost no modifications. If someone were to cut a hole in the roof for a sunroof or add some silly hood scoop, that would ruin the originality for me
 
Want motivation? Listen to the sound of this thing:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06kHC60SA1I&NR=1"]YouTube- Fiat 128 1974[/ame]
 
I'm not a fan of "keep it stock". So far, with Fiats my philosophy was dont do anything that cannot be undone. The changes I've doen so far can all be undone (bumpers, carb, lowered front, differnet grill/grill badge and so on). I can have the car back to O.E. in less than a week if I had to/wanted to.
But, I don't agree with keeping a car 100% stock unless you are entering it in classic car shows or concourse stuff. If that was the case, I'd be afraid to drive it since it was 100% stock. I dont like trailer queens at all. Cars are made to be driven and enjoyed.
So, I look at it this way, I love my Fiat.... seriously. But I have a few ideas that (in my opinion) can make it better/more fun/ entertaining. Hell, I did the math a while back and realized that I have less thatn $3500 in the car. Now we all inow that I will never get that $ if I decided to sell it (recently had the chance to swap it for a cool Alfetta, and declined). Not that the resale matters, since Im not gonna sell it. Hell, my daughter loves the car and demands that she will drive it when she is 16. She's 6 so, and never gonna drive it, but if I sold the car, my daughter would be devistated!
So, with that said, I am gonna change several things on it. But, my goal has always been to only do period correct modifications. It will look like a period correct Fiat 128.
Black tooth, I fully plan on keeping this fun. While rebuilding the front end of my spider, when I'd get frustrated, I'd set my tools down (instead of throwing them across teh garage) adn walk away. This way I dont get all mad and do something destructive to the car, or me. The other advantage ot this, is it forces you to NOT make it into work.
I find the rear recarro seats interesting. I have also thought about a roll cage. One issue is the weight. Afterall, if I add a bunch of weight to the car, it would offset any mechanical/power modifications. I found myself thinking today about building a roll cage out of aluminum tube. DOnt know how realistic that is, or any roll cage is.
Jim, Of course, if you came to help, you could get as much of my wifes potato salad as you can eat. You know that we ate all the potato salad. But did you know that she used a 10 lb bad of potatos? Yep, the 4 of us and Ketrill ate 10 lbs of potato salad!
128's with flared fenders...
http://www.fierro-racing.net/Fiat128.JPG
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...q=fiat+128+abarth&hl=en&sa=G&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1
BTW, the blue one has become the model of what I want to do to my 128.
Now THESE are the flares I like! But I think flares may be a bitt over the top for what I have in mind.
http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/6604/0106fiat128evolution06dj5.jpg


I spoke to a friend of mine that owns a euro car shop. He specializes in Afla restorations, but works on any old euro car. While talking t him today, he suggested I undertake this project in steps. With my schedule and family, it would most likey be at least 2 years before I get the car back together. He suggested that, since I am already digging into the left front wheel well, concentrate on that. Gut the front suspension, strip down all of the metal, addresss any rust issues, apply por products, then once finished with both wheel wells, install all new upgraded suspension components. Then start on teh rear wheel wells. After that, move onto the next area.And so on....
While it would be interesting to strip teh car completely, I think doing it bit by bit would be better for me.
Opinions?
 
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HAHAHA... Jeremy, please call me Tony...

My car is Black Tooth... and he doesn't type...

I like all three photos you posted and glad you like some of my ideas...

NOW... yours being a 4 door... it just SCREAMS for the 4 Recaro buckets! Just imagine your daughter and the litle guy screaming 'Go Daddy' from the back seats! HA! The perfect family Rally Sedan!

Now go get to work!
 
Jeremy's is one of the last...

...nice 4 doors for sure.
At least in USA...where any 128 is seldom seen.

Overseas the 4 door 128 is very popular.
Check out dozens of youtube 128 vids linked to tomnj's posted vid.
I suspect because 4 door production continued for many years
after Fiat sold 128 tooling to other countries.
Still built in Egypt until a year or so ago.
Approx 3 million 128s built world wide.

My generation typically view 4 doors as last choice.
During '60s-'70s, a 4 door was obviously Daddy's car.
But younger folks are much more accepting of "more doors".
Suspect the proliferation of factory 4 door hot rods is basis.

Young folk from East Europe/Russia seem to be the
biggest fans of my 128 4 door daily driver.
 
Jeremy asked for opinions...

...and here's mine.
Regarding paint: if OE paint responds to cut/buff,
I'd aim to preserve it as much as possible.
Small rust areas can be touched up.
Small dents can be worked out by professional paintless dent removal services.
This is called a sympathetic restoration.
Not full-on. Not perfect.
Which is worthwhile if current condition allows.
Less time, less cost.
Patina is good.
Perfection becomes an albatross.
Done it both ways.
And know what I prefer.
BlackX wears 90% OE paint.
OR02-17.jpg


Chase down all rust to find virgin metal,
but keep the worked area small as possible.
Processes of exorcizing rust demon is a whole 'nother subject.
POR products, like body filler, are often misused.
They are not a magic bullet!
You still have to remove as much rust as humanly possible.

That is the first thing to focus all energy on.
Typical rust free west coast Fiat can easily
require 50 hours to fully exorcize rust.
My 128 daily driver...
fiats128andx-1.jpg

My 128 Estate...
wagonrear.jpg
 
Jeremy128 said:
While it would be interesting to strip teh car completely, I think doing it bit by bit would be better for me.
Opinions?
Click to expand...

I'd go this route - otherwise, the car may end up sitting in pieces for 10 years while you work up the (daunting) proposition of putting it all backtogether. Bit by bit, you get to drive it inbetween, which will give you more motivation to work on the next issue, that's the way I see it, anyway.
 
While my car is a good example of a clean 128. I know of one almost identical, that is by far much cleaner. Forgot his name, but he moved from NY to KY a while back. Now HIS is clean!!!!! His car (if memory serves) is stock, except for some chrome wind screens/shade thingys around the window frames.
Your daddy comment is correct. One of the things that drew me to this car is the fact that it is a 4 dr. With 2 kids, it makes it much easier. Onlt issue I have with th ekids is the fact that it has lap belts in the rear. Since both kids still require booster seats, I cannot put them in back until I get shoulder belts.
 
Yep! Thats one of the reasons I got the car!!!! Daddy ride! I already get the "WEEEEE FUN TURN!" or "Go faster daddy" from Lilly. She is a little gear head speed freak.
As for teh recarros in the back, while it sounds interesting, I'd have to think that over a bit. I do see a safety benefit though......
Paint, unfortunately is not O.E. In the pics, it looks like it. But, in person is obviously not O.E. it's a half ass respray. Whoever did it cut alot of corners. The interior, underhood, trunk, and such do not match yellow of the exterior.
After thinking abotu this, I am gonna do it section by section. I have no real experience welding, or doing real body work. If I do the bit by bit approach to this, it may make it easier to accomplish these issues.
Example, the right front door needs some metal work done. THE front bottom edge of the door is rusted through. I could take it off, bring it to my uncles where my dad can walk me through the steps, and explain to me what to do and how to do it. With my dad, I will also get the "why" it's done that way. While at my uncles, I can do anything else that need sot be done to the door (for example) including paint. So I could bring a panel there, completely fix it, then bring it home and reinstall on the car.
This plan could be applied to hood, trunk, door, fenders right? I'd imagine the only issue would be matching paint. If the paint i smixed at the same time, couldn't that resolve the issue?
Mike, I still love you wagon!!!!! I stole your idea for my bumpers. I still need to fab up some end caps. Both bumper bars are kinda rough. I was planning on trying to clean them up. If that didn't work so well I was thinking about maybe a black powder coat....
Also, I didn't know that you had 2 128's
 
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Tony I like your personality/commentary,
continuous to be your self :headbang:

We need positive commentary like yours.

Thanks
 
Thanks for the kind words, Yves...

I do try and have fun here... neutralize some of the "opinions" and encourage others to build the car they always wanted.

I'm PROOF it can be done...
 
Everyone starts with no experience...

...that's how you learn.
I find body/paint very rewarding.
Tedious at times.
Gotta know when to take a break.
Good plan to focus on doing one area at a time.
Eat that elephant one bite at a time.

Color match should be no problem with non-metallic.

Actually, three 128s at Casa de MM.
Searched for Estate Wagon for a decade.
Mostly roaches.
Settled for 128 SL sport coupe,
still awaiting heart transplant/resto.
Primo body and low buy-in made it irresistable.

Meantime, I wanted a 128 driver.
4 door was least desirable since I never haul people.
But golden opportunity to buy primo example from
respected guru made it a no brainer.

The estate is currently undergoing rust removal.
No perforation, since it's Calif car.
But lots of weakly finished areas from factory
mean even a desert car will have rust.

The 4 door will be for sale when Estate is done.
 
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