Quick rustoration

[FiatFunk]

OK finally I'm making some time for this cheap rusty Italian heap from 1980. Taking the next almost 3 weeks to focus on this and hoping to get the essentials done and have it on the road. I've currently got the engine ready to reassemble, just waiting for the flywheel to get lightened and I still need air filters for the pair of DCNF 36's that I rebuilt. It's the rust that is the bad news. The license plate has a 2007 sticker on it and I think this thing was sitting in the intertidal zone on Vancouver island since I grabbed it a year and a half ago.
I am going to try to limit myself to a quick job that will do, with the possibility of either selling the car afterward or keeping it and getting to a proper job at some point. I've never seen an x/19 in person and I've never driven this thing more than two blocks on two cylinders, so yet to have the x-perience. I've got a feeling that I'm going to want to keep it, so there may be a spider or two up for sale shortly.
Does anyone sell the windshield rubber? (Midwest is out of stock)
Does anyone sell replacement panels?
I see Midwest has a couple of used fenders and forward crush panels and they have new rear trunk bottoms (easy enough to make those).
Here is a little of what I am dealing with...

 

[Dr.Jeff]

"Quick restoration". No such thing.
"Taking the next almost 3 weeks to focus on this and hoping to get the essentials done and have it on the road." Are you taking wagers on this?

Only joking.

The best source that I'm aware of for rust repair panels is in Europe: https://www.eurosport-uk.net/shop/
There isn't a rubber seal on the windshield. The glass is glued to the frame then covered by glueing a trim piece over the edges.
Lots of members have spare parts or 'parts cars' to part out if you need something you can't find.

May I suggest you decide the fate of the car before you start the restoration. If you really intend to resell it then I think you are better off doing that now before you sink money into something that you will not recover with it's sale. On the other hand, if you intend to keep it then I think you should do a decent job of restoring it the first time.

 

[FiatFunk]

"Quick restoration". No such thing.
"Taking the next almost 3 weeks to focus on this and hoping to get the essentials done and have it on the road." Are you taking wagers on this?

Only joking.

The best source that I'm aware of for rust repair panels is in Europe: https://www.eurosport-uk.net/shop/
There isn't a rubber seal on the windshield. The glass is glued to the frame then covered by glueing a trim piece over the edges.
Lots of members have spare parts or 'parts cars' to part out if you need something you can't find.

May I suggest you decide the fate of the car before you start the restoration. If you really intend to resell it then I think you are better off doing that now before you sink money into something that you will not recover with it's sale. On the other hand, if you intend to keep it then I think you should do a decent job of restoring it the first time.

I would love to take wagers! I'll bet my car against someone else's (I must approve of the condition)
That's the kind of motivation I need!
Let's do this
Suggestion noted, but I doubt that a fully restored x would compare to my integrale, I need the space in 3 weeks, and I know myself, I'll get bogged down unless I do a brief big push. Mostly I just wanna go fast, not overly worried about the looks!

 

[FiatFunk]

It's bad boys. I think it's even worse than Tomas's project. I don't have the time to put into it for a proper job but I'm already committed so I'll make it work. Frame seems OK but there is so much rot in the body.
Any tips for getting the windshield out? I've got the trim off, maybe a heat gun to soften up the adhesive?

 

[Jefco]

There is apparently a way to put the windshield in with a gasket, the Wheeler Dealers - restored car has one; the current owner (Hi tvmaster!) has posted pics here somewhere, but I don't think he knows where it was sourced.

 

[dllubin]

According to the manual, there are two wires at the bottom center of the windshield that get hooked up to two 12V batteries in series (24V) to soften the adhesive. I don't know anyone who has tried it.

 

[FiatFunk]

There is apparently a way to put the windshield in with a gasket, the Wheeler Dealers - restored car has one; the current owner (Hi tvmaster!) has posted pics here somewhere, but I don't think he knows where it was sourced.

I saw that Midwest sells a rubber gasket but its not in stock.

 

[FiatFunk]

According to the manual, there are two wires at the bottom center of the windshield that get hooked up to two 12V batteries in series (24V) to soften the adhesive. I don't know anyone who has tried it.

That's interesting. Under the dash I suppose, I didn't see anything in the frank. The Haynes manual I have says leave it to a fiat agent lol

 

[Jefco]

Yes, wires under the dash in the center of the windshield; don't expect much, though, of a single strand wire in a car as rusty as yours, as it is an iron-based heating element; I would check it's continuity before expecting it to work (if you can even find it).

 

[JimD]

I saw that Midwest sells a rubber gasket but its not in stock.

That rubber "gasket" is actually a trim piece that is a replacement for the stock metal windshield trim. The windshield still gets glued in, but you put the rubber trim on the glass to hide the glue and pretty up the edges rather than sticking the metal trim back on.

 

[TomasL]

My Experience, for what its worth, you are looking on a 1 year job, minimum, restoring it.
What you will find out, is that there i rust in places you couldn't dream about, you have to expect that the supension towers is rusty, since they did a terrible job protecting the metal sheet doubling, basically non at all, meaning that water etc is drawn in betwen the metal, and rust up.

There are repair panels available, but very expensive, but most of them is quite easy to manufacture on your own.

Regarding the windshield, well, my didn't look that bad (only a few craters in the paint), before I took the window out, but when it was out.........
Removing the glass is pretty straight forward, use an razorblade knife.
From the outside, cut along the windscreen down to the metal, then repeat from the inside, then just lift the window out.

Btw, there was no "electrical wires" on mine. furthermore, there is no mention about it in the workshop manual either, nor in the two 3'rd partys manuals that I also have.

 

[rx1900]

Any tips for getting the windshield out? I've got the trim off, maybe a heat gun to soften up the adhesive?

Well...i had luck by just basically cutting through the rubber adhesive.

First...from outside with a sharp knife.. cut just around the entire windshield straight in as far as possible.

Then ...from the inside..with a very long sharp blade - like a box cutter extended as far as possible - slice all around parallel to the glass.

You will have then cut through all the rubber sealant holding the glass in. Push gently and the windshield will just pop out. Easy peasy.

Of course this method will have scratched the paint on the windshield surround.....but you will be painting all that anyway......

This will be easier on a hot day. and easier if you have a helper for the final stage. So have plenty of cold beer on hand.

For eventual re-installation...just do yourself a favour and call the local windshield guys. Most of them offer a mobile service. Almost all cars for the last 30 years have had a glued-in windshield just like the X1/9 has. So they wont balk at all......

Good luck......

 

[TomasL]

Well, the windshield guys hav no Idea on how to fit a window to an X1, the glued windows of today, is something completly different from the way the X1 windshield is mounted, they simply dont have the proper glue available, you have to look in the building materiela department, and probably find some sort of butyl based adhesive/sealant.
I had a chat with one of the major sealant manufacturers two days ago, and they where puzzled, although I got a number of proposed sealants.

 

[rx1900]

Well, the windshield guys hav no Idea on how to fit a window to an X1, the glued windows of today, is something completly different from the way the X1 windshield is mounted, they simply dont have the proper glue available, you have to look in the building materiela department, and probably find some sort of butyl based adhesive/sealant.
I had a chat with one of the major sealant manufacturers two days ago, and they where puzzled, although I got a number of proposed sealants.

That is odd....the windshield guy here did not even flinch......mind you that was 25 or so years ago. Thought it would have been even easier these days.........

 

[TomasL]

Most likely, today, when the window is an intergral part of the body, then different adhesives and technique is ued, and they do not learn how to do it the old ways.

 

[dllubin]

My Experience, for what its worth, you are looking on a 1 year job, minimum, restoring it.
What you will find out, is that there i rust in places you couldn't dream about, you have to expect that the supension towers is rusty, since they did a terrible job protecting the metal sheet doubling, basically non at all, meaning that water etc is drawn in betwen the metal, and rust up.

There are repair panels available, but very expensive, but most of them is quite easy to manufacture on your own.

Regarding the windshield, well, my didn't look that bad (only a few craters in the paint), before I took the window out, but when it was out.........
Removing the glass is pretty straight forward, use an razorblade knife.
From the outside, cut along the windscreen down to the metal, then repeat from the inside, then just lift the window out.

Btw, there was no "electrical wires" on mine. furthermore, there is no mention about it in the workshop manual either, nor in the two 3'rd partys manuals that I also have.

The 1974 Fiat manual has the procedure with the wires on page 209 (available in the Wiki).

 

[TomasL]

Well, not on the laters obviously

 

[JimD]

Here is an old thread about windshield removal. Lots of discussion and a recap of @Matt Brannon - Midwest Bayless instructions.

 

[TomasL]

Still its quite easy with an utility knife.
I used a knife similar to this

 

[FiatFunk]

OK got a little done today, I never get as much as I hoped but good to get a little new steel in place. That fender needs a lot more work still, and that patch is not yet done. Thankfully this side is far worse than the other. I know it is a little shabby, forgive me I just don't have the time to do work at Tomas level.