Restoration of a 1987 Bertone

Looking good Huey. I had some success matching the look of the heat shield by gently pressing aluminum tape onto the damaged areas. Not duct tape, but the really thin actual aluminum tape. It is thin enough the you can even get some of the texture of the heat shield to shoe thru if you work it from one corner across the damaged area. It doesn't look perfect, but it looks better that the tears I had when I started. Sorry, I can't find a picture.

Another thing I think about but never try... has anyone attempted to slice the "FIAT" off of the log with a band saw and then flip the letters around? I am not sure how they are cast, so that could leave for holes in the log. :)
 
OK this is turning into a full restoration now. What I thought was a bad accelerator cable is actually a rusted pedal. Also the clutch master cylinder is leaking. To get all those things out, I had to dismantle the entire interior. I got to the floors just in time -- there is rust starting on them. I will grind them down and POR-15 and put back in new carpet. Also some funky wiring in the dash to be sorted. More pics to come.
 
Got the new accelerator cable routed through. Holy crap what a job! It probably isn't that difficult on a car without A/C but everything I needed access to had an A/C component in the way. Had I planned it out properly, I would have done that before dropping the engine back in -- would have made it worlds easier. But it's done. Hopefully I never have to do that again.

Now to get the gas pedal assembly back in, replace the clutch master cylinder (might as well do the brake master cylinder while I'm there), route the new speedo cable, sand the floors (in a circular motion, left hand then right hand), POR-15 the floors, then put the interior back together.

Sometimes I wonder what I got myself into.
 
Brake and clutch master cylinders replaced. Much easier with the pedal assembly out.

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Got all the hoses hooked up and ran it up to temperature. Here's what I've learned thus far:
  1. It went up to 190 before I shut it down. It might of went higher but I haven't burped the system yet. Didn't lose any coolant, though.
  2. Heater doesn't work. Fan blows cold even when it is up to temp. Possibly a heater core issue...?
  3. Never heard the radiator fans kick on so I will have to diagnose that at some point.
  4. Engine fired right up and ran great with just static timing.
  5. Be careful if you run the engine without exhaust because it will spit flames :cool: (but it does sound cool, even if the neighbors don't agree)
  6. Fuel gauge still doesn't work even with a brand new tank and new sender. If I hook the wires up the other way, the gauge pegs full (has about 5 gallons in it.) Hook them up the right way and nothing. :mad:
  7. Air conditioning doesn't work. But I have no idea how much coolant is in it. It has some pressure. I need to find someone that can do R-12. I think licensed shops can still sell it and will have the equipment.
I wasn't thinking that I had pulled the speedo boss out of the transmission leaving a big gaping hole on top of the tranny so I may have some antifreeze in the radiator now. I guess I'll drain it and put in new oil (again.)

Progress.
 
I don't think my rad fan came one until above 190. I'll run it again and check tomorrow. Only 1 of my 2 fans comes on. Not sure if that's because the 2nd fan only runs with ac on? Just a guess.

Last time I bought R12 it was really really expensive. Apparently the value of it went down some in the last few years because no one needs it anymore. However, I can't find anyone with it now. My 1991 4 runner is still on R12 and I love it. Ice cold ac right at start up.
 
I don't know about Xs, but on a spider, overheating and cold heater indicate an air pocket around the thermostat.
 
The threads on the speedometer cable boss were messed up, which broke the nut on my new speedo cable. Installed a new new speedo cable yesterday. It was much easier the second time -- hardest part is that grommet on the floor under the gas pedal. Ordered a new boss for the cable but it hasn't come in yet but I did spin it on the drill to verify the speedo works. FYI, my cordless drill spins about 60 MPH in reverse ;)

Everything on the dash works now except the fuel gauge. I got dash lights, temp, tach, speedo, and warning lights. But still no fuel gauge! Argh. I want to do the LED light modification but I will wait until I get everything else working...gotta have priorities.

This weekend I will focus on cleaning and undercoating the rear portion so I can get the exhaust installed. If time is left over, I will get the rear suspension components cleaned up and put back in place. And, of course, reinstall the pedal assembly and bleed the clutch and brake systems. A few more man hours and I will be able to move it under its own power.
 
Engine detail almost complete. I think the air filter is too small but it was the only one I could find that would fit the 60mm opening (it's actually for a motorcycle.) It will probably work but I will probably just put the factory one back in place.

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I still need to complete some minor details...
  1. Overflow tube for coolant bottle
  2. Drain tubes for side pockets
  3. One of the engine cross member thread holes stripped on me when I was installing new emergency brake cables and installing the shifter linkage. I will need to support the engine, remove the cross member, drill it out and install a threaded insert. Ugh.
  4. Miscellaneous minor details like the support brackets and clips for the fuel injector wires, etc.
  5. Bleed the cooling system.
  6. Install the exhaust (after I weld in a new right-hand trunk pocket and put back all the insulation stuff. Also need to repair the exhaust hanger brackets.
  7. Figure out why the $@#! fuel gauge isn't working. That means I need to remove that rubber gasket on the firewall again -- that thing was a royal pain to put back in place.
But mostly the engine is done. It starts right up and seems to idle nicely.

Next stop, drive shafts. One of the boots is broken and I will replace all of them so I can clean up the CV joints and put in new grease.

More to come...
 
Engine detail almost complete. I think the air filter is too small but it was the only one I could find that would fit the 60mm opening (it's actually for a motorcycle.) It will probably work but I will probably just put the factory one back in place.

View attachment 2673

Yeah, you need a larger volume filter, I'd say.

Impressive transformation :)

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Made a lot of progress this weekend. Engine now fully buttoned up and exhaust installed. It was MUCH happier without any exhaust and would fire right up. Now with the exhaust installed, it hesitates to start and sounds like it's missing. I haven't timed it yet (only static timed) so it will hopefully get better.

I read on the Pennsylvania DOT website that if I register it as a classic then I am exempt from emissions testing and a catalytic converter is not required. I might do that and remove the cat. Of course that limits my ability to drive it since, according to PA law, registered as a classic or antique I can only drive on occasions and not use as transportation.

Also need to adjust the shifter linkage because hitting second, third, and reverse is difficult.

I tapped out the one stripped cross member/engine mount threads and put in a helicoil. Sadly, I couldn't find an M10 1.25 and had to go 1.5 thread so I have one odd bolt out of the four. My OCD will have to adjust.
 
I tapped out the one stripped cross member/engine mount threads and put in a helicoil. Sadly, I couldn't find an M10 1.25 and had to go 1.5 thread so I have one odd bolt out of the four. My OCD will have to adjust.

Nice work!

Volvo automatic flywheel/flexplate bolts (1275375) are M11 x 1.25 (17mm 12-point head).... I drilled & retapped the existing captive nut on the forward two of mine that stripped..
 
Made a lot of progress this weekend. Engine now fully buttoned up and exhaust installed. It was MUCH happier without any exhaust and would fire right up. Now with the exhaust installed, it hesitates to start and sounds like it's missing. I haven't timed it yet (only static timed) so it will hopefully get better.

I read on the Pennsylvania DOT website that if I register it as a classic then I am exempt from emissions testing and a catalytic converter is not required. I might do that and remove the cat. Of course that limits my ability to drive it since, according to PA law, registered as a classic or antique I can only drive on occasions and not use as transportation.

Also need to adjust the shifter linkage because hitting second, third, and reverse is difficult.

I tapped out the one stripped cross member/engine mount threads and put in a helicoil. Sadly, I couldn't find an M10 1.25 and had to go 1.5 thread so I have one odd bolt out of the four. My OCD will have to adjust.

As far as getting the two inspections go (safety and emissions), there is also the mileage exemption for emissions, if the car does not travel more than 5,000 miles per year it is not subjected to the pre-OBD rolling dyno and tailpipe sniffer test. Instead the inspection station can charge you up to $25 for a mileage-exempt emission sticker. Many inspection stations do not have an operable dyno/sniffer emissions tester anymore, so they are more inclined to "lick 'em and stick 'em" :)

I have a daily driver registration on my '86 but only because at the time, that type of registration was required if I wanted a "personalized" (aka "vanity") plate. When PA went from the traditional stamped metal Antique and Classic tags to the current three-color Classic tag, they eventually allowed you to apply for a personalized Antique or Classic tag, so maybe I'll change over to an Antique plate.
 
If the police in PA are like VA, they could care less about tooling around on antique plates. Several of us in northern Virginia have antique plates and use our Fiats all the time. I was even pulled over for speeding in my spider and the cop never asked about the antique plates. Our view is any drive in a Fiat is a "test" drive or driving to or from an "event"!
 
If the police in PA are like VA, they could care less about tooling around on antique plates. Several of us in northern Virginia have antique plates and use our Fiats all the time. I was even pulled over for speeding in my spider and the cop never asked about the antique plates. Our view is any drive in a Fiat is a "test" drive or driving to or from an "event"!

Well that's true. I could always say I just worked on it and I'm test driving it. The cop could ask why I'm wearing a suit and I'll just say "hey, it's an Italian sports car, I'm treating it like one."
 
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