Author: hamilton.mm

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TI Tidy fourteen: brightening the corners

This is another one that I could just show pictures of but I didn’t capture all the struggles as well as I’d have liked so you have to endure a few words from your humble guide.

Below is how you do it when you don’t actually care how it comes out. Wrap some tape around the lenses and psst psst psst: job done.

IMG_8399First thing I did was assemble everything to make sure it all fit together to the extent that it was not a fools errand trying to clean these up. If you look closely there is all sorts of wrong to be seen.

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TI Tidy Thirteen: plumbed, well almost

Did I make a list yesterday? Well I forgot it so I made it up as I went this afternoon. First order was mounting of the newly engoldened coil. Sweet. Next came a struggle with the rubber line to the clutch side of the hydraulic fluid reservoir. It went for the most part down hill from there until I left. I did get a fair chunk done though. Weber’s are ready to go at least. Still need filters.

IMG_8882In addition to a super dumb color coil is the MOST genius possible lazy mans mounting point for a Facet fuel pump. I should patent this placement! I went for an underhood placement when I discovered the hardline went to within about 2 inches from the fuel tank out back.

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TI Tidy Twelve: incremental improvements

Three hours is a lot of time when you know what you are going to do every step of the way, but when you are unsure of the next move, time without visible progress passes quickly. Indecision robs you of momentum.

I’m not saying I didn’t get anything done, just not nearly as much as I thought I would.

IMG_8875The Weber’s (40DCOE 27’s with 32mm chokes) have enjoyed the gentle touch of a natural bristle brush soaked in white gas followed by rattle can carb cleaner and are now not-so-firmly mounted in case I have to remove them to trace a difficult wire. A couple of feet of fuel line cut to length and clamped appropriately and this picture will be complete.

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Market 130: Bertone Giulietta prototype?

Giulietta 10591 prototype.  This car is available right now out of Finland.  It is said to have been made by Bertone but the styling cues seem to me to be a little later than 1959 though (1969?)  I do see a Sprint under there if a squint just a bit.  Anyone know the story here?  Sellers story is below.  Oh, and it’s 40K Euro’s.

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Looks a bit like this modified car.  Kind of approaches something sort of Opel or??

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TI Tidy eleven: Lots of loose ends

Surprisingly easy and yet frustrating is how it has been going since the engine dropped in. The easy part probably mainly the result of the intrinsic simplicity of these cars, the frustration mostly the result of the utter disregard with which this car was treated when it was taken apart. In any case, progress continues to be made and it may be that I will make my goal of driving this thing to Pixar’s 2009 Motorama the weekend after next.

Not pictured below is any of the two days I spent bolting the engine and trans mounts down, installing the giubo and basically under the car, on my back cursing. I will only have to return to that position and frame of mind when it comes time to install the new speedometer cable and mount the exhaust that Aaron gave me.

IMG_8867Not necessarily necessary but nice; the brake booster. PO simply cut the line running from it to the junction. A brake line making session ensued and I was triumphant. The celebrate I installed the booster and line. I’m sure you can already sense what will be the biggest job.

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Market 127: Sold Spider. Assembled in Mexico!

Giulietta Spider 750D 1495*02420.  This car sold on eBay recently for $18,100 after 38 bids.  About the right result for a car like this.  What do I mean ‘a car like this’?  See the sellers  description for the full details, but basically a largly unoriginal bitsa that spent most of it’s life in Mexico.  Not that any of that is in and of itself bad, especially if the result is fast and looks good, but Giuliettas are trending towards originality being reflected in asking and selling prices as interest and values go up.  Bringatrailer did a write-up which can be found here.
other other frontAlways a pleasure to see a Giulietta Spider nose that is well turned out in a color other than red, white or black.  Not a lot to fault up here!

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Market #39: rough 60 Spider project non-roller

Update 7/14/09: 7 bidders had it out and the new result was $2025.  Not bad really.

Update 7/1/09:  “This car is being relisted due to difficulties in concluding the sale to an International buyer.  U.S. Bidders only!!!b”

Update 6/11/09: Wow, 15 bidders fought it out and the winner spent $2236 buying this car, 11x more than the last result.  Bravo, so now buy my car already, it’s twice as good as this and closer to home.

Update 6/4/09: This car has been listed on eBay again. Get in there. What are you waiting for? Bidding starts at $200. Such a deal. I’d drop half that to have the hood hinges.

Update 8/19/08. Reserve not met. Bidding reached $202.50 and would have been very well bought at that price. Car is relisted with $50 opening bid and $1500 buy it now. At least we now have an idea what the seller thinks it’s worth. Due to the complexity of moving this thing I am not sure even $1000 makes sense to anyone but a local to the car.

Giulietta Spider 10104 1495*11267. Listed here on eBay as a 1958 Spider parts car or body for restoration. Numbers indicate the car is a late 1960 interim car. As of writing this the auction has no bids and starts at $50.

It’s nice to see someone list a car like this without the usual hyperbole about how close it is to being a runner etc. The real shame here is this doesn’t look like it was such a bad car too long ago. I am going to guess someone pulled the wheels off to get some tires mounted and do the brakes, lost interest for a few years , lost the wheels and brake parts then sold it for parts. Eventually it ended up belly on the ground in Orrick MO (just outside of Kansas City), where we finally caught up with it.

Surprisingly straight and solid on the top side at least. I paid $1500 for a similar car earlier this year but it was on wheels. Trim parts seen here are all very valuable.

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Market 126: Giulia Spider 375817. Nice!

Update 6/29: Alright people, come to order.  Yes, this is an attractive, well maintained Giulia Spider with a storied past, and very well presented auction, and yes, it is pretty cool, but $33,100 after 48 bids?  Wow, I’m glad to see 101 cars are still doing okay.  My Spider looks pretty good at $4000… maybe I’ll just fix it up!

Giulia Spider 10123*375817. This red Spider is currently attracting bids on eBay out of Denver Colorado. The write up is extensive and it’s ownership record reads like a who’s who of well-known long-time Alfa (AROC) Enthusiasts. With 2 days, 8 hours left in the auction it is sitting at $20,600 after 21 bids, reserve not met. Full auction write-up is at the end of this post.

spider 357817 noseNow that is nice! Trim finish is perfect, trim and panel fit is exemplary and the color red is right. Uncle Rick would complain about the ‘eye liner’, but then he’s that way. Eyeliner refers to the ‘licorice rope’ rubber edging that guys like to put under the trim to protect their $10,000 paint job from vibration scratches inflicted on the paint by the trim. I can dig. Why do these kind of headlights bother me?

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Market 125: Giulia Spider project 10123*379887.

Update 6/28: 29 bidders duked it out and the high bidder got this car for $6433.  Not bad, not bad at all.  Seller is probably back in the green on the sale and high bidder got if nothing else a fabulous parts car or tough but do-able project.

Giulia Spider 10123*379887 is available on eBay now out of Lafayette California, just over the hill from me. It wears Texas plates and has some significant but not terminal underside rust so don’t let the California auction mislead you. It is however an unmolested example (unmolested is another way of saying ignored), ready for restoration so the new owner will be the first one to take anything apart and begin the process.

379887 noseAppears to have been molested a little to the left of the grill. Center badge is missing (cheap repro is available) and so is the grill eyebrow above the license plate. All in all pretty good up here.

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