Tag: cars

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TI Tidy 15: More songs about electrons

Sunday sunday. I ate two poached eggs on sourdough toast, sipped my coffee over the news of the day and made my way down to the shop before 10 am. I had a full day planned and getting right to it seemed the best approach.

Prologue: Saturday was slightly trying along the lines of receiving a call from Mrs. Giuliettas thus: “the Sprint wont start.” She was at the grocery getting snacks for friends who were coming over with their kids to take pictures in her children’s clothing line (ajang ajang handmade) and of course the Sprint waited for her to be driving to cause problems. I picked her up, dropped her off at home and drove down to the store in Brian’s Volvo to jump start the Sprint. The Sprint was illegally parked on private property so I had a small sense of urgency but for all my pensiveness and jump starting efforts the Sprint just wouldn’t turn over fast enough to start. I thought: “catastrophic battery failure” and went to the local chain auto parts store and bought an appropriate battery. Still no start, just a slow RRR RRR RRR. I go back to the Volvo, having decided I needed a break (beer) and THE VOLVO WONT START. I have one of those ‘run off to Mexico’ moments but decide I should walk the two blocks to Duff’s place and get some help. We bump start the Sprint in front of Longs without much fuss then I decide we should check the Volvo for spark etc while I have capable help. At the last possible moment after trying everything, when we give up and I say ‘one more for princess Di’ and it starts, sweet. We drop the Sprint off on a hill by my house and I put the Volvo where I can leave it for a while. I think the Volvo was flooded as it requires the polar opposite starting approach to the Sprint. So Sunday morning I am thinking: I drive the Sprint EVERY DAY so I better fix that starting problem. Off I go.

IMG_8907Excusing above cathartic diatribe, here is the TI after wiring the water temp sender, solenoid, and coil. That’s big. I spent $30 at a local chain auto parts store and bought + and – battery leads along with a $10 basic ignition switch. I wired it all up, installed a battery and RRR, RRR, RRR it turned over!

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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.

0745403001245856381

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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