Berlinetta restoration

[928cdu]

Re: Berlinetta restoration Question?

Which will be a ......??????

[Cameron F]

Re: Berlinetta restoration Question?

Well this story now comes to an end, the car sold on ebay and will be moving on to a classic car dealer in France next week. The sale price was a little more than I expected and a little less than I hoped for but the market finds its own levels I'm sure.

Thought I would finish with a copy of the original car as it came to me.

silver-berly.jpg

RIght...next project!

[Cameron F]

Re: Berlinetta restoration Question?

As you will have seen elsewhere the Berli is now up for sale - an imminent house move precludes me taking her with me so I will sell her now and buy again once the move is sorted.
Starting with a good car is always a good way to begin and this one was no exception. Recommissioning of the mechanics was needed and that was straightforward, with things renewed upgraded as I went through it. The paintwork was awful and there was only one way to do it - that was to strip it all back to the original substrates to prevent further reactions - at least if the new owner wants to change its colour there is a sound base on which to do it!
So, to end this diary I have added the pictures I used on ebay - you never know they may help someone else in the future.

FrontOS.jpg

grille.jpg

interiorOS.jpg

boot.jpg

engineBayNS.jpg

[billjackson54]

Re: Berlinetta restoration Question?

I used a rivnuts into the sloping section below the window to fit the mirror to the n/s door of my Berli....and I see from the pictures on this forum of my car 11 years on that it's still on.

[Cameron F]

Re: Berlinetta restoration Question?

sorted. Drilled and tapped the door window frames, Seems very secure.

[Cameron F]

Re: Berlinetta restoration Question?

Quick question for other Berli owners, I dont want to put the mirrors on the door but if I place them on the screen frame the door will bash into them unless quite high. Do I see from the gallery that some have them on the door glass channels? If so what is the best way of fitting?
These are my mirrors...the base is narrow enough and has two 5mm holes 42mm apart

Vintage-Classic-Car-Desmo-Style-Oval-A-_57.jpg

[Tony Stott]

Re: Berlinetta restoration

thanks for that, had a look at good 'ole u tube and am now reassembling it all -- been rolling for about an hour and a half so far, life is a voyage of discovery as my dad (now long gone) used to say! Hopefully all back by the end of the afternoon, its hot here, 25'c.

[Cameron F]

Re: Berlinetta restoration

Beautiful day so drove the wee beast out into the sunshine. Need to fit the hinge cover panels next. But today it will be some 1200 and a bucket of soapy water before getting the mop out.
The NS door is a brand new item but I spent a long time fettling the OS so decided to keep it, as it is now a good door. This does mean I have a brand new (strengthened) driver side door if anyone needs one.

osrBerli.jpg

[Cameron F]

Re: Door gaps

HI Tony yes there is plenty of room. The hardest part is getting the cam belt cover off but its not actually difficult.
Some people like to cut the belt in half (longitudinally!) then slide on the new one before cutting off the remains of the old one, never done it myself that way but it does save retiming everything.
THe whole job only takes around 30 minutes.

[Tony Stott]

Re: Door gaps

hi
when you replaced the timing belt was that with the rad in place etc, just starting to do mine and am needing so,e re assurance etc I am going about it correctly!

[Cameron F]

Re: Door gaps

Thanks Hugh
Finally it is starting to warm up so I have left all the work on the desk and got on to starting to fit up.

INterior.JPG

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Door gaps

Don't worry, you'll never actually finish.

[Cameron F]

Re: Door gaps

Thanks Hugh, not like the roadster I'm afraid, much more complicated yet not as successful!
Today I wedged the door into the hole and found that the gap is not perfect - these are brand new doors so didn't come with the car originally, ... should have done this first I know!
there is a slightly wider gap at the bottom than the top on both ends so it will be what it will be! It is marginal however so I'm not too discouraged. The fault is indeed with the hinges (original) in so far as they have a bit of up and down movement thought hardly any wobble thank goodness. I will simply try drilling the holes in the door leading edge a bit longer and that could give me the adjustment I need. Hopefully the N/S will be better as I made new hinges already for that side - they are a bit tricky to get square so I would rather not make a new set unless I really have to.

Then its just a case of refitting the interior, make some new seat belt stalk mounts (I am moving the seat a tad), sort out the speedo drive, finish the wiring under the dash, and then MOT it. Shouldn't take long.

PS I noticed the hood's window has come adrift at the top seam - bother - something else to worry about!

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Door gaps

If it's like the Roadster you'll find a twist in the wing which brings the outer edge up and fouls the door bottoms. I put a bracket under the wing to pull it down, the N/S was the worst.

[Cameron F]

Re: Door gaps

Thanks Scott, I have tried swapping hinges but suspect that they are the problem. I am going to put the door in the gap tomorrow and square it up, and then see where the hinges come to. If there is too much leeway I will make some new ones - I have done this before with sintered bronze bushes to alleviate the seizure they so often suffer from. the Berli is a lovely car but the door hinges are a real design problem imho. I like the idea of tightening the chassis bolts when closed, hadn't thought of that.