Although on Milan plates we went all the way down to Ischia (Island near Naples) to pick up this little barn find which had not moved for 5 years. Now, with Italy being long and thin, getting to Ischia from our base in Como was a good 22 hour journey there and back.
As we did not have trailer with us and renting a trailer in Italy is not an easy process we decided that the trusty Fiat Ducato 130 would serve as recovery vehicle. You can see from the photos below that the little Fiat fits perfectly inside the big one just like a Russian doll.
Roof rack allows for easy storage of items when travelling.
Just making sure that the prized vehicle is securely fastened.
The car had been parked up for about 8 years and just pushed out of the way when needed. Ischia is a beautiful island but cars get to breathe that wonderful salty air so the bodywork had suffered a bit. The fuel had gone bad and the battery was obviously dead.
Not quite in a barn but there are lots of them around.
Chrome looks….not quite salvageable.
Most panels will be replaced – roof rack probably dispensed with so that you can use the sunroof properly.
Floor in decent condition.
A tongue in cheek video to highlight the task and to see what we can do with this little baby.
So, let’s get started.
Strip down of instrument cowl and dashboard.
Removing key components is quite easy. Leaving engines and transmission in place is easier but lazy. If you are going to all the trouble to restore, then the paintwork needs to be as good inside the engine bay as it is on the outside.
A lot of the panels were rusty, dented badly or had far too much filler. These have been cut out and replaced with new.
The basic structure is very solid, but the wings are replaced with new.
An angle grinder is a brilliant tool and makes taking the front panel off relatively easy. Always wear gloves because they sometimes have a mind of their own.
With all the bad bits removed it is now time for the new panels which are welded or bolted in place depending on how they fit. The important thing here is to make sure they are line up perfectly and clamped in place. We have seen a number of restorations where panel fit is less than ideal just because of cutting corners. Apart from affecting resale value it jars the eye and looks horrible.
Clamping.
Here we are with a new face.
Looking good from this side too.
And from the top.
Checking the panel fit of the front wing to the door.
Rear end fitted.
Doors prepared and in primer.
Outdoor baking.
Now…does my bum look good in this?
Progress ongoing so updates will appear shortly.
