My First Fiat - Parts car

[rlux4]

I also take off the timing pointer. The tight spot is between the back of the pulley and oil pan/bottom of the block. There's just enough gap there to get the belt through. Because there are a two flat castings on the block that protect the belt/pulley, the belt has to be curved to go past them, and bent flat at the bottom of the curve to get through the pulley/oil pan gap.
The only cover I've got is the plastic one.
Ron

[engineerted]

Good find on the $700 car, One thing I noticed is that your lower rear trailing arm is bent, and if you plan on driving it, the car is going to track funny.

Here is my $700 car.



After



I will never do a rust bucket again, 1 year alone to fix the sheet metal

Ted

[wachuko]

Ted,

I ordered the trailing arm. Should be here today. My plan is to make it run and stop... so I ordered brakes, trailing arm, brake hoses, clutch kit [ I was not going to do the clutch kit, but the transmission is not shifting. I am thinking a frozen release bearing; since I am dropping the tranny to clean and check I figured I would change the clutch in the process ] tune up kit, cooling system hoses, and all the seals, stuff that can still be transferred to the next car (or kept as spares).

Outside of that expense, not planning on spending any more $ on it until I hear from two potential candidates (one from FL, one from WI). But that should make it road worthy.

Do you have photos documenting the restoration of your car from that condition, that you can share? My father-in-law is still trying to convince me to fix this one instead of buy a second car... I just see too much work to do so... Also, if not to painful to share, what was the cost of just fixing the body work (without the paint)?

By the way, the after photo looks spectacular!! Any more that we can see?

Tks!

Good find on the $700 car, One thing I noticed is that your lower rear trailing arm is bent, and if you plan on driving it, the car is going to track funny.

Here is my $700 car.



After



I will never do a rust bucket again, 1 year alone to fix the sheet metal

Ted

[narfire]

Ted, again I'm impressed with the Patience and skill set you and others have to get these great little cars back from the crusher.
Your car looks great!!!!

Chris

[engineerted]

Do you have photos documenting the restoration of your car from that condition, that you can share? My father-in-law is still trying to convince me to fix this one instead of buy a second car... I just see too much work to do so... Also, if not to painful to share, what was the cost of just fixing the body work (without the paint)?

I don't have any formal write up of my restoration (I do need to do this some day) but do have some photos I can share, as for the cost, I don't like to think about it too much, yikes!

Lets see:

2 rear wheel well arches IAP, $70 each
2 inner wheel housings, $150 each
2 shock towers $230 each
2 front quarter panels $40 each
2 rocker panels IAP Plastic $100 each ( don't buy the steel ones, they are crap)
2 doors off ebay $60 each
1 rear deck lid ebay $100
$150 in misc. flat steel to repair the floors/ inner rockers
$100 welding wire
$100 welding Gas

About $2000,
Check out the link below, you should be able to dig around here and see my photos that I have up loaded.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v95/e ... /?start=80
Ted

[wachuko]

Thank you, that helped a lot. And the photos were a great start to understand what amount of work is involved... wow.

Do you have photos documenting the restoration of your car from that condition, that you can share? My father-in-law is still trying to convince me to fix this one instead of buy a second car... I just see too much work to do so... Also, if not to painful to share, what was the cost of just fixing the body work (without the paint)?

I don't have any formal write up of my restoration (I do need to do this some day) but do have some photos I can share, as for the cost, I don't like to think about it too much, yikes!

Lets see:

2 rear wheel well arches IAP, $70 each
2 inner wheel housings, $150 each
2 shock towers $230 each
2 front quarter panels $40 each
2 rocker panels IAP Plastic $100 each ( don't buy the steel ones, they are crap)
2 doors off ebay $60 each
1 rear deck lid ebay $100
$150 in misc. flat steel to repair the floors/ inner rockers
$100 welding wire
$100 welding Gas

About $2000,
Check out the link below, you should be able to dig around here and see my photos that I have up loaded.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v95/e ... /?start=80
Ted

[wachuko]

All three boxes of parts arrived!!! wooohoooo! I am going to feel like a kid in xmas day opening presents.

[launieg]

Jaime, I have an '81 FI. It had the lower timing cover on. No way you will get the belt on with that item on there. You have to remove the crank pulley. I followed Mark's advice and used an impact wrench, extension and a good flex-joint (u-joint) next to the socket, all put through the grill. Easy to do in my case. Of course, there is a chance the joint would fly apart, so use a good quality one. Do not put that lower cover back on. Next belt change will be much easier.

[courtenay]

What is(are) the potential downside(s) of leaving the lower cover off? I assume it's there for a reason.

[pooldoctorstl]

What is(are) the potential downside(s) of leaving the lower cover off? I assume it's there for a reason.

I was wondering the exact same thing. I put mine back on 3 weeks ago when I did my belt but now I wish I would have looked into old threads on it. I would have left it off going back together. What happens if it is left off?

[rlux4]

I didn't even know there should be one there. Mine didn't have it when I got it, and I've put about 20,000 miles on it in a little over three years with no problems related to a missing cover. And not all the roads I drive on are paved. Shoot, it's a quarter mile from my house just to get to the paved road! The very bottom of the pulley is exposed, but with the two flanges that are cast on the bottom of the block the upslope sides of the pulley are protected.
Ron

[wachuko]

Its begining to look a lot like xmas... ...all the parts arrived:





Also found this locally, new items that were stored... only dusty... both rocker panels and front lower clip (piece at the front, bottom, between fenders)

[wachuko]

I had to do something today... removed the crankshaft pulley and got the cover out... will install new tensioner bearing, timing belt tomorrow night.

[launieg]

I can't recall if you've already checked the waterpump, but if not, this is a great time to do it. I did my timing belt only to have my waterpump fail just a week later. It was obviously wearing for a long time, but I had not checked it.

You will know this from all the reading you've done, but be sure to put the auxiliary shaft in the 1 oclock position (more or less) when you put the timing belt on (relative to the other shafts in their correct positions).

[wachuko]

...You will know this from all the reading you've done, but be sure to put the auxiliary shaft in the 1 oclock position (more or less) when you put the timing belt on (relative to the other shafts in their correct positions).

Better safe than sorry, thank you!

Auxiliary shaft in the 1 o'clock position - Checked!

How can I know if the water pump is fine? It looks like it was replaced.