The totally average 76 Spider restoration

[KLC356]

One down, one to go

[RRoller123]

Well done! Tim A and I were out in the sun yesterday working on ours here in Sagamore Beach. We have to coordinate some group cruise meets this year. The Herb Chambers cars and coffees are excellent. And the Nantasket Beach show would be fantastic, if we could get three or more there, together side by side. I took 2nd place for foreign cars there a few years back, out of ~800 cars. But there were only about 20 foreign cars. Hahahah!

Pete

[nathanfirst]

Would it be too much to ask for a brief step by step on the installation of the new upholstery? I got new seat skins from Vicks, but no instructions.

[KLC356]

Yeah no instructions. I am still working on seat #2. I’ll take some details photos. Mostly tried to replicate how it was assembled. Give me some time and I will post. You need hog rigs and hog ring pliers. I got on Amazon. Also watch some YouTube videos. Not exact but you will understand hog ring process.
Take apart slowly and carefully and take pictures of how things were tucked and fastened.

[KLC356]

Here is an example of seatback. I cut coat hangers to replicate metal rods and cut into flap slid in place. Then made slits for rubber bands. Some of original were broken so I used hair bands. They were not at stong so I do not have the nice “tuck” on the seat as original.

[nathanfirst]

We are about at the exact same place in resto! I have a 79 2000 auto (yuk). Put on a better carb, intake mani, tore out the emissions stuff, disconnected the leaky brake booster, etc. Now doing aphostery and putting in some sound dampening sticky panels behind the rear seat (and under carpet, eventually). Just changed diff oil.
Oh, had to rebuild the windshield wipers, motor, linkage. Ignition wiring was ghetto so cleaned it up. New throttle and kick down cables. New stereo. New visors. Rear signal lights were super rusty, but my labors paid off. Most of them work now!
Did the timing belt a few days ago. New tires.
Stay in touch and keep killin it!

[KLC356]

What’s this? Under car and looks like brackets with nothin in them.

[tima01864]

Emergency brake fittings Good description here http://www.fiatspider.com/f15/viewtopic.php?t=15755

[KLC356]

Perfect. The ebrake was dismantled- so this makes sense now!

[DieselSpider]

Perfect. The ebrake was dismantled- so this makes sense now!

The brake cable is visible in your photo hanging just below the brackets and must be dragging on the ground. Hopefully the rest of it is still hanging from the parking brake lever including the springs. Hopefully you have not driven it around much like that as a lot of damage can be done if the cable gets caught on the ground or wraps around the drive shaft or one of the rear wheels. If the cable has rubbed on the drive shaft it can leave the drive shaft scored and prone to shearing off at that location.

[KLC356]

Oh no worries. The car has not moved since it was towed there in December. No brakes at all, but it came with new calipers and ebrake. That is what I am prepping for is starting with rear driver wheel clean up, shocks, stabilizers, dust shield, caliper and brake line.

[tima01864]

Replace all the rubber lines and any other rubber lines, Just a suggestion.

[KLC356]

Thanks. Got the rubber lines and metal to replace. And a new master cylinder. Prior owner had a bunch of parts that came with car.

[KLC356]

What is this? It is open to the inside of the car - does something cover this to prevent water entering car?

[tima01864]

Should be bent open, It allows for water to drain from the car. Triangle right?