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November 2014 found
some windows |
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I regularly
watch several international Internet auctions sites such as E-Bay and the Dutch site Marktplaats to check if by chance I run into some missing or
missing or spare parts for my
project. Whilst browsing the Marktplaats website at the end of October I came across a set of lh & rh
rear windows and a tailgate window for a Giardinetta. Since these windows are
Giardinetta unique I'm very tempted to buy them but I also have to take into
consideration that my life consists out of more obligations than just the
Giardinetta. I decide to leave it for what it is.
Marktplaats ad for Giardinetta
unique windows (side window). |
Marktplaats ad for Giardinetta
unique windows (rear window). |
19-November-2014: The gentleman offering the windows on Marktplaats now also
appears on the Dutch Alfa club forum and offers a set of Giardinetta rear lights
and again these windows for sale. It's hard to resist the temptation and I
decide to contact the seller. The seller used to own vehicle AS*5003015*904B2 (VDS
#061) and had this set of windows as spare for his own car. Since he sold the
car on March 7th 2003 this spare set of windows was left on his attic for more
than 10 years now. After a short discussion we come to an agreement on the price
and I decide to buy them. Just in case my Giardinetta may have window damage I
will have a spare set. The only thing I have to arrange now is to pick the
windows up, but that's a minor matter.
Dutch Alfa club ad for
Giardinetta rear lights & unique windows. |
Dutch Alfa club ad for
Giardinetta rear lights & unique windows.
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30-November-2014: The "Chirurg" is in the
neighbourhood of where I live to pick up a part for an Alfa 33 SportWagon so he
notified me that he can stop by to review the next project steps and give some
advice. Since this is my first project it's sensible to listen to a person with
a whole lot more experience. A great opportunity therefore for me to share my thoughts
and see what an expert thinks of it. Due to the timing at which the welder
arrives first diner will be eaten. The misses prepared delicious Japanese curry,
lets see what a Dutch guy thinks of that!! Apparently Japanese curry is
acceptable. I run through the list of points with the expert and take note of
his comments;
Trunk lid:
- Add 4 holes for square licence plate
attachment "1." - Comment from Surgeon; Indeed has to be done before painting
therefore find out appropriate size, geometry and location of holes.
- Add 5 holes for attachment of "Alfasud" chromed
badge on left hand side "2." - Comment from Surgeon; Indeed has to be done before
painting therefore find out appropriate size, geometry and location of
holes.
- Check drainage and if required repair or add
- Comment from Surgeon; No specific drainage features were available on the
original trunk lid and neither on the donor trunk lid which is currently
assembled to car. Adding is possible but not in line with the original
specification and therefore not recommended.
- Re-tapping of thread for right hand hinge -
Comment from Surgeon; Easy task, to be done before painting.
- Pickling and zinc application to part due to
difficulty of finding a replacement part and rust sensitivity - Comment from
Surgeon; Can be done but potentially a bit overdone and quite expensive,
most probably "normal" paint removal and primer application before painting
is sufficient?
- Checking of thread for assembly of gas struts
- Not discussed with Surgeon but has to be done before painting so that
potential rework can be done if required.
Trunk lid with some of the activities to
be done before painting.
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Bonnet with some of the activities to
be done before painting. |
Bonnet:
- Add clip for attachment of lever to aid the
spring which keeps the bonnet open "1.". There is currently no plastic clip
on the bonnet for this purpose but should be there - Comment from Surgeon;
Square hole in bonnet is available therefore find this part and assembly it,
no physical work on the bonnet for this item.
- Check connection of stiffener ribs to bonnet
and where necessary adjust "2."- Comment from Surgeon; Current connection
doesn't look like the original connection, can be easily made with kit in
the way it was intended in the first place once all current kit is removed.
- Pickling and zinc application to part due to
difficulty of finding a replacement part and rust sensitivity - Comment from
Surgeon; Same as for trunk lid.
Doors:
- Check drainage and if required adjust -
Comment from Surgeon; During the welding work on the doors the drainage
function has been repaired for both doors, therefore no further activities
required.
- Add holes for original door cards, these
doors are 3rd series doors for door cards with plastic clips - Comment from
Surgeon; Potentially the holes for 3rd series plastic clips are at the same
location as the holes for the small screws of the original door cards,
therefore it is of the essence to find out the appropriate geometry of a 1st
series Sud in addition to the correct location for the holes.
Door with activity to
be done before painting. |
Floor with some of the activities to
be done before painting. |
Floor:
- Add drainage/air bleed holes "1." - Comment
from Surgeon; The function of these holes is not vital and will be abolished
by the floor coating on the bottom side which will cover the openings. Item
can be done but are potentially redundant work.
- Create metal closing plates for drainage/air
bleed holes - Comment from Surgeon; Can be done but is considered redundant
work.
- Remove coating from underside of floor and
repair where required - Comment from Surgeon; Very tedious and time
consuming work, but objective is understood. The coating applied by the
previous owner could contain some supplements which makes removal and
application of new coating very difficult. Maybe it's better to do a visual
inspection and remove coating in local areas where problems are expected?
- Floor carpet fixation, how to do? - Comment
from Surgeon; Check how the original fixation for a 1st series Sud is
supposed to be. This car used the plastic 3rd series Sud trim and that may
have led to a different fixation concept than the original concept. Find out
original geometry and apply it, not a big job, but needs to be done before
painting.
- Fixation of seatbelts is different between
the left and right side, to be made in line with original specification
"5."- Comment from Surgeon; Find out the original specification and adjust
where required. The right hand side appears to have a spacer which can be
removed so in general the geometry is the same between the lh & rh side.
Front end:
- Add 2 holes for number plate attachment "1."
- Comment from Surgeon; Define position, size & geometry of holes and add
them, easy task, but needs to be done before painting.
- Reposition horn from engine bay pointing
towards engine to correct position pointing towards wheel - Comment from
Surgeon; Simple repositioning, but potential excessive holes on right hand
inner wing to be closed.
- Add holes for mud flap assembly on left and
right side - Comment from Surgeon; Simple task but to be executed before
painting, therefore appropriate location and size to be found out.
- Close holes in chassis rails which are not
original - Comment from Surgeon; Simple task but to be executed before
painting, therefore which holes are supposed to be in and which ones are not
to be found out.
- Add 4 holes in firewall for attachment 2
plastic clips holding the wheel wrench - Comment from Surgeon; Simple task
but to be executed before painting, therefore appropriate location and size
to be found out.
- Add holes for identification tags - Comment
from Surgeon; Simple task but to be executed before painting, therefore
appropriate location and size to be found out.
- Review hole geometry in wing rails on left
and right hand side and adjust if required - Comment from Surgeon; Current
rectangular geometry is correct, the only thing missing are the cage nuts
for assembly of the wing to the rail.
Front end with activity to
be done before painting. |
Roof with activity to
be done before painting. |
Roof:
- Headliner clamps are bent significantly in
almost all positions and 1 is damaged, to be repaired, but possible? -
Comment from Surgeon; Bent clamps can be bent back to original position, not
a difficult task but to be done before painting. The 1 clamp on the left
hand most rearward side seems to be damaged during welding of the roof and
will therefore be repaired with the "warranty" of the welding work.
Chassis:
- Remove foam from rear chassis beams because
the foam is more detrimental than functional for rust prevention - Comment
from Surgeon; Removal is possible but very time consuming and labour
intensive. Chassis beams have to be opened to remove it and welded shut
again afterwards, therefore to be reconsidered whether necessary or not.
Anyway if executed to be done before painting.
- Check front & rear axle attachments to body
and repair where required - Comment from Surgeon; Nothing seen that requires
attention during welding activities, but can be looked at again to ensure
correct judgment, to be done before painting.
- Sill at rear wheels, how to close round hole
in sill at sill end? - Comment from Surgeon; This geometry is the way it
should be and can be closed with standard available rubber plugs.
- Close potential towing hook holes which are
available Comment from Surgeon; Most probably done during welding
activities, but can be reviewed once more to ensure all holes are closed, to
be done before painting activities.
It's always refreshing to talk with somebody about
the thoughts and plans because other people look at it from a different
perspective. The next project step is to remove the engine to enable remaining
small welding activities and enable thorough checking of items which are
currently obscured by the engine. The target is to remove the engine in December
2014 but I will have to see what the weather will do, because the garage is very
cold at this point in time.