I need to catch up on some small projects I have completed. I have the front luggage compartment weatherstrip, rubber hood pop bumper and the front rubber strip installed.

Next I have the horn gasket that I didn't know was supposed to be there, installed and the horn bolted in place. I will have to remove the horn to install the screen there as soon as I find it.

I also installed the correct shifter boot along with a hold down plate that I fabricated.

And finally I have installed the air induction gasket and the engine lid rubbers in the engine compartment.

I've been put on light duty until I heal so I can't do much. I did cut and fit the luggage compartment mat that I didn't even know was supposed to be there. I also installed the engine lid rubbers and the intake seal but I didn't get a picture of that yet.

I had some free time today and figured out how to work on the car while it is in it's storage position. I was able to get all the brake lines installed, the speedometer cable routed and connected and the hand brake cables installed to the handle and routed back to the rear wheels but not connected yet. It was a productive day.

I finished up the tee bolts and installed the trim strip on the hood.

The process I used was to take some small steel strip and cut a square to just fit snugly under the lip on the molding. I center punched, drilled, tapped a 4-40 hole, screwed in a 3/4"machine screw and silver soldered the screw to the steel square. After filing down the height so it would easily slide into the molding, I made two more and installed them the same way. I was fortunate to discover that I had an extra dash trim clip which is the same as the hood clips. I used this clip in the hole closest to the windshield since it is a blind hole. once installed and tightened, I clipped the excess length of the screws off.

Baby got bling today too.

Headlights with temporary rims, mirrors, antenna and new windshield washer ferrules with stainless acorn nuts.

I installed the shifter and shift tube to the transmission and decided to test fit the carpet to see if I need to trim it anywhere. The only place I have to cut is around the accelerator pedal shaft. When I laid the console on to see how it looked, I discovered that I have the wrong shifter boot. Mine is rectangular and it should be round. Closer examination after cleaning proved to be a Volkswagen boot. Oh well, another item to add to the "buy parts" list.

I spent a few hours today fabricating some tiny tee bolts to fasten the chrome strip onto the hood, it's almost done so I will have a picture tomorrow. However, I realized that I did not show the little cars' new shoes so here 'tis.

The last couple of days I have been busy adding bit and pieces such as all the dash switches, the dash itself, the windshield wiper mechanism, the dash trim, the brake fluid reservoir, the accelerator pedal, the master cylinder and several parts underneath the car. Sorta feels like I am building a model kit like I used to do when I was a kid growing up. Well-l-l, getting older, I refuse to grow up.

Today is assembly day as shown below. I am going to install the powertrain. You can see my setup below.

This after installation picture doesn't show the engine apron, axles, flywheel cover and a few other things that I got done.

She's coming along.

I was able to buff the car using swirl removing finishing compound. It really shines now, I guess the two weeks of sanding was worth it. I still have an intense dislike for it though.

Yippee! Today is shiny day, started the buffing process. Tomorrow I will do the polishing with the finer grit and softer foam pad.

Hooray!! All the hand color sanding is done, finally! Next is buffing and polishing then I can start re assembly.

I hate to keep beating a dead horse by posting what seems like the same picture every time but I have been busy much of this week color sanding by hand. Great fun! I really love sanding. I only have the rest of this side to do, the front and the entire other side. My new sanding block and a fresh supply of 1000 grit wet or dry paper came in todays mail, so onward and upward.

All natural wet sanding---in the rain. Sucks!

Still at it, the wet color sanding commenced today. All the cream color except the rocker panels is done. I'm taking it an area at a time as I get time off from Corvair work.

Okay, now for todays project. Since the car had to be moved over to the other side of the shop to allow a customer car in the working bay, I was concerned that the car would get scratched, dusty or some other nastiness so I decided that I needed to custom fit a car cover to the little car to protect it until I can get back to color sanding and buffing it. I think it turned out pretty good.

Upon final fitting and trimming they were bead blasted preparatory to painting.

 

They were then installed on the engine. You can see how they fit below.

Although This is all posted today, it actually took place over a weeks time. I had been searching for a needed part for my heating system on the Bianchina with absolutely no luck. About two weeks ago in the middle of the night I had a sudden flash of inspiration on how to fabricate this part. The following is a step by step photo record of what I did. The part I needed is a two piece elbow that connects the motor cooling shroud to the heat exchanger on the front exhaust pipe. I am told that this is only on cold climate cars and apparently very few were made thus the scarcity of this part. I went online and found a 3 inch ID copper elbow and a 6 x 12 inch sheet of copper as shown below.

The elbow was cut in half and sanded flat on a large disc sander, the sheet was cut on my bandsaw. I then silver soldered the half elbows to the copper sheet. When cool they were roughly trimmed to size.

Backed it out to clean the shop. Only took two days! Not perfect but I can live with it. I have a Corvair coming in tomorrow so the little car will be on the other side of the shop for a while. As soon as I can I am going to instal the engine to make more room in the shop. After that I will start color sanding to prepare for buffing and polishing. It looked so good in the morning sunshine I had to take a picture.
Be back soon, promise.

Ah rats! Wrong pictures. Here is todays.

Looks shinier now.

Big day today, got four coats of clear on it. Now color sand and buff and I can start putting it back together. BUT first I will disassemble the spray booth and clean up the area to bring in the next Corvair. Need to build up the building fund.

No pictures but I have been working on the car fixing paint flaws, trying to find the parts removed four years ago and ordering some supplies needed to install the engine after the clear coat is done.
(this week?) PLEASE!

First wash and inspection before the second coat of clear.

One step forward, two steps back. Sanding yet again, my favorite thing to do, NOT!

Well, here is something I haven't seen in a good while. My little girl is up on her own four wheels.
I can move her outside and sand some more now.

I finished up the front suspension and steering and started on the back, hope to finish tonight.

I have started installing the front suspension in order to push the car outside for more, what else?. sanding the runs off and scuffing the paint for the second coat of clear. The leaf spring was a real bear to install but I persevered and was successful.

And so it begins---Yet again! Gee I love sanding. I believe when I am done with the painting, I am going to sell my turbine HVLP system. I am NOT going to paint another car. I will also have my shrinker-stretcher tool for sale. My fabricating days are done also.

Hello out there-- anyone? Is anybody reading this still? Is anyone interested in my rottiserie that has been used on this project up until now? It is set up for any derivative of Fiat 500 but could be easily be fitted with adapters for any other micro car. It can be dis assembled even further for transport.

It rained all day yesterday so I wasn't able to do much with the car but today I was able to clear coat the undersides of the hood, engine cover and inside the trunk. Working up the ambition to start wet sanding the car with 600 grit wet or dry paper to get it ready for another coat of clear.