'63 Giulia Spider Normale Restoration (Euro) - Page 29

Gordon Raymond · #**421** (**permalink**) 11-17-2007, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTD

I'll bet Italian topi could do it overnite!

**pathung** · #**422** (**permalink**) 11-20-2007, 09:45 PM

A bit on what I found out about windshields:

Tony of Alfastop has them, at GBP 190.00 - good price but not so good after another 200 pounds sterling for freight across the pond.

The ProSource glass folks seem to supply both Centerline and Alfa Parts of Berkeley - a fresh batch is being made right now in Italy (ProSource being the importer...?) - the two aforementioned suppliers should have them for sale by early next year, but I was told to check with them directly. I haven't checked with Alfa Parts yet to see if they have any current stock, but was told by Centerline a month or two back that they were out.

The Swedish supplier I haven't heard from yet.

Gordon suggested that I have a batch of these made by a shop who did a great job on Ferrari glass - haven't tried this alternative yet, but will do so now as I need the windshield asap.

**pathung** · #**423** (**permalink**) 11-20-2007, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jburning17

What I've done with my front limit cables

I hope it helps somebody out...

Jon

**pathung** · #**424** (**permalink**) 12-09-2007, 12:10 AM

Spent an entire day today working on my 3-shoe drums at Glenn Oliveria's. I ground up the fins as best I could, and Glenn had the ingenious idea of mounting these on a Sprint out in his shop's backyard so that we could spin them and sand some more, after which a light coat of silver was sprayed. Presto.

Work on the backing plates has also started; the plates will get powder-coated, and cylinders rebuilt, depending on condition. The brake line on back are badly rusted; may need new ones from Alfastop. The shoes are being sent out to get re-lined.

Three factoids about these monstrous front drums:

Number of fins: 90
Weight: 14.5 lbs. vs. 13.75 lbs. for 2-shoe drum
Additional contact width over 2-shoe drum: 0.5 inch

Looks like I can out-brake anyone out there...

Gordon Raymond · #**425** (**permalink**) 12-09-2007, 07:36 AM

Hi Patrick,
The three shoe front drums on these cars are something to behold

. Many cars have been switched to the later Giulia discs. Biggest reason is cost. The three shoe drums cylinders are costly to buy, and the assembly is costly (time consuming) to set up properly. But then you have...

Number of fins: 90
Weight: 14.5 lbs. vs. 13.75 lbs. for 2-shoe drum
Additional contact width over 2-shoe drum: 0.5 inch

Looks like I can out-brake anyone out there...

[/quote]

When I raced my spider, I didn't like the mushy

pedal that came with the OEM discs, and rather than mess with them, they were replaced with a set of 2 shoe Giulietta front drums that gave a firm pedal, and were way more than adequate for racing, making the three shoe set up, even then, overkill!
The 3 shoe will get the job done! I did not weigh my disc set up before I reinstalled it some years ago, but wouldn't think the drums much heavier

.
Meanwhile, I do know the trick for a nice pedal with the discs. With age and experience, comes wisdom!

Gordon Raymond

**Subtle** · #**426** (**permalink**) 12-09-2007, 08:54 AM

My Spider came to me a year ago now with the "big" brakes-front and back. The 3-shoes did take some adjusting, by a long-time Alfa wizard, now retired.

They work, and the reason why Alfa stayed with them is that they were much better than contemporary discs in shedding heat.

I measured the diameter at 13.5 inches, but in "helping" out I forgot to measure the width of the shoes.

Patrick--are yours still apart?

**pathung** · #**427** (**permalink**) 12-09-2007, 07:26 PM

Mine are still apart, but at Glenn's. Although I forgot to measure the outer dimensions of the two types of shoes, I'd think that they're similar to clear the same wheels. We did measure the inner swept area of both types, and the three-shoe is 0.5 inches wider. Unfortunately I didn't take pictures, but the three-shoe further boasts a concave ridge all around, on the fins, to clear the wheels - a very cool detail. One last feature: each fin on the 3-shoe is thinner than that on the 2-shoe, resulting in better heat-dissipating capability. Despite all this wonderful foresight and ingenuity on Alfa's part, the PO had the left and right drums reversed, effectively canceling some if not most of the supposed benefits of the design.

My biceps are still sore from holding those drums up to the grinding wheel; about 15 minutes each; I could barely hold up my right arm to brush my teeth last night!

**pathung** · #**428** (**permalink**) 12-09-2007, 07:40 PM

I finally had some time to trial fit my self-made brake tubes to the actual locations on the rear axle, and the lengths seem appropriate. I'll be renting a flaring tool from Fedhill USA this week for some novice flaring next weekend. I'm keeping my fingers crossed - one bad flare and it's back to bending tubes again.

By the way, Glenn (my mechanic) and I had a good look at the twisty brake lines on the back of the front hubs, and decided that those were too rusty to re-use I believe that Alfastop carries these new in a set. I'm smart enough to realize that there is no way that I'm going to bend those sections myself successfully, in view of the impossible twists and the number of fittings required.

**AlfaDuc** · #**429** (**permalink**) 12-09-2007, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subtle

I measured the diameter at 13.5 inches, but in "helping" out I forgot to measure the width of the shoes.

Patrick--are yours still apart?

**Subtle** · #**430** (**permalink**) 12-09-2007, 10:48 PM

Pat

The original hard lines as they are laid along the inner part of the drum have some wonderful bends.

I got two sets from Alfastop and some of the lines were long enough to be functional, but not long enough to replicate the original bends.

We will have another go at it sometime, and do it all from longer lengths and make up the ends.

alfazagato · #**431** (**permalink**) 12-11-2007, 12:00 PM

Patrick,
Late again in getting a thread but have you sorted out a windscreen? If not I am having one imported to Danville for my car in the New Year. Two would fit in the crate as easy as one together with a lot of stuff for Frank. If you are interested give me a PM.
Funnily enough, I have this weekend, just sold my three shoe front brakes as, in my experience in racing, the two shoe set-up was more than equal to the job, and was easily adjusted and the cylinders were not a stratospheric price. Interesting therefor to read Gordon's comments agreeing with me. Perhaps Gordon and I weren't driving fast enough!

**pathung** · #**432** (**permalink**) 12-11-2007, 08:27 PM

Stuart,

Sounds like a great idea; I've sent you a PM.

By the way you drive on public roads, I don't think your driving too slow on the racetrack was ever really a problem... same goes to Gordon, I'll bet.

**pathung** · #**433** (**permalink**) 12-21-2007, 09:44 PM

I bought this one-person (no assistant required) brake bleeder from the local auto parts store, but haven't figured out how to use it. Which end goes to the bleeder valve? The cylindrical end has a "plug" that can be twisted and taken out, inside of which is a spring and a ball. I'm guessing that this is the one-way valve, which should be cracked slightly open, and sit in the fluid collector container when I'm pumping away at the pedal? On the other hand (end), there are metal prongs surrounding a rubber nipple; do the prongs hold the rubber nipple against the brake's bleeder valve? There's a washer included which is to be jammed up against the prongs, according to the instructions. Seems unlikely to work! Might get a chance to try it this weekend. Any comments/experiences welcomed.