Giulietta Berlina restoration

Andrew · #1 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 07:31 AM

I have posted a few pics of my dawn grey 1956 Giulietta Berlina project, and some have asked me to post more, so I thought I'd start a thread. This is a project car I bought from Bill Gillham in Dec. 2007, which has been off the road for about 30 years. It ran briefly in Bill's care, but mainly to get on and off trailers. With his many activities, Bill did not get around to sorting it out. I will try to make a real car out of it.

I'm not oriented to complete tear-down restorations, and so will try to do a "running restoration," even though the car is not currently operable. We'll see how I do.

The car is complete (original engine and presumably trans), and came with a ton of good used and NOS parts, including five extra doors. The body is not as bad as it looks in the pictures, though the door bottoms are rusty, and there is some underbody rust to fix. For now, my plan is to get the engine operable and see how it runs, get the brakes working, bolt in the front bench seat, and see if it will drive. Some bushings in the column shift linkage are needed before I'll be able to get all the gears.

So here goes with the pics. First five are general pics of the car, including showing the grille, which is the same piece as on a Giulietta Spider, the engine compartment, and the rear license light/trunk handle, a beautiful piece. Some models had light shining out through the Alfa Romeo script, but not this early Berlina.

Andrew

**Subtle** · #2 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 07:37 AM

1963 plates

Interesting project

Andrew · #3 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 07:39 AM

Next group includes the custom oil filter pad blanking plate I removed from the car (a good bit of head scratching on why this was done), the correct replacement oil filter assembly I got and installed, the 750 fuel pump, now rebuilt by Then and Now Automotive in Massachusetts (thanks to a tip on the 750/101 discussion group), the cleaned and set up Lucas distributor (I had two, one with a CW rotor and one with a CCW rotor; Alfas turn CW), and the gas tank, which was in the back seat of the car when I got it; I had it boiled out and sealed by Berkeley Radiator, and installed with new horsehair strap padding from a friendly soul on the 750/101 list in San Diego. Thanks! Still have to sort out the fuel tank sending unit wiring, but at least it's all in place and bolted up.

Andrew

Andrew · #4 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 07:46 AM

Last group for now. First picture is of the Carter OW carburetor on the car, intended for a Willy's Jeep by apparently working OK. Fits like it was meant to go here. I have two Solex carbs for the car, one used and one NOS, which I'll fit eventually. Next is a general interior shot, showing the information-free Berlina dash. Speedo, oil pressure, and gas gauge; that's all you got. No water temp gauge on the Berlina, or tach. Column-shift four-speed, tunnel-case 750 transmission on these early cars til 1958/1959.

Last pic is a spare floor-shift tunnel case 750 trans I bought locally as insurance. I don't plan to convert the car to floor shift, but you never know. My fiirst Alfa was a five-speed column shift Giulia TI (105 trans), one of the worst-shifting cars I've ever driven. I've since driven David Swig's transition-era Giulietta TI with column shift, which was much better (not sure if it had tunnel- or split-case trans), and it was better but not great.

Andrew

**rcess** · #5 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 08:05 AM

Andrew,
As I recall, you were missing the cross member at the rear of the engine. Did you ever find one? The strange thing about the Berlinas is that you have to remove that cross member in order to drain the oil.

Andrew · #6 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 08:09 AM

I did get one, thanks. I was also missing the tunnel-trans flywheel/clutch cover, but got that too. Both from the 750/101 list.

Andrew

**Il Vecchio** · #7 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew

...I don't plan to convert the car to floor shift, but you never know. My fiirst Alfa was a five-speed column shift Giulia TI (105 trans), one of the worst-shifting cars I've ever driven. I've since driven David Swig's transition-era Giulietta TI with column shift, which was much better (not sure if it had tunnel- or split-case trans), and it was better but not great.

Andrew

Andrew · #8 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 08:25 AM

I can get a couple gears, but I can see in moving stuff around that some of the bushings are mostly not there any longer. I went through this with a second series Lancia Appia I had a couple years ago. I'll take a closer look and have new ones made for whatever is worn out.

Andrew

Andrew · #9 (**permalink**) 05-15-2008, 07:38 AM

Update: I put in a new battery ground cable, filled it up with gas, installed a battery, checked that I had voltage at the coil, turned the key and got an ignition light, and voila!, spun it on the starter. Got oil pressure, and pouring a little gas into the Carter WO (Willys-Overland) carburetor, got it to fart and run, just a bit.

The issue though is that my rebuilt 750 fuel pump seems not to be pulling fuel from the tank. All my gas hoses are new, I know the fuel line is clear, and I checked the banjo fitting at the gas tank, and it seem not to be leaking air (blew through it from the front and could not feel any leakage at the tank junction, and could hear gas bubbling in the tank). Fuel tank was boiled out and resealed, and I know the pickup pipe in the tank is clear.

So I'm wondering how long it ought to take for a 750 pump to pull fuel from the tank, and whether I need to prime the pump somehow. Or if there's something else I'm missing.

It was nice to hear it cough and try to run, so I know my distributor mini-overhaul worked, and that the carb sort of functions. Nice trail of black crud across the garage where it all blew out of the exhaust.

Andrew

Andrew · #10 (**permalink**) 05-15-2008, 07:40 AM

Followup; I can feel suction on the 750 pump when operating it by hand, and I can see that the pump rocker in the head is working when the engine revolves.

This pump is the type with a upside down brass reservoir on the top, held down by a clamp-on-wire arrangement. Early type? This is a 1956 Berlina.

Andrew

**Il Vecchio** · #11 (**permalink**) 05-15-2008, 07:44 AM

Maybe splice in one of those cheap electric fuel pumps before the mechanical pump to a) get the car up 'n running; and b) maybe it'll prime the mech. pump and it'll then run when you shut off the electric pump?

-Less than 90 days 'till Monterey

Andrew · #12 (**permalink**) 05-15-2008, 07:47 AM

90 years might do it for Monterey on this car. Plus it's blocked in by a 65 VW with no brakes (rusty main brake pipe inside car burst while bleeding brakes).

Andrew

**rcess** · #13 (**permalink**) 05-15-2008, 08:29 AM

Andrew,

Yes, they did change fuel pumps at engine number 00100.06212, but before that engine number there were two different pumps used. The pump you describe is referenced in my Parts Catalog as: "This pump has been canceled and replaced by part no. 1315.50.411", the picture of which looks nothing like your description. Sounds like your pump might be the original that came with the car when new. Where did you find a rebuild kit?

Erik S · #14 (**permalink**) 05-15-2008, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew

Update: I put in a new battery ground cable, filled it up with gas, installed a battery, checked that I had voltage at the coil, turned the key and got an ignition light, and voila!, spun it on the starter. Got oil pressure, and pouring a little gas into the Carter WO (Willys-Overland) carburetor, got it to fart and run, just a bit.

The issue though is that my rebuilt 750 fuel pump seems not to be pulling fuel from the tank. All my gas hoses are new, I know the fuel line is clear, and I checked the banjo fitting at the gas tank, and it seem not to be leaking air (blew through it from the front and could not feel any leakage at the tank junction, and could hear gas bubbling in the tank). Fuel tank was boiled out and resealed, and I know the pickup pipe in the tank is clear.

So I'm wondering how long it ought to take for a 750 pump to pull fuel from the tank, and whether I need to prime the pump somehow. Or if there's something else I'm missing.

It was nice to hear it cough and try to run, so I know my distributor mini-overhaul worked, and that the carb sort of functions. Nice trail of black crud across the garage where it all blew out of the exhaust.

Andrew

Andrew · #15 (**permalink**) 05-15-2008, 08:36 AM

I couldn't find a rebuild kit. Someone on the 750/101 list said they got a kit for theirs from Then and Now Automotive in Mass. I called them to get the kit, and the very knowledgeable guy I spoke to said there were so many variants of Fispa pumps it was better, and the same cost, to just send the pump to them and let them sort it. So I did. He knew off the top of his head the pump tipo numbers, number of screws on the diagphragm, etc., so I felt pretty comfortable. Look them up to see some of the incredible stuff (mostly old obsolete American cars) they sort out.

Pump work looks beautiful, and as I say, seems to make suction when worked by hand. See pic of it above.

I have a NOS later style 750 pump from Alfa, which I forgot I had. I prefer to use the original, but will try the other one, or a Facet electric, if need be. I'm willing to put in some troubleshooting time, but now I'm rarin' to see how well, or not, this sucker runs.

Andrew