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2000T new project

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#1 ·
Hi everybody,

I have the opportunity to start the restauration of a 1960 2000 Touring.

The car is originally yellow "paglierino" with black seats but I would like to do it as beautiful as possible, whatever the original configuration.

Here are my questions :
For your point of view, what could be the best colors configuration (painting, interior, hard top) for such model ?

Do you know if the soft top cover has the same color of the seats or if it is black (as I can see on many pictures) ?

Do you know if the engine compartment is painted in Black (such 2600 T) or if it is the same color than the rest of the car ?

I will post picture as soon as the car would be at "home".

Have a nice day.

Serge
 
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#2 ·
Congratulations on starting your Touring restoration, Serge!

I have never seen one done in yellow and wonder if that is the way it left the factory in 1960? You can email (Marco Fazio?) Alfa with your cars serial number and he will reply with original color combination, date of manufacture and 1st purchaser. You decide what color is best for you. I think black is the most common interior color but white cars could have red interiors, etc. I think most tops were originally black, if not all.
The engine compartment and trunk were originally painted black (perhaps semi-flat black), the hood (bonnet) had a silver insulation blanket while the trunk had rubber mats.

Good Luck,
Mark
 
#3 ·
Serge,

There can be differences of opinion on what is/was original, but most details can be determined.

I have never seen a yellow 2000, but I can imagine it being stunning if it is a soft yellow with black interior. I think the car would look very nice if the hard top was also black. Yes, the cover over the soft top storage area should be the same color as the rest of the interior.

If I were to restore another 10204 with a unique color, I would change the interior to high-quality leather. Although most were vinyl, leather was an option, so in keeping with the nature of the car.

Almost everything except the exterior of the car should be painted a semi-gloss black. The dash should have a slightly greater gloss than the engine bay, trunk, wheel wells, etc, but just barely. The dash should not be high gloss.

If you undertake the project, you'll have plenty of help and encouragement. Particularly if you do not paint the car red.

We could be convinced to visit Aix-en-Provence with little effort.

What year and serial number of the car?
 
#4 ·
Serge,

Although I don't know 102 cars very well as, I'm chiming in with some information that may be helpful: This thread gives you an idea about what Giallo Paglierino looks like and contains factory images that indicate the dashboard may have been black on all cars. The soft top itself was probably black on all cars, but the soft top cover that is part of the rear seat backs is the same color as the seats. A page from the Engine Shop Manual indicates the engine compartment was painted black as on 106 Spiders.
 

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#6 ·
Serge.....

Lots of opinions and contradictions when it comes to Alfa colors. For instance, there were several people that would swear "Grigio biacca" is a light gray. This was the original color of my car, and we found areas that had never been painted, buffed them up (original was lacquer), and found a gorgeous, soft ivory white. I've never had a viewer tell me anything but "my god that's a beautiful color".

The link above shows at least what one Giallo Paglierino looks like. However, it is a well-aged car, and may no longer look like the original color. I've known several Grigio biacca cars over the years, and for the most part their lacquer would turn dull and sort of refrigerator-white with age. My car looked sort of generic white, except in the areas we found that were protected. The areas we found on my car were under the chrome pieces where the top hooks into the back just ahead of the trunk. The previous respray had left these two pieces in place, giving us access to areas that had probably never seen the sun since the car was delivered new.

I believe the original Giallo Paglierino would likely be gorgeous, and very rare. I encourage you to keep it, but try to research how it looked when new. Modern paints won't lose their color or gloss with time, so you can recreate something unique and special and know it will be appreciated for a long time to come.
 
#7 ·
Thank you very much for all your answers.

I already contact Marco :
The car was build in January 1960 to be send dirrectly to France.
The color is yellow "paglierino"

I'm not very found of this color.
A freind of mine have a 2600 T on this configuration and it is too yellow for me (I'll asck him some pictures).

If I put aside original aspect, my today best color should be Grigio Grafite.
Beige or Red interior :

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Regularity rally Classic car


Land vehicle Vehicle Car Motor vehicle Classic car


Land vehicle Vehicle Car Classic car Coupé

(this is not a 2000T ...)

"Grigio biacca" is also very elegant and you car Don is wonderfull.

Everyone is welcome in Aix en Provence !
 
#8 ·
Good morning Serge,

My car originally had a red interior. I absolutely understand how the Italians create greatness by doing things the rest of us would never try. It appears to always have been so. Still, I wanted something less "in your face", but still stunning, so changed the color of my interior. We all get to answer to our own muse. However, I am VERY happy I researched the Grigio biacca and found its beauty.

I've never seen a 102 or 106 in Giallo Paglierino. I can imagine a very light yellow, with almost a translucent nature that shows the white undercoat. There are probably none left that have the original depth of color that Alfa intended, and sooooooo many have been repainted red that the result is though da Vinci created a dozen works of equivalent beauty to the Mona Lisa, but all but one of the canvasses were repainted as a velvet Elvis.

You could end up with something of stunning beauty, and have the only one. Gray Alfas are fairly common.
 
#13 ·
On my IPad, this car looks much like my Grigio Biacca. Every computer seems to have its own interpretation of colors.

With just a nudge toward yellow, I wouldn't agree it was. On my IPad at this moment, Grigio Biacca.
 
#11 ·
Interesting car. It seems likely to have been repainted, when we consider the dark stripe down the side. The yellow, however, has great promise.

Lacquer could achieve a great depth and luster with sufficient polishing. For a little while. Few people today would have seen, or remember, seeing a 102 fresh on the showroom floor. What we see in our memory is how they looked when we first encountered them when they were much older. This color, done in a modern base/clear techniquee, would appear jewel-like.
 
#12 ·
De gustibus non est disputandum!

In short (Latin) "Tastes are not to be disputed" or "There should be no argument about tastes".

I have had twelve two liter spiders since I saw my first one in December 1959. The first was white with red interior. The next was red with black interior. The next was dark grey with a green naugahyde interior (which is now red with black leather interior) The next was light grey (almost silver) with black interior. I've had a light blue and a dark blue. But I also had one in yellow with a black interior. This was the one originally sold in Switzerland with hardtop, nardi steering wheel, grab handle on dash, fairings at bottom of engine compartment around engine, and the rear view mirror on the dash cowl pedestal. I remember crying when I sold that one down the river. And, frankly, I can't recall anything special about any of the others.

As to the yellow color, I must indicate it was on a 1962 and new to me. The only yellow one I had ever seen. I felt it was very subdued, and very elegant, but not remarkable so as to wish my car to be that specific color. I do like the yellow color that is on the current Fiat models and also, by the way, the yellow available on Lexus. I have been toying with the idea of painting Giugiugaro's very first two liter sprint that Lexus yellow even if it was originally white.

But that is where tastes come in. My son tells me it would be a sacrilege. The last time anybody told me anything like that was when Simon Moore insisting that he had to get 8c2900A I had found because he would restore it perfectly and that if I kept it I would only be doing the equivalent of desecrating the bones of the apostles. That comment so shocked me that he prevailed. I sent him the car, but we agreed to be partners in it with him paying for all the restoration costs. Years later when he wanted to put the car into a trust for his daughter he finally convinced me to sell my share to him. Until then I was part owner and had the right to drive it ten days a year within 100 miles of where it was garaged, and each of us had first right to buy the car from the other's estate. When he bought me out he asked me what benefit I had from being part owner since I had never made it to London to drive it. Selling made sense (and his generosity didn't hurt). Besides selling right then helped me finish my Alfa G'Raj Mahal. He had restored it to its original blue two tone. He sold it a year or so ago, and the new owner redid it in tan and brown shades. Looked great at Pebble Beach. Simon apparently get disenchanted with the small ****pit and the cramped driving room that cause him pain in driving it. He also made on heck of a lot of money. Maybe I shouldn't have sold my share so fast.

But don't go arguing about colors. Paint your car whatever pleases you and drive it. There is no logical justification for having an Alfa except the incredible joy one always has in driving it. At least that was true for the years my two liter was a daily driver. Now I am shocked each time I see the report of another one sold. Each time it is for a higher figure. It's almost as bad as the 1900 series cars or the 6c2500 ones. Two liter cars are now sold at such prices that somebody has to die before one comes up for sale.
 
#14 ·
my car was the same color combo new and i agree, it isnt inspiring
I say go with your heart and love the results, it will make all else you have to do worth while
Mine is down to the metal waiting for replacement panels before heading to the body shop
progress is being made and parts are gathering
good luck with yours

Peter
 
#17 ·
I'm not terribly far over in Carson City. You're always welcome to come compare notes on my car if it helps. Generally, very good wine is in stock.
 
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#18 ·
Thank you to all of you for all your answer.

To be honest with you, the configuration that I love very much is this one :
Land vehicle Vehicle Car Convertible Classic car


For me it is a sort of Old English White that you can find on Jaguar cars.

I still have time to decide myself, I should have the car around Christmas and the body repair will be long.

By the way, if you have any advices to boost the engine and increase as much as possible the power, don't hesitate.

Serge.
 
#19 ·
Nice, like the painted dash and plan on doing that to mine, all the blk they blew on these stock was imo a cheap looking solution
later cars had the dashes & engine compartments painted and I think they look better for it. Black paint always looks like a coverup even though many italian car mfgs did it.
good luck with, sure it will turn out great
 
#20 ·
Grigio Biacca

Hello Serge,

At first, I thought the picture you posted was my car, but quickly realized it is not. The color appears identical to mine, which was copied from original paint on my car. It is "Grigio Biacca". My original interior was red, much like you show (only perhaps a little lighter shade), but I chose a sort of saddle color during the restoration. A picture or two are below.

As noted, the original dash color is a sort of egg-shell black. The door jambs, trunk, engine bay, etc are done in a satin black. I personally like the black, and find the all-one-color approach to be just too much of one thing. I think the 102 cars are past the age of cheap toy cars, and generally benefit from remaining fairly close to the original.

As for improving the engine, that is easy. My memory is failing, but I thought you already had an FNM engine in your car? If not, that is the easiest and most dramatic improvement. You can find these engines more easily in Europe than we can in the US. We can talk about this more as you consider your options.
 

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#22 ·
You are right Larry.

Don, as mentioned in a PM, your car is very nice. Congratulation !

It seems less "Grigio" than the one of Franco (that looks great too !!!). More "Cream".
I love the color of the seats even if I would prefer them a little bit more light (on the right):

Finger Nail Pink Violet Leg


That give me a very good idea of what I want : A “white” car with “kamel” seats (not red as the one of the 2600 are already red => Let’s change)

Thanks again !

Franco, Don,
If you still have the technical description of your color it will be very kind of you.

Regarding the dash painted the same color than the body, I love it but I’m afraid that could create reflections into the glass.

Don, could you please post a picture of the door jambs to be sure I well understand ?

Have a nice day.

Serge
 
#23 · (Edited)
Serge,

Happy to help. Alas, I injured my foot on Tuesday, so am moving very slowly right now.

I created a thread covering the restoration of my car and it's FNM engine. It is a long thread, as I tend to wander occasionally, but has much guidance for someone undertaking a 102 restoration.

As for "Grigio Biacca".....

There is much debate about this color. I have seen paint formulas that produce light green, a light blue, a light gray, and other variations. According to Marco, my car was originally Grigio Biacca. We found a protected area on my car that had not been repainted since new, and which had been protected from the sun. We used a computerized camera designed to analyze the color and produce the paint formula that matched. It is a lovely soft white. The Italians can be as creative in their names as well as their mechanics. Yes, it is much like a fresh cream suited for good Italian coffee.

I can probably get you the formula, but it will be after I am mobile again. I have difficulty driving right now.

The "FNM" engine is a version of the original engine that was produced in Brazil from the 70s through the mid 80's. From the outside it looks almost identical to the original 2000. Inside it is 2300 cc, and was delivered initially with two Solex ADDH carbs. It is rated at 149HP, compared to the original engine's 120 +/-. The car that used this engine was never imported to the U.S., but was imported into Europe, briefly. So, usable engines can be found over there. It is a fairly easy installation. It transforms the performance of the car.
 
#24 ·
Hello Serge,

The 2000 Touring is a very nice car. I owned one about... 25 years ago.

Just my opinion, take care of painted upper dashboard with a light color, you will always have a reflection in the windshield. It's going to handicap you during driving.
That's why all the modern cars are black dashboard.

I don't know if you are looking for, but I have a 2000 touring engine...

Bonne route !

chris
 
#25 · (Edited)
Ah, Grigio Biacca strikes again. That was supposedly the original color of my car, but every modern paint code for this color I tried yielded odd colors as Don mentioned (yellow being one of them). I decided on Grigio Grafite instead and it is lovely. Despite being the AROC Concours guy, I went slightly non-original on mine and did the body color dash since it is a dark color anyway.

One of the parts cars that came with my car a dozen years ago was a buttery yellow color. Not sure if it was original but someone obviously felt it was a good color for the car. My personal aesthetic prefers darker colors for cars like this since they tend to highlight the contours and chrome, but these cars are beautiful in any color.

Don, your car is stunning.
 
#26 ·
Hello Touringspider,

I got lucky. I tend to make decisions on the fly, and move forward at speed.

When I saw the polished lacquer from under my three top retaining fittings, I just went "oooooh baby", and went with it.

I have watched women get all warm and runny from the combination of exterior and interior. Men start reconsidering whether they are gay or not (I'm not).

Some things combine to make magic, while others are just **** good. "Grigio biacca", as identified by buffing up original paint, is magic.
 
#27 ·
Hello everybody !

The car arrive this morning.

Few pictures :
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Land vehicle Vehicle Car Classic car Coupé


Not sure it is his original color.

The car looks complete.
One thing seams missing : One hood hinge

If I have time, I'll make a precise inventory tomorrow.

I have a appointment on monday with the coachbuilder.

The work should start beginning of next year ...

Serge.
 
#28 ·
Nice car, Serge -- looks like a good basis for a restoration!
 
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