AFrench Blue '69 GTV Restoration
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Oh man, Rossano, you're doing a very good job on your car!!! I can't imagine all the preparation it took to get to this point. (Well actually I think I have a small idea 
). I know on my car it seems it was ALL preparation and then a few minutes of welding and another few minutes of grinding and then a coat of paint. My friends would come over and seem to be fairly unimpressed with my progress. "Looks good", they'd say "But it's sure taking you a long time for those patches in the floorboards."
But they don't know about the hours of cutting out, derusting, scraping, wire wheeling, fitting, re-fitting, welding, grinding, re-welding some spots that were missed, more grinding, metal prepping, and finally primering and painting.
I think my 8 hour a day "real job" is getting in the way of what really matters in life. Restoring our cars.
Please keep the pictures coming, they're an inspiration to us all!
When do you think your car will be finished?
). I know on my car it seems it was ALL preparation and then a few minutes of welding and another few minutes of grinding and then a coat of paint. My friends would come over and seem to be fairly unimpressed with my progress. "Looks good", they'd say "But it's sure taking you a long time for those patches in the floorboards."But they don't know about the hours of cutting out, derusting, scraping, wire wheeling, fitting, re-fitting, welding, grinding, re-welding some spots that were missed, more grinding, metal prepping, and finally primering and painting.
I think my 8 hour a day "real job" is getting in the way of what really matters in life. Restoring our cars
.Please keep the pictures coming, they're an inspiration to us all!
When do you think your car will be finished?
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Thanks Ken!
Dave...I couldn't have stated that better! you know I no longer explain the finer details of the restoration work to friends and family (I'm sure they think it's all a grand waste of time and money). Now as for when I'll be finished.....I no longer wish to make a prediction on that either! You see when I bought this car 4 or so years ago, I thought I'd be done by now!...oh well...
Dave...I couldn't have stated that better! you know I no longer explain the finer details of the restoration work to friends and family (I'm sure they think it's all a grand waste of time and money). Now as for when I'll be finished.....I no longer wish to make a prediction on that either! You see when I bought this car 4 or so years ago, I thought I'd be done by now!...oh well...
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With all the wetness we've been getting this summer (and again this weekend), the one benefit is that I didn't couldn't work on my deck reconstruction or yard work....yippee!...I got to spend quality time on the Alfa. So Saturday I was able to weld in the rear section and the underfloor cross member.
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one side done.....one more to go. I will be rotating the car on it's side so that I can finish all the welds on the perimeter flanges and close up the outer sill again. So I need to finish my car "tilter". I'll post pic of this when it's done.
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. So Saturday I was able to weld in the rear section and the underfloor cross member. 
one side done.....one more to go. I will be rotating the car on it's side so that I can finish all the welds on the perimeter flanges and close up the outer sill again. So I need to finish my car "tilter". I'll post pic of this when it's done.
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Pete...thanks, it's starting to come along finally.
Dave...I still feel like I'm just a beginner with the MIG and sure would like to be doing it on a daily basis but preparation takes so much time, that it seems like I'm only getting around to welding every couple of weeks or so....cheers.
Dave...I still feel like I'm just a beginner with the MIG and sure would like to be doing it on a daily basis but preparation takes so much time, that it seems like I'm only getting around to welding every couple of weeks or so....cheers.
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I know, I know...it seems like I've been talking about this chassis tilter for a year...but I can finally say it's done! All the material I used was free....I just managed to grab enough of these 3"x6" rectangular tubes from some demolition that was taking place in our office building...but I missed out on some 6 ft stainless counter material that would have made a fantastic top for my workbench! Tilting it was a lot easier than I thought it would be and although we did it with 3 people...it really only needs 2 able bodies.
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First task is to scrape off all the sound deadening material...then more welding!
All the material I used was free....I just managed to grab enough of these 3"x6" rectangular tubes from some demolition that was taking place in our office building...but I missed out on some 6 ft stainless counter material that would have made a fantastic top for my workbench! Tilting it was a lot easier than I thought it would be and although we did it with 3 people...it really only needs 2 able bodies. 
First task is to scrape off all the sound deadening material...then more welding!
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Simon, there are a few areas that I know I will need to strengthen up a little for sure...around the steering box attachment mount holes for example (I'm seeing some local deformation ) and at some failed spot welds along lower edges on the front of the car (most likely caused by the front fender bender that the car experienced at some point). I don't see a need to go gung ho with seam welding everything up since this car overall does not have heavy rust at the major structural areas and most of the spot welds are still very solid. Now if this car was going to be turned into a hot track car or racer I'd definitely probably go that route...but as a weekend only easy driver...I don't see the need really...do you?
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Rossano...soon I hope to get back at it. Body and paint means big $$ and unfortunately there are a few other items in the queue . Per your comment...the same goes for me...the fun comes after the paint job!! For now, the Fulvia is running really well so I am not overly sad...besides, vino is in the cantina and soon the snow will blow! To keep from "rusting" I am going to help my friend with his Datsun 260Z project this fall/winter...my Alfa is next (the piggy bank should recover by then...). Per adesso, dobbiamo aver un po' di pazienza
. Per your comment...the same goes for me...the fun comes after the paint job!! For now, the Fulvia is running really well so I am not overly sad...besides, vino is in the cantina and soon the snow will blow! To keep from "rusting" I am going to help my friend with his Datsun 260Z project this fall/winter...my Alfa is next (the piggy bank should recover by then...). Per adesso, dobbiamo aver un po' di pazienza
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I'm finally back on the GTV again....and man it sure feels great. I finally got around to pulling off the top flange of the outer sill....and double side welded it back on to the main section.
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...some distortion from welding occurred...so I had to straighten it back out...here it's all ready to go back on.
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A few of the plug welds for the floor section were inaccessible in behind the "B" pillar. So I notched out the bottom end of it so as to get full access with the tip of the MIG.
![Bumper Auto part Automotive exterior]()
...and the notched section has been welded back on.
![Vehicle]()
...some distortion from welding occurred...so I had to straighten it back out...here it's all ready to go back on.
A few of the plug welds for the floor section were inaccessible in behind the "B" pillar. So I notched out the bottom end of it so as to get full access with the tip of the MIG.
...and the notched section has been welded back on.
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With the bulk of the outer sill welded back on I now felt comfortable removing the portion below the "A" pillar that was not removed earlier.
![Vehicle Automotive exterior Auto part Car Bumper]()
Good access allowed me to get the wire wheel in there and clean it up nicely. All the plug welds on the floor panel outer edge are now completed.
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I usually apply 2 coats of self Etch primer and weld thru primer (on the flanges that get welded). The piece that was removed has been pre drilled, deburred, primed and is now ready to go back on. When there is no access to double side weld....I like to weld a back-up strip first on one piece. This way I know I have an even thickness of weld along the entire length ....also prevents burn through.
![Automotive exterior Bumper Auto part]()
....here it's finished welded...
![Automotive exterior Bumper Auto part]()
Good access allowed me to get the wire wheel in there and clean it up nicely. All the plug welds on the floor panel outer edge are now completed.
I usually apply 2 coats of self Etch primer and weld thru primer (on the flanges that get welded). The piece that was removed has been pre drilled, deburred, primed and is now ready to go back on. When there is no access to double side weld....I like to weld a back-up strip first on one piece. This way I know I have an even thickness of weld along the entire length ....also prevents burn through.
....here it's finished welded...
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Here I made a template for the forward inner sill plate.
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then fabricated up the piece. Sometimes it seems that no matter how many times I measure and pre-fit....I always manage to screw something up....I formed the hole flange down instead of up....the wrong way! Yeah I know it's a small screw up but it peaved me off for about an hour.
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Here it's been prefitted and ready to but put on. But before I can do this I need to fix up the original jack point due to the new floor panel contour being just slightly off form the original.
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then fabricated up the piece. Sometimes it seems that no matter how many times I measure and pre-fit....I always manage to screw something up....I formed the hole flange down instead of up....the wrong way! Yeah I know it's a small screw up but it peaved me off for about an hour.
Here it's been prefitted and ready to but put on. But before I can do this I need to fix up the original jack point due to the new floor panel contour being just slightly off form the original.
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