[roland]

I will be repainting my 1969 spider this summer. I have no idea if the color of my duetto (repainted 2 owners ago) is the original color ... and if the color has an alfa color code (or any code) associated to it ? How do I get the ref number ? I assume I need one to give to my body shop...
I fI can get it, how does one go about getting the same color ?
Is there a dept at Alfa in Italy i can call of fax for detailed historical information on my car ? Or on the color code ? I found a phone number on a BB and tried it but it was a bad number.
Any help would be appreciated.

Roland
ps: you can see my duetto's color on this thread. http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=246

 

[jamieandthemagi]

If it's Alfa Rosso Red then the code is 130, if not your local club or Spider register should be able to give you the paint code from the chassis number.

 

[144]

Go to www.veloce.nu and click on color codes.

AR323 Bleu P.F. spider- Farina Blue (also Skipper Blue)
AR537 Blu Chiario Met. - light blue metallic
AR324 Blu Cobalto Medio - medium blue
AR342 Blu Francia - French Blue
AR343 Blu Olandese- Dutch blue (also NavyBlue)
AR477 Blue metallic
AR375 Blue metallic
KF17908/ 22343/ 20323 Bluette
AR327 Bluette - Petrol Blue

I believe MAX MEYER Paints supplied most of the original Alfa paint, so you might try and find them on the web or your local body shop.

I assume you've looked for the original body color code placard on the bottom part of the under trunk lid.

 

[Sniady]

Word of advise

When they begin painting your car, please ask for a paint sample and make sure it's what you're looking for. Sometime's these paint shop's claim they got the color, paint the car, and the owner then say's "what the ****, it's not the color!". And that's when it's to late.

 

[roland]

Paint samples somewhere....

Many thanks for the info and the codes.... I could not find the original body color code placard on my car... Is it always onthe trunk lid or could there be anothe rlocation ? Is it a sticker or a riveted plate ?
Also, I could not find a website with sample colors for the Max Meyer paint codes. Does anyone know of a site where I might recognize my duetto's blue color ?
Thanks

Roland

 

[144]

The data placard is a sticker on the underside of the trunk. Some dunce may have removed it in the past. Are you sure blue is the original color? Inside trunk and engine compartment the same color?

Here's another site with extensive paint codes.

http://www.veloceregister.net/pntcode.htm

I doubt you'll find anything on the web with color swatches. I'd recommend that you go down to a automotive paint supplier and give him some of the codes. They should be able to furnish some swatches that would be a lot more accurate than those you got off the internet.

Also, have you tried getting your cars build information from the Alfa factory? It's available with an email. When I get home I'll send you the email address to the lady at the Alfa Factory records department.

Be sure to check www.veloce.com and also click on FAQs. There's another section there with paint codes.

 

[roland]

Paint codes

Roadtrip thanks... Great list of paint codes on veloceregister... but on www.veloce.com I could not find a faq link.. Well besides 4 pictures of alfas I could not find anything on alfas !! Is there a typo or did youmean another site .
I really appreciate your sending me he email for the Alfa Factory records department.

Will be great to find out the original color (and yest the entire car is poainted blue inside and out trunk and all).... I have seen other blue duettos (rare) so I know there is a blue code for that year.. I hope to find it soon !

Roland

 

[144]

Opps. I meant:

www.veloce.nu

That blue is pretty rare. I've never seen an Alfa Spider in that color before.

With the amount of damage, it looks doubtful that you can economically rebuild it. Looks like the frame is badly bent also. What does your carrozorristi say about the practicality of fixing it?

I think new and used body panels are readily available, at least here in the U.S., but in France I'll bet they're tough to get. Engine hoods, fenders,and doors are easy to find on Ebay since they're interchangable across several decades of production. The body parts I think are available through Bruce's Parts Bin (www.fiatparts.com). With just a quick total for a nose section, right fender, and hood . . .. I come up with proabably about $1500 USD just for the basic body parts . . . not including suspension, engine/radiator, repainting, or the labor it'll take to straighten the frame. I'll bet to really restore it to pre-crash condition, you'd have to spend at least $6000 USD here in the US, and no telling what Paris prices are like.

I'm afraid you have a wonderful donor parts car for another Duetto project. Given the rarity of Spiders in Europe, I also think you'd have trouble locating a suitable donor car for cheap parts.

Good luck, however.

 

[roland]

Repair cost - strategy

Roadtrip,
You are right.. right now I have estimated 6000 euro (same in $) and that is with a no surprises repair job.... I am still trying to lower that amount and might have found some solutions.... First I have found 2 duetto shells in France... Not seen them yet (one has floors rusted out and one supposedly in good condition). Both have been blasted and prepped. Now negotiations start. What would you consider a good price for a bare duetto shell in the US ?
My carrozorristi says there are 2 solutions:
Taking the front off the shell and putting it on my car (have to make sure body is straight etc..)
Or repairing the floors on the shell and migrating all the parts over... (he says less complex body work).
I yet have to see the shells and discuss it with my bodywork guy. But I was wandering if you had had any experience with migrating parts from an entire car to another shell. I was wandering if it was hell fitting parts due to non perfect fit from one shell to another ? Also I have a 1969, 1750 duetto. One shell is a 1966, 1600 duetto. Are there differences in the body (I assume not) ?
Many thanks for sharing your great experience.

Roland

 

[144]

I haven't really followed the cost of a Duetto body shell here in the US, but there a project car on US Ebay right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2407918009&category=5356

It looks like it'll go for about $2000, looks like a good body with need of lots of mech work and, of course, paint.

I would think if you could get a good bare body over there for a $1500 to $2000 you'd be in good shape. If you can pick up the body with the rusted out floors really cheap, you can get replacement floor pans in the UK and have them welded in, assuming that the rest of the body compenents (and especially the inner rockers) are in good shape. What you don't want to do is pay a lot for a body that needs $2000 worth of restoration.

I don't have any experience with migrating mechanicals to a new body, but I don't see any problem, unless the new body is not straight (previous collision damage) and true. Of course, paying someone else to do it would be unbelievably expensive. Unless you have the time, tools, and a large garage, doing it yourself would be impossible.

In the end, it may be more worthwhile to find a really nice complete Duetto to replace yours. You may spend $10,000 or so, but might be able to offset it by parting out your car.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2408819971&category=5356

Also, that way, you know what you're getting ahead of time. Did you have collision coverage? How much is your insurance going to pay you for the car? That's another cost offset.

I'm afraid there's really no inexpensive way to get the blue beauty back on the road where it belongs.