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Inside Superleggera - Adventure in time

68K views 501 replies 30 participants last post by  pescara 
#1 ·
Hi all,

I would like to share with you my journey in the restoration process of the 1900 css from 1954. The journey started 3 years ago...

Due to liars (and thieves) to whom I had entrusted the car, nothing had been done except to scatter all the parts, to lose some of them and to badly do the work on the rest.

Then irritated enough because nothing was done for me and other people like me. So I got back, not the car, but the company.:frown2: I shall then be sure that the work will be very well made, not only for me, but also for the others.
So I laid off everybody, hired new people competent and serious.

The journey can begin... started in June 2018.

The report : a superleggera structure + an aluminium body in parts + a heap of parts (not always from 1900...)

Observation : At that time, the superleggera structure wasn't finished very well. We understand that the production must go on, and details wasn't on first plan. Welds are unrefined, the invisible parts are quickly assembled between them. I think energy was given onto the visible aspects of the car. And it was normal.
Nowadays, people want a perfect car in every aspects, and I agree with that. even if a lot of numerous hours of work remain invisible.

The car : Very tired with many of small modifications made by diverse people during the years make of the car an attractive resurrection project !

After long consideration, we decide (in 2015) ; still valid today :

- to restore the chassis from A to Zwith correct look
- to make a new alloy body from A to Z (the current one is modified, degraded, old, brittle)
- to restore from A to Z drive train and trans
- to restore from A to Z engine, gearbox, rear axle, brakes, steering system
- to make new wiring harness, new brake lines and so on
- to built seats and a lot of little chrome parts (missing or not correct period)
- to source other parts (done today, expect the ashtray, but maybe we'll do it)

and to ask info at the BB members when we don't know :smile2::smile2:

The car and chassis :
 

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#358 ·
Mike

I have no words to THANK YOU !!!
It's a very nice help in our long way to finish this f@#ivygtyr"!!§ car !

We are going to make it from a brass plate of 4 mm thick for the front part, and we'll see for the rest.

2 more questions :
1°) I saw this, it's a "brake" like a little ball to stop the drawer before he comes out of the dashboard ?

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2°) this is the place to put fingers in order to take out the drawer ?

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Thnaks again,
Chris
 
#363 ·
Chris, some more, I was really busy lately so I forgot all about it:
Your post 347: you told me you bought the knobs, perfect! But your remark: they have thread inside makes me wonder If you bought the correct ones, because only the ‘manual throttle’ has thread inside.
To continue with your questions: you wanted the chrome rings to attach these knobs and you added a picture with a yellow pointer on it (I will post that picture again below): That ring is wrong unfortunately for a tipo 3.
Where to find the correct ring is a difficult question. I have been searching those 3 items for many years and only found it once in Padova fiera.
Your third question: position of these knobs: Top left is usually the light-switch.
For the other 2 it is unclear: I have top right the heater-fan, and the manual throttle on the lower position.
Below I will post the correct Lucas Light switch, easy to find (Lucas). The heater-fan Switch again is unclear to me, could be an adjustable-speed switch or a on/off switch as made by Lucas also.
best regards, Mike
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#364 ·
Mike,

I think I bought the correct one. Just the heater knob has thread inside.
The manual throttle knob has a big "whole" at the back. What system is going in it ?

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Did you remember the seller's name at Padova ?

For the heater fan switch, something like that could be OK, I think. => Heater fan switch
 
#365 ·
Chris, I think you are mixing up 2 knobs. The ‘manual throttle’ has a small hole in the back, with thread inside.
The heater knob has a big hole. It should be exactly the same size as the light-knob.
to be sure, looking at your picture: top left is manual throttle, top right is heater fan.
 
#374 ·
mike,

I think when the flaps are open, there is no influence with the airflow. Flaps are thin at the end.

Now, if you are in "hot conditions", the flaps will remain open through the sensor in the radiator.

This is the correct sensor :
1650374
 
#378 ·
It’s so refreshing to see someone restoring something other than a Tipo IV these days. With 200 of the final variant of 1900C SS extant they’re **** near common compared to the earlier versions.

Good work Chris and thanks for sharing!

-tj
 
#381 ·
No big work done, because of the sanitary situation.

I'm preparing now material for the interior. I will used dark blue for leather and something beige fabric for seats and inner doors.
The carpet of the car will be in wool, dark grey.

And I have a question about the headlinier. Do you know the surface (in squar meter) of the headliner ? The headliner is in fabric (I don't know exactly the term in english, in french the name is "drap" but not the one for the bed) ?

Thank you for help in this point.
 
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