[DPeterson3]

Terry says seats to be done by end of next week.
Kelly says detailing to be done by 27th.
Enclosed hauler quote in hand. Need to call to confirm.
Picked up finished door cards.
Need to check with Art Brass to find out status of front bumpers. They had to rework.
Need to order a few Weber jets I might need to speed up tuning.

The list is getting very short.

 

[adamsdf]

Robbins Convertible Top

Don,

Went to my local top installer on Friday to inquire about getting a top installed on my 2600. Told him that folks on the ABB generally thought Robbins tops were the best for this car and I wanted one with a headliner. He checked around and said when he talked to Robbins and EZON they didn't have one with a headliner. Said he finally found that Electron Top had one with a headliner. I told him I'd check things out and get back with him. Called Electron and asked them about the liner and the guy I talked to said their top didn't have a liner (contrary to what their catalog says) and gave me Centrline Alfa's number. I then called World Upholstery since they showed a top for a 2600 on their website (thought they quit making them). The lady there said she'd worked with a guy recently on a top for a 2600 and after checking around they found that the liner was attached to the top on the replacement tops for these cars so they don't really have a headliner in the normal sense.

So, since you are the most recent buyer of a top from Robbins for Touring Spiders, I wondered if you could shed any light on what the top lining issue and send me a picture of the inside or your 2000 top. I know that extrapolating from a 2000 to a 2600 is a very dangerous thing to do, but seems to be the best place to start.

 

[DPeterson3]

Brought the car back from Kelly's today. He spent about 3 hours polishing today. All very nice. Time to finish up.

Played awhile with the trunk emblems. Need different push-on nuts for the Alfa Romeo script. Got the license plate bracket and first-sale dealer insignia in place.

Horsed around with passenger door card and top until I grew weary. I'll finish that tomorrow.

 

[DPeterson3]

Sorry for no reply. Didn't notice your post.

My top doesn't have what I would call a "headliner". There may be two layers to the top, but when I think of the term "headliner" I think of a layer that is on the inside of the steel bows, hiding them from view. No idea if a 2600 had these. All my rides in the big truck were with the top down.

My operating car has a black inside layer. Whether that is doubled with an outer layer, I'm not sure, but I don't think it is.

Don,

Went to my local top installer on Friday to inquire about getting a top installed on my 2600. Told him that folks on the ABB generally thought Robbins tops were the best for this car and I wanted one with a headliner. He checked around and said when he talked to Robbins and EZON they didn't have one with a headliner. Said he finally found that Electron Top had one with a headliner. I told him I'd check things out and get back with him. Called Electron and asked them about the liner and the guy I talked to said their top didn't have a liner (contrary to what their catalog says) and gave me Centrline Alfa's number. I then called World Upholstery since they showed a top for a 2600 on their website (thought they quit making them). The lady there said she'd worked with a guy recently on a top for a 2600 and after checking around they found that the liner was attached to the top on the replacement tops for these cars so they don't really have a headliner in the normal sense.

So, since you are the most recent buyer of a top from Robbins for Touring Spiders, I wondered if you could shed any light on what the top lining issue and send me a picture of the inside or your 2000 top. I know that extrapolating from a 2000 to a 2600 is a very dangerous thing to do, but seems to be the best place to start.

 

[IRONBLOCK]

Well done Don,

The Touring looks stupendous! I can't wait to see some overall side view shots showing the Borrani wheels and knock-offs in a proper setting. It looks beautiful...

Mark

 

[lbo48]

Thanks Don, for continuing to post your progress. Marvelous!
Larry Bono

 

[alfasprinty]

Hi Don,

What a fine car, and especially the 'John Lins emblem' from Antwerp got my attention. That dealer was about 15 km from where I live. He was in fact the main dealer for Triumph and Standard for Antwerp back in the time, but did also sell Alfas.
Some 20 years ago, I bought from them a left over part , a NOS hard top for a 2000 (or 2600?) that someone had ordered and never had collected, it went to the Netherlands afterwards. ( maybe it could have been ordered for your car , who knows ?)
I know this all is just a little story but for me... what a coïnsidence!

Congratulations with the restauration of that car!

Thierry

 

[PSk]

Like a brand new car!

Pete

 

[Bora1978]

I would venture to say that this car is better than brand new. What a wonderful journey. Thanks for taking us along to see everything that you put into the car. What an education for me!

 

[DPeterson3]

I would venture to say that this car is better than brand new. What a wonderful journey. Thanks for taking us along to see everything that you put into the car. What an education for me!

I wasn't in the market when this car was built, being nine years old at the time, so don’t know what “new” looks like. I was far more interested in my baseball card collection, having just received my autographed Bob Feller (plus signed black and white photo), and an autographed card from Ty Cobb (no photo, the cheap bastard). The latter was carried in my breast pocket until it got washed into paper mache. Wonder if the car or card would fetch more at a sale today?

When you restore one from the guts out, you’ll always know of the decisions made along the way that aren’t truly “as new”. Still, so long as structure isn’t compromised, or horrors that are just wrong, I reckon it’ll do.

Definitely NOT happy with aftermarket trim fabricators right now.

 

[DPeterson3]

Door cards in. Right needs to come off due to omitted washer. Aftermarket pocket trim is CRAP. I have one OE somewhere. Need another.

Seat upholsterer now quoting Friday. Was originally last Friday. Why does this sound familiar?

Dang, I need to get this car to the alignment shop, and top installer. Might have to yank the passenger seat out of 00072 to keep things happening.

 

[PS70]

Very, very nice Don : Congratulation.

May I have a close picture of one of your Borrani please ?

 

[JJr]

I finally got to see the 102 in person today (last time, it was being prepped for paint) The pictures do not do this Yellow justice, amazing! The interior is a beautiful contrast.

I can't wait to see the seats and rag top installed, I definitely need to go for a cruise too!

 

[DPeterson3]

Serge,

Here's the rear wheel. Was there something specific you wanted to check out?

And, a quick snap after the install of the front bumpers. Finally!

 

[PS70]

Thank you very much Don.
That perfect !
Could you confirm me that your Borrani label is placed at the opposite of the inlet valve ?

Who could explain me why, on the left side of the car, to screw the center cap, you have to turn clockwise and with a "normal" steel wheel, you have to turn anti-clockwise ?

 

[DPeterson3]

I just realized that the front view, as pictured, is much akin to a sort of Japanese, anime, sumo, transformers sort of thang.

 

[DPeterson3]

The short in the fuel/oil pressure gauge is back. Dang.

Swapped out the 50F9 idle jets for 55F9. Whoa! Completely woke up the engine. Something still doesn’t sound quite sweet, like maybe an exhaust gasket leak, but the smooth tractability and power has definitely arrived.

Trans using Redline NS still behaving very nicely. Need to adjust the slave cylinder rod and/or master rod to lift the pedal a little.

Brakes are working, but will attempt get more pedal here also.

Minor vibration in driveline. Task for another day.

Top installer has put me off another 3 weeks. Going to be cutting that element close.

Seat upholster called with another delay. Says I can pick the up a week from Sunday when I get back from Bogota.

Got the front end rough-aligned. A base line measure. Things are close, but I need to add a shim on both sides to dial in the negative camber.

Time to pack...

 

[DPeterson3]

Thank you very much Don.
That perfect !
Could you confirm me that your Borrani label is placed at the opposite of the inlet valve ?

Who could explain me why, on the left side of the car, to screw the center cap, you have to turn clockwise and with a "normal" steel wheel, you have to turn anti-clockwise ?

Serge,

Yes, the Borrani sticker is on the opposite side of the center hub from the air valve.

I think the reason the left side uses a right hand-thread and the right side uses a left-hand thread is so the wheels don't fall off.

 

[tubut]

Who could explain me why, on the left side of the car, to screw the center cap, you have to turn clockwise and with a "normal" steel wheel, you have to turn anti-clockwise ?

I think the reason the left side uses a right hand-thread and the right side uses a left-hand thread is so the wheels don't fall off.

This video shows why (the effect is called "nut precession"):

 

[IRONBLOCK]

Get Wire

Who could explain me why, on the left side of the car, to screw the center cap, you have to turn clockwise and with a "normal" steel wheel, you have to turn anti-clockwise ?

That is just the way it is. With wire wheels, the car is suspended on the wheels by the wire spokes. On a solid wheel, the car is supported or lifted up by the wheel.


"It is important to note that the knock-off nuts for wire wheels with splined hubs are left hand thread on the right side of the car and right hand thread on the left side of the car. This configuration is just the opposite of the stock lug nuts! If the splined hubs and knock-offs are installed on the wrong side of the car they can loosen and possibly come off." For solid disc 'knock-off' wheels (like used by Lotus) the situation is just the opposite for keeping the wheels on, as I understand.


I had to refer to the wire wheel write up I did years ago...after installing wire wheels and hubs on my Two-liter with Loctite 'red' on the wrong sides of the car! I had two friends, with horror stories of wire wheels coming off, that convinced me to change the hubs before driving the car. I did learn that you can often unscrew a connection made with Loctite red -if you can use a torch to heat the parts up a bit.

https://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/1900-2000-2600-1950-1968/306513-wire-wheel-conversion-kits-info-request.html

Mark