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Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Wrapping up loose ends


I really don't feel a thing....(sniff)
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.


The Post FFO Blues

It was really weird to go home last night after work, and not rush off to the garage to madly wrench on things.

A friend asked me what projects I was looking at now that FFO was over. I started listing off things like replacing the door panels, new center caps for the wheels, and fixing the transmission leak - when I was interrupted.

"No, I mean what projects OTHER than the Fiat, that got put off for FFO, can you NOW focus on?"

Oh.

Non-Fiat projects?

Who has those?

Only 362 days to FFO!


On The Way Home
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.


Sunday: FFO day 3

Saturday night's awards dinner was pretty much what one would expect from any corporate style event with banquet food.

The beer was cold, and I was happy.

The party in the parking lot went until about 2am. Not enough time to visit with all my new friends, I was offered more beer than I could possibly drink.

Not that I didn't try...

Sunday's wake up call was just...cruel. Head pounding, mouth dry, tongue like old shoe leather.

Outside in the sun, selling a few used parts, the brain wasn't cooperating, and the hangover sweats wasn't a good situation. I met up with my group fro a MUCH needed breakfast, and the first feelings of becoming human again hit me.

Later, the parking lot seems a bit forlorn as many people had already pulled out to go home, and more were still at the AutoCross event.

There wasn't much left, but to pack up, hook up, and head out.

Alvon was headed down to North Carolina with Denise and her husband Ron so that Alvon could see his family. This made the Jeep feel a bit empty, but otherwise we had our same convoy headed home, only THIS time we went via highway.

And got to see the local scenery as we CRAWLED through several traffic congested construction zones.

About 3pm we made it to the Bouse's, and Missy surprised us with a cold cut platter so we could make sandwiches and hang out. It was a lovely break, and two hours later, it was all too soon to be headed out with another 4 hours to go.

Pulling in at home, dead tired, in the full dark, the LAST thing I wanted to do was spend an hour un-hooking Azzie, unloading the Jeep, and generally getting somewhat situated to survive the week.

Note for next year:

Take Monday off as a travel day, and Tuesday too, just to recover...

Just Happy To Be Here


Towards the back
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.


Saturday: FFO day two

Friday morning's cruise to Frankenmuth turned out GREAT. We took small twisty, turny roads on the way up, had lunch there, and ripped down the highway on the way home.

Azzie seemed happy to be back at speed, and I was THRILLED.

After getting back to the hotel late Friday afternoon, I had time to wash her in the blazing sun, then I had to hustle off to the showers before dinner.

Dinner was across the street from the hotel, and we must have had 150 people in there at 5 or so VERY long tables. The restaurant did a great job keeping everything moving, and the food was DARN good. The best part though, again, was the people. Jim from Ireland, Ron from Missouri, and my new friends from Canada - Dominick, and his two sons. The black Spider they brought to FFO is an AMAZING restoration done by Andy's Spiders in Ontario.

Someday when I win the lottery, THAT is where I'll take Azzie to be reborn!

After dinner, there was an unofficial party in the hotel parking lot. Everyone was waxing, polishing, and adding the finishing touches to their cars, while checking out the competition, visiting with old friends, making new friends, and of course, drinking beer.

Saturday morning came WAY too early.

I met a few people from my West Michigan group for breakfast, and then we all went out to our cars to form up for the drive to St. Mary's college where the day's events would transpire.

Seeing all the cars lined up for the big panoramic photo was VERY cool.

Seeing all the cars parked under the trees in "the quad" was amazing.

Suddenly, I noticed people leaving. Where had the time gone? I hadn't seen all the cars, hadn't had a chance to meet people I'd wanted to shake hands with...

Before leaving we got a cool picture with just our cars from our group. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped for gas, and some guy in a crummy old van came tearing up.

"Where did all these Fiats come from?", he asked, looking at our cars with a big smile.

"We were just at a Fiat car show", was the answer.

"Really? WOW! I wish I'd know...I'm putting an old Spider back together, and I never see any others around!"

We all knew exactly how he felt, and gave him some info on the club. Talk about the un-lucky...he feels all alone in his Fiat quest, and he had just missed the National Club Meet right across the street.

Back at the Hotel, we met another guy who had randomly found us. He had TWO 850's at home in various stages of functionality, and he looked around the parking lot like he was going to cry.

I knew just how he felt, and I felt a bit guilty, as I couldn't wipe the happy grin of my face - because I MADE IT TO FREAK OUT!

...of course, it only took me 9 years...

Feeling like a kid at camp


Top Down....in the rain...
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.

Friday: FFO day one

I stayed up a bit later Thursday night, taking Azzie for a quick spin to confirm the radiator would hold.

It held.

I was so relieved, elated, excited, and was generally just bouncing off the walls. This reaction was the total opposite of the low I'd felt just 24 hours before, and I had all my new Fiat friends to thank for this.

I was so damn happy...

Now I was noticing things like the several hundred engine-oil-handprints all over the windshield, the poor installation position of the dash-mounted rear-view mirror, the mis-adjusted side mirrors - all THREE of which guaranteed I couldn't see anything behind me. Which was fine, because I couldn't see through the windshield either!

It was just so nice to be able to drive her.

I fell into bed, totally and completely exhausted around midnight. Tossing and turning, I woke up at 5am, unable to contain my excitement.

My Spider runs!

I'm at Fiat Freak Out!

I shower, dress, head to breakfast, clean the windshield, adjust the mirrors, and I'm first in line to get ready for the morning's cruise.

In the rain.

I, of course, put the top down anyway...

I knew it was going to be a damn good day.

I couldn't stop smiling.

The Arrival


Friday Morning in the parking lot
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.


Thursday: 1 day to FFO

Wednesday night I ended up fetching Alvon from O'Hare an hour late, after my Spider overheated, leaving me without my Jeep. My lovely, patient, and all-to-understanding girlfriend drove over to my house, picked my dumb-ass up, drove me to my Jeep, and we went together to pick up Alvon. Knowing I needed to vent, she let me spew as my Spider had done. I'm glad I got that out of my system before meeting Alvon.

Alvon turned out to be a nice guy, a good houseguest, and while driving the next day, an excellent traveling companion. He's owned his '70 Spider since '85, and it has about 200,000 miles on it, but the last few years he has done an amazing job bringing it back to better-than-new condition. Wednesday night he and I stayed up late showing each other pictures of our cars, and swapping Fiat stories.

Thursday I got up early to load the Jeep and get Azzie hooked up. Even though she wasn't running, I was going to drag her ass to FFO, anyway. I'd put too much heart, effort, and tears into this damn car to leave it at home. Alvon helped me load up, and we were on the road by 8:30am.

We were looking to hook up with Mike Bouse's convoy that was gathering at his house between 12 noon and 2 pm. Peanut butter sandwiches and Kool Aid were promised, and the thought of a convoy was enough to make me smile.

Traffic out of Chicago wasn't too bad, much better than I'd expected. Alvon and I stopped at the Hinsdale oasis to meet a co-worker of his who lived nearby. I told Alvon it'd be a shame to be this close and NOT stop, although it would make our timeline a bit tight. As it turns out, we rolled into Mike's yard just in time for the 2pm roll-out.

With no time for sandwiches, only a muffin for breakfast, and having forgotten dinner the night before - MAN, my tummy was rumbling! But it was good to be in the convoy, and cool to see a few Spiders traveling together. Not a large convoy, it was just three of us. Dave Nicholson's red Spider with a cool hardtop was a nice addition to the group. I'd looked forward to meeting him, and he & his wife Carol couldn't have been nicer or more down to earth.

Even with Mike's Spider developing a slow coolant leak, we made good time. The coolant leak was little more than seepage, and with a call into John Logan, a replacement bit was on it's way to meet us at FFO. We pushed on. We hit rush hour. My tummy rumbled. We pulled into the Marriott about 6pm.

We checked in, and quickly met back down in the lobby to rush over to where others were holding seats at dinner for us. Faint with hunger, I have no idea what I ate, but my brain again began to function during dinner, where I met a few new friends. After dinner, a small contingent went to K-Mart for supplies. I bought two containers of radiator coolant, as I'd looked at Mike's thermostat, and thought I may know what to do to fix my overheating issue.

Back at the hotel about 9pm, I walk through the parking lot, admiring the other Fiats that have arrived so far. Wasting little time, I dig my tools from the back of the Jeep, and reach in to pop the hood on the Spider.

The sound of the hood-pop must have echoed through the parking lot.

Within minutes, no fewer than 6 guys were gathered around my car, offering advice, tools, holding flashlights, and helping a fellow Fiat nut any way they could.

By 11pm my Spider was running, the cooling system holding, radiator fan working just like it should. My relief was enormous, my head was soaring in the clouds, my pretty little Spider was back on the road.

Azzie was drivable!

Boiling over


Boiling over
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.


Wednesday : 2 days to FFO

At lunch Wednesday I'd driven over to the neighborhood mechanic's shop as they'd requested. Fearing the worst, it was almost comic relief when they said they just needed two bolts from the air conditioning compressor's mount to fix my oil "leak". Those bolt holes went all the way through to the oil reservoir - who knew? Proving an old saying of mine that I'd gone against - 'Do just one project at a time' - I thought THIS oil leak was caused by the exhaust manifold bolt I'd stripped.

Insert sigh of relief here.

I raced home, got the bolts, and was assured I could pick up a fully functional car after work. I was elated.

This was not to last.

Alvon Elrod, a Fiat Spider owner in Ventura California, contacted me needing a ride to FFO. His Spider was currently down with a disassembled transmission, so he was flying into the area. His original ride, Dave Voss in his Fiat 131, was driving to FFO from the Oregon Fiat gathering. However, Dave had stopped to help Nanci and Shaun Folkerts with their Lancia Zagato in Idaho, and while it had all worked out, and everyone was on the path to FFO, the timing was off, and Alvon needed someone to pick him up from O'Hare.

Is everyone clear on this?

Alvon's flight was set to arrive at 8:30pm, leaving me PLENTY of time to fetch my Spider from the mechanic, wrap up a few loose ends (like re-installation of the driver's side door panel), and perhaps even drive the Spider to fetch Alvon from O'Hare.

Insert monkey wrench.

I arrive at the mechanic's and see my car outside. Hood up, steam billowing. They had 'fixed' the oil leak, replaced my flex disc, replaced the cap/rotor/wires/plugs, and even adjusted my timing with a REAL timing light. However, the car was horrifically overheating. The radiator fan wasn't coming on, and I had no idea what to do.

Thinking I could get it to cool down by driving, getting some air through the radiator, I took off driving. My intention was to go around the 'hood, come back, hop in Jeep, fetch Alvon. However, driving it didn't help one iota, and once the steam started whistling, I coasted down the block for a quarter mile, and barley made it into my own driveway. Now I was stranded at home without my Jeep, and a Spider with a radiator overflow container that continued to boil 15 minutes after the car was shut down.

Mad with frustration, I wanted to pitch a fit, cry, scream, throw tools, and kick something.

I had put so much effort into this damn car trying to get ready, and I'd accomplished so much, come so far, and was still no closer to having a car I could drive. Now I was stranded, and was running late to pick up Alvon.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

The whole point of the thing


Looking into the middle of the crowd
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.


Sunday, July 29th.

Believe it or not, I had to look up what day it is. That's how tired I am. I just got home at 9:30pm after driving since 11am.

I am bone tired, sore, sunburnt, hoarse, and temporarily more deaf than normal. Eight hours with top down and tunes cranked will pound the ear drums...but the best part...being sore and hoarse...it's all because I had so much fun!

Standing around in the sun talking for a few days, or all the top down driving in the sun...several late nights in the parking lot working on cars, drinking beer, and visiting...

Man, it was great!

My thoughts are totally jumbled, and the pictures (you can see them by clicking through on the one above) are all in no particular order, but i wanted to send out an update so it'd be ready for everyone in thier offices Monday morning when you all sit down with your first cups of coffee to see how my weekend went.

This was THE weekend I'd been working for! Ever since that last week in March, when I first pushed Bella out of the garage - determined to come to a Fiat Freak Out this year that I'm 40.

I did it.

I made it.

It was awesome.

I can't stop smiling...

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Operator Error


The only problem with the car: ME
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.


Usually when I'm at work I turn my cell phone off. Yesterday and today I've had it on, constantly buzzing, as I eagerly await news on my poor wounded car.

At 12:55, the call came. "Stop by the shop, we need to see you."

This didn't sound good.

Pucker factor: 8.5

So, I took my lunch break and drove to the shop where I could face the music as soon as possible. Possible scenarios in my head ranged from a cracked block to a mechanic's mistake ruining the aluminum head. After all, if they'd called me in...it MUST be serious, right? It's pretty easy for them to get me to authorize the spending of big-repair-bucks over the phone.

Right.

I pull in, and he directs me under my car which is up on a lift. He points to the front passenger corner of the engine block, to the two empty bolt holes where I recently removed the air conditioning compressor.

"These holes are wide open, and leaking", he says.

I point to my cheesey-temp-bolt in the exhaust manifold.

"Isn't it leaking from here?" I ask.

"No, just from these empty holes you left here".

Good thing I didn't throw those bolts away...

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Tonight, The Gods smiled on me


Ready for the hood
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.


Azzie is till a long way from perfect. No doubt about it. But once again, we have "significant progress", and honestly, I couldn't be happier.

Well - YEAH - I'd be happier if the car ran without bleeding to death...

...but more on that, later.

Today, at long last, I got my replacement passenger-side mirror from Moss Motorsports. With both fender-mounted mirrors installed, and both the new headlight eyebrows in place...I have to admit that I REALLY LIKE THIS LOOK! I ordered the parts sight unseen, and I pictured it JUST LIKE THIS in my head!

I love it when a plan comes together.

Mysteriously, today, the horns decided to work. I have no idea why. Maybe I should offer a prayer to Vishnu, or The Great Pumpkin, but either way I am eternally grateful. I started by adding a 3 foot section of fuel line between the compressor & the "Y" connector at the horns, doubly secured with zip-ties. I re-did the positive connection on the compressor, and neatly zip-tied EVERY loose looking wire in the grill area. I pulled the steering wheel off, cleaned and bent the copper connectors in the hub, then placed the wheel on, and with the socket and a hammer, made sure the wheel was as far smooshed down as it could go. I tightened the bolt, put on the spring, snapped on the horn button, and BWAAAAAAHHHHHH. Music to my ears.

Then I went bannanas, and neatly zip-tied EVERY loose looking wire in theengine compartment. Someday I'm sure I'll need to trace something out, and I'll curse every last one of the 347 zip ties I put on tonight, but at least they look cool.

Open areas around the engine got cleaned and scrubbed nicely. DAMN, but that old paint color was pretty!

The grills went back on nicely, and the front trim-strip of stainless cleaned up VERY nice - THANK you to whatever body shop put that protective layer of paint on there. I appreciated that. Now it stands out nicely, and I LOVE how you can see the horns, just as I planned, behind the grill!

S W E E T ! !

Next, I figured out the old-school hood prop. The three-screw mounted base on the engine cowling was a piece of cake. Much more complicated was the bit on the hood. Fortunately the clever engineers never changed part of the hood design -THANK YOU – there was a little flat spot, JUST where the bit needed to go! In the old days it was spot-welded in place. However, there is no longer any way to get to the other side of that to weld, or even bolt anything. I was reluctant to use sheet metal screws, so I used my dusty old pop-rivet gun. It worked like a charm! We’ll see how it holds up, long term. In the meantime, I don’t have a hood that’s flopped 1/3 down…like the car has a E.D. problem.

Nope, not mine!

Getting the hood on with the extra hands of a friend made things a LOT easier. A few other loose ends were tied up – all regarding Azzie’s appearance.

However, the gushing oil leak is still an issue. You should know, I took the coward’s way out, I admit it freely.

Tonight, I dropped her off at a local hole-in-the-wall mechanic's shop. I asked if he could look at it tomorrow, and fix it with HeliCoil, or whatever professional version of that they use. I also left him my flex disc, the tune-up components, and the shop manual (just in case).

I know I could figure out the HeliCoil process, but I am short on time, and I need it done RIGHT, and right NOW. For some reason, doing the flex disc scares me. The tune-up components were a cop-out, THAT I’ll admit to also. However, I want a professional with a timing light to get things tweaked “just so”. These are not overly complicated or unique tasks – I should not need to use Giovanni at his $110.00 per hour shop rate. The local boys are $70.00 per hour, and they let me provide my own parts.

This could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship...

...as long as they don’t fuck it up.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Not Sure Why The Gods Despise Me


Totally Screwed
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.


Six weeks ago, I briefly experienced a Fiat-Free lifestyle when Bella unexpectedly died. I didn't need to spend money on another Fiat, that's for sure. Certainly not right away, I could have taken some time to let Bella's memory fade. I didn't HAVE to go to FFO this year, or I could have even gone WITHOUT a Fiat. The money really "should" have gone to other things.

However, I had this crazy idea, and I wanted to follow through with it. I'm 40 this year, and I'd gotten so tired these last few years of NOT doing things, telling myself I'd get to them "someday", right now I'd be "responsible". When DOES someday come? Turning 40 was a real bite in the ass, and responsibility be damned, I was taking a Spider to show off at FFO this year.

So, I bought this friggin’ car. It looked pretty good, and people I respect in my Fiat club vouched for the car. It seemed to run well, and indeed - I was a happy clam when I got it home. Not perfect, it had what I thought were just a few issues with appearance, and I'd tweak those before grandly motoring off to FFO. Then I took it to Giovanni.

He said it was junk, and that he'd not have recommended I buy it. I was outraged, and took my car back without his shop having done anything. But I knew it wasn't running quite right, and even my deaf ears could hear evidence of the worn bearings and other maladies he'd spoken of. Giovanni may have come across a bit rude, and he never followed up with the prices to fix anything - but I knew my car needed every ounce of the attention he'd listed out for me.

Then the water pump went out on me. Wrenching began. Wrenching continued. As I have dug into this car these past few weeks, my eyes have been opened. EVERY major system on this car has been previously worked on, some completely re-done, and in most cases in an incomplete or half-assed way.

The front suspension needs to be rebuilt with all new bushings, and will then need a complete alignment. The transmission needs either a complete rebuild, or an outright replacement. Several major components of the rear suspension need replacement. All the bushings need to be replaced. All brake hoses need replacement, as do the shocks. The tires, even the spare, are all junk. The oil pan, and main oil pickup need replacement. An undetermined major issue on the front of the engine causes the timing belt to ride incorrectly. The body was majorly repaired in several areas, none were done very well, and the incorrect paint color was applied poorly. Interior carpets are incorrect, extremely cheap, and totally the wrong color. The center console is a cheaply painted glue-on replacement cover. The engine seems to run smoothly, but has bearing and tappet noises, and it misses roughly above 4k. Several so-called “minor” issues on the engine are a very big deal to me - a stripped exhaust manifold bolt causes a major gushing oil leak, and a broken lower bolt hole on the coolant "T" housing makes for a questionable seal to the entire cooling system. The car's electrical system is...clearly in need of professional help, and has a LOT of evidence of previous repair attempts.

It's awful.

Not once single damn thing is as it should be.

...and now I can't even drive it.

That, at least, used to make the rest of it nearly bearable.

Friday, July 20, 2007

Since 1986


Me & Ern
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.



Ok, so most of you know I’m a little “bent” when it comes to certain things, right?

I’m a Jeep-driving former-Marine with the battle-stained flag from my Grandfather’s WWII destroyer hanging in my living room.

“Ooh-Rah”, and “Semper Fi, Mac”!

Less known about me is my affection for Italian Sports cars. I bought my first one, a 1972 “Competition Orange” Fiat Spider way back in 1986. I was a young, dumb 20 year-old Marine stationed in Twentynine Palms, and just to keep the car running, I had to buy a $20 set of tools from Wal-Mart & check out a repair manual from the base library.

It’s been a love affair ever since.

That first Spider will always have a special place in my heart. After an accident, it got sold to another Marine, who has shockingly remained one of my best friends to this day! I then had a brief, and very expensive, romance with a lipstick-red 1979 Alfa Romeo Spider. Once I got out of the Corps to try my hand at college, another Fiat found me. This one was a dark metallic silver. She didn’t survive the turmoil of my mid-twenties, but she’d been a good, beautiful, and temperamental beauty. These cars each left indelible marks on my soul, and then in 1998, I found myself in a different place in my life.

At long last, I had a good, and decent paying job that gave me a long-awaited stability in my life. I had a good set of friends at my new job, and I got invited to The Pocono’s for a weekend car show. With no idea what it really was, or where I was going, I had accidentally wandered into something called a “Fiat Freak Out”. I spent the weekend in a daze, open mouthed, I wandered through a collection of beautiful cars that each brought me my very favorite memories from my younger days in the Corps. I had so much fun, and met some truly great people, and I vowed to get myself another Fiat Spider, and return to Freak Out.

In 1999, I found my third Fiat Spider. Almost a mythical “barn find”, she was 100% complete and original, and had been stored untouched in a New Jersey garage for 10 years. 80,000 original miles. I dragged it home from Jersey that summer, and in my Dad’s front yard he showed my brother and I some old school wrenching – how to adjust the points and so forth. Sadly, Leukemia took him from us a short time later, but that car remained close to me heart because of that connection.

The “rush of life” pushed me downstream for a few years, and that Spider had a few years of slight driving, then a few years relegated to the garage, and each spring I told myself “This year I will fix her up, and make it back to a Freak Out”. In 2007, the year I’m 40, I decided to put it off no longer. Back in April I began wrenching. I got her back on the road. I made it to my first club event...

...and found out my beloved Spider had terminal bone cancer. I was distraught. She was sold as a parts car, and I had a hole in my heart.

The Fiat club came through for me though. Less than a month later I had an ‘83 Spider...I began to figure out what it needed, and how I wanted to modify it to me “mine”. Since then, I have been madly wrenching, desperately trying to get ready to at LONG LAST make it back to a Freak Out!

My first FFO since...'98-ish in The Pocono's


Why I've been breaking my butt on this car
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.

Fiat-Lancia Unlimited is pleased to present Fiat Freak Out 2007, "Motor City Freakout ", held July 27-29 in Detroit, MI!

Fiat Freak Out is an annual event hosted this year by Fiat Lancia Unlimited of Detroit (FLUID). The Fiat Freak Out (FFO) brings together the largest collection of Fiat and Lancia automobiles in North America to swap stories and tips, show off our cars, and share our passion for these wonderful automobiles.

In 2007, we are celebrating our 24th Freak Out! The complete FFO program is inside this issue of Ricambi magazine. The FFO is three days of events that include a concours car show, a coordinated drive, an autocross and lots of socializing. The FFO is not just about show cars, it is a great opportunity to talk to knowledgeable people and sponsoring vendors about your vehicle. Besides being the 24th year the Fiat Freakout is being held, this year is also a celebration of 50 years of the Fiat Nuova 500. Last years Freakout had a great turnout of 500’s and we hope to see more this year as we celebrate it’s 50th birthday!

Significant Progress


Ready for coolant
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.


Holey Smokes...I ended up much further inside this car than I ever expected to be...at least when I still haven't owned it for much more than six weeks!

I replaced the water pump, timing belt, and alternator belt. I replaced a few fuel lines. Cleaned up a coolant sensor housing on the Fuel Injection. I removed ALL the old air conditioning system components. The entire engine is now re-assembled, ready for me to add coolant, and attempt to fire it up...

Keep your fingers crossed...I think the electrics are dead, and who knows what I did to the timing when I replaced the belts...

Stay tuned for updates throught the weekend on my picture site!

By the way, she's been named...


Lookin GOOD!
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.

Say hello to "Azzie"

She is a Pininfarina Spider AZZURA...

...and "Azzura" is also the Italian word for BLUE.

Get it?

"Azzie" is short for "AZZURA"!

Elecropnuematic Fun, Part II


This is how they turned out
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.


MY NEW HORNS ARE HERE!

MY NEW HORNS ARE HERE!

Remember the scene in the movie "The Jerk" when Steve Martin runs down the street excaiming "The New Phone Books Are Here! The New Phone Books Are Here!"

This is how I feel about these horns!

So, yesterday, as soon as I posted about how frustrated I was with not being able to find an old-style set of horns, a set gets delived by the U.S. Mail.

God Bless Dale Crandall who sent me a set of genuine FIAMM "Electropnuematic" air horns! Mount, compressor, hoses, and two metal trumpets. They look to be a million years old, with appropriate crust...and, MAN, ARE THEY PERFECT!

So...you ask...do I have a plan?

Of course!

It may not be a GOOD plan, but it's MINE!

The plan is thus:
Both horn trumpets will be mounted on the vertical wall next to the radiator just behind the area where the new-style horns were - approximately matching the stock mounting position in my old '74 and '72 Spiders.

The larger one above the shorter one, parallel to the deck, facing the passenger side. The interior of the grill area has been freshly painted a nice "satin" black, and the grill a nice "accent" silver, so these blue horns should be NICELY visible inside there! The compressor and it's mount were also painted, and due to a lack of room under the hood, that assembley will be ALSO be mounted abd clearly visible in the grill area. It will go on the passenger side.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeputmanjr/856515268/

Now...as long as I've properly figured out the wires to use from the original horns...AND as long as "modifying" the car to use a stock "old-style" steering wheel and horn button didn't screw anything up...it'll all work out fabulously, yes?

Ha! RIGHT!

I'll end up with a damn under-the-dash toggle switch...

Thursday, July 19, 2007

FFO Prep


A Quick Evening's Work
Originally uploaded by The Put-Man.

The steering wheel was a piece of cake!

You just have to remove the "adapter" that bolts on for the later Momo style steering wheel. The "adapter" is about 3 inches thick - so, with that removed, the steering wheel is now FURTHER away from me! Putting on my old steering wheel is not my "permanent" plan, I just couldn't resist! My plan moving forward is to modify the "adapter" so that my Alfa Romeo Steering wheel will bolt right on. I truly LOVE this wheel! Not just because it putt's the steering wood 3.5 inches closer to me, but mostly because that wheel wood is so dang BEAUTIFUL! But this setup won't be ready for FFO, so my "retro" wheel will just have to substitute.

The mirrors are great - with a few small caveats.

The dash-mounted rear-view has a very small base, so it tends to vibrate just slightly, therefore it needs a better mounting surface. I plan to mount it to a silver-dollar sized wood disc, then mount THAT onto the dash. My dash is already terribly cracked, so it's perfect for experimentation! Besides, my cool new dash-mat will hide all sorts of sins.

The side-view "bullet-style" mirrors are of EXCELLENT quality. PITA to mount - the bracket has two screws that go into the body of the car, then the mirror fits to the bracket, has one screw to hold it on - and THIS screw in right under the main portion of the mirror, and there is NO clearance! PITA to adjust - I plan on getting them "just so", then putting small marks on each to show proper adjustment location. MAN, ARE THEY BEAUTIFUL. The only long-term drawback to these side mirrors...while doing engine work, they are RIGHT in the way! RIGHT in the middle of where I want to lay my belly across the fender! My plan - as I modify my hood for the old-style kick-stand...I want to figure out a quick-disconnect for the entire hood. Working on the car from the FRONT is AWESOME.

The wing-window is a work of art.

Jamming it INTO the car was a royal bitch. The bracket on the underside of the vent that holds the spring that keeps the vent open...well, the '83 didn't HAVE that, so you have to jam a 2.5 inch bit of stuff through a 1.75 inch opening. All while trying to line up the window glass and keep that aligned, don't pinch the wires, don't scratch the paint, don't BREAK the glass, all while trying to figure out how to HAMMER THE BITCH into place, which obviously one cannot do when GLASS is involved. Once done, I really wasn't sure the main window was aligned properly...so I hooked up the batter, turned on the car...only to have ZERO power. At that point, I called it a night.

The sad situation regarding my sad lack of Electropnuematic Horns.

My current, and very very STOCK horn sounds like the depressed, and mournful mating wail of a lonely Chrysler. An online source wrote me June 25th, saying he was putting together a set of the old-style horns for me, but even after two follow-up emails I have not heard back from him. Another source had "just" sold their last set when I asked, my least favorite source won't even answer me, and then, even E-Bay has been dry. I'm hoping something will come up at FFO, being offered out of someone's trunk, or on a table full of junk. Once I find them, I'll need to sign up for the "how to paint old stuff" class.