Babycar

Progress!

So much time, so few posts! Most recently, I did a dumb thing and dropped a washer into the transmission. I was intending on only replacing forward and rear seals and the gaskets (and throw-out bearing), but it turned into a detour of nearly epic scale. Attempting a simple “let gravity retrieve the washer” technique…

Drive Shaft Complete

There is something truly satisfying about taking something apart, identifying the broken bits, cleaning things up, and then installing new bits to make it work. The drive shaft is ready for (very eventual) installation.

Bearing removal

The forward section of the drive shaft has a “pillow bearing” that was dry rotting on the rubber bits. I cut off the outside retainer ring by cutting through the rubber membrane, then went to work with the puller and penetrating oil. And a hammer. And a socket extension. And a wrench. And more oil.…

Sans moteur

Yesterday, with the help of R and his air tools, we took the last steps to free the motor and transmission from the frame and body. Multiple steps to this, including dropping the driveshaft out, disconnecting speedo cable and clutch cable, dropping the parking brake cables, removing the ground strap from the motor and detaching…

Big work coming…

Big things are about to happen to Babycar. As you can see – all the lights and bumpers are off. The radiator, carburetor, fuel lines and alternator are out. I treated the fuel tank, which I think will work fine with new lines and clean filters. The next big work will involve this: So the…

So many questions…

Cleaning day

Today I’m taking a break from taking parts off the car to clean what I have. I do NOT want to be putting dirty stuff back on it!

More dismantling

The dash is out, which took a bit of time. Two smallish nuts and washers towards the windshield and then two larger bolts on either end. Also notable are the two drain hoses that fit at the bottom of the trim behind the doors. And… getting the heater blower clean is tricky: And this is…

Roll bar out!

Next up will be the dash; and I had a good call with a body shop. They will accept my soon-to-be-made video and photo set to provide me with an estimate range on body repair and paint. Meanwhile, I’m going to procure an engine hoist… In other news I took some pics underneath and discovered…

Rear seat out, and…

So… wayward mice and at least one cat frequented this car. Evidence above is the bundle of mouse nest material that was under the rear seat. After some shop vac work, this is what the floor pans look like.

Removing top

The top took a little googling, but essentially there are 4 Allen bolts on either side behind the doors, the lower two with spacers. Then there are 7 or so screws that hold a plastic cover over the connections around the back, and then 5 bolts that hold the curved rear bracket on the back.…

Flintstones

Well. Perhaps unsurprisingly, removing the floor coverings revealed, well, concrete. As in, the concrete floor of the shop! Reading now on replacement floor pans, cutting, sanding and welding ….

Home!

With the help of A and R, we pushed it into the shed-now-garage! I’m so excited to get started…

Bring up the lights!

Thanks to a gift from Robert C, I had 16 LED lights and, with help from Eric M we got them wired to the switch. Showing a couple of photos to show the progress:

Babycar’s home remodel

What a mess! But! Declutterring is happening – two trips to the dump / giveaway station and new arranging and some building of shelves today (and on occasion over the past 2 weeks) gives me hope. My guess is one more full day will finish it enough that I can roll Babycar in. That “full…

Slow progress on the ‘house’

Well, any readers interested in Babycar will share my hopes that – soon? – I will be able to house the Fiat. I did finish the side roof repair, and have begun organizing the contents of the interior… mor soon !

Getting closer(ish)

Not closer to actually working ON Babycar, but closer to having a workshop ready. Wheeled Babycar down to the backyard, mostly to avoid a large limb that was on its way down from one of our pinoaks. The garage roof repair is getting closer to finished as well.

Mystery Oil

Okay okay. Let’s get to the car! While I know the engine will turn over, the previous owner told me that her mechanic said that the “head was cracked”. We will investigate. In the meantime, and knowing I have a lot to do on the shed to make it a garage, I procured some Marvel…

Garage progress

So… bear with me. We are all anxious to get to Babycar. First I had to build a firewood stand. My neighbors’ kids’ play structure was obliterated in one of the first storms of the season (walnut tree fell on it) and he gladly let me pick from the remains to make this. And then,…

First things first

Obviously, I need a place to house Babycar. This is our shed. And with the 2 rows of firewood for the wood stove inside our house and judge-all-you-want interior. My first job is to sort this out.

Delivered

My buddy Kevin and I went on a road trip to Wilmington NC to retrieve Babycar, brought her home and rolled her off the trailer. Stats: Babycar is a 1978 Fiat 124 Spider. More detailed stats will come later, but here are the basics: