A black '69 124 Spider AS

[RCSquadraCorse]

better buy a set of new shocks. two way gas shocks preferably. Kayaba makes them and they're not expensive at all

just look for KYB Excel-G

Yeah, I know those shocks, they're cheap and work well on stock cars (I have them on an Alfa 145 1.7 16v). Maybe I'll go on this route when it'll come to the suspensions.

On a second note... things are getting worst... went to clean up a bit the engine bay before getting my hands on it and I checked the fluids... the coolant system, as you can see from the above photos, made a kind of oxyd stuff around every coolant hose. The cams have a kind of oil patina on them and the level of the oil in the engine (cold engine of course) is a bit too high... that's really weird... last but not the least, the brakes fluid... there isn't any liquid AT ALL in the reservoir!!! I think that's why the car was almost completely stuck! I may have a hole or a leak somewhere in the brakes line Any suggestion on what to check and what kind of parts I have to restore (MC/calipers)? And the e-brake is doing only a couple of "clicks" when pulled and it's very heavy (I don't think this is normal, is it?).

Riccardo

[nelsonj]

For my taste, the four things I would make sure to keep are 1)flat hood, 2) low-back seats, 3) the front grill, and 4) the chrome bumpers all around. These really date the car as "very old" in a very good way (in my view) and you wont see these features in all but a few spiders on the road. If you had steel tube bumpers on the other hand, bumperless is a great option to save weight and restoration costs...just my 2 cents.

[RCSquadraCorse]

For my taste, the four things I would make sure to keep are 1)flat hood, 2) low-back seats, 3) the front grill, and 4) the chrome bumpers all around. These really date the car as "very old" in a very good way (in my view) and you wont see these features in all but a few spiders on the road. If you had steel tube bumpers on the other hand, bumperless is a great option to save weight and restoration costs...just my 2 cents.

Thanks for sharing your opinion man.
I'll keep for sure the first 3 things, but I probably won't keep the bumpers. They're already ruined in different spots (dings and rust) and re-chrome them it would be too much expensive. I won't sell them, so if one day I'll be bored about the bumper less solution I will put them back on.
However for now I have to think about firing up the engine again after 15 years, doing something to that silly brakes line and check the suspensions and all these things are not going to be an easy task... ahah!

Riccardo

[Mick124]

Hello Riccardo,

Congratulations and good luck with the 69. I am currently restoring a 67 124 Spider AS in black as original. I have made a fantastic contact on this forum "eddie124" who also has a 67 Black 124 AS Spider.

Keep in touch and keep us updated on the progress.

Regards,

Michael

[RCSquadraCorse]

Hello Riccardo,

Congratulations and good luck with the 69. I am currently restoring a 67 124 Spider AS in black as original. I have made a fantastic contact on this forum "eddie124" who also has a 67 Black 124 AS Spider.

Keep in touch and keep us updated on the progress.

Regards,

Michael

Hello Michael,

it's great to know that there are other 2 forum members that own an AS model! Now that I know it, I hope you don't mind if I'll ask for some advices when I'll be stuck with something on my car...
I'll contact also Eddie, just saw his car and it's really beautiful!
I think I've seen your restoration thread on an Australian forum and your restoration skills are amazing!
I'll keep this thread updated with everything I'm going to do on my car (pictures are a must of course ).
Kind regards,

Riccardo

[djape1977]

On a second note... things are getting worst... went to clean up a bit the engine bay before getting my hands on it and I checked the fluids... the coolant system, as you can see from the above photos, made a kind of oxyd stuff around every coolant hose. The cams have a kind of oil patina on them and the level of the oil in the engine (cold engine of course) is a bit too high... that's really weird... last but not the least, the brakes fluid... there isn't any liquid AT ALL in the reservoir!!! I think that's why the car was almost completely stuck! I may have a hole or a leak somewhere in the brakes line Any suggestion on what to check and what kind of parts I have to restore (MC/calipers)? And the e-brake is doing only a couple of "clicks" when pulled and it's very heavy (I don't think this is normal, is it?).

Riccardo

too high oil level usually means that membrane inside fuel pump has cracked and there's petrol in oil. you need new fuel pump.
when you replace it, start the engine, keep your eye on the oil pressure gauge. if there's no red light and dial is above zero, let it run for 5min and then turn it off let the old oil out. petrol in oil actually helps flush the oilgallerys inside.
when you finish with changing the oil, pour water and about 1/2 of kilo of baking soda into cooling system. let it run for half an hour. keep your eye on temperature gauge since thermostat may be siezed up after all these years. if engine doesn't overheat, let it cool off and then release all water by removing lower radiator hose. fill again with water and repea procedure. after second flush, if there are no leaks in the system, fill the system with paraflu.
oil patina on cams is no problem.
leaks in brakes system are to be expected.
replace master cylinder, all brake hoses (5 of them) and front calipers. rear ones will have to be rebuilt.
handbrake normally engages on 3rd or 4th click.

[RCSquadraCorse]

On a second note... things are getting worst... went to clean up a bit the engine bay before getting my hands on it and I checked the fluids... the coolant system, as you can see from the above photos, made a kind of oxyd stuff around every coolant hose. The cams have a kind of oil patina on them and the level of the oil in the engine (cold engine of course) is a bit too high... that's really weird... last but not the least, the brakes fluid... there isn't any liquid AT ALL in the reservoir!!! I think that's why the car was almost completely stuck! I may have a hole or a leak somewhere in the brakes line Any suggestion on what to check and what kind of parts I have to restore (MC/calipers)? And the e-brake is doing only a couple of "clicks" when pulled and it's very heavy (I don't think this is normal, is it?).

Riccardo

too high oil level usually means that membrane inside fuel pump has cracked and there's petrol in oil. you need new fuel pump.
when you replace it, start the engine, keep your eye on the oil pressure gauge. if there's no red light and dial is above zero, let it run for 5min and then turn it off let the old oil out. petrol in oil actually helps flush the oilgallerys inside.
when you finish with changing the oil, pour water and about 1/2 of kilo of baking soda into cooling system. let it run for half an hour. keep your eye on temperature gauge since thermostat may be siezed up after all these years. if engine doesn't overheat, let it cool off and then release all water by removing lower radiator hose. fill again with water and repea procedure. after second flush, if there are no leaks in the system, fill the system with paraflu.
oil patina on cams is no problem.
leaks in brakes system are to be expected.
replace master cylinder, all brake hoses (5 of them) and front calipers. rear ones will have to be rebuilt.
handbrake normally engages on 3rd or 4th click.

Wow, that's a lot fo damaged stuff! Ahah!
Honestly, now I have to think for a moment about what to do... Maybe I'll have to call a mechanic to take the car and fire up the engine, just to be sure that the car can be safely started... then I'll start to change all the small things needed by myself, but I'm afraid that some of these problems that I'm having are going well over my mechanical skills (and tools)
You know, I can do the basic maintenance (brakes, radiator, filters, suspensions), but I've never changed anything like fuel pump, timing belt and mechanical parts.
I'll let you know what I'm going to do, in any case she'll go back on the road again, that's for sure!

Riccardo

[djape1977]

changing fuel pump requires you to undo two hoses and two 13mm nuts. much simpler than changing brake disc for example.

changing timing belt is a bit more tricky but still much simpler than on any modern car. for one, timing points are clearly visible

[RCSquadraCorse]

changing fuel pump requires you to undo two hoses and two 13mm nuts. much simpler than changing brake disc for example.

changing timing belt is a bit more tricky but still much simpler than on any modern car. for one, timing points are clearly visible

Don't you have to worry about air in the fuel circuit when you change the fuel pump? I guess it wouldn't be easy to bleed the system. Timing belt is not an easy task, that's for sure (probably because I'm worried about the possible damages of an incorrect installation), even because, as I said before, the images I have in my .pdf file are almost not visible (I need pictures! lol!)
I have to think about what to do, you are giving me confidence, but my brain tells me to call a mechanic... ahahah!

Riccardo

[giuliot60]

Hi Riccardo.

Just found this other post of yours with photos. She's in very good condition and I'm sure without too much work she'll look beautiful. I like the older grill.

I'm going to take my bumpers off as well because I like the look and I have the newer, not as attractive bumpers, but I think (and agree with nelson) your car is beautiful with the bumpers. If you remove them, definitely keep them. You won't regret it.

I also agree with Djape again, I have very limited mechanical skills but am able to work on my Spider. You will eventually know her inside and out and will want to be the only one working on her. Things will get easier as time goes by. I've had my '81 since the spring and am already much more comfortable working on her myself.

Mark Allison (moderates this site) sells 15" wheels that look great. You could contact him or search the sight for the proper tires. Here's a link to his site/products: http://www.allisonsautomotive.com/products.html

Keep us posted.

[RCSquadraCorse]

Hello Guido, thanks for stopping by!

Unfortunately the bumpers are not in a great shape as it seems from the photos, they already have some dings and some rust on both front and rear. Fix them would be too much expensive for my actual budget, but as I said before, I won't sell them for sure.
Tomorrow morning I'll jack up the car and start removing the wheels to inspect the brake lines, the suspensions and the under side of the car (and clean a bit! lol!).
I saw Mark's website before and there is a lot of interesting stuff! But I live in Italy and the shipping costs + taxes are really, really high! Luckily I have an amazing tire shop really close from here and I already know which set of tires I'll need on my Oscams. The car now has a set of 13x6 Cromodora wheels with 185/70/13 tires and I don't like too much the look with this setup. In fact I think that the wheels are horrible with that big grease cap and those huge tire walls!
I'll keep you updated!

Riccardo

[fiat218]

you have a great project car..............I'm jealous.........

I could sell u a 69 as for about 12000' then u won't be jealous

[fiat218]

Hello Riccardo,

Congratulations and good luck with the 69. I am currently restoring a 67 124 Spider AS in black as original. I have made a fantastic contact on this forum "eddie124" who also has a 67 Black 124 AS Spider.

Keep in touch and keep us updated on the progress.

Regards,

Michael

Hello Michael,

it's great to know that there are other 2 forum members that own an AS model! Now that I know it, I hope you don't mind if I'll ask for some advices when I'll be stuck with something on my car...
I'll contact also Eddie, just saw his car and it's really beautiful!
I think I've seen your restoration thread on an Australian forum and your restoration skills are amazing!
I'll keep this thread updated with everything I'm going to do on my car (pictures are a must of course ).
Kind regards,

Riccardo

Make it 3, I have a 69 as

[RCSquadraCorse]

too high oil level usually means that membrane inside fuel pump has cracked and there's petrol in oil. you need new fuel pump.
when you replace it, start the engine, keep your eye on the oil pressure gauge. if there's no red light and dial is above zero, let it run for 5min and then turn it off let the old oil out. petrol in oil actually helps flush the oilgallerys inside.
when you finish with changing the oil, pour water and about 1/2 of kilo of baking soda into cooling system. let it run for half an hour. keep your eye on temperature gauge since thermostat may be siezed up after all these years. if engine doesn't overheat, let it cool off and then release all water by removing lower radiator hose. fill again with water and repea procedure. after second flush, if there are no leaks in the system, fill the system with paraflu.
oil patina on cams is no problem.
leaks in brakes system are to be expected.
replace master cylinder, all brake hoses (5 of them) and front calipers. rear ones will have to be rebuilt.
handbrake normally engages on 3rd or 4th click.

I take back this post to ask you a couple of things...
First of all, I found on the net that the high level of the oil after a long storage is normal, is it possible that maybe I don't have to change the fuel pump? Tomorrow morning I'll take a photo of the oil level as it is now, so you'll be able to see it.
Second question, do you think that I'll have to change also the brake booster? I'm doing a "shopping list" of the parts that I need and I would like to know if I have to add this item too. I've already found a set of brake hoses (all 5) and the MC.
Also, I've found some parts to rebuild the brake calipers on ebay, can someone please tell me if these are the correct ones?
Front calipers: http://www.ebay.it/itm/KIT-RIP-PINZE-FR ... 500wt_1054
Rear calipers: http://www.ebay.it/itm/FIAT-X1-9-BETA-M ... 500wt_1054
Thanks in advance and sorry for all these questions!

Make it 3, I have a 69 as

Yay! That's a great news!
I hope you don't mind if I'll ask for some AS related things in the future!

Riccardo

[fiat218]

too high oil level usually means that membrane inside fuel pump has cracked and there's petrol in oil. you need new fuel pump.
when you replace it, start the engine, keep your eye on the oil pressure gauge. if there's no red light and dial is above zero, let it run for 5min and then turn it off let the old oil out. petrol in oil actually helps flush the oilgallerys inside.
when you finish with changing the oil, pour water and about 1/2 of kilo of baking soda into cooling system. let it run for half an hour. keep your eye on temperature gauge since thermostat may be siezed up after all these years. if engine doesn't overheat, let it cool off and then release all water by removing lower radiator hose. fill again with water and repea procedure. after second flush, if there are no leaks in the system, fill the system with paraflu.
oil patina on cams is no problem.
leaks in brakes system are to be expected.
replace master cylinder, all brake hoses (5 of them) and front calipers. rear ones will have to be rebuilt.
handbrake normally engages on 3rd or 4th click.

I take back this post to ask you a couple of things...
First of all, I found on the net that the high level of the oil after a long storage is normal, is it possible that maybe I don't have to change the fuel pump? Tomorrow morning I'll take a photo of the oil level as it is now, so you'll be able to see it.
Second question, do you think that I'll have to change also the brake booster? I'm doing a "shopping list" of the parts that I need and I would like to know if I have to add this item too. I've already found a set of brake hoses (all 5) and the MC.
Also, I've found some parts to rebuild the brake calipers on ebay, can someone please tell me if these are the correct ones?
Front calipers: http://www.ebay.it/itm/KIT-RIP-PINZE-FR ... 500wt_1054
Rear calipers: http://www.ebay.it/itm/FIAT-X1-9-BETA-M ... 500wt_1054
Thanks in advance and sorry for all these questions!

Make it 3, I have a 69 as

Yay! That's a great news!
I hope you don't mind if I'll ask for some AS related things in the future!

Riccardo

i don't mind at all,