Opened the 1.4L and this is how it looks

[PittsburghKevin]

As I said before, I've never been into such an engine rebuild and while it should be all fun, unfortunately sometimes it's just frustrating because of bolts and stuff that won't come off! For example now I have the intake manifold stuck into the head because one of the threaded bolts/thinghy (it's not a bolt, it's actually where you put the bolt but you get the idea) is completely rusted INSIDE the hole of the intake manifold... I've almost destroyed the gasket while trying to pry with a screwdriver and it just won't come off... and it p***es me off because I get stuck with the work for hours or days! Lol!
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Thanks again to everyone for your patience and availabilty, I do really appreciate it!

Riccardo

I stalled out on my car two years ago exactly because life took a swerve. But I am back at the frustration working on a 131 transmission project.

And I share your frustration. My gear pull would *not* work. For a 5 minute job, it took the better part of two wasted evenings. Crazy.

I read SteveC's comment above and think he hit it on the head. My good friend Walt used to tell me "Love the car. Drive it; just don't fiddle with it. Have fun." Walt rebuilt cars like the '54 SIATA and classic Lancias but loved Vanagons. And Fiats. We lost evenings talking about roads we both happened to drive up.

The frustration is worth it and the encouragement with all the guys sharing information is beyond invaluable.

[RCSquadraCorse]

Steve, I'd like to come here some times during the year but my job is usually taking all the time. This last year I've been able to come here only at Christmas and then for 3 days in March... not that much unfortunately. But then I have usually about one month of vacation during summer and since last year I decided to spend all the time here wrenching on the car and helping my mum with her apple farm instead of going to the seaside and hoon around with my friends.

To be honest I realize to be the only car guy in the family, that I seem to have an odd passion for classic cars (while 95% of my mates only care about modern sports cars and super cars) and that for some reasons I've always wanted to drive this beautiful Spider since the first time that I took a ride with my father when I was a kid.
I'd like to drive it as much as possible and if I will be able to take it to Milan it will be awesome.
I know that the AS is a bit special and the only mods I'd like to do are very small things so I can take it back to its original specs if needed.
And in Italy every car with more than 20 years registered to a club (plenty of them) is considered as "historic car" and it doesn't pay any tax a part from insurance that becomes rated to something like 200/300 Euro per year. If you want more advantages then you have to look for the "Targa Oro" registration that consists in having a 100% original car and in excellent conditions but it's really difficult to have that thing, not to mention that you're obliged to have the equivalent of the British MOT (I don't know how it's called in the US) every year, while without the Targa Oro you can do it every 2 years (and it's not really cheap here!).
I'd really like to just start to enjoy the car as soon as possible and learn everything I can with it!

I stalled out on my car two years ago exactly because life took a swerve. But I am back at the frustration working on a 131 transmission project.

And I share your frustration. My gear pull would *not* work. For a 5 minute job, it took the better part of two wasted evenings. Crazy.

I read SteveC's comment above and think he hit it on the head. My good friend Walt used to tell me "Love the car. Drive it; just don't fiddle with it. Have fun." Walt rebuilt cars like the '54 SIATA and classic Lancias but loved Vanagons. And Fiats. We lost evenings talking about roads we both happened to drive up.

The frustration is worth it and the encouragement with all the guys sharing information is beyond invaluable.

Man, these things that make you waste a load of time are just crazy and they drive me nuts! But yeah, as you said the frustration is worth it and the support and the knowledge of the guys in this forum is priceless. I just wish to have more time during the year but I guess I have to take what I get!
Your friend Walt is a wise man, that's for sure!

[fiatfactory]

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[Tobi]

I've got mondial / borgo /mahle and Schmidt catalogues tucked away in hard copies and on my computers ... give me time and I'll cross reference the numbers you should be looking for.

SteveC

Hey Steve, did you ever receive the pm I sent you on the turbo 124 forum.
On Friday I will install my head with a 2mm head gasket and I still don't know what the compression is going to be.
Can you please check the number of my Mahle Mondial pistons (62.06.04.7) when you have the catalog out?

[fiatfactory]

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[RCSquadraCorse]

Steve, thanks a lot for taking your time to look through the net for the pistons!
I've already bookmarked the second link a couple days ago but I'm a bit skeptical about dome and compression... standard compression is 8.9 and with bigger pistons and bigger dome it goes down to 8.8? That's strange to my basic knowledge.
I will gladly wait for your references, thank you again for your availability

On a side note, does anyone have a good tip on how to remove the crankcase oil breather metal hose? I've already tried with some hammering but it looks quite fragile at the top (basically where it goes into the block).
Also, when removing the auxiliary gear/shaft, there is a sort of retainer at the front of the bearing and the manual says that it should be replaced if I take off the bearing&shaft... it doesn't make any sense to me since it came off with no issues...

I will come back with a load of images on my resto thread tomorrow, just have to find the time to edit the images. All the block is now stripped a part from that silly metal hose and one piston. Head has been stripped too a part from the valves because here no one seem to have a spring retainer... spent the whole day looking for it with no luck so I have to find a DIY way to remove the springs and the valves.

[djape1977]

piece that holds aux shaft doesn't need to be replaced unless obviously damaged

to remove valves, put the head on a flat wooden surface, head gasket side down. take a one kilo hammer and 23mm socket and short extension from rachet set. put 23mm end on top of the spring and hit hard. there are two semi circular pieces holding everything and they will pop out if you hit hard enough. try not to loose them but even if you do, it's no big deal, theyre the same as on many other fiats. whatch your fingers!!!

[fiatfactory]

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[RCSquadraCorse]

As I said in the PM, precious informations man, props to you!
Any argumentation on the subjects is well accepted, there is always a lot to learn in this forum!