Alfa Giulia 1967 Step Nose Resto Mod Build
Discussion
So some time in the past I saw a video with Chris Harris - yep that one and thought how good would it be to own a Step Nose Alfa. Did the usual and looked all over the place talked to some companies did they had a shell ? what would it cost to have it restored, the answer was big money and even if I wanted to spend that much they wouldn't do just a shell you had to have a full build which the present me now understands I guess.
That dream got parked but never went away and finally I met a guy called John H and he had been doing restoration on Alfa's for years but was fully occupied so didn't need to advertise I knew of him, knew he was local to me but finding his phone number seemed to take some detective work.
So the day came when i actually met John at his workshop and saw what he was about the knowledge and experience an eye for detail and we hit it off and in the corner was his own Alfa Romeo Giulia 105 Sprint Veloce to give it its full title.......after 3 falls and a submission I managed to convince John that he really wouldn't have the time to build it for himself and he should sell it to me. We agreed a price but it was contingent on John doing the shell restoration with a good guide on what that would cost.
The car had been laid up for over 5 years when I bought it and I knew it was in need of some love and attention.
This it what it looked like when I bought it
.
Looks ok from 5 foot ? I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted the car to be and I would be doing most of the work but body work was over to John but to get it ready it needed stripping down to a bare shell and having the paint removed prior to delivery. Move forward a few weeks - how much storage does a full car take when its in bits - a lot
Here with 2 willing helpers ready to take it to have it blasted
Until next time.....
That dream got parked but never went away and finally I met a guy called John H and he had been doing restoration on Alfa's for years but was fully occupied so didn't need to advertise I knew of him, knew he was local to me but finding his phone number seemed to take some detective work.
So the day came when i actually met John at his workshop and saw what he was about the knowledge and experience an eye for detail and we hit it off and in the corner was his own Alfa Romeo Giulia 105 Sprint Veloce to give it its full title.......after 3 falls and a submission I managed to convince John that he really wouldn't have the time to build it for himself and he should sell it to me. We agreed a price but it was contingent on John doing the shell restoration with a good guide on what that would cost.
The car had been laid up for over 5 years when I bought it and I knew it was in need of some love and attention.
This it what it looked like when I bought it
.
Looks ok from 5 foot ? I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted the car to be and I would be doing most of the work but body work was over to John but to get it ready it needed stripping down to a bare shell and having the paint removed prior to delivery. Move forward a few weeks - how much storage does a full car take when its in bits - a lot
Here with 2 willing helpers ready to take it to have it blasted
Until next time.....
Spannerman63 said:
Be careful with getting the shell soda blasted. The roof skin is very thin and many have been buckled with soda blasting. Same goes for the stepfront bonnet.
Yes you need to use a company that understand what working with steel panels that can warp is all about - your see all in the next postRemoving the paint and rust from a shell there are lots of ways to do this - sure there are lots of opinions but having looked into it my option was to have the shell blasted. A few things to consider - what media to use, how its applied and what are you doing after its bare steel ? I used a company who had done plenty of old car shells and a massive hanger so they were totally on board with taking time to keep heat down and using an oblique angle of attack with the media so panels don't get warped, lastly speaking with John H he wanted the shell painted in a epoxy primer so the bare shell was suitably protected from rust before and during the shell restoration with panel removal and rust repairs.
Ready for the paint removal
Now you have all seen the pictures / videos where the owner sees the shell for the first time once the shell is in bare steel and what looked like a good shell when painted looks a bit worse once the paints removed
This is when you have to trust & faith in your chosen restorer and know your in for the long haul, I was fairly happy with what I saw, John H's ethos was only replace the panels which really needed replacing and repair what could be saved so all though my plan was for the best it could be it also wasn't to remain as it left the Alfa Romeo factory.
Ok lets load it on a trailer and take it to John H and let the fun begin
Until next time
Ready for the paint removal
Now you have all seen the pictures / videos where the owner sees the shell for the first time once the shell is in bare steel and what looked like a good shell when painted looks a bit worse once the paints removed
This is when you have to trust & faith in your chosen restorer and know your in for the long haul, I was fairly happy with what I saw, John H's ethos was only replace the panels which really needed replacing and repair what could be saved so all though my plan was for the best it could be it also wasn't to remain as it left the Alfa Romeo factory.
Ok lets load it on a trailer and take it to John H and let the fun begin
Until next time
coetzeeh said:
That is great progress and now you know what you have as a base line.
Based on my own experience expect the project to take a lot longer than current thinking. Mine to even longer.
Nice to see a Veloce being restored. Not that many around in RHD.
Not going to be much left to make it a Sprint Veloce when its done but its got good bones - yep it always takes longer Based on my own experience expect the project to take a lot longer than current thinking. Mine to even longer.
Nice to see a Veloce being restored. Not that many around in RHD.
coetzeeh said:
I hear you. Sounds like you are planning to build something really special. Do tell more about what you have planned.
Ps - if you do decide to part with any Veloce parts you know where to find me
. I too am on a similar journey.
Most of the STD Veloce parts have been sold now sorry.Ps - if you do decide to part with any Veloce parts you know where to find me
. I too am on a similar journey. The plan is a no holds bared car with minimal interior, full rollcage and as many Alfaholics parts as I can afford, carbon boot & bonnet , Alfa 75 TS engine with a twist.......
We carried out a look over the shell now its in the raw...making a plan on what panels would be needed including my strategy that if it needs to be done its once and properly. With this in mind it was super important to me that JH has a proper chassis jig and the shell would be bolted to this and tied in to all the suspension pick up points until all the repairs / replacement panels are fitted.
As part of this the chassis will have weld on strengthening plates added to the inner chassis rails inside and out side the engine bay which is a know weak point when you start loading this area with sticky and larger width tyres, its also where the steering box and idler are mounted, the shell is also going to be fully seam welded.
Its also going to have a full cage which will be removable but will be tied in to additional locations on the shell, in an effort to save weight where we can I am going with a carbon Boot & Bonnet from AH, we looked at the carbon doors but decide this was a step too far......
There are 2 types of window mechanisms for the front doors a scissor type with steel bars that articulate the window ( read heavy ) and the later type which have a Bowden cable ( read lighter ) for window movement so I have sourced a pair of these later doors which will be reskinned which in its self save weight by removing large sections of sound deadening stuck to the skin by the factory in the process.
So its off to smash up some piggy banks & look under the sofa ......
Until next time
As part of this the chassis will have weld on strengthening plates added to the inner chassis rails inside and out side the engine bay which is a know weak point when you start loading this area with sticky and larger width tyres, its also where the steering box and idler are mounted, the shell is also going to be fully seam welded.
Its also going to have a full cage which will be removable but will be tied in to additional locations on the shell, in an effort to save weight where we can I am going with a carbon Boot & Bonnet from AH, we looked at the carbon doors but decide this was a step too far......
There are 2 types of window mechanisms for the front doors a scissor type with steel bars that articulate the window ( read heavy ) and the later type which have a Bowden cable ( read lighter ) for window movement so I have sourced a pair of these later doors which will be reskinned which in its self save weight by removing large sections of sound deadening stuck to the skin by the factory in the process.
So its off to smash up some piggy banks & look under the sofa ......
Until next time
RicksAlfas said:
Looks a great project and the shell looks a very good base to start from.
I have an unused set of these if you want to make me an offer!
https://www.alfaholics.com/race-parts/105-series/p...
Thanks - I am already the proud owner of some of those but thanks for the offer I have an unused set of these if you want to make me an offer!
https://www.alfaholics.com/race-parts/105-series/p...
RicksAlfas said:
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
But as long as you like it.
Gave a side on picture to my graphic designer mate who could change the colour on the screen, we tried everything including some old Porsche colours but it kept coming back to Alfa AR105 RED, understand there are a few Red one about - but not in my garage and when was the last time you saw one of any colour on the road ?But as long as you like it.
It will be ok I promise.........
P5BNij said:
JH the guy who's doing the shell restoration wanted to paint it that colour when he had plans to build the car for himself so your in good company was it the Motor Show display colour - long time ago but remember him saying that was one of the reasons he liked it.
Is that your wide arch car ?
P5BNij said:
I wish! Sadly not my car, it's just a photo I found on pinterest ages ago. It's such a great period colour though, similar to Porsche / Aston Martin Bahama Yellow and not that far of BL's Bronze yellow which was popular on Mk3 Minis in the early '70s...
Best of luck with the restoration of yours, I wish I'd bought one ages ago, there are still plenty around now but the £20k - £30k cars that were advertised for sale a couple of years ago are often well over twice that now, at least as far as asking prices are concerned. Like an idiot I turned down a good solid one for £5k at the NEC show not that long ago, it was a lovely useable 1750 in red with a black interior that just needed recommissioning, had I bought it then I'm sure it would have been a keeper
This one appeared fairly recently on car&classic with an asking price of just under £60k, it's now sold...
Yep the one that got away i have a few of those .....not keen on the wide arch look myself,the look like a Stratos type design wheel ? Best of luck with the restoration of yours, I wish I'd bought one ages ago, there are still plenty around now but the £20k - £30k cars that were advertised for sale a couple of years ago are often well over twice that now, at least as far as asking prices are concerned. Like an idiot I turned down a good solid one for £5k at the NEC show not that long ago, it was a lovely useable 1750 in red with a black interior that just needed recommissioning, had I bought it then I'm sure it would have been a keeper
This one appeared fairly recently on car&classic with an asking price of just under £60k, it's now sold...
Rodd Nock said:
Beautiful car, and sounds like a great restoration. Please don't paint it brown, it's giving me horrible flashbacks to my first car, a "Sand Gold" Austin Allegro
[Img]https://www.classiccars4sale.net/images/uploads/aa/austin11.jpg[/thumb]
Don't worry your safe here [Img]https://www.classiccars4sale.net/images/uploads/aa/austin11.jpg[/thumb]
it wont be going brown of any shade ........
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