Restoration pics
Discussion
Much work has gone into the arrangements in the rear compartment. Lots of these have had bench seats finished, but this one originally hd two separate storage compartments. We decided to put it back like that. It means the kids can't sit in the back - but Mrs SS wouldn't have allowed that without proper belts in the back anyway - and I wasn't prepared to go down that route. Probably for the best anyway, given their propensity to smear chocolate over everything they come near..
Paul one again demonstrated his ability to stress the details when it came to the audio. As I posted before, I got some custom speakers made because the space available in the back is very small. Paul didn't like the speaker grilles because they looked out of place (too modern). After hunting around on his own initiative for more suitable grilles, he found some and then also got them painted to match the leather. In addition, he also made up some aluminium panels to replace the original card panels, and then clothed the aluminium in leather. I think the results look great. In the pictures, everything is just sat in place, not yet fully fitted, in case the able-eyed of you think things don't look quite right!
Paul also showed me some different approaches to the carpet edging that he has been working on - because he is trying to get a finish that looks good and doesn't trap dirt. I can only marvel at his thoroughness.
Paul one again demonstrated his ability to stress the details when it came to the audio. As I posted before, I got some custom speakers made because the space available in the back is very small. Paul didn't like the speaker grilles because they looked out of place (too modern). After hunting around on his own initiative for more suitable grilles, he found some and then also got them painted to match the leather. In addition, he also made up some aluminium panels to replace the original card panels, and then clothed the aluminium in leather. I think the results look great. In the pictures, everything is just sat in place, not yet fully fitted, in case the able-eyed of you think things don't look quite right!
Paul also showed me some different approaches to the carpet edging that he has been working on - because he is trying to get a finish that looks good and doesn't trap dirt. I can only marvel at his thoroughness.
Long time, no posts. Sorry about that. Almost there now:
http://www.dtrsports.com/projects/project_details....
Fingers crosssed that I will be able to give the car its first public outing at the Revival!
http://www.dtrsports.com/projects/project_details....
Fingers crosssed that I will be able to give the car its first public outing at the Revival!
Batch 4. Last 2 pics are interesting. Paul has had to put hours in getting the doors, bonnet etc. to fit because everything is asymmetrical. Every panel has marked on it the build number so that when the Bertone lot put the car together they didn't try to put bits from another car on this one. No wonder they were so expensive when they were new!
Last 2 for today. The final is cheating, I know. http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/imgs/12.gif
Anyway, next post will hopefully be pictures of the finished item.
Anyway, next post will hopefully be pictures of the finished item.
Thanks for all the kind words. Running in is 1000 miles, but it sat on the M25 at a steady 70 yesterday no problem so I can definitely go places! The real surprise is how small the car is inside. It fits me like a glove, but I am on the small side and anyone who is 5' 10" or above would struggle for sure.
It will definitely be at Goodwood soon, but not sure about 14th.
It will definitely be at Goodwood soon, but not sure about 14th.
markymark93 said:
Hi
I have to say this is one of the cars on my wish list. I already have 3 projects on the go and therefore, this is one for a few years time I suspect (if I can find one that is not too pricey lol). Hopefully I will get to see it at some point if your ever down Goodwood way as I am fairly close.
thanks mark
Hi Mark,I have to say this is one of the cars on my wish list. I already have 3 projects on the go and therefore, this is one for a few years time I suspect (if I can find one that is not too pricey lol). Hopefully I will get to see it at some point if your ever down Goodwood way as I am fairly close.
thanks mark
The car was at the Breakfast Club meeting on Sunday! I drove down with the HR Owen convoy. It was the poor old SS surrounded by Ferraris, Maseratis and Lambos. I had to push it along a bit to kep up, but it was all good fun. I generally try to make the Breakfast Club meetings, and I usually go in the SS, so I'm sure I'll see you at some point.
neutral 3 said:
Well done SS, she looks fantastic, that shape must have looked incredible back when new and still is now !
Just wished my great friend Tony Foley was still with us, he loved Alfas and ran several during the sixties inc a 64 Guilia Spider ( last of the drum braked ones, which he said were a pain until you got them hot, as it pulled from side to side ) a Sprint Coupe and also an SS, which I'm pretty sure was a white one.
Couple of questions, do you know any of your cars early history ?
Were many imported to England and how many are thought to have survived ?
Has the Champions car survived ?
Sorry, neutral, I have been on my travels and only just saw this. I'm afraid I don't know anything about the car prior to my time with it. I have heard that there were 25 cars converted to RHD by Ruddspeed, but there have obviously been LHD cars brought in since then because I have seen a few of them. Every now and then I come across a statement that only about 140 of the SS's still exist, but I think this is unlikely (see the excellent site www.giuliettas.com for more on this). Just wished my great friend Tony Foley was still with us, he loved Alfas and ran several during the sixties inc a 64 Guilia Spider ( last of the drum braked ones, which he said were a pain until you got them hot, as it pulled from side to side ) a Sprint Coupe and also an SS, which I'm pretty sure was a white one.
Couple of questions, do you know any of your cars early history ?
Were many imported to England and how many are thought to have survived ?
Has the Champions car survived ?
Someone else mentioned The Champions car to me when the restoration was being carried out. I don't know if it still exists, but I certainly haven't seen a white SS in the metal (they seem to be mainly red, silver or blue).
The brakes were a bit of a surprise when I first got the car - it had been a while since I had a classic, and that was a 1973 911 which had very good brakes. You get used to them though, and once you have recalibrated stopping distances in your head things aren't so bad.
I have had one issue with the car since the restoration, and that is with the clutch. I was finding that when the engine got hot I was having a problem finding first gear after stopping, and third into second could be a bit graunchy. Paul at DTR had the car back in and spotted the problem. The conversion to RHD involves an extended linkage and the linkage was expanding when hot so that the clutch wasn't fully engaging when the clutch pedal was depressed. He has made some adjustments and the problem is apparently sorted. I am picking up the car on Saturday, so we'll see!
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