Classic Alfa Forums

Tim came over yesterday to bring the front wings, new fibreglass ones.
On first trial fit they looked like they'd never fit. We weighed up the options then decided to at least have a go at making something of them.
15 mins or so of nervy grinding we made huge progress, remember new wings so chopping bits out could easily render then useless, but it gave me hope that I may be able to do something with them.

Today I still felt a bit nervous as all the mounting holes needed drilling in the new wings as well as trying to get an acceptable fit.

As we'd made a little progress with the passenger side I carried on with it. It's really just a case of carefully finding where the wing was too tight a fit and adjusting (cutting bits off...) until it sat well. Then the fun of getting the mounting holes drilled in the right places, I really didn't want to have holes in places where not needed!
The fit is pretty decent all round apart from a section near the front panel, for how they were it was a relief to get the gaps nice and straight.

Onto the drivers side and it seemed way worse, glad I did the passenger one first or it would have freaked me out!
Having done the other side first though I thought it would be able to be sorted.
The wing sat proud of the door by a big enough gap to get your finger in, that can't be good!

Soon learned though that they must allow extra all around when it comes out of the mould so you can trim it to suit.

Chuffed again with my efforts.

Only thing that bugged me was the fit at the front panel.

Shape wasn't really right.
Decided to have a go at reshaping the metal front panel to see if it would easily fold into shape better, it did. A slit needs to be set in and welded back up to allow the panel to shrink in to suit the wing better. I'll do that when I've refilled the welding gas bottle, all this welding gets through it. At least it will be fairly easy to make a little better.

Overall happy with the days work considering I've never worked with fibreglass before, well not new ones that needed shaping to fit.

Lines and gaps are perfectly acceptable for steel wings let alone glass ones.
Glad to have tried it now.

I thought we would be throwing them away when we first offered one up yesterday, but a couple of cuts later they looked like they might do.

As ever now Kev has worked his magic, they look great, a good fit all round.

Thanks Kev

Veesix75 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2020 9:45 pm I thought we would be throwing them away when we first offered one up yesterday, but a couple of cuts later they looked like they might do.

As ever now Kev has worked his magic, they look great, a good fit all round.

Thanks Kev

me too

Time is running out..........which should it be , white or orange, or orange or white ?

I’d go for straight Alfa Red

White with orange for me, - although the lovely shade of pink that it was in had something ..........

Ha, yep pink and grey. I reckon it was either late 2012 or early 2013 when I picked it up from you John.

Not be long and Kev will have it looking good again.

The drivers front wing needed all the captive fixings making along the wing mounting rail as yesterday it was just nuts and bolts, a new bottle for the welder picked up today made it possible.
With the wing now fixed firmly and slightly better to the bonnet line the front panel alignment bugged me enough to have a go at it.

First job was to slit a slice out of the panel to allow it to be closed up..
The bolts were used with mole grips to pull the sections together..
With it pulled tighter it allowed the panel to be much more in line with the wing profile.

Much happier with the alignments now, not that it was bad yesterday but it's pretty good now for steel wings let alone glass ones.


As for the colour scheme I'm coming around to orange...

Mrs veesix75 hates cars, didn’t know I had this sud either, and when I confessed last night, she also said orange.

I expected expletives.

Jeez that’s a dangerous game. I’ve been allowed to keep my newly powder coated xmember in the house until it goes back on as it’s very very clean.

and I didn't need to say anything.
Have to say, like your sprint Tim, the white is nice with a bright coloured stripe.

Kev, glass fibre stuff can always be manipulated if the shape is a bit off.
I fitted a pair of glass fibre front wings to my Sprint Veloce. It had a door gap like an old classic Range Rover you could put your finger in it, and at the front it was about 10mm shy of the bonnet line. Keyed up the edges and built up with filler. Once primed and coloured it looked great (Same colour as Colin's Special). You may need to get some P40 (or any glass fibre repair paste) then you can reinforce any area you cut through.
Shell is really taking a nice shape now. Top work.

Big step today it seems, one of those stages that seems to be the job moving on at last..

The wing rails got spacers welded to follow the curvature of the fibreglass wings so it doesn't split them when bolted down, the in between sections got some fibreglass to build it up to fill the gap. All reversible should the need arise with different wings going on rather than cutting and welding.

Front inner wings and sills etch primed so I could put the stoneguard on so it gets chance to dry off before the main primer.

The etch primer alone makes things seem much better alone..
With that done the stoneguard went on, outer sills and inner front wings plus the areas where the roll cage will bolt down got a coat for a bit of added protection.
The sills have had the square holes that are for the sill covers filled in. I must confess to Tim that although he said to weld them up I just couldn't, it's rare to have a sud with all the holes in such good condition so if anyone in the future wanted to fit ti skirts it'd be harder. So I knocked them in my a few mm and fibreglassed over the holes, gives the smooth look but the option is still there should it be needed further down the line.

I'll leave the car tomorrow so the stoneguard can dry out all the solvent. Friday if all well I'll get down there to prime the shell..

Not done much with fibreglass Keith so was a bit worried about it but as you say I guess it can be manipulated and added to like a metal wing can.

Glad I didn't have to do too much!

Ha, I’d never have known any different on the Cills Kev if you hadn’t told me. As you say the progress seems to take 2 steps forward with certain stages, seeing it with wings and now with the inners painted.

Best get the colour sorted soon......

Always found fibreglass pAnels far more resilient in motorsport than metal panels.
Been using them for yeArs. They have far more elasticity thanmetal. The wings on the 33 are the same wings as I have had from when the beginning and have survived many close encounters including a roll.

Rsfruitbat

Bit more sorting out this morning then this afternoon I finally got around to getting some etch primer on the car, about time I hear you all say!


Cars always look better when in one colour instead of the patchwork of repairs, the grey etch primer goes over everything bare metal and all so I know once that's stuck then the next layers won't be liable to flake off.
The outer panels got a couple of good layers of the filler primer that I favour, more coats on areas that have been repaired. The thickness that this primer goes on allows plenty of material to be flatted off to rid any flat spots or scratches, it's really like liquid body filler!

We went from nardo grey to puce yellow in one day...............luckily the metallic techno violet bmw colour we chose in the end will cover it all....

Top work Kev

Excellent progress Kev.
I am loving that single light unit back end.
So have you decided on a colour yet boys???

Purple ..

Veesix75 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 13, 2020 9:11 amPurple ..

Purple!
I thought you said pink, like the primer as John suggested.. That's what's in the tin I think.. Find out Tuesday

I dare you !!!

We’re not that brave I’m afraid........I think we have a tin of diamond white ready to freshen it up.

Release your inner Barbie.

Ha ha !!
If you did, you would never sell it.

I know it's Sunday and not Tuesday, but with the weather so favourable with no wind I decided to go up and paint it this afternoon. Playing golf tomorrow so it'll get a day to harden off before flat and polish Tuesday.
Came out OK, lack of skill got a run or two on the drivers rear 1/4 but I blame the under bench light failing on me so was kinda painting blind, more so than usual with my failing eyesight

Good effort. That has come a long way. Impressed.