Old fiat owner, new member

[mdrburchette]

Welcome! I'm glad there's another with enough sense to appreciate the early cars. As for getting your photos posted, most people here use Photobucket.

[kristoj]

Ok, that didn't work.
Someone help me find a photo sharing site is that I send these to before linking them here.

http://www.photobucket.com

[rlux4]

Once you've uploaded them there, they will be in your "album" You select what picture(s) you want to post here then go to the bottom of the page and click on "generate Img code or HTML", that will give you a page with several options to copy the photo(s). I usually use the "thumbnails for message boards" option (it works for me) and click on the option you like. That will copy the code. Come back to FS.com and paste it in your message composition. I use the thumbnails because I can just paste it in without using the insert commands in the gray boxes above the composition area.
Good luck,
Ron

[msrmd]

so cal mark, rlux,ristoj, mbouse, pope, mdrburchette:

thanks for the warm welcome and helpful advice. I am on call this weekend and spending it in the hospital (thankfully not as a patient). Unfortunately I am away from my own computer and unable to try posting pictures as instructed. I will try again as soon as possible.

A belated congratulations to mdrburchette on the honors at the ICF last fall. I am working with someone from that area on my 73 and he told me about the competition. I couldn't get down there but fell in love with your car when I saw it listed as an entry. I went back to their site to get another look at it, but the ICF page is not available. There should be a picture of your car on that site in perpetuity.

[mdrburchette]

Thanks for the kind words. My car's gotten so famous over that event, I'm afraid to drive it...NOT! You can check out my trials and tribulations here: http://gallery.italiancarclub.com/124og/SPIDER-LADY-72/

This site is also a great place to post of your car and to check out many other Italian cars. Here's the link:
http://gallery.italiancarclub.com/main.php

[msrmd]

After much gnashing of teeth I think I have figured out how to sent these pix of my 73 in its pre-restoration state.

[msrmd]

The car in the previous pictures is now in pieces and after the engine is pulled, we will be sending the stripped body for a high end down to the metal paint job.l I plan to use the original color of my first 124 (rallye red) but with clear coat improvement.
Any thoughts on the restoration process at this stage, including anything that you are really glad you did or wish that you had thought of would be greatly appreciated. Obviously the engine and transmission are being rebuilt, all rubber replaced, anodized parts reanodized, and chrome re-chromed. all new black upholstery and interior will be used and we are trying to get new OEM dash and consoles from a manufacturer in Italy that my restorer has used before.

I know a good deal about these cars, and am a very amatuerish restorer myself but am not in the same league as many of you whose magnificent works of love I have seen on these pages. Any help and advice you can give me would be much appreciated.

[rlux4]

Now that's what I'm talking about! Good idea having before and after pictures. Thanks for sharing.
Do you have the upper console section, or will you be trying to source one?
Ron

[msrmd]

There is an upper console section, which I will be seeing for the first time this weekend. I don't know what shape it is in, and I think the plan is to replace it, but I don't know if it would come from the same source as the dash. I will know more after this weekend when I lay eyes on all the parts.

[mdrburchette]

While you've got the engine and tranny out it might be a good idea to weld a plate where the clutch cable comes out to reinforce that part of the firewall. I'd also consider reinforcing the clutch pedal tongs since it seems some people have reported problems of them weakening.
BTW, it looks like you have a great car for a restoration. Hope you took plenty of pics when you were taking it apart and labeled your wiring harness!

[msrmd]

On my 71 I have been doing all the work myself and came close to burning the car and the garage down when taking the console out and forgetting to disconnect the battery. I forgot about the heater switch and grounded it. Black smoke filled the garage when the insulation burned off the white hot wire. I somehow managed to use an insulated screwdriver to flip the wire off the ground and onto the carpet. Good lesson. learned about some rewiring techniques in the process and the carpet was going to be replace anyway.

Thus my decision to have the 73 professionally restored. I hope he has the wiring under control.

Haven't made a decision yet about exhaust. I know So Cal Mark is an expert in this area. I know I want to change the header for freer flow but what thoughts do you'all (I'm from Arkansas remember) have about the best exhaust system. This will be a street vehicle, not for racing, but I want to improve performance in any reasonable ways,

[msrmd]

Again any thoughts on things I should do while I have my 73 completely disassembled for engine rebuild, transmission rebuild/ reconditioning, and off body paint job?

[msrmd]

Just visited the 73 in the process of disassembly. Kind of sad to see her that way. The only rust found was on the rear where a minor crease had been repaired. Shouldn't be to hard to fix, and if necessary we will just replace that section. Floorpans are fine, as are shock towers and fenders.

Again any suggestions while we are in process would be greatly appreciated. Speak now or forever hold your peace.

[baltobernie]

Welcome CBG! (chrome bumper guy or gal)

If you are going to FFO this weekend, be sure and stop by and say "hi" to another '73.

Are you trying to keep a bone-stock car, or are you open to modifications? I'm just about finished rewiring with a Painless universal kit, and it would be a great upgrade to your restoration in terms of reliability. For example, the Fiat hazard switch has 9 wires attached to it vs. 3 with the modern kit. I'll be publishing the details next month.

[racydave]

I use Flickr, others use photobucket