Report on (slow) S2 Coupe rebuild progress

[nthomas1]

Congratulations you even have the registration plate to go with the car NRL
Norm’s Restored Lancia!
Looks great

Thanks for that.  I was trying to think of a catchy name based on NRL!

[nthomas1]

Back to the car after the cold snap and I have fitted the boot catch and lock.  I’ve had a go at this before and failed to get the lock working so thought I’d get to the bottom of the problem.  I guess like a lot of people I’ver left tricky jobs until last, and I now have no choice but to address them!

For anybody removing or fitting the lock and catch there are a few hints that might prove useful.  Firstly, note that the catch has to be removed before the lock can be removed.  The lock is held in place by a large 30mm nut that can not be reached with the catch in place - at least not with the tools that I have available.  So the catch should be removed first, by undoing the four retaining screws and then by swivelling the mechanism carefully  through 180 degrees in line with the plane of the rear panel.  There is just enough room with some jiggling to get it over the lock.  Once it’s over it can be lowered and then tilted to get it from behind the vertical bracing struts.  The lock/release assembly can then be removed, by removing the 30mm nut that holds it in place.

Refitting is the reverse of this, with the lock assembly fitted first.  Note that the lock assembly should be fitted with the protruding arm at the end of the plunger pointing upwards.  That means that when the mechanism is locked with the key, the teeth on the key face upwards.  The lock assembly has locating lugs either side (visible in the picture below)  that locate in cutouts in the rear panel.  Being a new rear panel on my car, I had to file these cutouts.  Also note that the large washer that fits inside the boot under the 30mm nut also has cutouts. I marked the position of these with a pen so that I could ensure that they stayed in position at either side of the lock as the retaining nut was being tightened  - the cutouts themselves being hidden by the retaining nut.   The cutouts do not engage the relatively shallow lugs until the retaining nut is partially tightened.

One other hint is to push any cable running across the top of the boot rear up over the lock assembly before putting the catch in place.  Again, fitting the catch is the reverse of the procedure outlined above: pass it through the two vertical bracing struts, and with it inverted 180 degrees, tuck one end over the lock assembly and rotate it until it passes over the top and into position.  The third strip of pictures show this maneouvring  of the catch.

Having done all of that my lock still did not work - as I had found the previous time I tried it.  Normally there are only two variables: the lock position and the catch position.  But on my car a new rear panel had been fitted so any increase in the distance from catch to lock, or vertical misalignment could stop the lock release from engaging.  I suspected the former, but it turned out to be the latter.  The top of my rear panel is about 3 to 4mm below where it should be.  That means the lock assembly is similarly 3 to 4mm lower than the catch, enough for the plunger on the release to now miss connecting with the the place where it pushes the hinged portion of the catch forward to release the boot.  

I refitted the catch with 4mm spacers on each of the two forward retaining screws for the catch. This tilted the catch downwards at its leading edge such that the release plunger would now align and engage.  I then tried closing the boot.  The boot striker would not engage with the catch lowered, but rotating it 360 degrees lowered it just enough to now catch. To do this, the 13mm nut above the striker is loosened, the striker then rotated to required position, and the nut retightened.

So all now working properly.

[Neil]

Well done Norm another tricky job sorted, I remember mine was fiddly when I came to refit, but the rear panel had not been replace, but patched up as required.

[my69S1]

Thanks Norm, a job I will be doing in about 2 or 3 months.  When I took it apart I remember thinking this is going to be a bugger putting back together.

Norm, on a separate note, can you tell me if the back glass bows out or in.  I thought it was flat when I removed it but it isn't so I didn't make note of which side was in and which side was out (for replacing the gasket).

[davidwheeler]

I've posted a link to this page on the technical information thread.    That thread is a source of collected information that saves scrolling through many pages (or so I reckon).   

[nthomas1]

Norm, on a separate note, can you tell me if the back glass bows out or in.  I thought it was flat when I removed it but it isn't so I didn't make note of which side was in and which side was out (for replacing the gasket).

Marcus - on mine it bows out.  I have to say that until I went to look this morning I thought it was flat!

[my69S1]

Norm, on a separate note, can you tell me if the back glass bows out or in.  I thought it was flat when I removed it but it isn't so I didn't make note of which side was in and which side was out (for replacing the gasket).

Marcus - on mine it bows out.  I have to say that until I went to look this morning I thought it was flat!

Thanks Norm, that is perfect (got your e-mail as well). Thankfully I put the gasket on correctly.  I didn't realise it wasn't flat until I had the new gasket on it and then noticed a slight bend in the glass. 

[nthomas1]

I’m working through my “snag list” of jobs to do on the car - mostly small, but often fiddly. 

The air intake bulge on my bonnet bulges more than it should do so the intake grille, while fastened correctly with the two original clips, was distorted along its bottom edge.  I made up a small bracket by cutting down a surplus Ikea roller blind end bracket.  I drilled two small holes corresponding with the thicker sections of the central upright on the grille, and then very, very carefully drilled two corresponding small holes in the grille.  It succeeded in pulling the grille down into its correct position.

I’ve not been able to find angled spacers for the front number plate and it was not sitting correctly.  I shaped a couple of plastic spacers by shaving away one edge.  The plate now sits the way it should.  I put dummy screws in the bottom two unused mounting holes.  I’d warn anybody who buys number plates like mine to be very careful with them.  The edges are like razor blades and are quite dangerous.  In fact I’m going to put a bead of silicon around the rear perimeter to try to cushion the edges.

Finally for today, the bonnet prop on my car had a T-shaped piece welded to the bottom end, so I cut it off and put the correct rubber foot in its place. 

[nthomas1]

I’m missing the gap closer that covers the join for the two front stainless trim strips.  I was reluctant to pay around 55 euros to have one shipped from Italy.  Now with Brexit add-ons the shipped price is being quoted at 90 euros - for a one inch length of shaped stainless steel.

Interestingly, a friend just bought one and it doesn’t fit!  He has had to flatten the folded lips to get it into position.

I have the battered bonnet trim strip that came with my car and which I’ve replaced with a new one.  So today I experimented with it.  I cut a short section from an area where there was no damage and cut off part of the lower portion.  I then opened it up and re-closed it to be a few millimetres deeper.  It seems to do the trick.

[fay66]

I’m missing the gap closer that covers the join for the two front stainless trim strips.  I was reluctant to pay around 55 euros to have one shipped from Italy.  Now with Brexit add-ons the shipped price is being quoted at 90 euros - for a one inch length of shaped stainless steel.

Interestingly, a friend just bought one and it doesn’t fit!  He has had to flatten the folded lips to get it into position.

I have the battered bonnet trim strip that came with my car and which I’ve replaced with a new one.  So today I experimented with it.  I cut a short section from an area where there was no damage and cut off part of the lower portion.  I then opened it up and re-closed it to be a few millimetres wider.  It seems to do the trick.

Well done Norman, Where there's a will there's a way!
Perhaps you shouls manufacture a few more and sell them for £25
Brian
8227

[nthomas1]

Well, today I’m declaring the rebuild of my car to be complete, after five years of on-and-off work. My grandchildren just video-called for the final step: the ceremonial fitment of the new Nardi steering wheel.

There are a few mechanical things that need tweaking but I won’t report on those as that sort of thing is covered much more expertly in other people’s posts. 

It’s been a very interesting and enjoyable project, and I’ve learnt many new skills. It addressed a lifelong ambition to restore a Fulvia, as much as possible by myself. And, whilst it is by no means a concours standard vehicle, it has resulted in a nice solid and well presented car that I will take great pleasure now in using as its manufacturer intended.

Many, many thanks to all of you on the Forum who have offered advice and have given encouragement!

[Beckerman67]

 Congratulations Norm  There is one thing left for you to do. ENJOY IT.

[Keithver]

Fantastic Norm. It looks outstanding. Thanks for everything you have documented so well and giving us, trailing you, the answers to most of the questions we might have. You have inspired hope that we can complete ours too - well done

[lancialulu]

You can't beat a white Fulvia Coupe!!! Well done - now drive and enjoy

[D5177_55A]

Well done. It’s always nice to see the ingenuity that home restorers have to come up with when tackling projects. Your ‘blog’ and Tad Draughn’s http://lancisti.net/wbb/index.php?thread/10345-taddraughn-s-fulvia-coupe-progress-thread/ have made interesting reading over the past couple of years.