awesome, truly is , would love to have a look at this one day..

Great work,well done.

Total dedication, very impressive !!

Yes, great work indeed!

Corrosion is a problem we don't have much here. Well, obviously not as serious as you guys. Our weather is an obvious and great help. It does rain a bit in autumn/winter, but it's still veeeeeery rare to see snow in Lisbon and the south of the country, for example. So, no salt on the roads... Either way, the vast majority of portuguese coupes are weekend cars.

As for imported coupes from Germany, e.g., yes, I know at least one case of bad corrosion. It seems that the car's underpart had to make a huge "surgery"...

Regards!
CJ

Great work Derek. I found all your emails with the photos in stuck in my 'Spam' box!

Good to see the car looking like it has just left the factory. I couldn't even attempt to do the work that you've been doing to it.

This will be one of the best Fiat Coupe's on the road once you've finished it. I hope to see some photos of it at meets soon?!

Thanks Duncan (and the others!) for the comments!

It might not see a road this summer (Still got the back end to do - the rear suspension's coming completely off) but we'll give it a go.

Once it's done it'll be shown off, don't worry!

I guess this'll be a strong contender for inclusion in the next calendar old boy

Does this amount of meticulousness [about which I have no problem, just admiration btw] never get you into hot water elsewhere, work or whatever?

Also will it be a closet coupe with the occasional show appearance or will you sell it?

No it's what keeps me sane, doesn't get me into bother at all. I just chip away at it a bit at a time, it does take me while to get there however. Still don't know if it'll see a road this year (I limit my monthly spend and I've got a few reasonably expensive things to get done still) but it'll get used once its finished!

There'd be little point selling it bearing in mind both what I paid for it and what Coupe's are selling for. I'd have to get circa £7K to break even.

Errmmm.... Haven't you got the Brembo sticker on the wrong way round?

doom and gloom has entered the building

I can see what you're getting at but don't worry!

I decided I wanted the brembo 'squiggle' in the same place on both calipers (at the top) as I considered the factory way as being upside down as far as the writing is concerned

Conscious choice on my part!

Lovely stuff, keep it coming Duffy doing a great job.

Looking at your refurb brembo's are they new bleed nipples,if so where did you get them from? is there a link on the net.

Have'nt done any thing to my Coupe for the past five weeks been working sat/sundays to get some money together to refurb wheeles and buy new tyers.

Johnny

They are stainless ones from fleabay. M10 x 1mm by HEL, they do the business and won't corrode.

Cheers for the info Duffy,i'll get some off ebay tonight

Oh dear!!

Duffy it's a good job you decided to check the rear end this year and not leave it till next year.

look's like a full back end refurb?
£££ i know the feeling, but it should transform the ride for the better.

Yep it adds up!

£300 for a subframe, circa £90 for a compensator, £60 for discs and pads, £140 for brackets and bits......etc etc, so on and so forth!

Could sell the kids I suppose.

WOW Duffy, you don't hang around do you!!

As my wife says, I might not be good, but god I'm quick!

Looking good MrD

seconded

Looking ace!
Is it going to remain a driver (daily or odd day out)?
Will be a great car for sure, well done!

Thanks for the comments!

I'm intending to keep it as a 'summer use' toy only, no nasty winters to spoil the work!

I'm also keen for the car to last in this condition, hence the effort to get into every nook and cranny and paint, dinitrol and electro-plate everything.

If you keep this standard of work up you are going to end up with a cleaner and better protected car than when it first rolled off the production line !

When you put it for its MOT there are gonna be a few folk scratching their head's wondering how an old fiat looks brand new !

Bloody hell my car could do with just being driven into a big bath of that electroplating stuff

Thanks!

You'll end up being so paranoid about it you won't want to let it off your Persian carpet, let alone into the cratered surfaces of the Kingdom

Having said that "you done well son"

I hereby invitate you to Spa in 2013.

All expenses paid???????

Okay then!

No chance.
Keep up the good work.

Jonny,

You've seen this car when I had it, when I came up to buy that Ford Ka off you back in 2010.

I seem to remember you asking if it had an official paint scheme on it?! I didn't think Moon Greys were that rare!

Well done!
Coupe looks fantastic