As required by da management!!!

Superb!!! Really impressed with your work. Are the parts your using re'furbed by yourself, a company re'furb or brand new?? They look quality.
Im going for a similar look with my restoration.

WOW
Cant say more than that really

Seriously though... WOW

Great work

Thought you'd been unusually quiet, now I see why

Your Da would be proud of you, immaculate work

New horns, or just copper top refurb?

Nice work Duffy. I know Duncan would be very happy to know his old pride and joy has found even better hands!!

Fantastic work mate. This will be mint when done. Funnily enough, my new plus is going through something very similar at the moment that I'll post details on later this month.

Rust does seem to adversely affect these later Plus's!

Really nice job though

Sugar, I just posted in the wrong thread then - see the other one! Can my comment be moved here mods?

Great stuff. Looks superb, and you must have worked bloody hard on this labour of love

Yes, consider yourself told off. Along with Mario, Hovedan, Edinburgh and Tim42

Thanks for the comments!

Everything has been refurbed by myself, down to replating everything metal, with the exception of the powder coating and vapour blasting.

The horns were an ebay bargain!

I am also impressed
With cadmium plating you refresh all engine metal parts, or?

Anything metal, if it's sound, gets stripped by electrolysis, zinc plated in a tank and is then anodised in a 2 step process, anything shiny in the photo's (with the exception of the oil pipes and horns) was done this way. It's time consuming but gives good results.

and how much per part is charged for this Duffy? Also, where on earth do you get this carried out? At your local powder-coaters?

Well, if mods insisted that the second post on a 'project' thread included a link to a discussion thread ....... maybe no-one would get told off?

Nice work there Duffy.

No it's a DIY process, the kit costs about £110

Google gateros plating!

Gateros plating - now that was an education

Workshop definitely required for this game, but what results for the fastidious and/or someone who apparently doesn't eat or sleep

Does the zinc eventually "wear out"?

Good to see that you're looking after my next car so well Duffy!
Seriously though, It looks like you're doing a seriously impressive job & I'd guess you're intending to keep it for a while yet.
Oh, where did you manage to get hold of the new Oil cooler pipes please?
Cheers,

Yes it's a sacrificial process and you need to buy new anodes (Which I've just had to do) it's well worth it though

Thanks for the comments, the last car I did to this standard (A Mark V Cortina 2.0 Ghia 'S') which I spent years on and fitted a 2.0 Zetec, Granada gearbox, Cosworth ABS, engine management, bare shelled and retrimmed etc etc, I sold immediately after finishing (It had been the cover/centrefold/feature car in Classic Ford magazine)so everything has a price!





The pipes were an ebay purchase. Bought for £100, sold the old ones for £75, cheap upgrade! The cooler is the original one which has been vapour blasted (Which is a gentle enough process that the plastic Fiat part's number sticker survived).

Looking very good Duffy, nice to see a few coupes now getting this attention as they now genuinely approach classic status!
Doing the same to mine (when remember to take camera with me will add some pics to my steel grey thread honest!)

They may rust a bit but still not too bad compared to other older classics.

I also have a mk2 RS2000 which was a full total strip and rebuilt, and a mk2 XR2 which was similar resto to my coupe not total strip but still quite comprehensive, its quite enjoyable to see the cars transform from used to as new!

The plating kit looks good (i used some purchased plated parts on the RS and all new plated bolts) the coupe parts arnt as available so will paint mine but do like the factory as new look it gives, top work!

Good work Duffy,
You have the same motto with your project as i have with mine.

If the jobs worth doing it's worth doing right,

it's the little things that take the time but they make the end result WELL DONE.

I'll will be updating my thread soon on the back end refurb.

Johnny

Leckypete,
I envy you having a Mk2 Rs2000; I had one as a company car for a year and it was enormous fun. I just wish that I could have bought it off the company and stuck it away in my garage for a year or twenty.

Back to the topic, I have just had my Moon 20VT6 resprayed and am now in OCD mode regarding the small bits and pieces in the engine bay that annoy me. Marco is sending me a pair of sand-blasted horns, and I need to sort the rusty patches on the slam panel. I am sitting in my bedroom listening to 5Live sorting out the fuel cap (wet 'n' dry and Autosol) - very sad, but Katie Perry had other plans this evening

Duffy, keep up the good work and might compare Moons at a meet sometime ; just a great colour!!

Thanks for the comments folks, they make it worthwhile!

Looks Would love to do that to mine

Thanks!

I'm lucky in that it's a toy and not a daily runner, ergo I can be as self indulgent, time wise, as I want to be.

No pressure for it to be back together for the Monday commute!

I'm so glad I bought my car off you lol! car is immaculate EVERYWHERE!!!

Thanks jonny, attention to detail is my thing!

My god that's good work Duffy!

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

Looks fantastic well done

Thanks guys!

Wow

Looks fabulous Duffy!

Enjoy.

Im Jealous
The car was great when Duncan owned it, its even better now!

Thanks, it's night and day under the surface and in detail compared to how it was on arrival methinks.

It should be an even better drive now.

I'll find out tomorrow after MOT time (Hopefully!)

Secretly you hired Pininfarina to build you a brand new one.

Duffy , that is looking mint , really is an outstanding job.. kudos to you mate.

I've done my best to make it look that way.

Not to mention your garden, it has great views from the house

Great tlc, well done that man!

What about a fetching badger stripe to tie in boot and bonnet?

WOW! Excellent work.

Thanks

Well done Duffy,Looks fabulous!!!

Great job DD

So Soon! I was hoping to see this lovely Car again at another meet.

You got another project in the Pipeline?

For anybody Interested in this Car - under the bonnet, underneath and inside - it looks and smells like a new car.

Got room for another Marko? Sure home delivery could be arranged

For a very reasonable price!

I'd rather it went to somebody in the club albeit first serious offer gets it.......!

Oh there is room alright, but for someone who walks to work trying to justify 3 cars is difficult enough. I did have 4 for a short period, but Mrs Lego didn't let up in her well justified criticism and it came to an end quite quickly.

Main problem is funds. I simply can't afford it.

I think I feel a divorce coming on

Sell some of them then!!!

You've seen it, you know you won't find better!

Nae chance of it getting delivered to you down there Joe

Cheeky beggars on Pistonheads (General Gassing) have opened a thread on overpriced cars, headed up by Duffy's wonderful Plus! I just had to say something. Who else is a PH'er and is willing and able to show a bit of support for the coupe cause?!

Just had a look at the thread, the comments are actually pretty positive. The original poster mentions it but from there it's pretty fair comment on the whole.

Thanks for highlighting this, it made me laugh!

When it comes to the price, yes it's a lot of money for a coupe, however there is a market for things that have been done properly.

You've all seen what's been done to the car, it's been gone over with a fine toothed comb and everything that needed done has been done to either factory, or better than factory standard.

Is there another standard Coupe that's been done to this level?

Why it up for sale? What's next?

Because I enjoy the whole resto thing.

This one is done, I can either just drive it or sell it and get something else.

3rd time I've done exactly this!

Hahaha great question
I will have to lose my pride for a bit and say yes. This car is a credit to its owner and worth every penny. I would not sell mine for any less either.

If I buy this one, I could finish my collection of duffy restored coops lol

In your dreams......

:-)

Mario has gracefully answered the above question and the answer was, Yes it is. Mario also added that he wouldn't sell his for any less than I'm asking.

Duffy I'm not sure if you've noticed (or have done it deliberately) but one of your Brembo decals is on the wrong way round.

Yes it's been discussed before.

Conscious choice, I wanted the brembo squiggle on the same place on both sides and the writing starting in the proper place, eg at the top.

Their on the way they are from the factory to save them 'siding' the calipers, it's a money saving/stock decision by Brembo.

Ever seen any column with the writing starting at the bottom?

But what about the wheels? They are not "sided" either?

Harder to swap them isn't it?

:-)

Did you have problems accessing the bulb holder? You saw the invoice I had from Rog on that issue? Alarm wiring??

Nope I did it in situ, very straightforward.

Was it sold to a forum member Derek?

No sadly not, however he's a decent mature guy who had one when he was younger and had been looking for an 'as new' one for a while, I've no doubt it'll be well looked after .

What happened to joe's question???????

It was moved to this thread, as people don't seem to have the ability to post on the correct thread in the project section.

Where was the car advertised when the guy contacted you if not the forum? PH?

Yes

Good work Derek

IMHO this is the best standard Fiat Coupe in the world!

Thanks!

I think part of the reason for the sale was that I genuinely think it was as near perfect as sensible money could get it, it was at the stage I was worried about parking it anywhere other than my garage, I was almost scared to use it.

It finally struck me that this was silly. There's a lesson for me in here somewhere

Well done on the sale Duffy!

Yeah sorry - where is my manners?!

Congrats on getting it sold!!

Ross

No mildly confrontational questions Ross?

A pleasant surprise!

Thank you

:-)

Ross:

It's gone, quite emotional about this one!

I'll be back at some point I imagine.....

Will you be sticking around on here in the meantime?

Looking to kick me out?

Was it something I said??

Do I need to be nice to Ross????

Mario will not kick you out providing you give him a farm house offering..

we here he likes goats

hear*

shhh

Dropped in to check progress - Looking really lovely in the end sir!

Thanks!

I know I'm late to the party, but for someone who's been away from the fold a few years, and looking to put the old girl back on the road, this is truly inspirational stuff.

Thanks for sharing

You're welcome.

It was fun!

:-)

Cracking job Duffy.
Very inspirational.
I take it you had access to a paint booth or the like?
What did you use to strip the original paint?
I want to start around the o/s/f say with the horns etc?

Brilly

Looks like a top job Duffy.
Really need to respray mine, finish my Brembo refurb & get my Plus alloys powdercoated.

Thanks for the comment guys, I used a professional for the external paintwork and he used something akin to nitromors for the stripping I believe.

It certainly looked good when it was finished.

I am sure the Boxster is good compensation Duffy!

Looking very nice

Thanks!

And now up for Sale by current owner >>>> Click Here

Interesting to see if they get near what they are asking?
Still looks in good order and a credit to Duffy's hard work.

He's already knocked £1.5K off!

Lordie me!

Poor photos and description don't help his cause either methinks......

Too true

He also forgot to mention it's a turbo....

The potential buyer from about 3 months ago evidently pulled out, I thought it looked quite firm....