Tales from the workshop; guess what we're going to do this winter... *Pics*

I normally post pics during the weekend, but today's scenery was too nice! Something I like the share 'when it's still hot'.

Over the years, I've explained that during the winter, most jobs are (part) restorations and during the summer, the customers come in for repairs and -early in the year- maintenance. Over the last few winters we had the red Volvo 1800S, the red-and-later-green Morgan, the curry-coloured TR6. All featured here on the forum.

But we never had 3 full-scale restorations at the same time! The red Spitfire MK IV, the Fiat 500 and the blue Saab 96. The Fiat is our long-term pet-project. I've written about that car a while back.

https://i.postimg.cc/kg8DKdCf/94-DAD...9-DEE9-DCD.jpg

The Spit is going to get a full respray. Despite the fact that I think that the body should come off as well, the owner has chosen to keep the body on the chassis.

https://i.postimg.cc/tRMgcgCB/52-DC1...C33-C965-F.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/cLqLs53Y/C43462...0-F39-F786.jpg


And then there's my absolute favorite: the Saab 96. The owner and I can spend hours talking about this car. A while back, I wrote about 'giving the owner some time' to come up with his wishlist. Well, the wishlist is as long as my arm!

https://i.postimg.cc/zf7zFzcS/3292-E...CCF2-C1360.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/cHJs9qqq/249487...7-D240-FFD.jpg

First success: tracing a brand-new scuttle (is that the term? We call it a paravan). Perhaps you can remember Edd China working on a yellow USA Saab 96. He had to cut out rust and he made a bunch of inserts for the holes. We managed to trace a brand-new one in Germany. The 'SAAB Aktiebolaget' decals were still on it!

https://i.postimg.cc/MZNWDrd4/BD224-...298-FFC3-B.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/MpbqzZq2/F3-F1-...-FC663-FAF.jpg

The engine is out and sent off to a Ford engine wizard who's going to change the 1500 cc engine into a 1700 cc engine. Furthermore: enlarging the manifold holes, different valves and perhaps a one-off for Webers! Saab used to have a special catalog for 'fast stuff' and the idea is to obtain/make as much as possible.

https://i.postimg.cc/JhzngHJd/7-C06-...90115-D0-B.jpg

There’s no time pressure and the owner is aware of the fact that the total costs will outnumber the value of the car. He doesn't mind.

Wow!

I'm all for a 'winter project' Menno, but not having three at once...!

Do keep us updated please.

R

Really love to see these posts. With 3 full rebuilds it must be a challenge to keep all the parts for each one separate and avoid mixing stuff up. Anyone who’s restored a car knows how much space is needed for all the parts, cars take up a lot more space when stripped down!

The Spitfire is a car I have a soft spot for, I owned 2 between ‘78 and ‘81 when they were still a common sight on British roads. Fixing the first one when I had no spare money was the way I really got into car work, I had to change the diff on my parent’s driveway and that was the first big job I tackled. Spitfires eat suspension parts and driveshaft universal joints, front lower trunnions with nylon bushes are another consumable. Even when everything’s in good condition the rear suspension will makes noises, the source of which can never be traced.

I think the Spitfire owner is making a mistake by not having the body removed from the chassis, it costs more but its the best way to do it and a car that’s had the body off will always be more desirable. It also allows the chassis and underside of the body to be properly repainted, it moves the car into a different league in my opinion.

The Fiat 500 brings back memories too. I used to do a bit of car work to put a few extra pounds in my pocket and I ended up fitting a new exhaust on a Fiat 500. The job was a nightmare, I have a hazy recollection of stripped threads, damaged manifold studs and pissing rain. The owner ( a student) was very grateful and promised to pay for the job the following week.......40 years later I’m still waiting!

Having moved last week I now have a smaller house but a much bigger garage. Sorting the garage out will be a project, it needs a new roof and other things, but it’ll be nice to have a decent area to work in (24’ x 12’). It won’t reach the standard of Menno’s workshop but it’ll be OK for me, last garage was way too small!

Keep posting the stories Menno, I’ll enjoy seeing the Spitfire progress.

Subscribed :thumbsup:

The Fiat is really an ultra-long term project. Work is done every now and then (money related). No problem, the guys in the shop love the project.

Keeping stuff apart. Not too difficult. The Fiat parts are all up in the attic, simply because all is so light and therefor easy to bring upstairs. The Saab's parts are all heavy. We opted for the left storage facility (the car is on the left car lift) and the Spit's parts are... on the right side.

The biggest hurdle was the removal of the Saab's dashboard panel. Theoretically an easy job: some parker screws, some clips... No. At the 70s Saab plant, the biggest Viking bloke must have been in charge of mounting the dash panel. This is a problem with all Saabs I've encountered! Unscrewing was hard, but as you can see, the work got done.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thieuster

The biggest hurdle was the removal of the Saab's dashboard panel. Theoretically an easy job: some parker screws, some clips... No. At the 70s Saab plant, the biggest Viking bloke must have been in charge of mounting the dash panel. This is a problem with all Saabs I've encountered! Unscrewing was hard, but as you can see, the work got done.

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Said Viking must have carried on to the very end - Saab mechanics still roll their eyeballs when confronted with a dash removal.

Re the Saab 96:

Some lovely pictures here -

https://borderreivers.co/portfolio/s...ally-car-1973/

No connection with vendor etc. etc..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jwg663

Re the Saab 96:

Some lovely pictures here -

https://borderreivers.co/portfolio/s...ally-car-1973/

No connection with vendor etc. etc..

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Oh my days that looks wonderful.