Project 3P, Part 10: a Progress Report (Fiat 128 3P Restoration)

In many ways, progress on P3P has stalled as I wait for my panel man to fabricate and weld in a new sill patch and a brace for the luggage compartment. This hasn't totally halted all work, though; there's been some painting - the standard spare wheel and Fiat jack, of all things - plus the hatchback has benefitted from having its lock fixed and a new gas strut fitted.

The 13” spare - effectively a space-saver compared to the car’s current 185/60R14-shod Alfa wineglasses that are too big to fit into the engine bay - was a sorry, rusty-looking affair until it got an enthusiastic going over with a wire wheel, some sandpaper and several coats of "marigold" paint. I will admit that I'm quite taken with the colour-coded jack-top, too; it also works quite well with the yellow timing belt cover.

Handy under-bonnet storage!

In what's the first backward step in P3P's restoration, the hatchback lock gave up the ghost a week or so back and refused to admit the key. I suspect that it got jarred, scrambling the tumbler, when the hatch got dropped too often, from too high, a result of there being no bounce left in the gas strut. More of that later ... .

The fix was provided by Tasmanian Locksmiths*, 115 Harrington Street, Hobart (Ph: 03 6234 3727), and was all done within a few hours of dropping the faulty item off. All up and with three additional keys cut - a spare for the doors and hatch, ignition and fuel cap - the latter being an unusual profile - the job cost a very reasonable $77.00. I've used this business before; they have a good range of blanks for Italian cars and they don't mind having a crack at potentially tricky assignments.

Now that strut! After sifting through literally dozens of eBay ads for replacement items (almost certainly made in China and very likely rubbish), I came across several on-line listings for regassing services. Taking a punt on which locally-based operator to go with, I chose Strut Re-Gas, Hobart** (6249 3652 / 0419 359 941). It's a mobile operation, which meant that owner / operator Lester came to me - or, more accurately, my house, seeing I was at work - and assessed my strut to see if it could be salvaged.

It turned out that mine was too far gone. However, that wasn't a problem; Lester was able to supply a new cylinder onto which he grafted the correct swivel ends, all for $55.00, including GST. I'm yet to meet the man but I have settled the invoice! I'm very, very happy with the service.

Proudly erect and pointing skyward! Prompt, efficient and very competitively priced service. Thanks, Lester!

Yet to come on P3P: I visit Clark Rubber to source new hatch, rear window and door seals; Steve the upholsterer is hopefully able to find some fabric to repair the driver's seat, as well as sew up a torn seam on the rear; the rust repairs are finalised; and then, just maybe, we go for a respray! I'm thinking Ford Focus RS red might be nice.

U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

iPhone images.

* & ** No, I'm not sponsored by either company.

EJ or EH Holden? (Up-dated December, 2022)

EJ or the later EH? Several years ago, I posed the question: Can somebody please explain the difference between an EJ and an EH Holden ute or van? The response at the time wasn't overwhelming, so I did a bit of Googling and ferreting through my photos and came up with my own rough guide to EJ and EH identification. Sedans and wagons are easy to tell apart ; the EH's vertical rectangular tail lights are a dead give-away. However, the workhorse versions of both models share the rear-end treatment of the earlier EJ, making it harder to identify one from the other. No super obvious hints here. Or here ... . It turns out that the main clues are in the placement of the front H O L D E N lettering and GMH lion emblems, the style of the radiator grille and the width of the vents in front of the windscreen, with all EJs - sedans, wagons, utes and vans - having one combination and the EH line-up having their own . So what exactly are those diffe

Vick Auto Prima Fiat X1/9 Brakes: An Owner’s Assessment

At the end of 2022, I fitted a set of Vick Autosport Prima front brakes to my mildly worked 1.5 litre Series 1 Fiat X1/9 . I was fortunate, having picked them up at a very, very reasonable price, brand new but surplus to the needs of a fellow X1/9 Australia member who had imported them from the US. The kit included: New single pot callipers , new vented rotors (standard X1/9 front rotors are smaller, non-vented items), DOT approved stainless steel brake hoses, and all the necessary mounting hardware. They are a value proposition, being particularly well priced compared to other manufacturers’ packages - even at RRP - with everyone I’ve spoken to saying they’re made to a high standard, too. Here's a link to a piece that I wrote about them at that time, including some costings: https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-x19-gets-prima-brake-upgrade.html . Initial Assessment: I was a little underwhelmed by the brakes' performance, finding that although they had a tiny

Random # 301: Nanna-Spec KE36 Corolla

Once upon a time - six or seven years ago, actually - there was a lovely pale yellow GC Galant station wagon getting around Hobart. It was totally nanna-spec; its paint was umarked, the chrome work and hubcaps were immaculate, and its very original interior was pristine. Then someone stuck feathers in its dashboard. Next, the windows were adorned with Tibetan prayer flags. And a hubcap went missing. And the the rear bumper was pushed in, mangling the bodywork behind it. And a mudguard got dented. And rust set in. I fear for this sweet, innocent KE36 Corolla. Somebody please save it before it's too late. Nanna needs you to do it. U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) Photos by GlamRock.

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