Project 3P, Part 5: Something Fishy Going On! (Fiat 128 3P Restoration)

I had imagined - naively, it seems - that October, 2021's, faecal weather was unlikely to be rivalled.  But then November followed up with even more cold, wet conditions, none of which were ideal for P3P and its dilapidated, leaky door seals and other vulnerabilities.  

However, the many unseasonable downpours and sub-teen temperatures that Tasmania has endured so far this so-called spring has at least provided the opportunity - as unwelcome as it might be - to showcase some of the car's resilience and dogged refusal to behave in a stereotypically Italian automotive fashion.  Exhibit 1:  the fully functional rear demister!  

Yes, readers, that beacon-like glow beneath the choke (left) and hand-throttle (right) indicates that the rear screen's defogger has been switched on and, forty five years after my now scabrous 128 emerged shiny and new from its birthplace in Rivalta, Italy, the defrost function still works!  I'd call that a win!

Lake Rivalta

Parking P3P nose down on Casa Petrol Heads' gently sloping driveway during such conditions results in a slow, steady water leak via the dodgy rear hatch rubbers.  Doing it the other way around causes ... well, you can see for yourselves.  Fortunately, mid-70s' Fiat carpet is genuinely waterproof, having been made on a particularly tough, very impervious plastic backing that has kept the floor below totally dry.  

To overcome the risk of rust kicking in elsewhere, I've resorted to viciously wire brushing any corroded areas and liberally spraying fish oil - aka fisholene and fisholeum - onto them and into every cavity that I can, as well as unclogging all the drainage holes.  UMPH is not sponsored by the makers of any particular fish oil product - not that I'd be averse to some corporate backing, mind you - but I cannot generically recommend fish oil highly enough!  

As the late, great Frank Zappa observed, "There are three things that smell like fish.  One of them is fish.  The other two are ... [best left to your imagination]."  It's fair to say that fish oil wasn't on Frank's list, although it certainly does register on the fish-olfactory scale, having being concocted from genuine fish lipids.  

Fish oil's other principle ingredient is acetone, which is the concoction's carrier / solvent that flashes off as the product dries out, leaving a semi-cured, flexible coating that totally excludes oxygen and moisture from the protected substrate.  The acetone also makes the preparation super slinky, allowing it to flow and deeply penetrate into the tiniest of nooks and crannies, sealing and protecting them against corrosion. 

Rear of offside mudguard wire-brushed to within an inch of its life.

Glistening wet with the faintest whiff of fish.

It surprises me that fish oil isn't nearly as well known in the classic car scene as it could and should be, given that it's been proven in marine applications and stands up extremely nicely even in salt-laden environments.  It can be overcoated with specially matched primers and top coats to provide a very, very hardy protective layer with quite a good quality finish.  Better still, unlike spray-in waxes that melt and eventually thin out, fish oil lasts virtually forever if not exposed to solvents.

And fish oil does stop reeking of fish.  Eventually.  In a day or three, generally.  It's worth putting up with.

Coming soon to P3P:  a visit to The Cache finds a genuine spring-loaded 3P bonnet prop and a chance encounter with an indicator lens reveals a near-mint front bumper.

U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

iPhone images.