Project 3P, Part 20: a Belated Update.

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After ten long months in hibernation, awaiting a new head gasket, Project 3P has reached the point of reasonable usability.  It's not pretty.  Nor is it particularly nippy.  And I wouldn't bet on it being all that reliable, either!  However, it does start, stop and steer properly, all its legal requirements have been met - tyres, restraints, wipers, lights, indicators, horn, whatever ... - and it's registered.  Usable is quite a milestone!   

The ignition points have made way for a Pertronix Flame Thrower set-up with a new coil and leads, and it's also running a set of "tri-y" extractors and a new tail pipe (https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/08/project-3p-part-18-custom-built.html).  All the radiator and heater hoses have been replaced, as was the heater core (Motor Cool Radiator Repairs, Brownells Lane, Moonah / (03) 6278 2736).  The head was machined at Just Heads (74 Springfeild Avenue, West Moonah / (03) 6272 5550), a mate and I took the matter into our own hands and did the head gasket and cam belt, and fitted a new cam with a sportier profile, while a Weber 34 DATA with a Ramflo air cleaner on a port-matched manifold has taken the place of the standard 32 DMTR.  

Ironic GT stripes.

The new carby seemed to be out of whack with the rest of the engine, bogging down at low revs and not really providing much oomph towards the top end, either.  This is unsurprising, given that it was from a Lancia Beta with a 1.8 or 2.0 litre engine.  I swapped in some spare jets and emulsion tubes, based on advice on the X-Web forum (thanks!), and have got the car running adequately.  However, there's clearly still room for significant improvement, so it's booked in with a Weber specialist for some expert tweaking. 

https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2023/02/project-3p-part-19-wiring-vintage-cibie.html

The only other thing that's letting the car down is the gear-shifting, it having all the precision of an upright spoon in a bowl of melting icecream!  Changing from second to third and back again can lead to crunches whether double-declutching or not.  I suspect that this might not be entirely syncro-related; manoeuvring the stick in precisely the right pattern can, and often does, result in clunk-free gear changes.  

Alfa "wineglasses".

https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/04/project-3p-part-15-refurbishing.html





These inlets were ground out to match the size of the gaskets and corresponding head ports.







Oil pressure and volts gauges will go where the ashtray used to be. 


The driver's seat facing has all but disintegrated!


Minnie helpfully models the two torn seams on the otherwise quite nice rear seat.





Once the carby and gear shift are sorted, the plan is to tidy up the interior, starting with reupholstering the seats and maybe dyeing the otherwise surprisingly good carpets back to brown.  At some stage - who knows when? - the car will be repainted and the bumpers tidied up, although I am enjoying not caring too much about the car's looks.  It's surprisingly liberating!


Did you enjoy this article?  If so, why not browse the rest of the uppermiddlepetrolhead site?  Searching for P3P will take you to further pieces detailing this car's progress from pretty much basket case to progressively slightly less basket case.  There are also loads and loads of classic, sports and performance vehicles featured, as well as stacks of car shows and motorsports events.  Even better, you can follow either the 'blog itself or do so via Upper Middle Petrol Head's Facebook page.  And please do like and share!




U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

iPhone images.

Comments

  1. Anonymous23 September 2024 at 23:02

    I had a fiat 128 3p 1976, nice car for its year, 2 things I wish it had, 1- it needed a 5th gear and the front seats did not recline all the way, they only went about 45 deg. The rest was a fun car, I had owned a 128 sedan 2 door 1972

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