1974 128 SL Coupe build project

great progress, amazing how much work it takes to do this

I still remember building my red / white/ green 128 way back when-many hours of fooling with that car to make it what it eventually became. I drove that car nearly every day for 10 years. lucky you have the web now for info, parts finding, collective knowledge,etc. And Edinsmoto. I had a phone, some old Faza books, and the Fiat club ( with about 1 other 128 owner at the time-Chris Obert) .

Looking forward to driving it when its running well, and hope to have it in my shop for paint sometime soon. Like the blues for that body style.

leave you with this blast from the past photo from April 1996, not too long before I ended up selling it.

picture.php
 
AndyS said:
I still remember building my red / white/ green 128 way back when-many hours of fooling with that car to make it what it eventually became. I drove that car nearly every day for 10 years. lucky you have the web now for info, parts finding, collective knowledge,etc. And Edinsmoto. I had a phone, some old Faza books, and the Fiat club ( with about 1 other 128 owner at the time-Chris Obert) .

Looking forward to driving it when its running well, and hope to have it in my shop for paint sometime soon. Like the blues for that body style.

leave you with this blast from the past photo from April 1996, not too long before I ended up selling it.

picture.php
Click to expand...

This car currently belongs to Eric Armstrong,here in the forum:)
 
Vacuum port mod to Alquati manifold

Brake booster requires a solid vacuum port, acquired a 90 degree fitting with 3/8" barb to match the hose from the brake booster. Olivier Leflaive white burgundy composite cork on the left, to provide a dimensional reference.



Drilled, tapped, and installed with teflon tape. Also discovered a small hole at the base of the manifold, likely a modification to provision a drain in event of flooding. Now sealed, car idles much better, also with improved throttle response.



Brakes are still soft, though now the booster works. Brake pedal moves then the engine is fired. Call due in to Bayless tomorrow, likely the master cylinder has issues.
 
Horn, choke cable standoff, paint test

Horn button installed; learned that using an X1/9 steering wheel in a 128SL Coupe results in a non-op turn signal return. The peg on the back of the steering wheel doesn't quite reach the return mechanism. To be modified at a later date. Meanwhile horn sounds great, wheel is centered and torqued.



Fabricated choke cable standoff from bolt, re-purposed aluminum bar stock, and phenolic tube cut to the appropriate angle. Works beautifully, with a bit of choke the motor readily fires and idles without having to depress accelerator. No fear of choke use (enrichener); known issue with DCNF's fouling due to mechanism issues on GT4's should not be a problem.





Another paint test. Playing with colors.


 
get a nice Abarth, Momo or Nardi wheel on there!

Forgot to mention before that Ilike the alloy wheel choice-they should really pop on that car and look 100% correct. I remember seeing those on display at the various aftermarket tuning shops of the day-one nearby in Atlanta was called "Automod". (these kinds of shops are sadly all gone and have been replaced by webs sites). They would have a display with several of the BWA wheels mounted on them, and I liked the ones you got the best.
 
further brake tuning, timing belt cover, splash shield

Installed alternate new brake master, seeking firmer pedal with less throw. Bled rears with compensator valve detached to ensure full flow to the rear bleeders. Brakes are better, need to bed them in. May remove disassemble clean and reinstall master cylinder later to eliminate any manufacturing residue. Installed new feed lines from reservoir. Booster apparently functioning, actuator rod adjustment in spec (protruding 1mm+ from booster)



Timing belt cover installed. Omitted middle standoff to get it to fit, secure with two bolts on top, one on bottom. Used clear hose of a snug dimension in lieu of factory bushings.


Installed forward splash guard, adjacent to lower vee belt pulley. Could not install rear splash guard, that surrounds the bottom of the alternator, without removing right axle.



Settled on color going forward, thinking about a contrasting roof.

 
Wheels, bumpers, shakedown

BWA's installed. Front bumper mounts supplied by Lenny of Auto-Italia. Turn signals/parking lamps affixed to bumper. Rear bumper installed. Exhaust system temporarily hung in place, it held up for a good thirty miles, though does exhibit an off throttle rattle. Next step a visit to the muffler shop for correct hangars, & solve that vibration.

Drivetrain is super lively, steering turns in well.


 
Looking good Jim!!...you do really work hard on that car and I really admire that.Is that a Fulvia up inside the shop?
 
Fulvia(s)

Keen eyes.



The red Fulvia on the rack was in for headlight wiring issues. Little did the owner know the steering was about to fail: the flex disk in the the system was completely tattered.

The blue one in the foreground is an extraordinary driver. As is the first year X below the red Fulvia.
 
Brake fluid feed line to the master cylinder is marked as fuel/emissions hose, this will "sweat" brake fluid out and also draw water into the brake fluid. Go to a VW parts place and get some hose that's compatible with brake fluid.

SteveC
 
Blue braided silicone brake fluid supply hose

SteveC & MikeM, appreciate the insight. Part ordered from eBay supplier, the local VW parts guy was un-alert. The blue braided 7mm product is silicone, compatible with brake fluid.

 
muffler shop trip, spied a Double Bubble

Supersprint install completed with proper exhaust hangars, a thick rectangular block furthest back, and hangars off of the OEM diagonal units near the fuel pump.

While at the muffler place, the shop next door had a light blue coupe for a frame-off restoration.



Random Q/A miscellany: re-did a fuel line, it had abraded against the leaf spring, resolved by deflecting the pump on it's soft mounts with a zip tie. Found a spade connector disconnected to the radiator fan.

There's a rattle in the valve train to address, change the fuel filters again, the muck in the old tank and lines is visible. Front turn signal bulb socket is intermittent, need to hit that with the Dremel.
 
Fuel filters - in line

One Fram G4164 installed between fuel tank and electric fuel pump in the rear, already quite filthy since the first several drive. Second clear in line filter also getting dirty, installed just before the DCNF.

Essentially driving the old fuel tank clean by observing these clear filters. Made in Israel, who knew?



Resolved the right front turn signal intermittent, needed to bend one of the positive socket contacts toward the bulb base.
 
I see what you are doing and understand the logic, however I would like to strongly caution you to consider going to all metal filters with a glass based visual filter to assist you in getting to clean gas and a sediment free gas tank and lines.

The plastic ones have had the distressing habit of melting or being pierced when under car by stray objects kicked up from the road.

Just sayin'
 
Hey Is that an Opel GT??

My dad used to have one.. Taught my mom and sister to drive a manual in it.. After they learned. It sat in his yard for many yrs!! I wanted it so bad ! but my dad just wouldn't let me have it. Ended up in a junk yard after he passed..
 
Probably one of these Daniel

Some Abarth type thingy. With extra helmet room. ;)





 
I used up an entire case of these when I first got my 850 Spider. Drive, stall, change filter, repeat. OK, never got to #12 but it worked well. The first few times it stalled you couldn't even see through it it had so much rust and crap in it.

Tight clamps and careful placement and it should be fine. Check when you think of it.
 
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