And So It Begins....

[SanRemo78]

Just needs a little gentle polish again to get rid of the sticky fingerprints.

In other news the final piece of clear Sicursiv glass pitched up today, it survived DHL intact. Does anyone recall a Beta (Probably a Spider) registered TKP233X? That number plate is etched into the glass so I've got some research to do to see if it can be polished out or if I need to leave well alone and accept it's there or get an etching kit to blank it out.

Thoughts anyone?

[SanRemo78]

Quiet day on the car today. Trying to remotely support a friend with an email issue that needs an anti virus sweep but he's less computer literate than I am. Good job I have a round trip planned this weekend....

Checked the Hobbycraft website and it said they had some glass etching acid in stock, got there and it'd gone. All of it. Got some kitty litter instead, came back and installed the passenger side door handle, lock, inner door handle and linkage to the latch mechanism nailed to the door. Adjusted the catch on the B post, that's both doors closing properly and locking from the inside and the outside with the key.  And unlocking.

Tomorrow we're having carpets cleaned professionally (and have started a bet to see which of the cats pukes on it first and when - I've got 10 minutes after they finish...) so I'm hoping to pull the carpet out of the Beta and see if they can do anything better with it! Plenty left for next week before the passenger door is built up fully!

[Neil-yaj396]

Just needs a little gentle polish again to get rid of the sticky fingerprints.

In other news the final piece of clear Sicursiv glass pitched up today, it survived DHL intact. Does anyone recall a Beta (Probably a Spider) registered TKP233X? That number plate is etched into the glass so I've got some research to do to see if it can be polished out or if I need to leave well alone and accept it's there or get an etching kit to blank it out.

Thoughts anyone?

FNC proudly bears the VRN of one of Chris Mace's old Betas in this exact spot. Never occurred to me to try to remove it. I thought the whole idea was based on the theory that the etchings were impossible to remove?

[SanRemo78]

I have contemplated polishing it out Neil but the etch goes so deep into the surface that's likely to end in tears. The alternatives are to try re-etching it to obliterate it or just leave it as is. Before I attempt the obliteration I think I need to find another piece of glass to practice on by etching a number onto it, cleaning it and then re-etch over it to create a blocked out area....

And, in the meantime, keep an eye out for another quarterlight without any etching on it....

[Nigel]

An alternative is to put a sticker on the inside there.
I did that on my tailgate for the same reason. Hardly see it now.

Maybe a 'next oil/cambelt change' type thing.

N.

[peteracs]

Alternatively, 'This is my other car'?

[SanRemo78]

Good ideas - keep them coming! Maybe an Italian flag painted over the etched area? Or "Alarm Fitted" or Protected by Mafia"

[rossocorsa]

I don't know how much harder toughened glass is than other types of glass but I do have some success improving damage on smaller glass items, for example hardlex type watch crystals. Simply polishing isn't really an option you need to be a bit more brutal so good quality wet and dry and diamond impregnated cloths. Essentially it has to look worse to eventually look better. Sand away the imperfection then use progressively finer abrasives to improve the finish. Finish off with cerium oxide polish. Mainly by hand is best but you can use polishing attachments on a mini tool for the final gloss. As said I've not tried this on toughened glass.

[SanRemo78]

Parts wanted for experimentation whilst I'm at the assembly stage before the heater box and dash goes in! I'm toying with the idea of retrofitting and air conditioning kit in the car!
Still at the research stage and have seen a couple of kits at Car Builder Solutions and a few on eBay and Amazon. The pump is the deciding factor but electric pumps of any quality are expensive compared to belt driven ones, it'll also determine pipe routing and dryer location.
There are also considerations as to whether it's stand alone or tied to the heater matrix. There's enough space in the heater box plenum, has anyone got any details of the original Lancia setup?
If I decide to go with this I think I'd prefer the pump to be belt driven and that means looking at some brackets to hang it from where the power steering pump would be on a later car so, should anyone have the oil filter block and power steering pump brackets spare plus a suitable crank pulley I've got beer tokens waiting!

Cheers
Guy

[Nigel]

Guy,
I removed the factory a/c from my hpe and still have all the stuff
in a fairly sorry state.
I retained the compressor engine block mounting due to not having an easy
and viable alternative. Eric, at the time, posted some pics on my page of what bracketry
he has, and may still have, but it didn't appear to help me at the time.

I have the condenser, evaporator, compressor, dryer, the heater box (containing
the evaporator) and the vacuum-actuated push button panel. And all the hoses.

Having said all that, I would not recommend using any of it in its current condition.
Maybe the compressor, after an overhaul, but it's very heavy and using 50 year old tech.

I never attempted to fill and run the system before removal.

However, some of these parts could be used as patterns for a remake.

I have toyed with an a/c retrofit, and would use CBS parts, an electric compressor, and a stand-alone
evap and fan in or above the pax footwell, possibly in place of the glovebox container.

Food for thought.

Nigel

[rossocorsa]

I think I recall seeing Lancia Auto SA https://share.google/z8r1rBCHDv6bv57EV offering kits some years ago, perhaps worth asking them for advice?

[SanRemo78]

Thanks Nigel, the whole lot might be of interest for nothing more than seeing what the factory did and i I can work out where everything fitted and was routed. I think the heater box and evaporator would be most useful so I could compare it to the original non aircon box to see how everything fitted together. But like you I'm looking at CBS parts that will be easier to work with and install.

Cheers
Guy

[SanRemo78]

And thanks for thinking of Felix, I won't bother him for stuff like this as I think it's too heavy and fragile to ship this far. I'd rather plough my own furrow this this one. I did find this kit on Amazon but realise that it's probably cheap for a reason.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aspligo-Conditioner-conditioning-Only-Cooling/dp/B0DCZN35HD/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pl_foot_top?ie=UTF8

I've asked for compressor dimensions as this might fit on the left hand side inner wing but I haven't had a reply yet. Not really expecting one!

Guy

[WestonE]

I did electric AC on my Monte and it was VERY complex and pricy to do. For a Beta I would use a new belt driven compressor with a new dryer perhaps using the OE Evaporator in the OE Heater box. Try T7Design for all the parts you will need.  https://www.t7design.co.uk/air-con/ac-compressors-belt-driven.html Note they sell flexible hose with clips not requiring and industrial crimp machine. Modern compressors are far lighter and more efficient and also designed for modern AC gas. Old kit will have dead seals and water damage probably with hoses completely seized in place. Making the controls electrical and period appropriate needed some custom bits made by an auto electrician. Keep it simple and do not expect modern OEM AC! PS I do not have the spare PS brackets anymore. Eric

[SanRemo78]

Thanks Eric - I'll have a look online at what T7 Design offer. The Stratos has a heater element made by them which works marginally! My design could be better I think!

Cheers
Guy

[SanRemo78]

Waiting for some glass etching acid (and a call from the vet) so it's not a really productive day so far. I pulled a few little bits of rubber out to clean and restore and install and then realised I don't have any pictures from disassembly...
So, the mystery parts are pictured below. I know where they go, it's the firewall, one is outboard and high next to the servo and the other is opposite side near the clutch lever pedal mount. But they're handed and I don't know if they fit with the main body of the grommet inside the car or protruding into the engine bay... It's probably obvious but I haven't tried fitting them yet.....

Can anyone shed any light by looking? Thanks!

[peteracs]

Hi Guy

They should fit protruding into the cabin and mate with part of the dash to give a sort of seal. Did not remember they were on the later cars.

Peter

[SanRemo78]

Thanks Peter, I may have to have a look at the dash and offer it in place. That’ll solve it.
Guy

[SanRemo78]

Well that was a pretty awful week that culminated in a much loved cat having to be put so sleep yesterday. Sympathies to anyone else who has had to go through that trauma even if it's as peaceful at the end as our experience was.

Not too much to report this week. The etching cream worked and the old number plate is now just an oblong etch mark on the glass, it doesn't look bad and certainly better than an incorrect number. The quarterlight is now in place and the drop glass is in on the new channels. An initial feeling is that it's tighter than the drivers door so I have some investigating to do to see why next week. I'll start that be fitting the electrics and the lower front guide and seeing how the motor copes with the drag. Or not.

There was some plating also collected on Friday so the handbrake mechanism, lower cover and handbrake cable could be installed along with the exhaust heat shield. I must invest in some brake pads, tighten all the unions, finish overhauling the front callipers, find the correct banjo union for the master cylinder and see if the system can be bled.

Guy

[SanRemo78]

And yes, there's a little manipulation required on the brake and fuel line to get it all neat!

There's a bracket in the underside of the car, next to the big bung where the gear-lever is and there's a cutout in the heat shield there. Since the car didn't have an exhaust system on it when I got it can anyone enlighten me on what the bracket is for? My memories from 34-40 years ago don't extend to seeing this before...