Cir 1934 nine roadster starts again…

[darcy]

It has been a long while coming but after many personal and other setbacks, the motor stated today for the first time in some 60 years, there is a video, but I can’t upload at present (? Only 5.9 mb?) so just a few shots, in any case the video does not do justice to the exhaust note….

[Peter McKercher]

Congratulations Darcy. How sweet it is.

[ringtrev2]

Well done Darcy look forward to seeing it in the flesh.Trev

[ColinB]

Well done Darcy - that is always a great moment!

[darcy]

Finally after many days of rain and wild winds, I gt the car into a position to test the gearbox etc, they work, at least backwards and forwards in the garage with no funny noises. Attached is a photo pf the gearbox as received so you can understand some of my reservations.

[darcy]

Having the car now going I started to look for body builders to skin the car. What a shock that was. Their books were either full of hot rod rebuilds or a price at about 3-4 times the cars value. So I bought a few extra bits of kit, some sheet alloy and steel to see what I could do. The alloy in the original pieces of cars is .8mm but the only .8 I could get was far too soft, so we moved onto .9mm body steel (which I should be able to better weld than the alloy). Next watch many YouTube videos!

So three attempts at the cowling and finally a near faultless one, front quarters done, bottom sills and rear quarters. With each one I have learnt more and it has got easier. I think I will remake the first one rear quarter as I am not completely happy.

Next the doors and the rear, slowly building up to these. I need to develop some tig skills to complete the quarters and do the back.

But my big challenge has been the front guards and the original bonnet. The guards line up with the front apron, the engine mounts etc but not the bonnet. The bonnet originally had been trimmed for some unknown reason, so I had extensions welded on and then trimmed back. But the bottom of the bonnet does not align to front guards? The body was built from drawings of original unrestored 1934 car. I am assuming the bonnet is the odd piece here. The two donor cars were delivered to Australia as rolling chassis and the bodies coach built here, so anything is possible. At this stage I am leaving the engine exposed and only attaching the bonnet tops for now.

Excuse garage mess.

[ColinB]

Monumental progress Darcy, well done!

[mikeyr]

the bonnet is also my issue with my new body and wings. The bonnet hits the wings and I will have to cut the bonnet to fit and re-roll a new wire edge. But my bonnet is factory and 5/8" longer on drivers side of car than other side. By longer I mean it hangs down more than the other side and I see no evidence of any body work on the bonnet, so I have to believe it let the factory that way...as in handbuilt and no 2 the same

Surprisingly the side that is longer is the side that fits better.

[darcy]

I am certainly glad to know that I am not alone. I have checked and rechecked measurements and did make a few adjustments but still the same overall result with the bonnet, cutting in new piece to fit and rewiring is certainly an option, but that can wait for now until I get the rest locked down.

And when you look at all the photos I have collected, there does not seem to be a consistent placement of the rear of the front guard relative to the front quarter panel; infront of fully or partially and under. Hand made cars!!!!

Today I will recut another rear quarter panel and fold, it will be a much quicker process the third time around and the result should be near perfect, at about AUD 30 worth of metal, it’s a no brainer, even if I am the only one who sees the flaws in my first attempt.

[cdk84]

Hello Darcy,

While it's 'slightly' off topic, I would share with you the experience a dear friend has had with Alfa Romeo body panels.

Well into the 1960s, no body panels were interchangeable on an Alfa Giulietta: a door from one car simply did Not Fit another of the same stripe. In retrospect --which all our prewar Singers call for-- it's in the best coach building tradition that things were made to fit the occasion...

It may be no consolation, but that's probably part of what led to the withdrawal of Alfa Romeo from the North American auto market for several decades.

The car's progress, and yours, are to be lauded. Well Done!

Crack on! and give us some updates. It's what keeps us all on the boil.

Cheers,

David