Bella Italiana - 16

I just realized I have not updated the progress of the Fiat 850 Coupe for a while now.

There has been progress but rather slow.

These pics were taken way back in August, 09.

I have learned from the previous restoration project not to push the workshop too hard if you want a good result.

This bodywork is not a standard bodywork thing. It requires a good craftsman to put it back into it glorious past.

Ah Seng is the only ONE guy who is doing the detail bodywork if the car and I trust he will do it well.

From what I observe, it's like a patchwork thing that he is doing. Chop off the old rotted / rusted / corroded parts, cut another piece of fresh metal into the same shape, paste it by welding.

Then ketuk ketuk ketuk and apply anti-rust enamel - done! And then he has to look at other vulnerable spots and the same process go on and on and on. There must be hundreds of those spot.

Each time I visit the car, I told him to take his time. Good workmanship is more important!

Reinforcement of the section where the bumper is located.

Reinforcement of the section where the hinge of the bonnet.

The (bottom half) newly "paste" door panel.

Ah Seng cut out the whole sidestep panel, reinforced the structure and fix a new panel on top. He goes all the way deeper than the skin.

Reinforcement of the doorframe

The front wind-shield frame

New reconstructed bottom half of the door.

Ah Seng at work

He always makes a point to explain to me what he is doing and take pride of his work. It is not easy to get people like this. And most importantly he can communicate quite well although it took me quite a while to understand his English words in thick Chinese accent.

He is proudly showing another part which re recently constructed.

Water channel from the roof to the back. Heavily corroded and will be given back its original state and look.

Part of door panel which was chopped off and newly constructed one behind. Damn! it's a lot of work!

Bujang Tet is inspecting the progress comparing to the Fiat 850 write-up which I downloaded from the Internet, in Italian.

Ah Seng is convincing us that he follows the Italian brochure closely and understand well that I want it to be O.R.I.G.I.N.A.L.!

Ah Seng is explaining to BT who is always curios about mechanical stuff.

A sturdy steel rod to support the body (structure) of the car - could be weaken when certain parts of the cars are temporarily missing.

The newly crafted door panel by Ah Seng, my man!