[manishalive]

Bharat,

Man this is one hell of a restoration, give us more pictures and updates. I want to do exactly the same on my Car (1959 Fiat). This is how the restoration should be. Kudos for all the effort, share more details about the garage, process, pictures etc etc. We want more .

[rajeev k]

From where could you source that front half chassis?
The car looks and is a great piece. Preserve it by using it routinely.

[bharat malaviya]

Dear member, I will surely answer all your questions, I am astonished with all the replies and the feedback. Thank you.

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear Bharatbhai - yesterday only, after a lot of haggling and deliberations, I have finally managed to obtain the four long bumper guards that you were looking for. Please come and collect them but please telephone me before coming. Your car looks absolutely wonderful.

Dear Pavan - reference your comment above, as per the original FIAT design series matricola 5.63 (bumpers), the bumper guards have RH and LH configuration by design. The part numbers are different. Front RH and rear LH are common and vice versa. As per the layout (matricola 5.63.000), the Padmini bumper has a very complex shape made out of an amalgamation of two ellipses, which also matches the shape cut in the guards. I know this as I had geometrically constructed this layout manually on a huge drawing board in full scale with compass, french curve and set squares in 1991 when we were attempting to eliminate bumper guards as a value engineering proposition by providing concealed reinforcements. These RH and LH configurations position the guards parallel to the X axis, otherwise the whole thing looks wonky. These are the things to be seen, when people look for authentic restorations. The 1100D's thin bumpers were manufactured in two pieces, welded together exactly on the center line and here also, long guards are shown in the layout with RH and LH configuration and amalgamation of ellipses. The original layouts, made in 1953 (when there was no CAD to work on), showed dimensions from standard reference grid lines. Grid zero X was 15 mm behind the front wheel center line, front was minus, rear was plus. Grid zero Y was at car center line, LH was minus and RH was plus. Grid zero Z was top surface of the front floor sheet metal, down was minus and up was plus. I do not recall seeing a layout with Padmini type guards on thin bumpers, at least in Kurla R&D, and we had the original tracings obtained from Italy. If you have photographs of the Padmini type guards on thin bumpers in the original photographs or documents, please post them for reference.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[ACM]

Super work. Just like off a showroom. Excellent attention to detail along with a few modernization bits / upgrades to later model.

Do share a more detailed process flow of the various steps taken and the approximate timelines as well as cost indicators where possible.

[1100D]

very meticulously done. Love the way everything was stacked up prior to the assembly, nothing afterthought, no grease marks.

Hopefully someday will be able to get a similar job done on this one.

[Ford 1946]

Congratulations to you Bharat on a really well done job. I wish that I was also able to do such a good job on my car. Love the way you built it up from scratch.

[SuperSelect]

Awesome, awesome awesome !!
Hats off to you Bharat, for a beautiful restoration. I can't get my eyes off your car, (just as I couldn't at the rally). I'm seeing the pictures over and over again.

Enjoy miles and miles of DELIGHTful motoring in your baby.

[anoshdhondy]

Originally Posted by bharat malaviya

We recently restored a single owner 1965 Fiat 1100d (Body made in Italy) to its original state. I have attached a few pictures of the entire process. I will surely attach more pictures of the finished vehicle. Hope you guys like it. My father and I picked the color scheme from the original shade card from Italy. It took around 1 year to bring the car to its current condition. We are currently using this car in Mumbai as our Sunday car.

Hi there,a really brilliant job . Infact I have a 1957 FIAT whose restoration was completed a few days back.It took over a year of painstaking work but worth it. Has been in the family since my grandfather bought it in 1957. The only thing I could not get was whitewall tyres. Can't wait to get back to Bombay to drive her around since am stuck in Gujarat on site.

[Somu2009]

Great restoration, I've been thinking of doing the same to our Premier Padmini. After looking at the pics can't wait to start on restoration. Love the attention to detail as well. Great job.

[classicselva]

Fantastic make over. Can you pls share some interior pictures as well.
It is an inspiring make over !!!

[canonball]

Let me help you reach your PM quota...Bharat which garage was this resto job done at?

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by Prabal

And where did you get these broad white-wall cross plys? Are they same as the regular 5.60x14s. What brand?

The tyres are MRF Twin Tread, the last brand that was available. These too are now extinct, unless someone reading this can find me a couple of sets!

Allow me to share some more pictures of the finished product.







The car is a strange case - it shows a mix of fittings of Indian and imported Delights.

For starters the radiator grille is not what was fitted new to cars in India - but they were very popularly fitted locally even back then, so it could have been a later addition.

The bumpers are correct for Indian Delights (the guards are obviously Padmini).

The speedo console is from a post 66 Delight (the Indian cars pre 66 would have blue dials, the imported ones would have a horizontal needle like the Super Select).

The ash tray is from an imported Delight, with the black cover and chrome base.

The accelerator pedal is suspended, like in the dukkars.

The seats and upholstery pattern are correct for Indian Delights (Bharat told me it was matched to the original in the car), the imported cars would have bucket seats up front.

I suppose the car is probably Indian assembled, with some imported embelishments. By far the most painstaking Delight restoration I have seen in a long time, and I applaud you for that!

[bharat malaviya]

Dear Members, I apologize that I am not able to answer all your questions. I was traveling hence couldn't reply. I am working on a write-up describing the entire process, and I hope that will answer most of the questions. I am working on it on my spare time

I know most people would like to see how the car looked when I first saw it. It was a true "Barn Find". It was jacked up on wooden stands and gathering dust for many many years. You can see the picture below.

ie: The original owner had installed the Maruti 800 turn indicators on the front fender and kept the original round ones in the dash

[parsh]

This is absolutely deadly restoration from the looks of what it was and it is looking now. And surely hats off to your patience to get it restored to the tune of assembly line. Pray do share the contacts of the restorer. I have one rusted beauty waiting to be restored.