[manishalive]

Originally Posted by chanu

Don't think people wouldnt know your address Manish sir its the need which will make us find you. Just kidding. You have been collecting parts when they were abundant you said, then why not a neat car though the one restoring is also neat but you had better option when you can collect parts then I am sure you would have also got a car.

Fate, many cars went for pittiance, i knew most of the cars in my city and nearby town, was behind them too but then luck was not on my side. I had a similar year model earlier all original, rotted / deteriorated and later scrapped. Bought for 8.5 K scrapped for 7 K.

Originally Posted by the mole

Wow Manish your quite a chuppa rustom I must say.

Beautiful hoard indeed. Do keep me in mind if you find a pull starter though :-).

Keep it up your doing a great job. Any interior related research ideas?

Pull Starter, sure would, shiva is looking for 2 sets .

Interior related research? I am not getting you, can you please clarify.

I have all the bits (like seat trims, magazine rack etc. etc.), original design of upholstry and door pads pictures are there for reference. Original seat covers are there in my car (but deteriorated, need to re do). these cream color ones will be nice combo to apple green / leaf green color on the outside

The challenge would be to find a similar looking regzine piece in India.

Note from the Team-BHP Support Team : Please use "Multi Quote" option for quoting Multiple posts, instead of creating another back-to-back post.

[manishalive]

Ok upon searching the forum I got the reference of the square type cabin light Karl is referring too. The below car is having it. Mine (insert picture) are a bit oval, they will hold good till I find square lens for the same. the other parts of the light will still hold valid or is that the light is bigger in length also.



By the way Karl can you give me the dimesion of the lens.

[samsag12]

Whoa thats a huge bunch of parts you stocked up under your bed Manish. Indeed its a pleasure to see some rare repro parts. To be precise, i am stuck on the windshiled washer kit( the bag, pipe,and rubber bulb). Are they still available new in B'lore? Hey what about the meter casing issue, did you got it sorted out or the casing in the pic is the same damaged piece. It looks good from the front though. Anyways my best wishes accompany you. Do keep us updated on the bit by bit progress on the car.

[manishalive]

Originally Posted by samsag12

Whoa thats a huge bunch of parts you stocked up under your bed Manish. Indeed its a pleasure to see some rare repro parts. To be precise, i am stuck on the windshiled washer kit( the bag, pipe,and rubber bulb). Are they still available new in B'lore? Hey what about the meter casing issue, did you got it sorted out or the casing in the pic is the same damaged piece. It looks good from the front though. Anyways my best wishes accompany you. Do keep us updated on the bit by bit progress on the car.

Windshield washer is not available in bangalore, the unit was available in plenty in my home town . Not sure about present.

Meter casing is the same broken corners one, it is only the corner that is always messed up.

[samsag12]

Manish bhai can you post some pictures of the broken part of the meter casing. BTW where are the toggle switches of the meter. I hope that they are safe.

[manishalive]

Originally Posted by samsag12

Manish bhai can you post some pictures of the broken part of the meter casing. BTW where are the toggle switches of the meter. I hope that they are safe.

Pics, yes here are they. Bye the way before you ask I do not have the broken piece if the casing with me . For the toggle switches please go back 2 pages where I had posted 29 pictures of the parts in Stock.

Another thing I have this original type (not original) (push type wiring) with the color code. I have checked the resistances of few of the wires, 2.4 ohms - 2.6 ohms which is on higher side of the spectrum and thus may not be of use. Lets see electricals are a long way ahead.

[samsag12]

All i can say is bad luck Manish bhai. Though in my opinion the casing is still very much repairable. The broken part can be imitated and remodeled using M-seal or any equivalent substance. BTW what are you planning to do in this regard.
It seems that the scrappers (actual people rather labour who chisel the car) after unscrewing the screws of the meter casing detach the said part using the screwdriver's edge from the bottom of the mounting hole resulting in this. Its just IMO as you have more than 1 example of this case.

[arun1100]

Manish: Did you visit the lathe shop?

I will post some pics of your car tomorrow morning.

BTW, ghee basha has got the delight meter with cover. Why don't you pick the meter cover??

[manishalive]

Originally Posted by samsag12

The broken part can be imitated and remodeled using M-seal or any equivalent substance. BTW what are you planning to do in this regard.

Joining two dissimilar elements, i have never heard off. The casing is made of bakelite.

Originally Posted by arun1100

Manish: Did you visit the lathe shop? BTW, ghee basha has got the delight meter with cover.

The delight cover is no good and he is not willing to business either.

Few pictures of my head and manifold as desired by Adheesh and then one of the Work in progress for tinkering.

As for the lathe shop Pawan Kadam took me to his lathe guy, a seasoned guy. After seeing the corroded head and the scuffing on the pistons (from bent con rods) and then the size 40 main bearings on crankshaft, pat came the reply to buy a replacement engine from Scrapyard.

Engines are 4000 bucks in exchange. but there are two points

1. you will not get the original italian engine. you cannot also swap the vital original bits from my engine to the replacement.

2. It is a gamble, what if the replacement engine does not work.

Now most probably will go for recon and with a new crank (if I manage to find one), size 50 (5th over size) (1.27 mm) bearings as per Pawan would not be a good thing to do.











Guys,

lets decide on Saturday when we meet.

[President]

Dear Manish,

From the pictures it is evident that your SELECT has been a fairly untampered car and having a lot of OH REE G NAL parts like the Italian Solex Carb, Aluminium drums etc., and now with further required parts that you have so passionately collected, she is undoubtedly going to be 'a one piece in town'.
Cool going!

Take your time to get the Engine up to high standards of OH REE G NAL E T. Do not take a hasty decision. Swap it or whatever you feel best. Take extra opinions from 2 or 3 old time turners. After all, a few days extra during restoration will not really matter when it comes to future reliability and trouble free ownership.
This is just my two bits, because I am enjoying your very experienced and professional way of restoration and giving MPR a new lease of life.

Best regards,
Rony

[adheesh]

Originally Posted by manishalive

Few pictures of my head and manifold as desired by Adheesh and then one of the Work in progress for tinkering.

Engines are 4000 bucks in exchange. but there are two points

1. you will not get the original italian engine. you cannot also swap the vital original bits from my engine to the replacement.

2. It is a gamble, what if the replacement engine does not work.

Now most probably will go for recon and with a new crank (if I manage to find one), size 50 (5th over size) (1.27 mm) bearings as per Pawan would not be a good thing to do.
.

Please, please do not exchange the engine in any case. Although it may not be working now, its still ITALIAN. Coming to the point, apart from a very few minute visual differences and sound between Italian engines and Indian engines, very few would be able to tell apart between the two. How is the condition of the cylinder head ? An option you can consider is to buy a newer engine (of course, not in exchange) without the full flow lubrication system and do it up as per the specification to the 'T'. You can also shave the cylinder head to 7.8:1 compression ratio (the older engines would have 7.3, post '86 all standard cars had 7.8:1 compression ratio) What say ?

Regards,
Adheesh Parelkar

[manishalive]

@ Roni bhai: thanks for the caution and the kind words. Now people (and my family) have understood that why I bought a battered, shabby car with lot of work . Loosing the originality is the key deterent form going for a change. I thing I will not as the other engine will also be a gamble.

@ Adheesh: Loosing the originality is the key deterent form going for a replacement engine. yes visualy these engines look the same barring few differences.

My engine head is as bad as crank. All water passages have corroded widened (strangely i have found that when ever two dissimilar metal join, the softer material sacrifices). We need to weld and machine the surface. then gring the valve seat and instaal the new valves and guides.

Piston and sleeve also needs to be changed.

You talk of new engine where do I get the same, could you please elaborate.

[adheesh]

Originally Posted by manishalive

You talk of new engine where do I get the same, could you please elaborate.

By newer engine I meant a Delight/President/Padmini engine.

Regards,
Adheesh Parelkar

[manishalive]

Originally Posted by adheesh

By newer engine I meant a Delight/President/Padmini engine.

Regards,
Adheesh Parelkar

Now that's I had tought off, this will give me liberty to pull of all the elusive bits (working) out of my engine and put on the other engine. Now there is a catch

1. The other engine costs 7000 without change.

2. Condition of the engine is still a gamble.

3. Delight engine would be ideal but again, most probably the engine would have lived it's prime.

4. If a top end over haul is required on the new purchased engine add another 3000 bucks to it. Worse case scenario, I end up spending much more to get the engine going. Now this leaves us to few vital conclusions in order of their relavance.

a.) original reconditioned engine - spend approx 15000 bucks and get assurance for another 40 k Kilometers (could be even more).

b.) Go for a new engine with transplanting the original bits - 7~8000 bucks and live with gamble.

c.) go for replacement engine 4000 bucks, live with gamble with no originality.

Now this is some nice perspective to the situation. However If I am unable to get the crankshaft, then its a different ball game all togather.

I have the original Dynamo, cut out and the self starter motor too with me.

[adheesh]

Doing up an engine would cost more than 15K. Here in Mumbai, a good turners (the best in the town) bill itself comes to around 10 thousand rupees in addition to the parts and consumables like plugs, oil, filters, etc.

Although personally I strictly follow original specifications and appreciate you for doing the same-thats what restoration is all about, otherwise we would call it repairing and painting, however welding in the cylinder head is not I would do if I were in your case. As a very good friend of mine puts it, dont touch anything in a Fiat until it starts giving trouble. This would have been true if you had an engine which was running decently to take the car from point A to B. Sometimes practicality has to be over originality. What is your opinion about having a original Magneti Marelli distributor -severe reliability issues due to local vendor defects-the CB points simply break, API brake system- spares ?, tar top battery- original to the period of these cars. Tough choices !!

Regards,
Adheesh Parelkar