I think this pic is crying for a caption contest. "Bubble wrap allows me to lose weight while I work"
Do you call him "Bubbles" now? What's the plan? Any particular substances work best on this vintage engine as cleaning, gaskets go?
As I understand it that is some kind of home brewed, high temp, parts washer. I never ask Sal exactly what chemicals he uses in these various procedures as I've been told I really don't want to know.
"Is that a REAL poncho, or is that a Sears poncho?" Frank Zappa I think it's okay to use, as long as you just dump it out along the fence line with the neighbors, to kill the weeds......... Kind of a sneaky "double use" type of thing. In Texas City, the adage is: "The solution to pollution is dilution.........." or something like that. No doubt Sal is just, like me, getting tired of paying for the real logo shirts! They put his last clean shirt, on my dead brother, Bill.." James Harman and the Dangerous Gentlemen
you can actually see the 12 cylinders. wow! My employess cannot get enough of that bubble wrap stuff.
Jim, Why??? You had refurbished it before it's last run ... should be fine for another 5 years, etc. Pete
Last time we didn't do any real work on the engine we only cleaned and inspected it. After RUNNING 002C hard at the Targa, 1100 kms 8000 turns, after the climb part of the mountain stage the right side head gasket began to fail. This was an extremely grueling stage. When I took off my gloves my fingers were bleeding. The turns were so sharp that oil psi dropped to 0 for a moment and the water temps got pretty high. This is what happens when you run them hard. No big deal.
hi Jim - now as it´s not a secret anymore, what happened to 002C at the targa, i feel free to post the pic! it was unforgettable to drive behind you round the etna ! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi The pleasure was mine and the head gasket failure was certainly never a secret. I believe a similar thing happened when 002C ran the Targa in 1948. Hopefully third time will be the charm. Best
Hi Jim, long time no see. A lot of catching up to do for me on your projects! Attached is a photo of 002C in the mid fifties after it's 1952 Motto rebody to barchetta style. Apparently, the photo was used to sell the car in the USA as the back reads as follows: 12 cylinders 3 carburetors less than 5000 miles kept tip top by master mechanics $ 6,200 in New York. WAAAAY overpriced of course... ;-) Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Jack. Im confused. How come that picture is so different from Jim's car? Was it THAT rebodied? Nonetheless, great pic! And Jim good luck with the project. Vasco
Hi Vasco, the car was originally a Spider Corsa, very much the same way that it is now. This is the exact infrmation that I have from a very knowledgeable source: >>> 1947 166 Spider Corsa, serial number #002 C, which in 1952 was REBODIED by Carrozzeria Rocco Motto (Ca-Mo) of Torino into a Barchetta, fitted with a chromed surrounding and chromed spears on both corners of the front grille (below headlamps) and painted deep red. This was done by Ca-Mo right before 002 C was sold by Renato Nocentini's Garage La Rotunda in Florence to Dr. Samuel Scher in New York. This body has NOTHING do to with Vignale and nothing with a Touring Barchetta. It is a one-off, only one such body was made and on this chassis number only. In the meantime, this body has been removed and the car (002 C) rebodied back into original Spider Corsa body. The old Motto body belongs today to a gentleman in NY. <<< I don't know exactly when it was re-re-bodied back to Spider Corsa but Jim probably knows that.
I would like to see someone step up to the plate and use the body, along with a modern recreation of the chassis and drivetrain, using factory blueprints. I think it's a very attractive car, but obviously a "proper" motor and chassis no longer exists, so it would have to be recreated. I would even prefer to see this body on some kind of period Gilco tube chassis recreation with a period Fiat 1100 or 1400 "hot rod" motor than to have this body just sitting and rotting away..
Hi Stan Nowack restored 002C back to a Spyder Corsa using 004C as a guide. The motor is almost done. We're rebuilding the carbs and soon she will be good to go. I'm really looking forward to driving her again. Best
