The inside pic is actually not near as bad as it looks. The outside pic is probably worse than it looks. I've already started taking things apart and will see how much work it's going to be to get at that bottom section. If I can, I'll replace the whole section with new metal, probably stainless. If not I'll at least cut out the offending areas and patch it in. Not sure why Ferrari would go to the trouble of making the center section from stainless and not the outboard areas. Seems that they both are exposed to the same elements and heat. We'll see! I'm a sheetmetal guy by trade but haven't worked with the tools for years (and don't have many at home). I'll be able to figure it out it'll just take more time!!
Another long overdue update. I now have the most of the back end of the car torn apart. Most of the sheetmetal around, under and inside the trunk was too bad to save. I've got it almost ready to go back in but need to make new pans for out in the wheel well areas. Once I get it all fit and ready go in I'll be painting all the framework and the sheet metal with POR 15 and then assembling it all. The good news is the upholstery shop finally started working on my interior again and finished more of the parts. The seats look great. All that's left for him to do is finish the door panels, roof and visor section. None of which will hold me up from moving forward with the interior. A couple pics of the new seats! I had them put an outline Cavallino on the headrest. I know it's not stock but I like it. John Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Jdubbya- you said "I also ran into a rat's nest trying to figure out the stereo wiring. It was supposedly installed by a high-end shop by one of the previous owners. They certainly got their money's worth in wiring!!" I had a similar "Professional Stereo Install" that I removed-see photo of the wires I pulled out, you're not alone. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Amazing project! My time will eventually come with my GT4 to do carpets and seats - not gonna be cheap, but hopefully will be fun! Keep up the good work!
I was wondering how your car was coming along. Everything is looking great. Don't worry about being able to drive your car any time soon....I think it's going to keep raining until next June, that's plenty of time to fix it all up.
Once again my optimism was totally misguided. The trunk was totally rusted and all the "portable" panels needed to be replaced. Luckily almost all the framework was in great shape. There were two little sections that needed to be replaced but they just hold up the pans out in the wheel-well. I finally got all of the pieces made, test fit and ready for paint. All the panels and all the framework inside and outside the trunk have now been painted. Two hours sucking up fumes and I'm feeling pretty good right now! Have also been tinkering with some of the little things on the interior but still have all the major stuff left to do in there. As soon as I get this trunk and exhaust back together I'll concentrate on the interior. I've set up a timeline and listed all the work left and plan on having the car back on the road by the end of April. We'll see if that's optimistic or not!! A few pics to show what a naked trunk looks like, all the panels and the Stebro before and after coating. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
John, The seats look absolutely f&^%ing GREAT!!! Looks better padded & the cavalino on the headrest makes me want to do something. I think the missing trunk pieces are a weight saver, put her together & lets go! Hey by the way can u shoot some pictures of the bumper shock mounts? Bill Dam I love those seats!
You want the outside of the mounts or the inside? The shocks actually protrude into the trunk and are just bolted down with a clamp. If you plan on replacing them you'll have to tear the inside of the trunk apart to get to them. Let me know what your thinking and I'll snap whatever pics you want. If you want just give me a call and you can come over to look at it (as long as you don't make fun of my disaster of a garage!) I'm really getting stoked to get this back together finally. There's still a lot of work left but you know what they say.....preparation is everything and most of the prep is now done!!
I don't know why I even try to be optimistic any more with this project. I did finally get the panels back on the trunk, well except the last stainless heat shield! Got the inside insulated and have the interior fiberglass panels back in and the thermal/carpet pads are done. At least something is getting done!! Just need to get the tail lights back in and then the trunk carpet. Next step is the exhaust and then back to work on the interior. I'm not making any more predictions either but it will be done sometime!! Pics are inside with new foil on the insulation/carpet pad and one from about the same perspective as the rusted one above. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
John, You are a very persistent person... If it were me, I'd have collected all bits and pieces brought to a professional and had the work done. With great admiration Ciao Eugenio
I don't know other than sitting on them on the living room floor! I think they'll do great although it does look like he might have added a little more padding than I really wanted. We'll see before too long! Thanks! Believe me I've thought about it. I really want to be able to say I did it myself though. I actually like working on it, it's just finding the time to do it that's the problem. So much other stuff going on in daily life! I'm thinking about just taking a week off from work and disconnecting all the phones and computers....nah it'd never work! .
Does anyone know what this plug used to go to? It comes in underneath the alternator and into the bottom corner of the trunk through a big 'ole hole. The only thing I can think is antenna? I'm pretty sure the antenna now is a replacement. I haven't traced it out to see where it heads back into the car yet. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I finally have a couple days to work on this and have been able to finish the new carpet in the trunk. It came out looking pretty good, at least better than the old stuff that's for sure! On the interior I cut one of the pieces of carpet too deep in the corner. The good news is World Upholstery replaced it FREE OF CHARGE!! If you need new carpet I would definitely recommend them, great customer service!! Now that the trunk is done I'll get back to work on the interior and should be able to make some progress there in the next few days. Pics of the new carpet in the trunk. I still need to clean up the back end of the car and get the taillights back in. . Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I'm looking forward to your post--------just after you've completed your first drive, sitting in those comfy/plush new seats---------remembering all the stuff you had to do to finally finish. Have fun man Cheers, Hank
Who did each of you guys order your interior carpet from (the beige and the black/red carpet)? Look fantastic!
I ordered my interior carpet (the black w/red trim) from World Upholstery... http://www.worlduph.com/ferrari.htm Great people to deal with and OUTSTANDING customer service! I highly recommend them. The trunk carpet set I got from these guys. http://www.roadworksauto.com/Carpets/ferrari-carpet.htm Don't know how their interior set would be but the trunk set was nice for the price!
Finally some real progress. I had been concentrating the little bit of time I had been spending on the car on getting the trunk done. Now that that is complete (at least to the interior) I have had time to get back to the interior of the car. I hadn't been pressuring the upholstery shop to finish the last few pieces but now I have. He finally finished it all and I picked up the last few pieces yesterday. The carpet inside is now complete except for gluing down the floor mats and that will wait until almost the last thing. The dash is in place but I still need to trim it out, finish bolting the ends in, and get the instrument cluster back in. The console is in but again I still need to finish all the levers and switches. Then all that will be left is getting the windows installed and the exhaust on (oh, and the door panels and finishing some fiberglass work on the rear quarter too! ) . It's starting to feel good now that I can see some real progress. A few pics...first is the inside of the targa-top, then the carpet , the dash and the rear deck. .Edit: I know the clip on the rear deck is not flush, it still needs to be bolted down too! . Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Looking great John! You have the patience of a saint to go w/out the car for a year. I was having fits when the glass guys took almost 3 weeks to fit the wind screen. Bill
Bill, It's actually been over 18 months since I started taking it apart! Lucky for me there are a bunch of generous folks in the local FCA to get me a driving fix once in awhile! In fact one person jokingly accused me of not getting my car done so I could drive all these other cars. Absolutely not really the case but it was kind of funny! Who did you get to do the glass? I should be ready pretty quick to get mine installed and could use a suggestion if you liked their work. Thanks, John
Well this will be a little different update to this very old thread. I've been having trouble finishing up the interior. It seems that with new upholstery things just don't want to fit back together. I've been fighting getting the instrument cluster back into the dash, and I'm losing. I've had the dash together and back apart at least a half dozen times and I still can't seem to get that cluster to squeeze back in there! I decided that the car had just plain been sitting for too long and it was time to at least fire it back up. I have all the electrical inside the car back together and figured there really wasn't any reason why I couldn't fire it up. I did the usual pre-start stuff after the car has been sitting this long, checked it all out, cranked it with the coils disconnected and watched for the oil pressure to come up. After a number of cranks the pressure came up and it was time to hook it back up. A few cranks and a few pumps of the gas pedal later (it is a carb car you know!) it fired up. Of course it stumbled a couple times but a couple more small pumps of the gas and it fired up and roared to life. I still don't have the new exhaust on and I have to tell you it sounds like a real beast with open headers!! I let it idle for a couple minutes and then shut it back down. My gawd I didn't realize how much I missed that sound and smell! Now that my garage once again has the correct odor to it I'll be even more inspired to get this thing done and back on the road. I've decided to take a break from the interior and work on buttoning up the exhaust and rear end. Once that's done maybe I'll have a fresh idea on how to tackle the dash!! edit: I should add that I've been turning it over by hand pretty regulary but last time I tried to turn it with the starter it didn't seem to work well. I pulled the ground strap off the motor and cleaned the who-knows-how-many years of grease and oil from it and that solved that problem. I haven't had the battery tender on the battery for at least a few months. I plugged it in tonight and it instantly read "charged". You guys can have your Optima and whatever batteries, I'm sticking with my old green and white Interstate!! It cranked the motor a bunch of times and never missed a beat! .
John, Lets keep going on this project! Hurry up! I rejetted my webers again & finally, finally! I think they're right. Might even trust it across bridge. Bill
Good to hear. I'll probably need to re-jet after getting the new exhaust done too! Now I know who to ask for help!! If you want to stop by some time just let me know. I've been working on this almost daily but I keep running into little problems that grind all progress to a halt. I will win though!!
