AC Frua Restoration Part 2

[Emmanueld]

Here is the first photo of my car's restoration.
   
   
   
   Emmanuel [:)]

[Emmanueld]

Some More!
   
   
   
   
   Emmanuel

[Emmanueld]

Hi Guys, more pictures!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Lots of Bondo, the best Italian craftsmanship! More to come, car will be stripped to bare metal.
   
   Emmanuel [:D]

[nikbj68]

Oh boy! And you thought it looked SO nearly perfect before they started!!! Best of luck with it, Manny.

[Emmanueld]

My car is not CFX37 which is a Pebble Beach prize winner and which underwent a similar restoration several years ago. Mine is CFX54 which underwent corrosion repairs a few years ago. I never got around to painting it until now. The new metal was just sprayed black with a can. I focused instead in trying to make the car drivable. I think I succeeded. It was converted to a manual box from the original automatic. First using a 4 speed (Top Loader) like the original, then I switched to a 5 speed (Tko600, Tremec). This is a much better choice in my opinion, it gives you a good highway gear but also it shifts very smoothly. We reworked the suspensions and nearly doubled the spring rate, added an anti sway bar at the front, rebuilt all 4 corners. Tires are Avon radials in 215-70 15 up front and 245-55 15 rear. The car handles great and amazingly enough does not feel too stiff or uncomfortable on our bumpy roads but it now feels responsive and sporty. Brakes are great and will get new seals on rebuilding. The engine is a stroked 427 (454ci) making well over 500HP on the dyno. It is nevertheless very smooth and easy to drive. It provides massive power and torque all the way to 6500 rpm. We stayed very conservative with the cam, it idle smoothly with just a small tick-over at idle. I love this car and plan to drive it regularly when its done. Its too bad that AC never finished developing it, they wanted a luxury GT and made it way too soft to be really a performance car. With just a bit of development they could have built a sports GT with way more performance than anything on the road at the time (365 GTB4 included) which would have justified the exorbitant asking price.
   
   Emmanuel

[Emmanueld]

More Photos, the car is about fully stripped from paint and Bondo. The next step will be a first coat of primer before the metalsmith starts working on straightening the dents. In about a week the panels should be straight and ready for primer.
   
   
   
   
   Doors will be skinned in aluminum.
   
   Emmanuel

[Classicus]

Interesting pics, you might think about eventually creating the same sort of Gallery as MA 200 did - 13 pages in all !
   
   Click on first pic.
   
   http://www.thecreativeworkshop.com/Pages/page%20complete%20projects.htm

[Emmanueld]

Car is now in primer, it's much easier to see any dent that way. Next the dents will come out! E
   
   
   

[Emmanueld]

Hi Guys, I have a few photos taken Yesterday. We put a new nose and the doors are now in aluminum. This was necessary because the frames were rotted on top and the skins would have been damaged upon removal. I picked aluminum to save a bit of weight and since the bonnet and trunk lid are already made of alloy, why not!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   These picture were taken with my phone, so the quality is not perfect.
   Also a rust hole the size of a quarter at the base of the windshield that had been covered with Bondo when the car was last worked on in England was properly repaired with a new piece of steel. The goal is the least amount of lead (which sometimes react with paint) and the least amount of filler (which sometimes traps moisture and can lead to rust holes). Small dents and dings were removed one by one using the method used by Dent Wizards, I don't know if they are called the same way in England.I am quite certain she will be a beauty when finished!
   
   Emmanuel [:)]

[jbottini]

Progess looks great..nice to aee a proper frame on retoration

[Emmanueld]

Thanks, I am trying!The body panels are quite ruff! Typical Italian car. There is so much lead. The workmanship is truly horrible, just like many Ferraris and other similar cars of that era. The lead is 1/2 inch thick in some areas to hide shoddy welding and panel beating. I must say, British workmanship was way better than Italian you would never see that on a Jaguar for example. It's amazing what you can hide with lead and Bondo. I will post more photos tonight.
   
   E[:)]

[Mark IV]

quote:Originally posted by Emmanueld
   
Thanks, I am trying!The body panels are quite ruff! Typical Italian car. There is so much lead. The workmanship is truly horrible, just like many Ferraris and other similar cars of that era. The lead is 1/2 inch thick in some areas to hide shoddy welding and panel beating. I must say, British workmanship was way better than Italian you would never see that on a Jaguar for example. It's amazing what you can hide with lead and Bondo. I will post more photos tonight.
   
   E[:)]
   Don't be so sure......AC used a spray-on filler that was blocked out on the Cobras. It could be pretty thick in spots. Cheaper to fill than pay for better panel work........
   

[Emmanueld]

Rust Spot at the bottom of windshield!
   
   

[Emmanueld]

Engine compartment!
   
   
   
   Nose:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Inside of right door!
   
   
   
   Inside of left door:
   
   
   
   Coming along slowly!
   
   Emmanuel

[Emmanueld]

More pictures, the holes you see behind the doors are holes in the lead!