It's Done

[Jim Ratto]

Finished the car up this past week, screwed in the grab handles and rear seatback rubber strap Thursday night. I'd call it done. Oh except the clutch or release fork died yesterday on a Sunday morning drive.

[javabug]

It came out great! Shame about the clutch fork, though.

How you YOU feel about it?

[Tony M]

Jim your car looks great. Its crappy you have to pull it apart after its all done, but you have nothing better to do right ?
Call me when you get a chance. Hope to see you soon on your mind clearing road trip.

[Jim Ratto]

It came out great! Shame about the clutch fork, though.

How you YOU feel about it?

Aside from the clutch failure, I'm happy with it. I never pictured this car ever getting a cosmetic refresh, as most of my time with it has revolved around getting mechanically where I want it. It's weird to see the car this color now, as it had been the Adriatic since Dec '89. All those crazy stories and years were spent with the car in that old color. What's weird too is when I get to the pieces and parts of the car you don't see/touch/deal with often, like under the floorboard tar mats, or the luggage area when it's stripped of all its orig carpet/soundboard..... these things are basically "untouched" since Oct '66 when the car was built. In all the time I've bolted things on and taken things off, rattle-canned stuff, bunred wires, popped fuses, flattened lobes, broken transaxles, this stuff was just there, unseen. Just weird to see the unmolested stuff. When I was cutting the orig headliner out back in March, the fuzzy old padding was falling on my head and getting in my eyes and I stopped, wondering if I really should be undoing somebody else's work that had been done 47 years ago. (I kept ripping, but saved all that old crap). Anyway, it's by no means a concours restoration, but it does look good in the morning light and it gets me right where it counts.

[Tobi/DFL]

The car is looking great, Jim!

Tobi

[glenn]

Looks awesome Jim.

How about a engine picture?

[Jim Ratto]

sure...... 
or should I post a pic when it's on the floor later tonight? 

[IP359]

Congrats Jim.
Very beautiful  car.
Enjoy !

[glenn]

Nice.. Classic look.

Love the 010

[Neil Davies]

Jim, it's beautiful. It takes balls to change the look of a car that you've had for so long, but I think you've nailed it. It looks enough like tho old colour to still be yours but different enough to really grab attention. Fantastic.

[DKK Ted]

Jim, your car came out beautiful, nice detail bud, hope to see it soon!

Ted

[Rick Meredith]

Hey Jim... it's not done until you sell it... until then, it's a work in progress. 

That being said, it looks outstanding! Can't wait to see it.

[guillaume]

Congratulations Jim, your car is very nice

[Zach Gomulka]

Looks much better on your car than the Porsche!

[Jim Ratto]

Thanks for the kind words from everybody. Glenn, yeah the car just runs so well with the 010, especially over the MSD that was in it. Looking for good Bosch points for 010 if you have them (pm me). The Bremis seem to float pretty early on in the rev range, so I've been filing Bosch sets I can scare up and hope the rubbing blocks last.
So turns out my 15 yr old KEP stage 2 went south. No biggie. It lived a good long life. Hope to have the motor back in and buttoned up by this weekend.

[Ben67]

Looks real good Jim. Bummer about the clutch
Seams just like a few week ago we were checking it out fresh from the paint shop, drinking beers. It'll be nice to see ya & your lump around again.  Maybe this weekend. 

[Jim Ratto]

Looks real good Jim. Bummer about the clutch
Seams just like a few week ago we were checking it out fresh from the paint shop, drinking beers. It'll be nice to see ya & your lump around again.  Maybe this weekend. 

Thanks Ben, that was a fun day. High time for another 12'er of Modelo. I hope to hav the car buttoned up Saturday in time to get some local miles on it and then see ya this weekend. I hope.     
Clutch is on UPS Truck headed to my place as I type. Nice thing- I was planning on screwing new plugs in the motor, much easier now that it's on the floor. And since everything was clean, it was pretty painless. Hopefully reassembly is the same. Yeah right.....
see ya

[Harry/FDK]

Figment...

[dragvw2180]

 I really like the color and the car looks great, congratulations on a well done job. Mike McCarthy

[Tourist]

Good morning Jim,

I like this!

What parts did you use to cap the fresh air outlets on your fanshroud, and what breather tank is that?

Thankyou in advance ,
Martin.

[Russell]

Jim

Great to see a car taken apart and redone within a short time and not a lifetime project, looks great, and if the only teething problem is the clutch, that's a result.

Great Job.

Cheers

Russell

[Jim Ratto]

Thanks guys. Martin I got those caps in the plumbing department of a mom and pop hardware store I worked at in the early 1990's. They're ugly, but I've run that fan housing since 1992 and since it just works without a hassle, I can't bring myself to put an aftermarket or non doghouse shroud on. I get attached to parts that work without exception. The breather came from my friend John Holleran that had made it for somebody that never picked it up from his shop, so I ended up with it.
Russell thanks for the kind words, I couldn't let the car sit undone for a long period of time. I enjoy driving it too much to let it sit idle.

Motor went back in late last night, fired it up this morning, got it dialed in and cleaned up and hopefully I can put the tools away for awhile.

[glenn]

I can't bring myself to put an aftermarket or non doghouse shroud on.

73 Type 181 (aka Thing) shroud is a dog house with no fresh air.

I know all about having parts forever but sometimes you need to make a change

[Doktor]

Jim, you have a very beautiful car.
Kinda reminds me on "Berglar"... 

[Jim Gillum Racing]

I'm with McCarthy on the color, Jim.  Tell me about the engine.

[Brian Silva]

Looks great Jim! Can't wait to see it in person...I know the feeling of gremlins after "completing" the car. Had 2 faulty throwout bearings back to back...Motor in and out 4 times in one month. Tranny gets stuck in third gear as the hockey stick drops out of the shift forks...Pull the tranny fix it, stuck in 3rd gear again after first shift...total mileage since May = 500. Trying to get the tranny out this weekend to send it back to Rancho..Can't wait to get it back on the road without any issues.

[Jim Ratto]

I'm with McCarthy on the color, Jim.  Tell me about the engine.

Thanks Jim.
it's a 94 x 78, VW rods, 44 x 37 Clyde berg heads, Pauter 306 x .530" cam, 9.8:1, 48IDA Webers. Nothing extreme. Runs good to 7000.

[Jim Ratto]

Looks great Jim! Can't wait to see it in person...I know the feeling of gremlins after "completing" the car. Had 2 faulty throwout bearings back to back...Motor in and out 4 times in one month. Tranny gets stuck in third gear as the hockey stick drops out of the shift forks...Pull the tranny fix it, stuck in 3rd gear again after first shift...total mileage since May = 500. Trying to get the tranny out this weekend to send it back to Rancho..Can't wait to get it back on the road without any issues.

thanks Brian
it was frustrating, but in the big picture it was no big deal. That pressure plate had 15 years on it, including runs @ Carlsbad, Sac and Sears Point on MH's. And 55,000 street miles on it. Got the car back together last Saturday and drove the car to Fullerton and back, via the 210 and 57 freeways (not the short way), no more problems. Hoping this weekend to go get some "Hwy 33" time in it. 
Good luck with your car.

[Jim Gillum Racing]

Heh Jim, if you're going to do Hwy. 33 are you going to stop at the Reyes Creek Bar and Grill?  Kool place, been there for over 100 years.  It's off Lockwood Valley Road.

[Fastbrit]

Saw it last Sunday and it does look way cool!  [ Attachment: You are not allowed to view attachments ]