Photos of BX, Fiat and Lancia

spannerman · Post by **spannerman** » Sun May 06, 2007 7:54 am

Here she is!

And the Lancia Gamma, ready to repaint

The Fiat 850, I couldn't get her out of the garage sorry

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Sun May 06, 2007 9:15 am

Great pics Gerry!

Love the BX and that colour which seems to be continued through the dash as well.Do you know much of the history of the car? As you suggested : a sheltered life - those plastic panels in the rear haven't crazed as they tend to do.
Looks like you've got your hands full with those Euro exotics. Where do you get parts when you require them?
Also, are you in the motor game or just a keen amateur? Spraying a car is an undertaking that I've never attempted at home but the time approaches when I must try my hand

any tips?

spannerman · Post by **spannerman** » Sun May 06, 2007 8:15 pm

Hi Todd, I'm glad you like them. The only history of the bx so far is the last owner had it for 9 years,and always garaged and well serviced. I'm still on a learning curve as too where I'll be able to get parts for the bx, but there is a Citroen dealership in most cities.
For the italians, there are quite a few specialists about, and ebay is good, apart from the shipping costs.
I'm a fitter /welder by trade, currently working in the Irrigation field, but have always done all my own repair work on my cars.
Only tip on painting, preparation-preparation-preparation. The top coat will highlight all shortcuts-poor sanding etc, talk to your paint supplier and get all your materials from one source. I like to use laquer because you can fix any faults straight away, but the technology is always changing so ask the supplier.
Cheers Gerry

stuart_hedges · Post by **stuart_hedges** » Sun May 06, 2007 11:09 pm

*swoon*

Some of my favourite cars there. Lucky man! Look after them!

Post by **docchevron** » Mon May 07, 2007 1:41 am

Nice set mate!
That FIAT looks lovely!

Yeah spraying is the easy bit, it's the prep work that takes all the time and effort.

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Mon May 07, 2007 7:40 am

There's a Lancia Gamma Coupe for sale locally. I'd never seen one before. That's the chimney sweep parked next to it -

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/197/4878 ... fbea_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/4878 ... c1a6_b.jpg

thanks for the spraying tips. I'm going to start off small-scale with the white alloys ( how to get regular coverage with all those angles and recesses?) then progress up to the seemingly enormous undertaking of the 406D

spannerman · Post by **spannerman** » Mon May 07, 2007 8:51 am

Hi Todd, are you living in france? That Gamma is a series 2, mine is a series 1. The only big differance is the series 2 is Fuel inj' and 15" wheels. It appears in good order, how much?
If you are going to paint your wheels, I would use laquer, and just apply very light dust coats, and slowly build the paint up till you can tell they are well coated, and finish with off with a top coat of clear.
Good luck Gerry

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Mon May 07, 2007 9:09 am

Gerry, I'm right in the South of Germany - just about the middle of Europe. The Lancia is €2,850 - is that good? A lot of Italians moved to this area after the war hence there's a few Italian cars about.
Laquer? Clear? Is this stuff expensive? My yellow car was painted by a spray-shop in household interior/exterior acrylic as an advert - looks alright but I'm sure there's reasons why it's not ideal. Was going to do the wheels in the acrylic too.. it's certainly cheap and pleasant to work with - no smell, water soluable etc. What are your thoughts? Cheers!

spannerman · Post by **spannerman** » Mon May 07, 2007 9:28 am

Hi again Todd, thats about right for the Gamma in good condition, as long as it has no engine problems, prices vary very much on the condition just like all cars, but a gamma that has been well sorted is a great long distance tourer. It was built at the pinin farina factory alongside the Ferrari 400.
I have never used acrylic paint on cars, but like I said technology never stands still. You may find laquer is called cellouse over there, and by clear I mean any clear topcoat, which is a bit like what clear polyurathane is to timber finishes. Hope this helps Gerry

mountainmanUK · Post by **mountainmanUK** » Mon May 07, 2007 11:28 am

Hi Gerry!

Any ideas how long before that beautiful Fiat will take, before you get her back on the road?
I'd love to see some pics of her in 'action'!!

****drooling over keyboard****

Dave

spannerman · Post by **spannerman** » Mon May 07, 2007 12:06 pm

Hi Dave, that is one of the hardest questions to answer, its going to be a while yet, reasons being, winter is just around the corner, and I do like sitting in front of the fire the older I get. Also the only way to pay for this hobby is to work, and in the winter I work for a Silage contractor any spare hours I get outside my normal job, so maybe by early summer!!
I heard somewhere there was probably only a dozen 850 coupes still roadworthy in the UK, so they must be a rare sight.
Cheers Gerry

mountainmanUK · Post by **mountainmanUK** » Mon May 07, 2007 12:14 pm

Yep.....if fact I've only seen ONE actually driving on the road in the past 7 or 8 years!!
A couple I've spotted on forecourts of Classic Car Sales places, and I saw a badly-decomposing model on the back of a lorry last year! Hope it was going to a nice new home and not to a breakers!

When I was a teenager I had posters and pics all over my bedroom walls, of 850 Coupes! It was always my ambition, but as time passed and they became fewer, my ambitions faded to a distant dream.

Knowing what I know now, maybe I could yet fulfil that old ambition....but it would take money, time and space.....and i've got precisely NONE of those!!
Keep us updated when you do get around to working on her some more...its Spring here now, and so many people are starting work on their 'projects' again after winter!

Cheers
Dave

spannerman · Post by **spannerman** » Mon May 07, 2007 7:59 pm

Thanks for that Dave, will keep everyone up to date as and when.
Cheers Gerry

mnde · Post by **mnde** » Tue May 08, 2007 1:47 pm

Hi Gerry,

Thanks for those pics! A lovely fleet you have there, and the Fiat is amazing! The 850 coupe is one car I must own at some point. Please give us more photos as it progresses

Mark.