My Fiat Topolino is a Flip Top now

The Fiat is in the body shop and the fun has begun. Getting rear door unsprung and starting on the roof. Fixing the rear door has the body lines matching again.

 

A little more work on the roof. you cannot see it in the picture but the roof had a lot of small surface dents. Large ones were hammer & dollied and the rest get a light coat of filler.

 

She is going to be soooooo Nice!

 

Thanks Mickey, along way to go on the body. Needs lower door skins, front of the body were I lengthend it is on the rough side. the main body itself isn't that bad it is just everthing else. Even though there's a lot, I am so excited and pumped to see it at this stage.

 

We can't wait to see this FORD power do some runsssssss

 

Will it be tearing up the back roads of upstate New York this summer?

 

I sure hope so. My goal is to make it to the track at least once this summer. My business has been very busy and takes up most of my time. Making time for the car can be challenging in the summer.

 

Fiat is coming along nicely at the body shop. roof smoothed out and in primer. A lot of other small issues are being tended to also. Hope you like the progress.

 

Bob - Looking good! I've got mine running and driving and mostly street-legal. I'm going to keep driving out the bugs this summer and then it will go in the body shop next fall.
John

 

Wow, Your Fiat looks great. I bet it is a lot of fun to drive. What color will you paint it?

 

John,
Also wondering what size front tires are you running?

 

That looks Great John, I glad to see your out driving/enjoying it!!!!!
Scott

 

Bob - Front tires are 165/80R-15 on 4 1/2" wheels, rear are P225/70R-15 on 7" wheels. Color will be Ford Screaming Yellow. After the body was media blasted I had it primered yellow to see if I would like it, and I do.
John

 

I have 135's on the front of mine. Not a lot of tread width. So I have been contemplating what size will work the best.
When I set the line lock it pushes the front tires before the back wheels spin. Also had to stop quick once and the front wheels locked up and did very little to help stop the car. The yellow looks nice on there. When I was a kid my dad had a 31 willy's that initially he painted dark metallic green. The following year he painted it yellow. Very small car that we fit my brother, myself and my parents in. About the size of the inside of your Fiat. Well, once it was painted yellow it was a magnet for bee's. You want to see something funny. When a big old bumble would come in the window, Dad trying to get the car stopped and the four of us bailing out afraid we were going to get stung.

 

The body work is progressing nicely. The hood and nose where I made it longer took a lot of massaging to fix the body lines and straighten things out. The inside of the grill was welded on each rib because through vibration were each rib meets the body it makes cracks, so welding should stop any further damage.

 

Looking good! Bet it was fun tacking all those ribs.

 

Fenders done and in primer all fitted with a nice fit for fender welting. Directional light fits flush in fender opening. work on cowl area progressing nicely and zues fastener to secure flip nose when closed.

 

front end is coming together nicely.

 

Fantastic work! I can not get enough of your car. She is going to be so bad ass.

 

It has been a long slow at times painful process. But it feels incredible to be at this stage finishing up the body and making it all purdy and all. lol

 

Now the boring part pushing sandpaper back and forth.

 

A sneak peek

 

Wow, that color looks great !

 

Thanks Phil, alot of body work to do yet but getting closer everyday. The color has alot of pearl that flip flops in the sun which will really accent the roundness of the body. glad you like it.

 

If it looks that good in the shade it oughta really kick ass in the sun. Cool beans!

 

GREAT COLOR! Very nice, seems to just FIT!

 

Here is a closeup of the blue in the sun reflecting a coupe that I just painted flames on in the paint. thought it was a cool pic.

 

Great color choice FORD blue

 

Love the color choice! Can't wait to see how it looks on the rest of the body.
Tom

 

More updates on the Fiat.