Aprilia Cabrio - here we go again

[the.cern]

You are certainly pushing on Simon, excellent progress.

I think your stamped number may be PF's build number. If it is, you should find it stamped on all the major components such as each door, the bonnet etc. It does look very similar to the number stamped on many parts of my B20 including the bonnet hinges. The number was also crudely painted on some of the internal trim panels. See my B20 Story thread.

Good luck with it, once more brilliant to read how you are getting on!!

                                      Andy

[simonandjuliet]

Thanks Andy
The numbers on the chrome bits are different - 173 and the body numbers are 873 (parts number) and 889 above the steering column

A couple of hours this afternoon spent on the back seat base. It was very soft and the frame was losing its shape so I made and added a new top frame/front edge and added some extra springs. I used 6" 12G springs for the first 2 rows and 4" 12G springs for the 3rd.

The 12 gauge wire is very light so hopefully the finished seat will not be too stiff - it is a bit trial and error .....

The springs are held in place with "c" clips and then the edge is bound with hessian strips before being sewn in place with 4 cord hemp twine. So the springs are bound in place, but not too rigid

[simonandjuliet]

Carburetors !

This carb came with the Cabrio, but isn't originally Aprilia - any ideas ?? Zenith/Stromberg EX 22 P

Another question - can you run a 1350 engine with the 2nd series Weber carb ? does it need re-jetting ?

[frankxhv773t]

For what it's worth I had a single choke Webber on a Vauxhall Victor and that was rated as suitable for everything from 1600 to 2000cc so I would think your Series 2 carb would be worth a try.

[simonandjuliet]

Thanks for your thoughts, I only have a Weber, so I will probably start with that

We took the roof off the Cabrio today. I have never re-roofed a cabrio before, although I have owned several, so it was interesting to see how it works.

It is all about retaining tension - getting decent anchors and not too much bulk.

The rear anchor is not how I imagined, the metal lip is pierced by a large number of drilled holes with a wooden frame behind it. The inner and outer material is then attached to this - the inner one gripped by a piece of split bamboo, nailed to the top of the frame and then the outer is nailed to the frame, the nails passing through the material/drilled holes and into the wood

The wood is cream-crackered so I will need to remake this frame, otherwise the rest is very good

Nice detail showing leather loops holding the wires for the inside light

ps not sure what is happening to the photo sizing - I will try to rectify it !

[Dikappa]

Funny, the carburettor.  I recently came across the very same in some Lancia parts I bought and wondered what it came from.  Seems to have been used on some Talbot's, but maybe was a known conversion for aprillia's?  In any case the previous owner of the parts had an aprilia in the past.

[davidwheeler]

In 1971 I bought a Weber in Cavallito in Torino "for an Aprilia".    I never used it as I later acquired a Nardi manifold so sold the Weber to Gerald Batt for his Aprilia.  Don't remember much about it now and cannot remember what it looked like but pretty sure it was not like yours.   It may have been twin choke.

[simonandjuliet]

There has been quite a lot going on behind the scenes with the Cabrio, the interior has started as has the hood and headlining

The hood has been removed and the headlining started. New wool headlining has arrived from "Erreffe" in Italy and the "first cut" has been made. Similarly, the hood has been shaped.

Dog is due in next week to paint the rear quarter so that we can fit the hood once it is made. It is slightly the wrong way round but sometimes I have to do things in the order I have them available, or wait an eon ....

Likewise with the interior. The local upholsterer has dismantled and photographed everything and last week I collected all the frames. I need to do any repairs, clean and repaint the bits and then he can carry on with the upholstery

Everything is pretty sane, a bit of surface rust on springs/frames etc , but the wood is not rotten or eaten, so it has been a case of strip , clean, re-glue , paint, varnish etc etc

The frames are made of softwood and are neatly jointed, glued and screwed, then the spring assembly is nailed to them. I separated the springs from the frames, re-glued where necessary, replaced the steel screws with brass screws (where there they come in contact with the leather) , de-rusted and painted the springs/frames and "hard-waxed" the wood frames. Should finish this tomorrow and return them to the upholsterer by the end of the week

It is all very "old-school" and beautifully made. Some detail photos attached. As usual it is all marked up in pencil or stamped for a particular car - "167" in this case. The leather is also stamped ".....73 GARRONE" which suggests a Bordeaux red - very appropriate !

[stanley sweet]

No rest for you between projects! That's a substantial piece of wood. De-rusting the springs must have been a bit of a chore. I assume it's just a case of sanding each one by hand? Do you have any kind of blasting cabinet?

[DavidLaver]

Any excuse to plug the Hannah's Bug series on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIAi1M9X8s8

That episode is on electrolytic rust removal.  Her blasting setup is quite a thing with a large number of cheap compressors and an impressive switching system.

David

[simonandjuliet]

The videos are fun, I will have to see if Mathilda will switch from "Thatcher Joe"

Busy day today, 3 photos can't really sum it up ......

As Stan pointed out, cleaning up the springs takes quiet a while, especially this last set that were quite rusty. I used a rust converter after I had cleaned them, then gave them a spray with black acrylic

A before and after shot of the bases. Everything has had a coat of blue paint, not sure why ,but it has to come off. Once cleaned up , all the wood has had a coat of hard wax

Last photo shows the extended seat base, ready to be re-upholstered

Lots of other little jobs like replacing broken springs, cleaning up and lacquering the runners, cleaning up the rake adjuster threads etc etc

Hopefully will be finished tomorrow so the trimmer can carry on

[DavidLaver]

Was there one bit that took WAY more time than expected or just "steady progress"?

[stanley sweet]

How do you strip the paint off so cleanly, e.g. the seat bases?

[simonandjuliet]

Thanks for your comments

David, nothing has taken much more time than expected if taken as individual "jobs", it is more that there is so much to do. The springs did take an age to wire brush and paint and masking properly takes time
I find that I do several jobs at a time, rubbing something down whilst waiting for something else to dry and then pop upstairs to do the seat spring after I've painted the thing I've just rubbed down. Repeat as necessary !

Unfortunately, if I take something apart or uncover it, I cannot put it back dirty......even if it will never be seen again

Stan, stripping the wood was a case of finding the appropriate abrasive and taking layers off until I got back to a layer I like. I could rub everything down to bare wood, but I think it loses its charm, I would rather something was tarnished and characterful. Same with flaking chrome, I remove the loose and then polish the rest before protecting it. My latest favourite is spray satin varnish

Straying slightly, I came across a delightful detail. A 1926, 25 centime coin has been used as a washer on one of the seat frames. It looks as if it has always been there. It seems to me to be a "signature"

It is a fascinating hint at the origins of the car. The frame numbers correspond with those on the chrome plates, brackets etc and looking at nail holes it looks as if the seats have not been re-upholstered.

So, was the car trimmed in France originally ? No way an Italian would use a French coin, "Garonne" (or Garrone) stamped on the leather. Ardennes wheels. There are more and more hints that this car came to France very early in its life.  

Who knows .......

For a bit of fun I fitted the seat frames to the car for a photo shoot

[nthomas1]

I love the centime used as a washer. Wonderful!