IanEmery said:

Here you go Sean. I hope these help you. Let me know if you need any other photos.

I must get around to replacing the wiring on the oil pressure switch!

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Cheers Ian,
is that panel just flat?
what about where the exhaust panel bolts on? the L one has a slight slant on the edge that tilts the bolted panel over slightly

Franko500 said:

Cheers Ian,
is that panel just flat?
what about where the exhaust panel bolts on? the L one has a slight slant on the edge that tilts the bolted panel over slightly

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Ah OK, I'll look at both my cars tomorrow and try to get some accurate pictures of that area for you.

Sean, OK, so I've looked at both cars which show the same detail. It's almost impossible to get a decent photo without removing the rear cross panel but I'll try to explain: the panel is formed down to an angle of about 15 dig from horizontal and the angle starts from the very outside edge of the long oval pressings which looks the same as your picture of the L. This angle then matches the angle on the exhaust shield, I can only imagine this arrangement is to get the shield on the same plain as the body panel but a couple of mm lower? Does any of that make sense?

Hope this helps you.

Thanks Ian,
its not the actual exhaust shield I'm interested in. Just the panel it bolts to.
Some pictures ive seen, the panel looks dead flat where the exhaust shield bolts to. Others have a slight angle on the left 20-30mm of the panel where the 2 bolt holes are.

Franko500 said:

Thanks Ian,
its not the actual exhaust shield I'm interested in. Just the panel it bolts to.
Some pictures ive seen, the panel looks dead flat where the exhaust shield bolts to. Others have a slight angle on the left 20-30mm of the panel where the 2 bolt holes are.

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Sorry, difficult to explain fully :bang: I included photos of the exhaust shield only to show the angle. I checked both of my cars in case one had the incorrect panel fitted and both cars have the angle. The angle of the fixed panel is, as close as I can make out, the same as the angle on shield. Due to the angle on the shield and fixed panel they finish up parallel but with the shield a few mm lower, measured vertically.

Have I done a better job this time?

Awsome!
thanks for taking the time to do this.
So its just like the L then.
Off to france for a week on Friday, so full steam ahead when i get back. Well thats if im allowed in the garage!

Franko500 said:

Awsome!
thanks for taking the time to do this.

So its just like the L then.
Off to france for a week on Friday, so full steam ahead when i get back. Well thats if im allowed in the garage!

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You're welcome! Although my cars aren't restored to anywhere near the level of your L, and doubtless how your D will be, I'm fairly sure they are faithful representations so if you want any other detail photos just ask.

I hope your trip goes well, we're also traveling this week, down to the fair county of Kent for a wedding in Rochester then some use of the motorhome, so no Fiat driving for me either

Ooh, are you coming anywhere near Herne Bay? You are welcome to pop by if it's before we go.

It would be great to meet and put a face to the name, and spend some time admiring your cars, but unfortunately the wedding is Wednesday midday and Thursday is planned spending time with family we don't see often then you're away on Friday so maybe next time we're down that way? Appreciate the offer tho, thanks.

After months of applying wd40 and oil to all the suspension nuts and bolts, it took me about 1.5hrs to strip the front suspension off. I would like to show you some more photos but for some reason the system wont let me!

Franko500 said:

After months of applying wd40 and oil to all the suspension nuts and bolts, it took me about 1.5hrs to strip the front suspension off. I would like to show you some more photos but for some reason the system wont let me!

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I think the server space might be full? I haven't been able to upload for a couple of days either.

It could be they have introduced the Anti Rust filter
there by limiting the amount of corrosion shown on the site...
So Sean, you probably used your allowance with the L.

Oh the L was just a trial run.
This one is going to take some serious welding

"This one is going to take some serious welding"
and I know from the youtube vids you have been watching you've been getting some expert tips from the experts...
Perhaps there could be a competition or such for the scariest restoration video, I still think the rear parcel shelf replacement using blobs of welds every 3-4 cm takes some beating, well of course it was accompanied by similar treatment everywhere else, but it did look very glossy when painted....

Bigvtwin996 said:

It could be they have introduced the Anti Rust filter
there by limiting the amount of corrosion shown on the site...
So Sean, you probably used your allowance with the L.

Click to expand...

I think that the rust allocation recently got diverted to the 850/900 Forum and I used it up without paying anything back into to the meter. Sorry.

Hoorah, the website is allowing pictures of rust again!
Here it is.


Usual rust as expected, outer wheel arches, front of inner arch, lower section of inner arch where it meets the floor.
Not much holding the A post to the sill/floor though


The front suspension cross member is solid. I might need to remove the left brake hose bracket to carry out a repair on the arch panel behind it - small hole where the mud had built up over the years trapping in the moisture.
the floor is a different matter. New inner & outer sills, Floor pans, hopefully the tunnel is reusable. There is heavy corrosion where the front floor meets the lower bulkhead. Once the shell is on my frame jiggy thing I will probably take the floors out and expose as much of the rust as possible before blasting.
More photos to follow.


Too be fair its only a little worse than Franko was.
The shell just needs some underseal and sealer removed and then its ready to go to the sandblasters.

I'd have words with whoever suggested you buy that car, as a minimum cross them off your Christmas card list...
If you put a very thin layer of fibreglass tissue and sprayed it with loadbed liner you'd get away with shifting on to another punter....

LOL, wonder who that could be?
well I suppose I am lucky its not filled with concrete

I like looking at these easy projects. Six weeks should see it finished.

Honestly though, I admire your methodical approach. Are you not a bit jaded though, seeing all the same challenges ahead?

The good thing about rebuilding another 500 is I know what I am in for and the problems I incurred last time.
However this one is slightly different in terms of the suicide doors and also the previous poor accident damage repairs that need completing properly.
So not as daunting as your current project.:worship: