Hi Guys,

Thougth I should share what I´m doing with my ´96 Barchetta, should it be anyone who likes this type of threads.

I bought it cheap, about £800, 1000 Euro. It has 220.000km on the odometer. It was running but not much more.
Since then I´ve been going slow, fixing one thing at the time, and now its starting to get where I don´t feel I need a technus shot to get in.

Things done so far:
New convertible top, new throttle housing (x2), new air intace ducts, renovated interior, engine bay and original wheels... among many more things.

The journey:

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Welcome to the forum. Good progress so far. Good price too.
Visby appears to be a small island off Sweden, correct? Are the roads any good or do you have to go to mainland?
By the way, you appear to have the same garage door as me! They're really good aren't they.

Davefridge said:

Welcome to the forum. Good progress so far. Good price too.
Visby appears to be a small island off Sweden, correct? Are the roads any good or do you have to go to mainland?
By the way, you appear to have the same garage door as me! They're really good aren't they.

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Hi Dave, thanks

Visby is the main city on the island of Gotland, the biggest island in th Baltic Sea. Allmost 200km top to bottom, so we have plenty of paved curvy country side roads, perfect for a lowered Barchetta

/Seb

Sounds perfect .

Look familiar ?

Barchetta Bloke 440 said:

Sounds perfect .

Look familiar ?

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Very

Where is the pic taken, Sweden?

Raukstern said:

Very

Where is the pic taken, Sweden?

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Yes , Stockholm docks .

I wasn't taking a boat trip , just passing through .

Here's Chris' bumper there too .

2014

Always wanted to go to Gotland, but in many trips to Sweden over the years, we never managed to get there (lots of camping holidays when the kids were young, and then one of my daughters studied at the University of Stockholm, so we had a great excuse to visit!)

i saw one of the nicest B's I've ever seen in Stockholm, parked outside the Royal Palace, about 10 years ago. It was a yellow one, with a beautifully customised interior (black & yellow leather, and lots of yellow highlights inside). I took some photos, but sadly I didn't get around to downloading them before my phone was stolen in Paris a while later, so I can't share the visual memory. I like to think that it might have been the plaything of one of your Royal family, but somehow I doubt it.

Do please tell us more about your restoration - the ups and downs - as your B looks lovely now!

Some finishing touches on the graphite theme.
The paint had set enough to sand it away on the lettering of the aluminium cover.
I also completed the interior touch ups by painting the frame for the speedometer and rev-counter in the same graphite gray an the center column.

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That graphite finish works really well on the interior. More interesting than blank, less 1980's-cheap-stereo than the silver. Nice touch.

Raukstern said:

The paint had set enough to sand it away on the lettering of the aluminium cover.

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How long did you leave it before you sanded it off the lettering?

Just painted mine and thinking of doing the same, but don’t want to ruin the rest of it by doing it too soon

LeftyGreg said:

How long did you leave it before you sanded it off the lettering?

Just painted mine and thinking of doing the same, but don’t want to ruin the rest of it by doing it too soon

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I think the day after is long enough. Just don´t do it hours after painting it, when the paint is still elastic. Let it set for a day and your good to go.

Top down in Gotland, Sweden today

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Well Jel , it's been raining for about 3 hours here today .

I could always sit in my car ,inside the garage , soft top completely absent ,moved to Hertfordshire .....

Who needs softtop anyway.
Only used it twice in six years, but it's a constant headache to open&close while the car is in garage. What a nuisance )

First Barchetta speeding ticket yesterday. £250... worth it

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How fast did you go?
My top speed was 150+kph and it felt it could go way way more, without becoming airborne... but it just didn't feel appropriate to push on.
The best cruising speed for b is around 80kph, if you ask me.

Raukstern said:

First Barchetta speeding ticket yesterday. £250... worth it

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Ouch!

wapper said:

How fast did you go?
My top speed was 150+kph and it felt it could go way way more, without becoming airborne... but it just didn't feel appropriate to push on.
The best cruising speed for b is around 80kph, if you ask me.

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That's a bit slow ,mine was nice and smooth at 75 MPH , about 120 Kph .

Could do that all day without a air scarf thingy ,never had one of those .

I think 120kph is smoothest in mine, but it will be expensive, as the top speed arount my island is 90

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120kph is indeed good for a highway. But my main reason for owning a cabrio is chilling on nice curvy roads, enjoying sunshine and birds singing