Practically Classics Forum

Bit of a wet day and had family stuff to do so took on a little job.

My attention is turning to stuff that has been bugging me cosmetically and things that may be picked up in the MOT.

The passenger headlamp and indicator where in a bad state. The indicator is cracked and let water in so thats binned and I need a replacement (let me know if you have any!).
Headlamp was rusted out and full of condensation.

I already had a good replacement but I had seen others refurb units , and replacements are starting to get expensive so I decided to see what I could do.

So here is the offending unit -



10 Mins in Oven (much to wifes pleasure) at 160 loosened the sealant and allowed me to seperate the glass from unit





Cleaned the glass up



It was the insert that runs along the side and bottom that was flaking and rusting.



After a clean the reflector only need the ver bottom section covering with some nice shiny aluminium tape the rest was good.



The rusty section got wire brushed , kurusted and zinc primed. The covered in more of the Ali tape.





Cleaned the plastic section and then bolted it all back together







In garage now with the glass sealed in a nd clamped down to leave overnight.

Came out well , as new Id say, so I am going to have to do the other one now or its going to look strange!

Little update.

More light work.

Thanks to 75-Fan I got a new indicator.

I decided to strip both down and clean them up. Running a sharp knife blade along the joins over and over gently saw the lens seperate from housing.

In both the reflective planel was rotten, the new one way les so than the other.

I thought about fabbing new steel ones but I felt that they where likely to rot again at some point and that I could save myself alot of hammering. So I made these out fo fibreglass



Which I then covered in more ali tape.



Then resealed the units after giving lenses a good clean



So along with the headlights I have all refurbed front lighting that should work a hell of alot better and of course make the car look in better nick!

tidy job.. you have got me looking at alfas now.....despite the fact the only one ive "owned" was a arna/cherry europe & it only ran once..

Lol , an Arna, what where they/you thinking lol!

Probably this:

Nelson Mandela, or was that a Nissan Main Dealer, this is a terrible line? wrote:"Wow, we can fit an interesting engine to this little **** after all, but to get it in there a deal with the devil must first be signed, whereby he makes them rust far more badly than the IL4 versions."

JPB wrote:Probably this:

Nelson Mandela, or was that a Nissan Main Dealer, this is a terrible line? wrote:"Wow, we can fit an interesting engine to this little **** after all, but to get it in there a deal with the devil must first be signed, whereby he makes them rust far more badly than the IL4 versions."

as i recall it was something along those lines
i paid a tenner for it, had thirty quids worth of building materials out of it sold it for a tenner & still lost money although id have another tomorrow

And I'd happily have either of my 75s back, were it not for the fact that the engines are both now living in other cars (one a MK2 Escort, the other a Wolseley 16/60 ).
There's something about Alfas (and Alfa-related Datsuns ) that makes otherwise perfectly sane people want to keep on going back to be kicked in the face again and again by a car that, if it were a woman, would run off with your best mate and his wife, do them both in every known position then come back expecting your forgiveness & understanding and you'd even make it a cup of tea when it did.

i couldnt have put it better myself...
i would love to try the wolsley

LOL! Love it JPB, thats going on the 75 forum!

So true! I've had 4 x 75, 2 x 164 and 1 x 155 plus some Fiats 2 x Strada 130TC Abarth and 2 x Strada 105TC

It's got to be the noise! The V6 at full chat (and the 130'S on over run!).

I love the idea of a British old skool saloon with the Alfa unit! Always wanted a Moggy with a Twin Cam

im going to regret asking, but could you have a look if there any arnas left??