Two for the Road (Post # 70)

The Alfatross in  about 1964 when it belonged to Pat 
Braden.  Note that the driving light on the passenger's side 
is completely different from the Marschal 640 fog light on 
the driver's side.  Pat Braden.

From the first time I saw The Alfatross I wondered if the driving and fog lights mounted in the horizontal grilles on either side of the central grille were "right". They looked too big for the grille openings and they were the type of light that is supposed to be attached using the threaded lug at the bottom of the case.  I assumed they were substitutions for whatever was supposed to be there and resolved to replace them with the "right" fixtures one day. My confusion deepened years later when I received this photo from former owner Pat Braden, taken in about 1964, I noticed that the Alfatross' driving light was completely different from the one on the car when I bought it.  So what is The Alfatross supposed to have? 

Screw holes in the rim of car 01947 (ex-Kelly) are all that 
is left of its grille lights.  Tim Marinos.

When good photos of The Alfatross' siblings started showing up on the Internet I noticed there is a lot of variation with respect to manufacturer, type, and size of the driving and fog lights.  This could be due in equal parts to what the cars were originally provided with or, due to their highly vulnerable location, the need for replacement due to rock damage.  

Note the way the lights are recessed into the grilles of  
chassis 01844.  Can't make out the manufacturer in this
photo.

Most lights seem to be Marschals, but the models vary.  Some have one fog and one driving light while others have two driving lights or even two fog lights. Although the dimensions of the grille openings appear to be constant, some lights appear to be smaller in diameter and recessed entirely inside the grille.  

Chassis 01915 in the 1955 Mille Miglia.  Note the additional
driving light attached to the central grille. Michele 
Marchiano

Period photos are hard to come by, and have not been much help.  Most are insufficiently sharp to distinguish makes and models of the driving and fog lights.  Occasionally the lenses are even taped over! But it is apparent that they protrude slightly from the grilles and it is possible to make out the Marschal crest on top of the light bezels.  In other words, they look just like the lights on The Alfatross!

Chassis 01954  is fitted with twin Marschal fog lights, but 
not the same type as The Alfatross.  Note the characteristic
Marschal shield on the lens, raised lens cone in the center 
of the lens, and pronounced chrome hood.  

Chassis 10593 (ex-Zagato) seems to be equipped with twin Marschal fog lights exactly like those of The Alfatross with the Marschal crest attached to the top of the chrome bezel ring and the clamp protrusion at the bottom of the ring.  

Chassis 10279 also is equipped with Marschal 640 fog lights, but these are different from The Alfatross', lacking the Marschal crest and clamp .

In period photo of an early 1900 Zagato taken during the 1954 Campione d'Italia Concours d'Elegance.  Photo resolution isn't good enough to identify the exact type of lights used.  Michele Marchiano.

Chassis 01845 in "as found" condition with the lens broken
on the passenger's side.  Can't make out the model,
but it does not seem to be a Marschal product. Octane.

 

The Alfatross' original Marschal 640 lens (right) is
chipped and cracked.  The NOS lens and reflector are  now
mounted in the original case (left)

My research reveals that Marschal products were and are present on a number of The Alfatross' siblings. When I bought The Alfatross it was wearing a 642 Marschal driving light and a 640 fog light. I have chosen to restore them. The cases were a little rusty, but could be re-chromed. The real problems were the reflectors and lenses. 

The original lens for the Marschal 640 fog light (right) 
with its NOS replacement from France via e-bay.

Are my lights "original equipment"?  There is evidence to suggest that they are: The mounting lugs on the bottoms of the cases had been removed so the lights could be affixed to the grilles in a somewhat slap-dash, non-adjustable manner by two screws passing through the sides of the grille opening and into the cases. There are only two screw holes in the grille, and they match perfectly the holes in the sides of the light cases. There is no evidence of modifications to install any other type of light, the first photo in this posting notwithstanding. 

The original reflector for the Marshcal 640 fog light
(right) with the NOS reflector that will be used to replace it.

I was lucky enough to locate a NOS Marschal 642 in 2003.  It donated its lens and reflector to the original Marschal case and bezel.  More recently, I acquired a somewhat used Marschal 640 fog light in France through e-bay.  The case was in bad shape, but all I needed was its lens and reflector, both of which were in almost perfect condition. Even with international shipping it cost me only about 1/10 of what the NOS driving light did 11 years ago!  E-bay rules!

Four States of Separation: Shifting Gears in New Mexico (Post # 69)

Gear Fear

One of the potential big-dollar expenses associated with restoring The Alfatross was the transmission.  You can't just take a 1955 Alfa Romeo 5-speed transmission to AAMCO and ask them to check the seals, bearings, synchros, and gears.  I was afraid there might be bad news inside the box because it was hard to shift back in 1970 or '71 when I last drove it.  The ever-resourceful Jeff Kramer recommended I take it to Gordon Self of Gordon's Imports in Albuquerque. Gordon is ASE certified for Alfa, Ferrari and other European imports.

The Alfatross' 5-speed transmission, now with new front
and rear seals, fresh oil. and a clean bill of health for the
bearings, synchros, and gears.

   
Gordon looked it over skeptically, ran the shifter through the gears, scratched his head, and said "It's been a long time since I've seen one of these!"  It looked pretty good on the outside, anyway.  But even if the gears and synchronizers were good it would still probably need seals front and rear at a minimum.  

Gordon Self  in his shop with the Alfatross' transmission.  As
you can see, racing is his thing!

Gordon called a few days later to say that he had opened up and found the synchros, gears, and bearings to be fine.  It did need seals, though, and finding new ones might take a while!  He was also a little concerned about the condition of the cap at the end of the driveshaft rubber "donut"mount and asked me to send down the front section of the propeller shaft to make sure the would engage properly.

The shift bracket welded to the frame had
torn loose.

If everything was fine inside the box, why was I having shifting problems?  I discovered the most likely reason when I was soda blasting the bottom of the chassis.  A bracket designed to anchor part of the clutch linkage had peeled away from the frame member making it impossible to totally disengage the clutch.  That problem was rectified during the chassis repairs.

50 years ago to the month, V. Pat Braden, The Alfatross'
5th owner, scratched  his initials (VPB) and date (10-64) 
inside the bell housing,  probably during a clutch 
replacement.

Carchaeology

An interesting aside: I know when the last clutch change took place: October 1964, 50 years ago to the month, because Pat Braden, a former owner, scratched his initials and the date on the inside of the bell housing! 

Max Jax

Optimistically looking ahead into the not-too-distant-future when The Alfatross' body and chassis return home from Tennessee, I have been shopping around for some kind of hydraulic lift to help with installation of the engine, running gear, brakes, suspension, wiring harness, etc.  I favored a two-post lift because it would make access to the suspension, wheels and brakes easier.  I had been putting off buying and installing a lift for a long time. The Shed has 11 ft ceilings, so height is not a problem, and there is plenty of space, but not so much that plunking a permanent lift down in the middle of it wouldn't create problems when reconfiguration of the space was necessary.  I discovered this site on the Web, http://www.maxjaxusa.com/, watched the set-up video, and was sold.

Installing the MaxJax.  The hardest part was deciding
where to set it up and how far apart to set the columns to
fit a variety of vehicles.

I placed my order and the unit arrived before the end of the week--all 800 lbs of it.  I was surprised and delighted at how easy it was for one person to unpack, assemble, and install it.  I did the assembly on a leisurely Sunday afternoon and the installation in less than 6 hours.  If I had to do it again it wouldn't take half that long.  

Each of the lift columns bolts to the floor using 5 special
wedge anchors.  All you need is two masonry bits and a
good hammer drill.

The MaxJax unit lifts to 48", handles up to 10,000 lbs, and breaks down into two columns and a cart-mounted hydraulic pump.  The whole thing can be removed and wheeled out of the way into a corner in a few minutes--just what I needed!

Four States of Separation: Getting Shafted in Arizona (Post # 68)

Camshafted, that is.  DeWayne Samuels of Samuels Speed Technologies sent the following description of engine work accomplished and on-going, along with an invoice.  Even with all this work going on, the costs associated with the camshafts, valve springs, and exhaust valves accounted for more than half the bill!

Looking to see plating and metal finishing work anytime (mostly carb parts and fasteners), cams well underway.  We are using Crower – way less money than the Italians and way faster delivery, plus I prefer their profile design with USA gasoline vs Italian design on EU gas.  Continuing on carbs, still missing some broken parts that should have been here by now. Finishing oil system prep work.  Exhaust valves are done, starting in on water pump.  Right in the middle of preparations for refinish on externals (intake manifold, covers etc.).  I have one more bid due any minute on valve springs.  Roger and I decided to rework the spring seat area in the cylinder head thus allowing .150” additional height in the spring package, making the spring development more feasible.  The Italians only think they can come up with stock pressure springs but they are too weak to start  with and I have not been able to get anyone to commit to supplying anything (I've been sourcing springs since your engine first got here). I found some Ferrari inner springs with spacers but the spring rate pressure is off - which is as important or more so than the seat pressure.  Piston valve relief area profiling is under way. When finished we will perform a static balance prior to the dynamic balance of the assembly.  

The oil sump after crack repair, etching, and
priming.  DeWayne Samuels.

Glyptol internal finish  for sump.  DeWayne Samuels.

Blued and black oxided engine fasteners.
DeWayne Samuels.

Some of  my fellow gearheads at the Car Table are skeptical that a little 4-cylinder, 2 liter engine should or could need this level of work.  The question they ask most often starts with  "Does it really need . . . ?"  I was nervous about the route the engine work was taking, but in for a penny, in for a pound.  At least things were happening!  Lurking in my memory was the eight years the engine languished in a certain shop in St. Louis while the proprietor was writing the definitive Book of Excuses (more on that later!).





On the other hand, it has slowly dawned on me that few of The Alfatross' brethren have their original engines.  Even some that have correct 1308 engines don't have their original 1308 engines.  The explanation is simple: most of these cars were raced.  Racing is the best way to wear out or blow up an engine fast.  What do you do when your engine is shot but the rest of the car is still good?  You find another engine that will fit and plug it in, of course!

Crower cams--worth their weight in unobtainium!
DeWayne Samuels.

Not that The Alfatross' engine was in great shape when I got it.  It had been rode hard and put away wet many times. Adjustable parts like valves were adjusted to their limits and beyond.  It was overdue for major work.  DeWayne's approach has been to assess the condition of all parts  from an engineering perspective, restore whenever possible and replace when restoration was not a viable option.  Fortunately, with the exception of the oil dipstick, the only parts that needed replacement were internal, and most of them were things that are routinely replaced in a race engine anyway.

The two Solex 40 PII carbs disassembled, cleaned, repaired, and refinished.  DeWayne Samuels.

One of the Solex 40 PII carbs before restoration.  

The only question at this stage is when will the engine be finished and run-tested on a dynamometer? As soon as Tim finishes the body The Alfatross will come back to Santa Fe for installation of virtually everything except the interior.  That would be the perfect time to fit the engine so that we have not only a rolling chassis, but one that is self-propelled!

After Restoration. DeWayne Samuels.

Four States of Separation: Seeking and Hiding in Massachusetts (Post # 67)

Peeling back the hide of one of the front seats. Locating
original materials with which to reupholster the seats
and door panels is proving difficult. Derrick Dunbar. 

In an update in September Derrick Dunbar at Paul Russell & Co. indicated he is still seeking correct or similar hides (well, vinyls and rubber, actually) for the seats and door panels.  It looks like the headliner and vinyl covering the shelf under the rear window can be reused, but most of the rest of the interior will have to be replaced.   It's a Spartan interior for sure, more race car than grand tourer, and that's just as well as far as I'm concerned. 

Beneath the upholstery of the svelt racing seats lurks
several different cushioning and support materials--all 
having exceeded their "best before" date. Derrick 
Dunbar.

While the search for materials continues, disassembly of the seats, frames, door panels, and package shelf under the rear window has revealed that other types of work are needed.  Original support and cushioning materials include a potpourri of burlap, at least two types of foam, felt, and something that looks like cotton batting! 

The backs of the front seats were designed to pivot forward
to allow access to the rear seating area.  Although the
driver's seat does pivot, for some reason the passenger's
seat back was brazed to the lower frame, rendering it
immovable. We decided to leave it that way. Derick Dunbar 

Having lost all of its springiness decades ago, the original wide Pirelli rubber webbing supporting the seat cushions had to be replaced with new material and secured with matching compression rivets. 

The seat frames and bases needed to be stripped, primed and refinished, making sure to match the original color and type of paint.  

Beneath the upholstery on the door panels Derrick found The Alfatross' Zagato serial number!  Derrick Dunbar.

The fluted vinyl upholstery on the package shelf looks like
it may be reusable, but The 4 mm plywood it is tacked to is
warped and split, but the supports underneath will be
re-used.  Derrick Dunbar.

The aluminum interior door panels to which the upholstery was attached had to be straightened and flattened and oversize fastener holes had to be filled.  In the process Derrick discovered the car's Zagato serial number boldly painted on the surface between the panel and upholstery. The thin, fragile plywood used to make the parcel shelf under the rear window will have to be replicated and replaced.  

The carpeting is another matter awaiting resolution. Derrick will not be able to install carpets until The Alfatross is in his trim shop, but that will have to wait until Tim, DeWayne and I have finished our parts of the restoration.

This kind of work is all about labor. The materials used originally were cheap and they're (relatively) cheap now.  The cost of materials so far comes to less than $100, but labor is many times that amount. 

If it sounds like we are "polishing away the past," remember that The Alfatross may have been a preservation or even "barn find" candidate 45 years ago when it fell into my lap, but those days are long gone.  Sympathetic restoration is now the only path to follow with the intention that when we are finished it will look great, be totally roadworthy, and offer seating that enhances the driving experience.  

Four States of Separation: Seeing Red in Tennessee (Post # 66)

Seeing Red in Tennessee

Tennessee Tim at Vintage Autocraft hopes to have the body and chassis finished in December.  The previous post talked about color, but what about the type of paint to be used?  Here is his explanation:

The Alfatross was originally painted in nitrocellulose lacquer which was introduced in European car paint by BASF (Glasurit-werkes) in 1925 and used until at least the late 1950s at which time acrylic lacquer became available. In order to retain originality, some restoration shops have used lacquer paint. However, the final outcome is not always met with long lasting success. I know of one early Bugatti which after being sprayed in lacquer was left in a transport vehicle overnight in sub freezing weather. Because of the sudden shift in temperature, the paint shattered resulting in a complete re-spray. 

The goal with The Alfatross is to use new technology in BASF acrylic urethane yet make it look as originally painted by Zagato in nitro lacquer.  Having worked with original nitro lacquer and knowing what it should look like, I have developed a process to achieve the correct original look using the newer paint without the limitations of 1920s technology. Besides, lacquer is hard to come by, is toxic and flammable, and is technically illegal to use in the automotive industry.

The steel frame of the driver's door.  Rust abounds in the
panel at the bottom.  Corrosion protection was non-
existent at this time.  Tim Marinos.

Tim has been working on The Alfatross for almost a year now.   The steel chassis needed a lot more work than I thought.  In many cases, the condition of the chassis and steel framework inside the doors, hood, and boot lid necessitated removing the aluminum skin to get at the corroded steel. Various bits and pieces of steel and aluminum had to be removed and replaced with exact reproductions.  Recent examples of this kind of work are the doors and hood.  

The aluminum skin of the driver's door after removing the
steel frame.  Tim Marinos

Tim at work on mating the restored steel frame to the
hood.  Tim Marinos.

The completed hood going back on The Alfatross.  Tim
Marinos.

Of course Tim still has a few hundred hours of work left to do.  Tim's job is the most critical right now because until he's finished the rest of the work has no sense of urgency.  Once he's finished the ball will be back in my court.  I can pick The Alfatross up and trailer it back to Santa Fe for installation of the suspension, steering, brakes, electrical harness, drive train, wheels and maybe even the engine. Then it's off to Derrick Dunbar at Paul Russell & Co. in Massachusetts for the interior.  

Derrick is hard at work on the interior even now, preparing the door panels, package shelf under the rear window, and seats in advance of The Alfatross' arrival.  More on that in the next post: "Seeking and Hiding in Massachusetts."

Seeing Red (Post # 65)

Color

They tell me I'm color blind.  They show me test results to prove it.  Unless you are color blind too, trust me, you have no idea what I'm talking about.  I doesn't seem to me that I'm missing anything, but apparently there's a big chunk of the visible spectrum that I just don't see.  There are different types of color blindness.  Mine is called "blue/yellow", which is less severe than "red/green".  To confuse matters even more, it doesn't mean I can't see blue and yellow--in fact they are the colors I see best. Go figure.  All this is to explain why, when it comes to issues of decisions about color, I defer to other people.

The Alfatross in about 1965, before the repaint.

The Alfatross was born red.  I admit that red is not one of my favorite colors.  I can't tell you why--it just isn't.  They tell me that there are a lot of different shades of red.  I see differences, but they are limited to "light red" and "dark red", not the 55 or so Wikipedia lists, or the "millions of colors" available in the digital world (or so they say).

Tim Marinos (Vintage AutoCraft) called last week to say that he compared the red on the Alfatross' original interior metal trim pieces, which seem to have retained their true color, with Alfa Romeo colors used in 1955 and decided that it was "AR 501 Rosso".  He then went on to describe it and I began to worry that he was talking about "light red", a color I really can't abide.  

Here it is, or something close to it, depending on all kinds
of factors like how well my camera captured it, what kind
of light it was shot in, how your computer translated it
and how your monitor decided to show it.

I asked him to send me an actual sample, which he did. And so it was with great relief that I laid eyes on 501 Rosso and found it to be the much more pleasing (to me) "dark red" red.  So much for the color.  What about the paint? 

Paint

Tim explained in great detail how he conducted some tests with a sample of this color produced by Glasurit.  He wanted to reproduce the kind of Old School finish The Alfatross would have had in 1955, which means a single stage paint job consisting of several color coats buffed to a gloss.  He didn't like the results.  So now he's thinking of a more modern two-stage approach in which the color coats would be covered by a clear coat to make it more durable.  The danger is that most clear coats are engineered to create a high gloss--inappropriate for cars from the mid-50s.

*02062*  with its two-tone paint scheme. 

Scheme

Same car, racing in period.  Michele Marchiano.

Of course there is always the temptation to paint the car the way you want, rather than as it originally came from the factory.  A few 1900 Zs were given two-tone paint schemes and some of these are quite attractive.  Back in the 70's when The Alfatross was just another used car I considered a two-tone paint scheme reminiscent of an Austin Healey 3000--  Maybe a purple top with pearl lower panel?

Fortunately, I didn't have the time, money, or determination to follow through on that . . . or the installation of a small-block American V8, or the Corvette seats, or the frenched tail lights or 8-track stereo system.

*01931*  Looks pink to me, but may be dust and fading, not 
the original color.

*01941* Looks kind of orangy to me.  Still not there.

*10405* Better, much better.  Matteo Bosisio.

Red Flags

About half of the two dozen or so known 1900 Zagatos are painted red.  Keeping in mind that photographs can't be counted on to faithfully represent what a color looks like in person, (and that I can't see the differences anyway) here is a selection of The Alfatross' red brethren for comparison:

*02056* Now this is more like it!  Tim Marinos.

Red Badge of Courage

It takes a lot of courage to paint something a color you can't see.  I could use some help from all you seers-of-red out there.  Is Tim steering me right on this? Is 501 Rosso the way to go?  There's always the two-tone scheme with purple and pearl to fall back on . . . .

Not There Yet .... (Post # 64)

The Santa Fe Concorso

In Italian, the word "concorso" means "an occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants."  Car events are central to the Age of the Automobile.  The first car show in history had to wait until the first car was produced.  But the first car contest had to wait until the second car was produced.  Then they took turns winning and losing until the third car was produced.  The rest is history.

Great cars, great setting, great day!

For me, the Santa Fe Concorso has been a good introduction to upscale car shows.  Actually, in addition to the normal heavy classics, American iron, featured marques, sports racers, and grand touring categories, the Concorso includes electric cars and hybrids, motorcycles and even bicycles.  The setting is the lush greens of The Club at Las Campanas during what is usually one of the best times of the year in this part of the country.  The catalog this year included about 120 well-chosen cars and motorcycles--more than anyone can truly appreciate in one day.  

But Wait . . . Something's Missing!

1960 Tipo 61 Birdcage Maserati--250 HP, 1,300 lbs!  

Only 16 examples were built between 1959 and 1961

The only thing missing was The Alfatross, rubbing shoulders with the other great cars and basking in the public's admiration.  

It has been 18 months since I determined that restoration of The Alfatross was my highest priority.  Why is it still not finished?  After all, it wasn't in bad condition to start with, and it's a relatively simple car technologically, utilizing 1950s technology.  Where has the time and money gone?

Radiator ornament on a 1932 Packard Deluxe Eight.

It's easier to tell where the money has gone than the time.  By far the biggest cost has been the work done on the chassis and body, but then it's the body that makes The Alfatross what it is.  I get monthly work summaries from Tim Marinos at Vintage AutoCraft which show that labor is running 30 times the cost of materials.  It's all about knowing what to do and how to do it, not about swapping out components.  

1956 Maserati Tipo 300S.  Piloted by Stirling Moss, this
 thoroughbred racer won the Venezuelan Grand Prix in 
1956 and went on to win other races in South America 
driven by Harry Schell and Juan Manuel Fangio.  

Work on most sub-assemblies like suspension, steering, brakes, drive train, electrical harness, instruments, steering wheel, electrical components, and wheels and tires can go on concurrently. Those are the things that I have been taking care of while the body, interior and engine are in the hands of recognized experts. But the time factor comes into play when a great deal of effort is required by research to find the right materials or when one stage of the restoration has to wait until another stage is completed.  

1913 Triumph Type C, complete with wicker side car, 
parasol, picnic basket, and golf club bag.   

Restoring the interior is a good example.  In spite of hours of research, the blue faux suede material used throughout the interior has proven extremely hard to duplicate, although Derrick Dunbar, trimmer at Paul Russell and Co. seems to have found a solution. The interior cannot be installed until the car is all but complete, but Derrick has already started on "stand alone" components such as the seats that can be done even without the car being present.  No time lost there!

Al Unser, Sr. takes the 1938 Maserati 8CTF "Boyle 
Special" Indy race car for a spin.  Some consider this car 
to be the most successful racer in the history of the Indy 
500, having won outright in 1939 and 1940, and having 
placed third in 1946 and 1947 and fourth in 1948!

Restoration of the engine seems to require equal parts time and money.  DeWayne Samuels of Samuels Speed Technologies has had the engine for more than two years. Progress has been delayed by research requirements, limited parts availability, the necessity of re-manufacturing worn original parts for re-use, and inefficiency associated with fees, taxes and duties when importing foreign-made parts.  The fact that several of The Alfatross' brethren do not have their original engines may be evidence that restoring an SS 1975cc engine is not as straight forward as one would think. 

The odd thing is that I'm not either surprised or disappointed.  I'm intent on getting to the end of the journey as quickly as possible while still doing the job properly--and enjoying the ride.

In a conversation with Paul Russell during the Concorso I learned about the Revs Institute for Automotive Research and the Stanford-Revs initiative (http://revsinstitute.org/about-the-institute/).  If you aren't familiar with it you should visit the site.  It's more than a car collection.  It's dedicated to the scholarly study of the automobile in all its myriad facets, and at the heart of it all is a library and archive containing more than one million items.

Yes, the cars on display at the Concorso are enthralling, awe-inspiring, but they represent a phenomenon with deeper significance.  The Concorso provides a good opportunity to reflect on the importance of the automobile in modern society, and how it has reshaped our world and attitudes in almost every way. It is easy to forget that.  We take our automobiles, the roads we drive on, the ready availability of fuel and the wherewithal to keep them running for granted these days. What was the world like before the automobile took over?  Unless you are 100 years old you can't even imagine.  

With any luck at all, a year from now The Alfatross will join the field next year at the 2015 Santa Fe Concorso and take its place as an historically important automobile.

And now for someting completely different: the 1946 Seagraves Pumper Fire Truck Rat Rod.
No car show is complete without one!