My Lancia Delta Integrale 8V restoration project

[samo]

Today I spent half of the day fidling around the tank filler. It is really hard to install as you have to connect the intake pipe, return pipe and a breather pipe which are all super hard and allways seem to be a bit short.

Well after finally sorting it out i hooked up the gasoline lines to the pump, and poured 10l of fresh gasiline to the tank. I remember thinking when I went to buy the gas should i go for the 100 octane or the regular 95... But i decided to go for the regular 95 as I fugured most of it will be wasted anyways!

Well until turning on the pump I didn't have the slightest idea that the fuel will be wasted so fast! The car immediatly made a big puddle which was frustrating as the leaking pipe was professionally joined together. So I had to disassembled a lot of stuff to get close enough to fix it. After turning on the pump again I discovered the fuel pressure regulator is also leaking, but by this time it was already late and I was to tired to try fixing it... Live to fight another day.

[Nobby]

Keep up the good work samo. Those aren't isofix brackets are they?

[samo]

Hi Nobby, no worries those are just rear seats fixing brackets. So at the moment the project is still not under threat of any kind...

Well after soaking myself in petrol for two afternoons and replacing the fuel pressure regulatror, fixing one rubber-to-plastic hose joint, renewing O-rings on the fuel pipe connection and adding jubilee clips onto the plastic pipe the fuel line now seems to be leak free. Tested 3 times for 30 seconds and inspected entire car each time afterwards. Next time I will keep it running for a longer period to make sure it's OK.

I still don't understand how I managed to forget to replace the O-rings. I renewed the entire fuel line. It's ALL brand new pipes the only part reused is the plastic elbow connections on the end and I left 20-years old O rings on them....

[Guy Croft]

"I still don't understand how I managed to forget to replace the O-rings. I renewed the entire fuel line. It's ALL brand new pipes the only part reused is the plastic elbow connections on the end and I left 20-years old O rings on them...."

the answer is 'quite easily'........

fact is with cars and engines it's only when you do the job all day every day that you forget 'nothing'..

G

[Brit01]

Well said Guy.

I recently bought a new solenoid only to realize I had missed the main earth cable to the starter motor! When I raised the engine back into the bay it got pushed back and was hidden!

I tested the starter motor directly with jump leads and assumed the solenoid was at fault.

Last Saturday while changing the geabox oil I found the culprit, another grounding cable!
In my defence there were 5 grounding cables bolted to one point on the starter motor!

All a learning curve for us.

[samo]

Well I am sure I missed a lot of details on the car during the years. But I am pretty "psyhotic" regarding details, so missing something like this for me is really bad.

I bought a new battery today after having an argument with the clerk in the shop who didn't want to sell me the battery witouth checking if it is the right one for my car according to his catalogues. He insisted I must buy the 55Ah battery despite me telling him he&his catalogue are mistaking. He could not belive it will simply not fit... We have a saying here that "the paper can withstand anything" meaning you can write what ever you want on a pice of paper but that will not make it true...

[WhizzMan]

It's been said by others before, but I'll repeat. Only very few professional shops pay this amount of detail to their restoration.

It is very seldom that "cheap" cars like a Delta get a restoration that is this good. I 've seen how much time, effort and determination it takes to win shows like Villa d'Este and believe me, those cars don't get a better treatment than yours. The people doing those restorations don't rush things either, they may just take as many hours and as much time from start to finish as you do. If you were to live close to here, I would be recommending you to the people that do that make a living out of doing this sort of work and win at 'd Este. It's very hard for them to find people that are this good at "fixing things the way they were designed, but then better" without a manual, instructions or years of professional training. There is no school for this, it requires talent, skill and determination and you are proving that you have all three. Sure, experience helps, it will make you make less mistakes, but anyone can get experience if given the chance, only few have what it takes to be given that chance. Do a pre 1970 Italian car after you've finished this Delta and you might be finding yourself with a waiting list and paying customers, if you do that car just as good as you're doing this one.

I've always been following your thread and watching the pictures with a smile on my face, nodding in approval at your determination and amazing eye for detail. I have never seen any reason to comment negatively on what you've done so far, until I saw what you're doing with the exhaust. I can understand your desire to want to be able to drive the car, but I'd like to suggest to you to put on an OEM exhaust on. What you did here, is so good, that this car deserves an OEM exhaust and then a submission to some prestigious Concours d'Elegance. You will most likely be competing for prizes. Once you've had your glory and your show(s), put on any exhaust you like and drive it, because that's what it's for, but you have a good shot at winning a few Concourses if you put on the OEM exhaust. You're so close to the finish, don't let the rush of the checkered flag make you decide things you may regret later on.

[samo]

Wow I have to say this is the nicest thing anybody ever said to me...

If you have any connections in the world of restorationy anywhere else in europe please contact me I might be interested, I'll PM you on that topic.

Regarding the exhaust I repeat DO NOT WORRY :) This is a test thing. I am already in the process of negotiating a full stainless steel exhaust engine to tailpipe. This will be made to meet and exceed the OE spec. But this "monster" will help determine the level of noise a single silencer gives....


Well as far as my psychosis goes it's not getting better. After testing the rear lock a few times I discovered that the flap wasn't closing back fully (most probably because of the corrosion on the flaps spring). So I took apart the lock again and I sacrifised the spare lock I had to get a spring that was not corroded. So I am pleased to report that i am now 99% satisfied with the result. (The 1% represents "there is allways room for improvement"!)

I started installing rear seats yesterday. People with sesitive stomachs should look away this ain't pretty... (not to worry I am trying to get a set of grey alcantara seats)

[WhizzMan]

The judges on those Concourses are suckers for originality. They'd rather see a stock OEM exhaust than a stainless replacement, even when shaped exactly like the original factory part. You may still get good points for the car, but they might give you a penalty for the exhaust. You may still win if other cars get less points, very plausible.

In the end it's your car, you build it the way you like and drive it if you want to. If you don't want to enter it at a concours, or enter it with a stainless exhaust, that's your choice and you still are building a very nice car, regardless.

[samo]

yes everbody is a sucker for something... Honestly speaking I don't think I have the nerves and more importantly I don't think my wife has the nerves to see me go off spendindg additional money on concours competitions :)

And if I wanted to compete in concours I would have to leave the car unprotected. And I couldn't do that so the car was literally drenched with 6 liters of anti corrosion oil and wax. And this is now oozing out of every nook and cranny. And for concourse that's a no no...

Not to even mentione that I might loose it when somebody decides to knock off points because the prop shaft has been e-coated instead of OE light see-trough spray of paint :) I don't think this would ever win prizes, show cars are show cars and this isn't one.

Well on with tonights show...

I received a bunch of packets in the last week. Thanks again to the forum member Infectious-Guy for helping out with the orders...

[tricky]

Is this a new sunroof seal, samo ?

[samo]

Is this a new sunroof seal, samo ?

yes this is a new sunroof seal but it only fits the front and the sides! The rear is totaly different. And I have no idea what to do.

After the mini nervous brakedown because of the seal I decided that I need a little pick me up... and I don't think there is anything better than starting up the car after 5 years.

After pluging up all the oil cooler and turbo feed conections, filling the engine with oil the usual "pre flight checks" I turned the engine over witouth the spark plugs. All well oil pressure warning light went out in about 15s!

Reinstalled the spark plugs, added more oil, added ATF oil for the servo... tried firing up. No success. Problem soon identified as a missing power connection for the ECU.

2. nd attempt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjs1aOGjtsE

Rechecked for oil leaks, topped up the oil and tried again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h99jlLtTKh8

I discovered that the oil pressure dial is indicating "0" despite the oil pressure warning light being off. Problem was a missin connection to the dial. After rechecking everytnhing again I fired up the car for the 3rd time and you can see oil pressure rise to healthy 6 bar immediatly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcJWB1Drg6s

I am really pleased that the car started up so fast with no apparent problems except a leak from the servo pump. The sound of the engine is really not recorded well with this compact camera. In real life it was really loud. Now that I have oil in the engine I will install the oil cooler, turbo...

[tricky]

There was a discussion about replacement roof seals on the integrale forum I use, I will see if I can find it.

Glad it started easy for you by the way .

[WhizzMan]

That's an important milestone, the beast breathes again! Congratulations.

[samo]

Yesterday I started reassembling the turbo. First assemble everything, mount on the engine, clock the turbo, take everything off, tighten the bolts then the final assembly.