re: Berlina body repair

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@domain.elided>]

In AD8-0107 Davide Frada writes:

"after a month of no progress, today i started searching for welds and panel
flanges, in the hope of removing the front and rear wings.

 "the rear wings seem to be affixed to the pillar/winow apeture with braze
welding. is this factory? i would have expected a lead join.

 "also, once i manage to strip the body bare (theres not much left to take
off), what is the best way of removing paint/filler/light surface rust?

basically, i want an absolutely clean body, inside and out, ready for rust
repair."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 I would strongly urge that he get, perhaps in a photocopy from the technical
library of the AROC in the US or a similar source where he is, a copy of the
Body Shop Manual for Giulia /1750 (and 2000) sedans and coupes; it has good
instructions on removing/replacing body parts and on much else. The parts
manual would also be an immense help,as it identifies the different parts and
assemblies and greatly simplifies visualizing how the parts are joined.

 The rear quarter panels are an integral structural part and I would recommend
not removing them if it is avoidable. They are spot-welded together. If he
finds brazing, I would guess it is from a repair.

 The best way of removing paint and filler is plastic media blasting, which is
best done by specialists who have different equipment and separate facilities
than other abrasive blasting; it uses higher volumes of softer material at
lower pressures and is relatively slow and gentle. The worst way is industrial
sand-blasting which uses very abrasive materials at higher pressures and can
generate heat to warp panels and/or blow holes through thin spots. Between
these extremes there are several grades of relatively mild abrasives such as
ground-up walnut shells. In the United States the Eastwood Company offers an
excellent range of products and advice for non-professionals and would be a
good source of information although there should be convenient sources for the
materials also in other countries. There are also chemical paint removers but
they can be hard on the skin and the lungs, a any residual traces can ruin
later paint.

 Good luck on an audacious job-

 John H.

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