Goals vs. Reality

"RallyWrench" (rndlitebmw) 08/29/2017 at 16:20 • Filed to: Lancia

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Goal : Yesterday I learned that the American Lancia Club’s West Coast Reunion will be held very close to me in May of next year. I would love to have this thing on the road for it, cosmetics be damned. And if I can make that, maybe I can make Concorso Italiano next August and troll the field with my “patina”.

Reality : That’s a lot of work to do and parts required, for which I have neither the time or money at the moment. I need to find cylinder heads & have them machined, split the engine case for inspection and source whatever I find necessary, put that back together, rebuild the carbs, have an exhaust fabricated, rebuild the brake booster, master and all the Girling calipers, machine ( or replace) the rotors, service the axles & bearings, refinish the engine compartment (because why install a fresh engine in a dirty bay), rebush the front end (which means refinish the subframe, braces, and arms because I don’t want to do it twice) rebuild the generator, thoroughly check the electricals, address some surface rust on the body, and so many more little things, and that’s just to make it what I would call roadworthy. And I’ll need to put some miles on it for proper fettling before I dare venture out of town, so that needs to be accounted for. And before I do any of that, I need to clean and organize the garage, again, because it continually fills up with the detritus of dad life and our storage is limited. That alone will take weekends. Sigh.

So many great projects around here give me inspiration, but I don’t know if I can pull it off in time. Something cool to shoot for, at least. Even if I don’t make it, hopefully some progress can be made.

Seems meaningless to think about project cars when Houston is underwater and the world has so many other problems for the dad in me to fret over, but you know what? This is good respite for the mind.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 16:33

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That is a gorgeous old girl! Doesn’t hurt to let the mind wander to distract yourself :)

Would LOVE to see this on the road! Flavia....?

EDIT - Mo pics plz.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 16:38

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My “unknown completion date that somehow still keeps slipping” is the Ranchero, of course. Mostly, I need a better work/life balance going on, and to get to the point where I’m not only sufficiently funded but sufficiently Of Brain that I can get past everything actively fiddly and unexplored territory.

punkgoose17 > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 16:40

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I hope you can find some time to make some progress. I am overwhelmed by projects myself. Your Lancia is lovely.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 16:42

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as your hurting for funds i cant help you make your meets... but i would recomend doing all the cheap stuff... keep working on that car.. get the rust sorted, check your electrics... any minor fixes that you can do... as long as your workin on it,, it doesnt become that ole project you meant to do

Die-Trying > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 16:44

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those are some neat looking cars......

My bird IS the word > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 16:46

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I’m doing the same thing! But BTW it’s taken me like 2 years. Not to dissuade you, but you need tons of time to make all of that happen.

Chariotoflove > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 16:46

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And I’ll need to put some miles on it for proper fettling before I dare venture out of town

Hey, you know what else didn’t have time for a shakedown cruise? And that worked out just fi...oh wait.

Really though, that’s a beauty, and it’s great to have something to work toward like that to keep you moving forward. Let the event motivate you but keep it in perspective, right?

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 16:52

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1. My offer to help clean the garage is very much still open.

2. I know a guy who would do the carbs. depending on the type, if you need more hands on this project.

3. You are required to take my to that show too

DipodomysDeserti > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 16:58

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I kniw the feels. This grouch stares at me every day when I get home, asking when I’ll install his transmission. When I feel like accomplishing something I go fiddle with the bike. Motos are so much easier to work on, especially when you have kids.

RallyWrench > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 08/29/2017 at 17:05

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In fairness to your endeavor, the Ranchero is a way crazier project than this is so a moving deadline is only reasonable. I have no doubt it will see completion. This just needs to be stock again. Your Galaxie is one of the projects here that I look to for inspiration, an example of getting things done (well) with minimal time and means. Work/life balance is a big problem for me right now too, I sympathize.

RallyWrench > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/29/2017 at 17:12

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Thanks, yep it’s a Flavia coupe, late 1963. Been in my family since ‘66 or so. More pics will come soon as I unearth it and load some of the period pictures my uncle has sent me.

RallyWrench > punkgoose17 08/29/2017 at 17:14

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I do too, even if it’s slow going. I know the overwhelmed feeling, I just want out from under it sometimes. What are you working on?

RallyWrench > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 08/29/2017 at 17:17

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That’s the plan, fortunately it’s not badly rusty at all, it’s been a CA car its whole life. I just want to keep what’s there from worsening for now, fortunately I’ve done quite a bit of that already, years ago before we had kids.

Unfortunately, it’s a 53 year old Italian car, cheap things are few and far between! At least my labor is free.

RallyWrench > Die-Trying 08/29/2017 at 17:21

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Someday...

Even if I didn’t have the family connection to this car it’s one I’d still be interested in and happy to have. It’s beautifully engineered. I do wish the head and taillamps were a bit more elegant, but they’ve grown on me.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 17:21

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welp... im all the way over in dutchy land.. i’ll happilly look for parts here if ye tell me what you need...no guarantees,...... but more of em rusted to death here than there :)

RallyWrench > My bird IS the word 08/29/2017 at 17:25

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Yeah, it is a monstrous amount of time, hence my doubt. It doesn’t help that I work to get other people’s cars fixed all day, and the last thing I want to do at the end of it or on weekends is work on mine. That and it takes time away from my kids. I certainly won’t half-ass anything just to make it happen quicker.

RallyWrench > Chariotoflove 08/29/2017 at 17:28

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Haha, going boldly where... flatbeds pick you up on the side of the road.

At the very least the events will help me with motivation, which in addition to time and money is a not insignificant battle in its own right.

Chariotoflove > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 17:30

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Save for college tuition vs. car project. The eternal struggle.

RallyWrench > CaptDale - is secretly British 08/29/2017 at 17:34

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And your offer will be accepted once I clear some of the more embarrassing clutter away from the cars and make some room to move around!

I can do the carbs, I actually really look forward to that bench work.. That’s the kind of thing that’s perfect for after the kids are asleep and I can’t make much noise. I just need to get them properly cleaned and find rebuild kits, which don’t grow on trees.

If I can drive the Packard, you can drive the Lancia ;)

RallyWrench > DipodomysDeserti 08/29/2017 at 17:38

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What kind of bike? It’s tough, man. Every time I go out to the garage to feed the turtle the project cars, mountain bikes, and surfboards all stare me in the face, collecting dust. I’ve often thought about chucking everything automotive and just getting a better truck and a motorcycle. More space, less stress, smaller projects. First world problems, in any case. There’s a lot more important shit out there.

DipodomysDeserti > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 17:39

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Forgot to add the photo.

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 17:39

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Psh, can’t be that embarrassing I am sure.

You’re very right, those are the prefect types of late night jobs. So we need to get you to your bench work time. Let’s get on it.

Heck yeah!! Of course you could, that is an even better offer than I imagined. I just wanted to go to the Lancia show.

RallyWrench > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 08/29/2017 at 17:42

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Thanks! Jobjoris is looking for cylinder heads for me over there as well, they’re hard to get here. There’s a big Italian car parts company in Holland that I was looking at yesterday too, in fact. If you see anything at all for a 1500cc Flavia let me know! You guys have everything over there :)

RallyWrench > Chariotoflove 08/29/2017 at 17:44

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Truth. We’ve been trying to do the former to the greatest extent possible, and I’ve done none of the latter in years.

Die-Trying > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 17:52

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the leadsled guys(50 mercurys) that do work on the old style kustoms, are great inspiration for making things more “elegant”......

RallyWrench > DipodomysDeserti 08/29/2017 at 17:52

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YES!! Excellent project truck, hope it’s on the road soon. Needs a “Back of Beyond Expeditions” sign on the door...

Chariotoflove > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 17:54

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Warning, sober parent moment ahead:

The daughter is starting 6th grade, and we haven’t put away nearly enough for college or high school tuition. We’ve been doing serious budget review and reevaluating how we spend so we can put away. We’re huge on fiscal responsibility. It puts me in a mood where I look at every cheeseburger or pack of gum as a bite taken out of my kid’s future. It turns me into a compulsive tight wad. I have to fight that, because you can’t let money ruin your enjoyment of life that way. That’s why having your project is good, even if you don’t get to fund it as you’d like. You have to have something for yourself to keep life balanced. Happy parents make for happy kids.

RallyWrench > CaptDale - is secretly British 08/29/2017 at 17:56

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Not so much truly embarrassing, more shameful that I’ve allowed it to get so bad in there. Can’t show that to your friends!

Hopefully I can carve out some time to clean after labor day, it’s shaping up to be a busy September.

Even if mine isn’t running by then, I’d still like to head down to look at some cars.

RallyWrench > Die-Trying 08/29/2017 at 18:01

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Good point, in fact I was talking about ways to improve the particularly inelegant taillights with a co-worker yesterday, and had the thought that Frenching in a set of smaller lights like the rear of the Lamborghini 350GT would look brilliant. There also happens to be a fantastic hot rod metal shop I know locally, they’d probably dig working on something outside their normal range of Americana. Boy, that’d piss off the purists, though!

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 18:13

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roger wilco ill have looksee for flavia parts

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 18:14

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By the picture it really doesn’t look that bad and come on, now you are just procrastinating.

Carve it out good. One whole day with pizza and beer I bet we could get that garage a workable space.

Well that sounds good to me. Either way

Die-Trying > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 18:26

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frenching is one way to go.......

but those 350 gt taillights would look right at home.....

RallyWrench > Chariotoflove 08/29/2017 at 19:07

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Sounds familiar, thanks. Most moments are similarly sober for us, too. Our oldest just started Kindergarten, and preschool was a big stretch to pay for on one income. We’re scrambling to figure out how to do it next for our youngest, who is 2. Our Scholarshare contributions for college aren’t much yet, but it’s a start.

I’m tempted to put together and sell my other project (the ‘68 BMW 2002 seen just to the left of the Lancia) and split the money between the girls’ college fund. That’d be a hard one to part with, I’ve had one of those in some form or another since I was 15, it’s one of the first cars I ever fell in love with, and the current one has been with me since 1999, well before marriage and kids were even on the horizon. But I’ve come to realize I no longer feel as much enthusiasm towards it as this Lancia, and at this point with their values picking up it would be a very useful means to an end, helping the girls.

It’s a challenge, man. We have a lot to be thankful for, but all we want is a little breathing room, you know? I would happily take a pay cut for happiness and/or more time at home if I could but my income is it until at least the kids are both in school full time and my wife can go back to work.  In the meantime, I consider a good beer or two on the weekend a reasonable splurge after eating PBJs and leftovers every day (which I don’t mind at all). You make a good point, hopefully I can find (and come around to actually spending without guilt) a little discretionary income to make small progress on this, it’d be good for my mental health.

Chariotoflove > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 19:12

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I hear ya. I’m the main income as well. But we always have to remember to not blink too long and miss the kids growing up. That time is precious.

Hang in there. Life is good.

RallyWrench > Die-Trying 08/29/2017 at 19:14

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Indeed they would, I’m trying to figure out what else they were used on, they can’t have been bespoke parts. Mk1 Mini taillamps look very similar. The wouldn’t even really need to be frenched, but they do appear to be recessed into the bodywork a little. Better than these afterthoughts, they look like late Karmann Ghia lights on their side:

RallyWrench > CaptDale - is secretly British 08/29/2017 at 19:28

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Let’s just say I took the picture from the front for a reason, it’s bad!

Thanks dude, I’ll let you know. Right after I stain the fence. And do the major service my wife’s van. And put the EGR pipe in my truck. And finish the landscape inside the fence so the kids don’t hurt themselves. And clean the backyard. And trim the trees. And clean the skylights. And fix the toilet. And replace the garbage disposal...

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 19:33

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That bad huh? Stupid California and no basement.

Well I know the wife goes off a lot on the weekends, if you need child care help I could help. My qualifications are I have had two little sisters and I am not an asshole. Plus my time for helping friends is pretty cheap.

RallyWrench > CaptDale - is secretly British 08/29/2017 at 19:59

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A basement wouldn’t work at my place anyway, too close to the bay, there’s a marsh right across the street. I do wish my garage was unfinished though, I could use those rafters.

Thanks man, much appreciated. We have no babysitting but grandpa and my sister occasionally, so we’ll see how things go with the oldest in school.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 20:04

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Awesome! Looking forward to updates on this one at some point! :)

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 20:24

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Rafters are life for storage. My boss’ new house has it half finished with a ladder making a kind of loft. Really useful.

Seriously though. You have my number. Glad to help.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 20:25

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I haven’t even really thought that much about how much time *has* gone into the Galaxie and how much it’s made less available... but truthfully, it has eaten up a good bunch of time in dribs and drabs. I was going over it with a friend of my dad’s, saying what I’d done, and was thinking “hmmm”.

DipodomysDeserti > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 22:16

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Yeah, I’m pretty close to just selling everything and buying a piece of land with a nice big trailer on it. Get one fuel efficient car to truck the kids to school in.

The bike is a ‘73 CL450.

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/wabi-sabi-honda-1792599767

Die-Trying > RallyWrench 08/29/2017 at 23:25

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i been sitting here racking my brain trying to figure out what other cars that had those nice simple oval lights, even was looking at some vans. some of these old vans, if that round tail light seems nice, had dead simple lights. you could cut out the a chunk of fender surrounding it to “donate the entire shape surrounding it...... its a 63-ish ford econoline van.

but if you have time to dig, things like these 51 mercury taillights turn up, which look like 50 model dodge tail lights. stuff tht is small and subtle......

or even something fancier like the uppers on this 60 polara. small but sharp.....

or you might get lucky, and find some 60 edsel tails.

or if you felt like going under the knife 1962 dodge 880 tails......

fun stuff to look at and dream over........

Jobjoris > RallyWrench 08/30/2017 at 10:03

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Would it help if I promise to tag along to that Reunion? Man you need to finish it. When’s the last time you did ANYTHING on it?

RallyWrench > Jobjoris 08/30/2017 at 12:11

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Oh, the pressure! I’ve got to have it up to discerning Dutch standards, that’s a tall ask in such short time ;) I think the last I “worked” on it was removing the steering wheel for refinishing last year. Depressing to think about.

RallyWrench > Die-Trying 08/30/2017 at 19:10

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All kinds of great stuff there. I think round lights would be a bit out of place, but there are surely some good old American and British stuff to look out for. Might be worth having a little fun mocking things up with some sketches.

RallyWrench > DipodomysDeserti 08/30/2017 at 19:26

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Yep, I have similar thoughts.

Man, wow, the bike is spectacular! Dig the “color match” to the truck. I had a rough ‘77 GL1000 that I dreamed of doing similar things with.

Die-Trying > RallyWrench 08/30/2017 at 20:24

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sketches are how “things” start........

i saw what you were talking about with the headlights too. the car looks a little too happy. it just needs more eybrow, like the 57 fury, or 58 impala.

cars like the 55 fairlane had flat stub faces on the front fenders, with the whole eybrow/housing that was removable. you might be able to do something similar.

remember the tail lights on the old datsuns? they had that clean simple look too.

easiest way to be productive on a car project that is a full on refurbish, is to break things down into a whole lot of smaller jobs, so that there is always some kind of progress happening. even if you are stuck waiting on parts to arrive, other bits can be getting cleaned, and ready for their turn.....

that ought to be a real fun car to cruise around in

RallyWrench > Die-Trying 08/30/2017 at 20:37

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Interesting that you bring up eyebrows...

They’ve crossed my mind before, since finding this rally prepped one on the Googles.

Those Datsun tails are a good idea, I do want orange indicators as that’s what the world market cars had.

I’ve got my running list of projects on the car, no shortage of small jobs but it’s getting to the point of starting any that’s hard at this point. Hopefully I can at least get some room in the garage and build myself a workbench for such things soon.

Should be a fun family cruiser, for sure. My dad learned to drive and cruised SoCal with his buddies in it, I have dreams of taking my family out in it.

Die-Trying > RallyWrench 08/30/2017 at 21:05

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even making room is its own job.....

marathons have some low key eybrows too......

yeah, cars like that, with history........ those are definitely projects worth seeing through to completion. even though they might not be worth a lot to other folks, some junk just isnt for sale, any price. you should of heard the insurance guy laugh when i told him i was going to put my truck back together........ “no, really mister, im gona”...... because when you have enough of an attachment to some of these tired old cars, its just gotta get done.......