Work down under

Restoration can be full of creativity sometimes. Here, they have used a special 'rack' of sorts that mounts to where the Fića's suspension does, and the car can be moved around using the rack's casters. This is also handy during the painting process: no wheels to cover up!

Another rack attaches to mounting points near the casters, allowing the car to be flipped on its side, visible in the photos. While the car rests on this side portion, work on the bottom of the shell can be done more easily.

Click any photo to enlarge it (both are high-resolution).

Spray putty

As the title suggests, the spray putty has been applied; as for the brake job, it is progressing as planned. On another note, the engine itself is done: it's been painted and all the new wearable parts have been prepared (i.e. hoses, etc.).

The spray putty pics follow, and as always click to enlarge.

The home stretch

I have received some more pictures! They've smoothed out the body now, and all that's left before the paint comes on is the spray putty and the aforementioned hole-drilling. Besides that, a complete overhaul of the braking system is also underway.

Click any image to enlarge.

Primer...

They have started the primer phase (!) so they've removed all traces of the previous color; what's left is to smooth the body down where necessary, drill some holes, add some spray putty, and then comes the paint job (!!), before which the actual primer is applied. Here are the pics (click to enlarge):

Much ado about turn signals

How nicely things conclude sometimes.

In the video posted some time ago featuring all the parts that are yet to be mounted, one of the more noticeable parts are a pair of round turn signals with black frames. In the first pics I posted of my Fića on the old owner's yard, it is evident that it then had that same type of turn signal.

So what's so odd about this then? And how can turn signals at all be any interesting, for that matter? Well, read on to find out.

Fićas made in the eighties had these same black-rimmed turn signals; I wasn't so sure that mine exited the factory with them. I decided to investigate, and I found an assortment of photos of Fićas of very similar vintage to mine. One of those was this Fića to the right.

Ergo, my Fića should have turn signals with aluminum frames – just like the ones under the headlights in this photo – and not the black ones it was bought with. All I needed to do was to find such turn signals, get them over to the restorer, and tell him to put those on the car instead of the black ones.

How hard can that be?

Getting ever closer

I received some shots of the finishing touches they did on the car; they've evened out the metal they have repaired and sanded down some parts, though there are a few bits still left to be sanded. There's only a few weeks left until the restoration will be done completely! (at least that's the plan...)

Pictures of the above follow.