Floor Pan Restoration (Alfa Romeo Giulia, 72)

[@hugogreen4916]

I would describe the way you put in patches as “ badges”of honor to your craftsmanship. Something to be proud of, not hidden away

[@GreasyFingers]

Thanks Hugo. Maybe I put there just a thin coat of clear! 😀

[@klausschollmeier-sc9jo]

Perfekt repair

[@GreasyFingers]

Thank you, Klaus.

[@anthonytersigni4049]

Hello from Canada. I've been following your channel, especially when it comes to the Giulia Super work. You are doing an exceptional job! I love your attention to the details, shaping the metal to fit just right and then the attention to the welds. It's like there was never any rust. Artista! Well done.

[@GreasyFingers]

I’m extremely pleased to read this, Antony. Many thanks to Canada, stay tuned!

[@lillorebaudi7858]

I m looking at this video over and over, and its making me a better man, my Giulia project it's upgrading each time.. Thank you Greasy Finghers

[@GreasyFingers]

Thanks, Lillo. That is so cool to read!!

[@larkfield2000]

Just spent the afternoon watching the Giulia play list. Really enjoyed watching your progress and I hope that the repairs are nearing an end for you so you can enjoy the car yourself.

[@GreasyFingers]

Thanks, James. Lots of rain these days? 😆

[@gearhead9828]

The new shop looks great, congratulations. And what you are doing there is pure art. Thank you so much.

[@GreasyFingers]

Thanks, mate. You really make me blush.

[@youremostwelcome]

Your timing of video releases works nicely with the work on my GT Junior. I've just finished door frames and am avoiding starting the sill and front floor pan replacement process. Your video has certainly spurred me on. Just laying those tacks with the MIG.... So satisfying!

[@GreasyFingers]

Yeah, the tacks are cool, the annoying bit is the sanding of the seam. If everything goes as expected I’ll take the car plus hoist outside in summer which at least helps me avoiding all the sanding dust messing up my workshop. 😀

[@klausschollmeier-sc9jo]

I like his way to do working and a nice moderation. Go on this way. Good luck.

[@GreasyFingers]

Danke, Klaus. Viel Spaß weiterhin beim Gucken!

[@stevewuertz3598]

Another fantastic clip. Many thanks to you . My 66 TI (bought a complete rolling shell with interior-missing eng and trans on BaT for $1300) Was remarkably rust free, however I've been trimming low spots in the Floorboards where water collected under carpeting. That project got put on hold as I need my garage space back so I've trying to rush the mechanical restoration on my 1991 318is BMW to get the Alfa indoors. I really like following your and Fitzee's approach to measuring, trimming fitting and spot welding. The previous owner (the car was a track terror with a turbocharged 2.0) cut my rear passenger tub sections out and welded the replacement in overlapping the original sides. I know its not correct-this may prompt me to redo the previous repairs entirely. My 67 Duetto however needs all 4 floorpan sections replaced and I will follow your approach. Great workspace.

[@GreasyFingers]

Hi Steve. Always much awaited anxiously your feedbacks. You have an impressing list of projects. A slow worker like myself would take 20 years to deal with it. Well, 30 actually.

[@Matteo_Licata]

What I love about your videos, apart from your skills and passion, is that through them I come to fully appreciate the amount of time, patience, and effort needed to restore a car properly. I also now fully understand why car repairs so often get bodged...

[@GreasyFingers]

Hey Matteo. Thanks for your as always encouraging feedback. It’s not unlikely I had stopped doing these videos without it. Yes, old cars sometimes are repaired badly. On the other hand, you see: the guy who did this work before, he had a budget of maybe 5k which is the price gap between a ruin and a ruin that one can drive and have fun with for another maybe five years. If you want a great Giulia, a half way adequate price is 40k which is the effort it takes at least to make a good car from a ruin. Who would pay that?

[@Matteo_Licata]

@@GreasyFingers Absolutely. Giulias have been cheap for an awful lot of time in Italy, and even now a nice 1300 Super "Unificata" like the one you have is worth 15k tops, maybe. Having said that, your car seems a good one. I haven't seen much filler on it, if at all. Must have had a good life indeed. Regarding your videos, I've clicked the bell and I genuinely look forward to each one. Thank you for your effort in making them!

[@villalji]

Great job Johanes, and as usual, fun, entertaining and educational. I feel you when you say that a project like this has to be fun and meaningful for you!. In my spider project today I was cleaning a bit of rust spots in the underside of the seat panels, nobody will ever see that, but I need to leave it perfect... my wife thinks I’m nuts, I just enjoy leaving it as good as I can!

[@GreasyFingers]

Thanks, Jesus. Yeah, they have to put a smile on your face, otherwise they’re pointless.

[@julien7206]

Brilliant attention to detail, very inspiring work as I have to tackle the same job on my 70's FIAT 500 L. Thanks for the motivation !!

[@GreasyFingers]

Thanks, I’m glad you liked it.

[@malibuquest]

Hello from Canada. While I love watching your Porsche work, this is also very enjoyable. Your approach to the various challenges of car restoration is inspiring!

[@GreasyFingers]

Thank you, Andrew. If you love Porsche, it’s easy to fall in love with Alfa too.

[@fitzeesfabrications]

Nice repairs. You put alot of time into each repair and you can tell by your outcome. Well done... what is the story on that hoist. I like how it dont take up alot of floor space and is movable. Getting excess to one side with nothing in your way.

[@GreasyFingers]

Thanks, Fitzee, much appreciated, especially if it’s you who says this. The hoist is from a German manufacturer named TwinBusch. I consider it a good investment for exactly these two reasons: you can move it around and it gives good access to one side of the car, the disadvantage being the car needs to be on wheels to turn it around if necessary.

[@fitzeesfabrications]

@@GreasyFingers what is maximum weight aloud on it? I wonder if anybody in north America sells anything like it. Will do s search.

[@GreasyFingers]

It’s 2,5 tons. The company has a sales branch in the US, I’m sure you can find it easily on google.

[@duncankerr8258]

Great work,I used to heat up the area with oxy acetylene,the spot welds soon revealed themselves

[@GreasyFingers]

Thanks for the tip. Will try …

[@ramarakeshv]

Love ur work sir. Makes me itchy to do it my self

[@GreasyFingers]

Just do it!

[@jkoepis]

Thank you for the great videos! This gives me more confidence to get into rust repairs

[@GreasyFingers]

You‘re very welcome. Just go for it, it’s much less challenging as it appears.

[@AlnT100]

Keep the passion

[@scenesfromearth4666]

Lovely work and effort. I have a similar task at hand some day when I have the time to tackle it with my '71 GTV 1750. Great to see how you did it and get an idea of what awaits me...

[@GreasyFingers]

Thanks, mate. I like your avatar.

[@enricusroccus7683]

Great....and clear explanation!👍👍

[@paulnorris7270]

Very nice work.. you are getting there!

[@GreasyFingers]

Thanks, Paul! Step by step ...

[@RogerioSilva-fj9fp]

I like to much the way you work. Im trying to do it my self a project like this. Just for knowledge, what are the settings you use with your welding machine? Thanks Rogério

[@GreasyFingers]

Thanks for the feedback, Rogério. Welding settings are too complex and specific to the machine to give any advice, I’m afraid.

[@Kai77884]

Hallo ein schönes Video und wie immer SUPER Arbeit mein Respekt 👍👍👍 bin Gespannt wie es weitergeht und Glückwunsch zur neuen Halle. Mit freundlichen Grüßen aus dem Ruhrgebiet 👋👋👋Kai

[@GreasyFingers]

Danke, Kai!

[@stevewuertz3598]

I revisited this video again and a thought occurred to me. I recall you and I both discovered Fritzee's Fabrications about the same time. Were the complex curves and dips and rises in the stamping the reason you did not use Fitzee's "cut the patch oversize and then use a cutting wheel at a 45 degree angle to have a precision trim for butt welding. Asking because I have a few floorpan rust holes in my 66TI. Thanks

[@GreasyFingers]

Hi Steve. I literally was waiting for someone to ask and I’m glad it’s you. The Fitzee-method works with even panels. If the panel is 3D, i.e. has steps, beads, curved parts, etc. you can’t apply the 45 degree cutting angle - for obvious geometrical reasons. I could have applied it at the straight sections in between but didn’t have at hand a proper small diameter cutting disk.

[@stevewuertz3598]

@@GreasyFingers As I suspected. Thanks. Makes sense. Fitzee's recreation of the trunk (boot) gutter was a masterclass in working with small pieces. Thanks again-fantastic channel and to think that I ran into you researching electroplating

[@GreasyFingers]

@@stevewuertz3598 Thanks again, Steve. It’s funny that you mention it, I’m contemplating about making another video about zink plating. It’s one of my best performing ones ever.

[@jemandhuman5039]

When does the work on the Giulia continue? Cant wait for new vids as i now own a Giulia Super myself (-: Gruss

[@GreasyFingers]

I’m really sorry for all Giulia lovers, the work on the Carrera wasn’t planned at all. I’ve just finished the sills of a Bertone, it left the workshop yesterday. Films to come. Now a week off then the Giulia will go back on the lift. About 4-6 weeks till the next Giulia film will be released.

[@ninoc3951]

Kommen noch weitere Folgen? Oder kann ich den Restaurtions Abbruch günstig erwerben:-)

[@GreasyFingers]

Ein Abo bringt Aufschluss!

[@kittmuelheim]

Was für einen bandschleifer nutzt du für die Arbeiten?

[@GreasyFingers]

Makita 9mm

[@kittmuelheim]

@@GreasyFingers dank dir. Du hast übrigens meinen größten Respekt vor deiner Arbeit! Hast das selbst gelernt oder beruflich erlernt?

[@GreasyFingers]

@@kittmuelheim Ohhh, danke, das ist sehr nett. Ich bin Fahrzeugtechnik-Ingenieur, somit schon vom Fach, aber die Handwerkstechniken bringe ich mir alle selber bei.

[@kittmuelheim]

Ich hab die Makita Feile inzwischen auch. Kannst du mir sagen wo ich an besten die Schleifbänder hole und welches Korn zum Abtragen von schweißpunkten gut ist? Hab jetzt Korn 120 aber das ist nicht so toll

[@GreasyFingers]

@@kittmuelheim Hi. Ich bestelle die immer bei Amazon und nehme 60er und 40er.

[@lawrieb5135]

Hi great video, also watch Fitziee's channel, couple of questions if you dont mind. 1: Thickness of sheet metal that you use for fabrication. 2: Is the stich welding also done underneath. Presuming you are in Germany which is also my current country of residence (previous Australia) and am doing some floor and sill repairs on a Alfa 147 which I just couldn't send to the wreckers. Also doing a Kombi camper which I imported from Australia and the queries are to do with getting them ready for TUV inspection. Keep up the good work .

[@GreasyFingers]

Hey mate. Welcome to Germany. 1. I sometimes use 0,8 and sometimes 1,0, in this case 0,8. 2. I do as much as I can from one side and if I can reach the other side at all, I add some spots where necessary. It helps for a good weld through result.

[@lawrieb5135]

@@GreasyFingers thanks for that. Totally impressed with the way you reply to subscribers. Thanks for the welcome.

[@GreasyFingers]

I just like cars and people who like cars most of the time I like too. Don’t hesitate to recommend the channel to friends ... 🙄

[@Luxury_vagabond]

Hat off respect.

[@GreasyFingers]

Thanks. Glad you liked it! 😊

[@michalchlup6758]

Great work! I hope I would have time, resources and determination to do the similar project. By the way, how are you sattisfied with the one column jack? I was looking at some as well, since I would like to have one in my future garage (not as big as I would like to, though :)) and I guess this can save some speca in compare to double column.

[@GreasyFingers]

Thanks, Michal. You can buy this hoist without concerns, it’s a good product.

[@michalchlup6758]

@@GreasyFingers Many thanks for the reply. What brand do you have, if I may ask?

[@GreasyFingers]

That’s a Twin Busch.

[@craigclemans966]

I hope you have more videos in the near future. I'm running out of them to watch. 👍

[@GreasyFingers]

Thanks, Craig. Yeah, I’m continuing to produce them. Expect another one within 2-3 weeks.

[@123grimmboy]

Your belt file was designed to file down resistance spot welds.

[@GreasyFingers]

That’s good to know. It’s an excellent tool, I don’t know how people do car restoration without one of those. If I have some budget, I’ll additionally get me its big brother.

[@duncankerr8258]

'The grinder and paint will be the welder I aint'

[@GreasyFingers]

😆😆

[@remcotissink]

I thought Alfas had a lot of rust but now I saw a restoration project on a Triumph GT6. Beautiful car. Judging by where the rust builds, the engineers at Triumph should be stripped of all their engineering merits...

[@GreasyFingers]

I tend to believe that back then, they all weren’t very well made. It shocks me though that you could spend a fortune on a car and after 6-8 years it had all turned to brown crumbs.

[@giustovalenti8969]

Bellissima un auto da giudicare united nation educational scientific and cultural organization,

[@frankporreca4037]

Don’t understand why you would cut that small section out of the new panel instead of replacing as much old steel as possible.

[@GreasyFingers]

Guess I explain that quite extensively, do I not?

[@anthonytersigni4049]

The original shape to the floors and other body panels can never be replicated like the factory work. The more one cuts and hacks away the weaker the chassis gets let alone that some tights areas are tough to weld. For these reasons it's best to retain as much of the original panels are possible. Now, if that complete section of floor was rusted through or poorly patched up by a PO, then only at that point would it make logical sense to replace the entire section.