AlfaBMWGuy

Thanks for the definitive answer Jim and Nick!  I have my weekend project then.

Can someone tell me how to safely remove the metal ashtray receptacle on the rear side interior panel?  See picture below for what I'm referring to. It's easy to get out the ashtray itself as was done prior to this picture. I'm trying to get to the 5.5mm nut that holds on the rear quarter panel belt line trim. Other posts indicated this was easier than removing the rear seat and then the entire rear side interior panel. Oddly, I've searched and didn't find a single post related to popping out this ashtray receptacle. This is for a pre-71 2002. Are there strategic places to insert a thin blade screwdriver or ?? I don't want to mess up my really nice original panels so if this is a tricky job, I'll do the full panel removal.

Thanks,

Gary

I will take these. Pm'd.

-Gary

Bump.  Still looking.

Thanks!

14 hours ago, louissingapore said:

That's a very nice Alfa. 

Thanks Louis.  It's amazing how many equate 4 doors with stodgy even in the Alfa community.  From my direct experience, these Giulia sedans are just as sporty in terms of the driving experience as a GTV, Spider, or our beloved 2002.  A claim otherwise is really more about the attitude of the driver (e.g., their impression of the styling) than an objective statement.  I won't go into which is "more sporty", Giulia vs. 2002, to avoid starting an unnecessary debate, but there is both a lot of overlap as well as areas where each can claim superiority over the other.  There is also a natural impression by those in the 2002 community who don't have direct experience with the Giulia to think the Alfa is a bigger, heavier car.  Really, they are very close in dimensions and weight and any difference in the driving experience is unrelated to those attributes.  I'd equate a Giulia with a 2002 as far as direct competitors other than the obvious difference regarding the number of doors.  The follow-up Alfa Berlina though is more in the BMW NK sedan category for size, weight, and feel.  Alfa intended for the Berlina to replace the Giulia, which it did in the U.S.  But in Europe the Giulia was so beloved that they produced them side by side for many years.

-Gary

44 minutes ago, worzella said:

Hello lads and lassies -

 

I would like to apply for the pity post of the day award. After 34 years of gainful employment at IBM/Lenovo, I turned in my badge and laptop today after they laid off our entire group

 

Can’t complain too much. I has been an incredible ride but after never having lost a job in my life the prospect of job hunting is a bit daunting. But in true form I had 2 bloodies for lunch and came to give my neglected girl a bath

 

And as my front says, there will be hope in my next life

 

PS - If anyone needs a frontend hybrid mobile app developer, PM me... ????

 

Best wishes Worzella.  Being in software development myself, in the 1992 recession I went through the experience of having a job walking into an all-hands meeting one morning for our small office in Silicon Valley and walking out without a job.  It was a gut wrencher even though it was a newer job for me and I was only a few years out of college.  I'm back in the Pacific Northwest now, where I grew up, and know there is lots of IT hiring going on in the region, but understand most people like to stick closer to home vs. relocate across the country.

-Gary

3 minutes ago, COOP said:

 

They must have purchased that battery at the bazaar.

I'm sure that's just the Canadian spelling 

6 hours ago, PaulTWinterton said:

What is the psychology of a "no reserve" offering?  It seems to me the seller would want to achieve a certain price, or wait for a better auction or better marketplace.

Someone in the auction business I'm sure could say it much better, but I'd say the psychology is that you are telling bidders from the outset that someone will be going home with the car rather than just bidding to have a chance of winning, the latter being a reserve auction.  If you aren't sure that you are bidding to win, bids might be half-hearted and some bidders just may not enter bidding at all if they perceive the reserve is high (and you need at least two serious, determined bidders for a good result for the seller).  No reserve removes the element of wondering if the seller has set a realistic reserve or is just fishing.  Even with BaT encouraging lower reserves to help their own cause, there still are a good percentage that end in RNM along with comments that it should have sold at the final bid price.

One seller that uses BaT as his primary means of selling cars as his own business, Jason at Denwerks, does only no reserve auctions.  Sometimes he ends up getting a bit lower result if there aren't those two determined bidders in the room at the end, but overall this has benefited his bottom line.  Of course he can average this out over many auctions and it's a different scenario for a private seller whose concern (risk) is a single car.

This particular tii is said to be sold by a private party, but apparently it is Peter Sliskovich, owner of CoupeKing who restores these cars, and that is confirmed in the description from his previous sale of an E12 5-series.  Seems to me he is playing loose with the definition of private vs. dealer, but as long as the car is titled in his name (as stated in the auction description) and the transaction doesn't go through CoupeKing at all, he can claim it as a private sale.

Still looking for options for replacing my black vinyl upholstery for my driver seat base.  These are $278 from GAHH.  I know they do top quality work, but since the rest of my interior is original materials in really good condition, my preference would be to find that for my driver seat base as well.  World Upholstery only sells upholstery for complete seats, base and upper sections, for several hundred dollars more.

Any leads greatly appreciated!

-Gary

I was putting my repaired driver's seat base together with the back section of the seat and I discovered the third difference between the passenger and driver seat spring frames.  The metal tabs that stick out from each side that the seat recline hooks grip so the seats don't flop forward are different lengths.  The driver side tab extends an extra half inch on the door side vs. inside towards the driveshaft tunnel.  This extra half inch allows it to easily clear the seat side bracket on the outside and the shorter length on the inside keeps it from hitting the driveshaft tunnel carpet.  I added some duct tape to my pretty chrome seat brackets to keep them from getting scratched up.  When I replace my driver's seat base upholstery (still looking for options vs. new from GAHH) I will likely take a hacksaw to the tabs on both sides.  Another 1/8 of an inch shorter even and I would not have had the clearance with the seat bracket to make a passenger spring frame work on the driver side.  Almost ruined my day given all the effort earlier in the week.

Summary of driver/passenger spring frame differences:

1. Metal band or ribbon around the top of the spring frame is shaped to conform with the horsehair pad--extended towards the driveshaft tunnel

2. Elevated "washer holes" where the seat rails attach to the spring frame--I am running no washers now to compensate and can't really say that I feel a difference

3. Tabs on each side of spring frame are different lengths--need to saw off these tabs to avoid interference issues with seat brackets and transmission tunnel.

First pic shows the chrome side bracket with the metal tab that doesn't stick out as far with passenger spring frame now on the driver seat.  Second pic shows my  application of duct tape to avoid scratching up my chrome brackets until the final repair where I saw off the vertical section of the metal tab.  Final shot shows the seat back in its locked position with the tape protecting the chrome from rubbing on the spring frame metal tab.  Note the hook from the seat recline mechanism on the underside.  That's the reason for these metal tabs sticking out on the sides of the spring frames.

I had really good customer service from this business out of The Netherlands:  https://www.dellortoshop.com

They have a lot more than Dellorto parts.  I bought a rebuild kit for my dual Solex DDH carbs for my Alfa Giulia shipped to the state of Washington last year.

Or, I could sell you a box of OEM Solex jets I came across in Burbank....     Just kidding ?

Update to my last post:  Bruce did send a reply to my 4th PM over the weekend so trying to determine the condition better before closing deal on trap mirror.

Hi Bruce,

I have sent you 3 PMs without a reply regarding the trapezoidal mirror, the one in the 3rd picture down in your original post. The first was right after expressing interest in this thread on the 12th, the second on the 13th when there was no reply and the third was yesterday, the 21st. I use the PM system daily to communicate with other FAQ members so I know it's not on my end.

Just sent a 4th PM today, the 22nd.

-Gary

Did anyone ever hear back from Bruce M tuner on any of these items?  I sent a PM on the trap mirror when I replied here right after he posted the for sale listing and then again a day later when there was no reply to that and then again today.  Just wondering if he did reply and sell items to some or maybe sold it all as a lot rather than deal with individual items/buyers.

-Gary

Looking for a complete black vinyl upholstery piece that's for a 1968-1973 '02 driver's seat base.  Even if the basketweave vinyl is in bad shape, I'm interested, although even more interested if it's not cracked or otherwise needing work.  My main requirement is that the flat portion of the vinyl on the top and around all the vertical sides is in really good condition--mine has a couple tears.  I've got used original basketweave to replace the top center section if needed.  Willing to pay a good price for the seller as my only other option is buying new from GAHH for $$ and I still may end up having to replace the center top embossed vinyl to get the correct basketweave look even with that option.

Thanks,

Gary

Yep, I was just trying to figure out what trouble I'd hit by turning a passenger seat spring frame into a driver seat spring frame.  I was willing to live with the elevated holes, which are like welded on washes, now being on the opposite side, but the several hour job was swapping that metal ribbon that the horsehair pad wraps around.  Just a whole bunch of metal clips that require a lot of prying while being careful not to slip or you could end up with a nasty gash to a finger or hand from the sharp metal prongs where the upholstery is held on.  Then I had to do this for two spring frames to do the swap and then re-clip the driver seat top ribbon or band on the passenger spring frame, which was at least a safer job.

My seats are from my Pre-71 '02 built in October 1970 so it looks like that spring frame design persisted through the roundie models at least.

Thanks Paul.  Not so from what I've found with used driver's seat base upholstery.  The passenger seat bases aren't a big deal to find in my experience.  I was even fortunate enough that a generous FAQ board member a two hour drive from me gave me for free a complete passenger seat in really nice condition in all respects just by making the drive to pick it up.  So that's how I ended up with a spare passenger seat base frame.  My original passenger seat base also has mismatched basketweave vinyl and in a completely different embossing pattern than my mismatched driver's seat!  So I swapped in the seat base from this other seat and instantly solved my issue with the passenger seat.  Then with some added work on my part described above, that  solved my driver's base spring frame issue of a broken coil spring, etc. as well.  Now just left with the driver's seat base upholstery to rectify.  I think it's worth another shot with a WTB ad though because my last one was convoluted with the need for a spring frame as well.

If I read your reply regarding "uneven perches over canted seats" correct, I think you are implying that it's likely the height of where the seat rails bolt to is not perfectly level between the two sides and therefore the elevated holes are designed to compensate for that, correct?  On a good day I'm only 5'8" so adding washers won't stress critical headroom.

Besides the steel ribbon that conforms to the shape of the pad, here is the other difference I found between the front seat base spring frames.  Take a look at these two pics:

Note that in the top pic the holes where the spring frame attaches to the seat rails are raised a bit, while in the second pic the holes are even with the frame or flat.  The elevated holes are always on the inside of the seat towards the parking brake meaning they are "handed" and the spring frames for driver and passenger seats are mirror images just like they are for that steel ribbon at the top of the frame.  Effectively the seat (both driver and passenger) would be angled a bit to the outside.  Did they do this to compensate for uneven floor pans to level the seats or are the seats actually angled ever so slightly to the outside for both the driver and passenger?  Is that to make ingress and egress that little bit easier or ??  I'm thinking of getting some washers to put under the flat hole side of my driver's seat spring frame to get back the factory "tilt" even though this would raise the seat height up a bit as well since both sides would then be elevated (note I fabricated a driver's seat spring frame from a spare passenger spring frame as described in a previous reply).  Or, maybe I'll just reinstall the driver's seat with those elevated holes now on the outside (so the seat would tilt to the inside) and see if I can even tell the difference to justify removing it again and adding the washers.  Anyone have a clue as to the reasoning for this difference regarding the elevated holes only on one side in the driver and passenger spring frames?

Thanks,

Gary

3 hours ago, PaulTWinterton said:

@seattle2002tii love the pleats.  

 

@AlfaBMWGuy I haven't researched GAHH concerning their production of seat bottoms.  They likely use OEM horsehair, but it is conceivable that they are producing their own foam seat pad(s).  As they should because the OEM "buns" (upholsterer jargon) are over $500 each.  Robbery!  I've paid that price because they fit (asymmetrically) correctly and allow me to DIY.  I'm still using scavenged backseat/seatback basketweave to replace the driver's seat bottom.  I've done it twice in 29 years of ownership.

I remove the cover and give it to an upholsterer with the replacement vinyl piece.  Once the new piece is sewn in, I stretch it over the pad and frame myself.

 

Edit: If you are buying new seat pads, call your local BMW dealer as well.  They may be cheaper than 3rd party sellers.  You just have to wait for the shipment from Germany, but no shipping charges.

 

 

Thanks Paul.  I have a decent horsehair pad for my driver's seat that I got from another FAQ member a few months ago--thanks Guy!  I'm glad I did that because mine was quite deteriorated and although his was used, it was in much better shape than mine.  So my only concern is the driver's seat base upholstery and not the pad.  Originally I was going to go with exactly your plan of having an upholstery shop sew in original basketweave vinyl for the center section of my existing driver's seat base upholstery.  I even have the basketweave to use to do this thanks to yet another FAQ member.  But, I'm seeing that the rest of my driver's seat base isn't a good starting point based on its condition and I'm not finding anyone who has a better one to sell me.  That's why I'm considering the GAHH seat base.  There is a good chance that when I get it I'll have a shop replace the center embossed section (since it's starting to look like it's not a close match at all for the original basketweave even though it has the right number of pleats) with original basketweave even though it's brand new.  Or, I might live with the mismatch for a year or two and deal with higher priority items like my upper section rear seat vinyl and the need for new carpet.

7 hours ago, Conserv said:

 

Gary,

 

I believe all ‘02 front seats, from 1966 through 1976, are “handed”, i.e., there is a left and a right, and they are mirror images of each other.  Each seat bottom, as you point out, is asymmetric.  There is, at minimum, an early round taillight seat (1966-68?), a later round taillight seat (1968?-73), a 1974 seat, and a 1975-76 seat. But all have “asymmetric” seat bottoms.

 

This, and the seat-back release levers, is why you cannot simply swap left and right seats — easily!

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

Thanks for the more detailed explanation Steve.  I was thinking maybe the seat bases from '75 and '76 weren't "handed" mirror images.  That's because it looks like BMW (from what RealOEM states and confirmed by Steve at BluntTech) only sells a single part when you want a seat base spring frame.  You have enlightened me in this area.

I ended up fabricating my own driver's side spring frame from a spare passenger spring frame I had.  This involved removing the passenger spring frame steel ribbon around the top of the frame (a lot of metal clips to pry open) that conforms to the shape of the pad and swapping over the steel ribbon from my driver spring frame.  That's the only significant part that's different between the spring frames.  There is one other detail difference that I'll post another reply on to see if anyone has a reason for why it is different and if the difference is meaningful.  Anyway, here is a picture of the steel ribbon I'm talking about that I had to swap over in order to create a good driver's seat base spring frame (my existing one has a broken coil spring and a couple other more minor issues so I decided using my passenger spring frame was a better way to go).  Below that is a pic of both my passenger and driver spring frames as I was working on them so you can see the "handedness" of the ribbon at the top (which is what the horsehair pads wrap over at the edges).

15 hours ago, seattle2002tii said:

Here are photos of GAHH covers in my 73tii.  I had done last year using new horsehair pads (I believe the bottom front pads are R and L unique even on a 73).  Note that the GAHH covers don't come with pockets for rear of front seats.  Have to re-use the old or buy additional material from GAHH and have your upholster create from scratch. 

To me, your upholstery looks more like simple tiny squares embossed into the vinyl and not the more complex original basket weave embossing from the factory?  Can you confirm this?  I just took a look at the samples I received from both World Upholstery and GAHH.  Only World sent me a basket weave sample beyond flat vinyl.  The World sample though has very close to the correct original basket weave look--I know no one is going to perfectly match the original factory look and as I've learned, even that factory look changed over the production run regarding at least the embossing within the pleats.

Thanks,

Gary

Interested.  Will PM.

Thanks,

Gary

Thanks!  From the angle of your pic, I can't tell for certain you have non-symmetric seats (maybe "lopsided" is more easily understood), but I'll take your word for it.  I took the birds eye view of my seat base precisely to show the difference between the inside and outside edges.

-Gary

I was previously asking about getting new basketweave vinyl vs. used for repairing upholstery on a couple of my seating surfaces in my Pre 71 2002.  I'm now discovering that my driver's seat base might not be a good starting point for just replacing the center section of basketweave vinyl.  I've researched GAHH as a source for a new seat base including getting a sample of the basketweave vinyl they use in the last year so I know that's in the right ballpark.  I've also seen on the FAQ that GAHH gets the number of pleats right for the year and that COOP here on the board used them in the restoration of his beautiful roundie tii.  The earlier seat bases like mine have horsehair pads and upholstery that is not interchangeable between driver and passenger seat.  Below is a picture of my driver's seat base that I'm trying to get reupholstered (to fix both the cracks and non-basketweave embossing) where you can see how the pad and upholstery extend further on the inside towards the parking brake than on the outside.  My question is whether GAHH upholstery has this required extra width on the inner side of the seat or whether they just produce symmetric or interchangeable seat base upholstery between the driver and passenger seat?

When I drill down on their website to select the proper seat base, there is nothing that lets you select driver seat vs. passenger seat.  That makes me suspect they really don't make the proper seat base upholstery for these early wider seats.  I'm assuming COOP got correct original seats for his tii though (haven't seen any interior pictures) so something isn't adding up.  Below the seat base pic is a pic of the top of the driver seat spring frame that the horsehair pad wraps around where I separated this steel ribbon from the rest of the spring frame in order to fix my bad driver's spring frame.  This makes it clear why the upholstery must be specific to whether it's a driver (left) or passenger (right) seat.

Thanks,

Gary

After some investigation into what I have, I am passing on the passenger side armrest so it's still available.

Thanks,

Gary