Car restoration

[chateaubriant]

I have a hobby of repairing and restoration my collection of Italian cars.

I have various mains (240v) power tools inc a Mig welder.

I'm about to buy a new 240v Spot welder.

Can I use this equipment with French mains when I retire to France?

If not, can they be modified?

[Dog]

Yes just change the plugs.

What Italians have you got?

[Bob T]

Of course you can use all of your electrical tools here. You may have huge hurdles trying to get your cars registered and legal in France, but at least the spot welder will work!

You may also have a little trouble getting gas for the Mig welder.

[chateaubriant]

3 x FIAT 124 sport AC (1968-69)

2 x FIAT 124 spiders BC1-CS1 (1971-76)

in various states of undress.

One 124 sport is fully road worthy and used and the later spider is almost ready.

Plum forgot about gas, is argon/co2 not available?

At present I have a BOC account for refills.

I take it will not be easy to register old cars in France?

[Dog]

[quote user="chateaubriant"]3 x FIAT 124 sport AC (1968-69) 2 x FIAT 124 spiders BC1-CS1 (1971-76) in various states of undress. One 124 sport is fully road worthy and used and the later spider is almost ready.[/quote]

Nice motors...

I once went to a Chateau near Dijon - the gent there married into the family, the chateau, hectares of some of the best vinyards. In the chateau and out buildings he has over 2000 veteran and vintage motorcycles and an impressive collection of Abarths. When I went it was not open to the public but you could apply for a private viewing.

[AnOther]

[quote user="chateaubriant"]I have a hobby of repairing and restoration my collection of Italian cars[/quote]A full time occupation then [:D][:D][:D]

You will of course need Certificates of Conformity for all the equipment and have to convert it to LHD [blink]

Gas

for a MIG will be a big problem, even C02, (and doubtless you'll be needing a lot). It's not freely available

here and because of different connectors it's practically imposible to get UK sourced cylinders refilled.

You can buy the tiny throw away bottles but they are impossibly expensive for anything other than the occasional hobbyist - no good for you then [Www]

I

have no idea what I will do when my full size Oxy/Acetylene bottles run

out. I brought 2 full ones over (don't ask how) and hopefully they will

last a few years [blink]

BTW, given their ages (30 years +) you should have little difficulty registering them as Vehicule de Collection throught the FFVE.

[RicandJo]

With regards to registering with FFVE watch this space. I just sent away for the necessary cert from them to register my '79 Jeep CJ. I'll let you know the outcome.....

[Rob Roy]

[quote user="AnOther"][quote user="chateaubriant"]I have a hobby of repairing and restoration my collection of Italian cars[/quote]A full time occupation then [:D][:D][:D]

You will of course need Certificates of Conformity for all the equipment and have to convert it to LHD [blink]

Gas for a MIG will be a big problem, even C02, (and doubtless you'll be needing a lot). It's not freely available here and because of different connectors it's practically imposible to get UK sourced cylinders refilled.

You can buy the tiny throw away bottles but they are impossibly expensive for anything other than the occasional hobbyist - no good for you then [Www]

I have no idea what I will do when my full size Oxy/Acetylene bottles run out. I brought 2 full ones over (don't ask how) and hopefully they will last a few years [blink]

BTW, given their ages (30 years +) you should have little difficulty registering them as Vehicule de Collection throught the FFVE.

[/quote]

My OH tells me that our local builders yard stock Oxy/acetylene bottles and argon. I used to drive a Fiat 124 Sport many years ago, it was several years after I sold it that I realised how much I liked it! Nearly as much as my Renault Gordini.[:D]

[AnOther]

They might stock it but it will be on an exchange basis and UK bottles will not cut it.

You can buy mini Oxy/Acetylene rigs at the bigger Brico sheds but they

are horribly expensive, around €500 if memory serves, in UK a pair of

refilled bottles cost a very reasonable £50 !

[img]http://doit101.com/Images/oxyact.jpg[/img]

[Chancer]

When I was 19 and after saving for over a year I finally had enough money to buy a BOC portapak which cost £328 IIRC although there was 12 years cylinder rental included in the price, which they denied some 5 years later, luckily I had kept the original invoice.

The cylinders were kept in the airing cupboard of my housing association bedsit (it makes me cringe when I think of it now) and I used to spend virtually every free hour repairing cars, the majority of it welding cars less than 5 years old to pass the MOT.

The gas was very expensive, especially compared to the full size cylinders, I think starting at around £15 but quickly shooting up to nearer £30, you have to remember that my first year apprentice salary was £16.00 per week gross, I recon that I was on £22 per week when I bought the portapak, the trolley jack to go with it cost me £62 with a 15% discount from Halfords.

So what may seem expensive today is actually far cheaper in real terms than it used to be.

Mind you it was the best investment that I ever made and has contributed to my situation today, it also allowed me to continue with my apprenticeship and further education and still be able to pay for a roof above my head.

[Théière]

[quote user="Chancer"]

you have to remember that my first year apprentice salary was £16.00 per week gross, Mind you it was the best investment that I ever made and has contributed to my situation today, it also allowed me to continue with my apprenticeship and further education and still be able to pay for a roof above my head.

[/quote]

Wow C, you couldn't have been that far in front of me £19 when I started. Bought similar, did similar. Remember 1 MG owner who was reluctant to cough up after the re-build so I attached the cutting torch [6] soon changed his mind [:D]

Got to do some cutting next week BOC too expensive for gas so I am looking at a new lot Adams gas