SpyGuy am I

**SpyGuy** · 02-14-2010, 04:28 AM

Hello everyone! Here's a bit of background....

I've had a longstanding hobby in all things mechanical, with a particular passion for Italian sports cars. Back in 1988 I was in the Navy learning to fly jets down in Kingsville, Texas. One night, as I was driving on some back road in my FIAT 2000 Spider, I hit an unmarked deep dip in the road which destroyed both my oil pan & pump, and cracked my front suspension cross-member.

I had rebuilt many systems in that and other cars (including full engine rebuilds, transmission rebuild, differential rebuild, brakes, clutches, etc.) but this repair would require something new.... welding! I decided it was time to get into MIG. So I purchased a VersaMIG from HTP America and went to work. I choose the VersaMIG because at the time I was bouncing from place to place as I made my way through the Navy's various training programs. So I thought it would be good to have the option of converting the primary from 220V to 110V (not really realizing at the time that if set at 110V, I would need a dedicated 30A branch circuit anyway). As it turns out, I set it up for 220V and it's never been changed since. Anyway, I got that car back on the road in about a week.

Fast forward 20+ years...

I've been using the VersaMIG for various projects over the years: welding up a new exhaust system on my Toyota Pickup; fabricating a custom jig to apply hydraulic force to press off a frozen rear trailing arm on my Alfa Romeo Spider; etc.

I've left the Navy and now work as a software consultant, but I also have a side job that gets me out from behind a computer: I do construction and maintenance at a private airport. In this job, my old faithful VersaMIG has been getting quite a workout (including the addition of a Spool Gun). Later I'll post some descriptions and photos of some of the more interesting projects.

Well, that's probably more information than anyone wanted to know.

- Michael

**Gadget** · 02-14-2010, 06:28 AM

Welcome to the forum Michael. Sounds like you've had an interesting life. I look forward to seeing some of your projects.
Dan

**KHK** · 02-14-2010, 08:44 AM

Hello Michael and Welcome! My first welder was borrowed from a friend, that was in 1959. This thing(Don't know the name) pluged into a 120 volt 30 amp outlet. I later bought it from him for $20 I made a two wheeled scooter using wheel barel tires. The welds broke many times, until I found out that I was using cast-iron welding rods! I was 14 years old...

I am looking forward to seeing some pictures of your projects.

**arandall** · 02-14-2010, 09:58 AM

Michael:
Welcome from me too.
A Fiat spider, and an Alfa spider - you have got it bad.
Back in the day, one of my good friends bought a brand new Fiat 128 (Alfa wannabe). It was a gorgoeous car - even a pretty British racing green, and it handled really well, but it fell apart if you looked at it the wrong way. - sorry - cant' resist taking a dig a Fiats. Of course, my old '72 Midget could never be accused of having questionable electrics, or anything (Lucas - prince of darkness and all).
Anyway - welcome. There are good people here.

Cheers,
Art R.

**SpyGuy** · 02-15-2010, 11:22 PM

Thanks for the welcomes. I suppose I should mention how I came upon this site.

I've long lusted for a plasma cutter, but it never made it into my budget. Now that I have the airport side job that allows me to justify all my tool spending (

), I've been thinking more seriously about acquiring one. Since I am currently rewiring my garage with a subpanel for better electrical service, I figured I'd pre-plan a 230VAC/30A branch circuit for the eventual purchase of a plasma cutter. I had been eyeing the HTP America MicroCut 625... but at $1,429, it sure is expensive.

So I was curious to see what I might find on the San Franciso Craig's List. First I popped up a listing for a new InvertaWeld plasma cutter from another Bay Area supplier. It looked interesting, but not a lot of information about it. When i went back to review that ad in Craig's List again, I came across an ad for the Longevity ForceCut LP-40D plasma cutter. And here I am.

The only problem now is that I'm lusting for a WeldAll!

**SpyGuy** · 02-16-2010, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by arandall

sorry - cant' resist taking a dig a Fiats

No offense taken. Every maker gets its digs at one point or another (looks like it's Toyota's turn now

).

Actually, the early FIATs were remarkably advanced for their time and for their price. My '69 124 Spider had a 1438cc four-cylinder engine with timing belt driven direct-acting dual-overhead cams (I believe it may have been the first production car to use a timing belt), a cross-flow aluminum head, tubular intake and exhaust manifolds (cast aluminum and iron respectively, but still tubular runners as opposed to just a big common passage), a vortex oil-vapor seperator for crankcase breathing, and a cool centrifugal oil spinner in the main crank pully for removing fine sediment from the engine oil. Besides the 5-speed transmission for "go", the car had four-wheel disc brakes for "stop", with the parking brake acting on the rear disk brake pistons. All in all, a very cool little car. And it was topless!

**arandall** · 02-17-2010, 01:24 AM

Michael:

You're right!! I just think the North American market just wasn't ready for them.

Cheers,
Art R.

**SpyGuy** · 02-17-2010, 01:54 AM

Yes, you're right. Two BIG problems:

1. Americans were used to driving cars that were built like tanks with big cast iron engines that produced lots of power in the low rpm range. You could pretty much ignore them and they would just keep going. The smaller, lightweight European cars were designed to operate at high rpm to get their rated horsepower. And they required regular maintenance! For example, if you ignored the requisite timing belt changes on the 124 engine... well, let's just say the sound of pistons hitting valves is not pretty.

2. FIAT did a terrible job of setting up a good dealer network, particularly for maintenance and repair.

**jbman45** · 02-17-2010, 06:50 AM

Agree and don't forget why Europe made cars like that, they were forced to by the gov who taxed cars on the displacement rather than weight, hp or other issues. So it was desirable to get the most performance with smallest CC's...and guess where we're headed in the US.....enjoy your new ultra compact, electric shoebox. I hope we're not headed that way but sure looks like it if we let the government continue to control everything...