Here is my 500.
It cost me a Rolls Royce. I had a red Silver Spirit that I decided didn't deserve being kept outside and my lockup was not large enough to fit it in. In order for it to not deteriorate further, I decided to sell or swap it.
A chap offered this 500, and I thought, yep, that's an obvious swap, let's go for that!
It's a 1970 LHD Italian import (the guy I got it off brought it over from Italy), 500L in Giallo Positano. Fairly original throughout, and in decent nick. It does not appear to ever have been restored, but has definitely had localised paint throughout its history.
I drove round in this for a while, until one day the brakes failed catastrophically. i.e. no brakes when I came to slow down at a junction in the middle of Leamington.
I've only just got round to trying to sort it out, as I could not obviously find where the fault was.
These things have a highly unreliable single circuit system, so I thought a wheel cylinder had gone. No obvious leaks. No obvious leaks from the master either. But no fluid in the system.
I then recalled that some paperwork I left inside the car had gone a bit oily, so I wonder if the m/c failed and squirted into the interior. Still not entirely sure how it dumped all that fluid, but I ended up chasing my tail round the car replacing all the brakes (drums, shoes, cylinders), and even went to the lengths of changing the front-to-rear copper brake line which was one of the most frustrating things I've ever done. Also changed the master cylinder and reservoir pipe.
It now seems to be holding brake fluid!
Unfortunately, the rear brakes are super tight after fitting new pads and drums. To the point where the drums went on, but I now can't get them off to try and either loosen the crude self-adjusters a bit. It will just about roll under its own power with some throttle applied. Unfortunately the location of my drive (backing onto a road with poor visibility) means I can't even really try the generally accepted trick of a high-speed reverse followed by a handbrake engagement!
So still scratching my head on that one.
In the meantime, here's the plans for it:
1) Sort the brakes out so it's usable as it's a shame not to drive it at the moment!
2) Go around and grease it all. The front axle was never "great" with a bit of slop, but until I commit to a rebuilt steering box or 126 rack conversion, it'll have to do. This will get it to a stage where I can actually go places in it, it's absolutely great fun!
3) I'd love to give it a much deserved body refresh. The paint is okay, but has lots of local areas which could do with repair, so it may as well get a blow over. After that I wouldn't feel so bad parting with £500 to get the underside properly done in waxoyl etc. I'm also reluctant to go round and sort the brightwork out until the body is re-done.
4) It's got one bit of holey rust, which is where the brake fluid leaked just under the reservoir - some sanding down reveals a few pin holes. Would probably get this sorted along with the bodywork if I find somewhere to do it. It might have more rust that might need attention at the same time, but none that is obvious at the moment.
5) Then it'll be onto a bit of an upgrade hopefully. I aim to get a front axle built up "off-the-car" with disc conversion, new steering and suspension. Similarly at the rear, so that I can then just swap it onto the car.
6) I have a 650 engine and gearbox from a 126 that I bought for something silly like £50, that needs a rebuild. I've not rebuilt an engine in years so would probably quite enjoy tinkering with it. At the same time, I'm more than quite tempted to find a 2-cylinder BMW motorbike boxer, and find a way to mate it to the 126 gearbox, and drop that in the back of the little Fiat...
It cost me a Rolls Royce. I had a red Silver Spirit that I decided didn't deserve being kept outside and my lockup was not large enough to fit it in. In order for it to not deteriorate further, I decided to sell or swap it.
A chap offered this 500, and I thought, yep, that's an obvious swap, let's go for that!
It's a 1970 LHD Italian import (the guy I got it off brought it over from Italy), 500L in Giallo Positano. Fairly original throughout, and in decent nick. It does not appear to ever have been restored, but has definitely had localised paint throughout its history.
I drove round in this for a while, until one day the brakes failed catastrophically. i.e. no brakes when I came to slow down at a junction in the middle of Leamington.
I've only just got round to trying to sort it out, as I could not obviously find where the fault was.
These things have a highly unreliable single circuit system, so I thought a wheel cylinder had gone. No obvious leaks. No obvious leaks from the master either. But no fluid in the system.
I then recalled that some paperwork I left inside the car had gone a bit oily, so I wonder if the m/c failed and squirted into the interior. Still not entirely sure how it dumped all that fluid, but I ended up chasing my tail round the car replacing all the brakes (drums, shoes, cylinders), and even went to the lengths of changing the front-to-rear copper brake line which was one of the most frustrating things I've ever done. Also changed the master cylinder and reservoir pipe.
It now seems to be holding brake fluid!
Unfortunately, the rear brakes are super tight after fitting new pads and drums. To the point where the drums went on, but I now can't get them off to try and either loosen the crude self-adjusters a bit. It will just about roll under its own power with some throttle applied. Unfortunately the location of my drive (backing onto a road with poor visibility) means I can't even really try the generally accepted trick of a high-speed reverse followed by a handbrake engagement!
So still scratching my head on that one.
In the meantime, here's the plans for it:
1) Sort the brakes out so it's usable as it's a shame not to drive it at the moment!
2) Go around and grease it all. The front axle was never "great" with a bit of slop, but until I commit to a rebuilt steering box or 126 rack conversion, it'll have to do. This will get it to a stage where I can actually go places in it, it's absolutely great fun!
3) I'd love to give it a much deserved body refresh. The paint is okay, but has lots of local areas which could do with repair, so it may as well get a blow over. After that I wouldn't feel so bad parting with £500 to get the underside properly done in waxoyl etc. I'm also reluctant to go round and sort the brightwork out until the body is re-done.
4) It's got one bit of holey rust, which is where the brake fluid leaked just under the reservoir - some sanding down reveals a few pin holes. Would probably get this sorted along with the bodywork if I find somewhere to do it. It might have more rust that might need attention at the same time, but none that is obvious at the moment.
5) Then it'll be onto a bit of an upgrade hopefully. I aim to get a front axle built up "off-the-car" with disc conversion, new steering and suspension. Similarly at the rear, so that I can then just swap it onto the car.
6) I have a 650 engine and gearbox from a 126 that I bought for something silly like £50, that needs a rebuild. I've not rebuilt an engine in years so would probably quite enjoy tinkering with it. At the same time, I'm more than quite tempted to find a 2-cylinder BMW motorbike boxer, and find a way to mate it to the 126 gearbox, and drop that in the back of the little Fiat...
