Where do I start? I guess I have my brother to blame or thank!!
It started a few weeks ago with that good old auction site, and wallet emptying service eBay!!
He spotted an Uno for auction, not a million miles away with only 27,000 miles on the clock but with no tax or test.
Only a couple of owners from new, seemed to be good to be true.
I decided we should only have a look.... famous last words!
So sure enough I found myself in Wolverhampton with my brother, and was quite pleasantly surprised..
The interior and trim was pretty immaculate, the back seat and boot don't even look used!! The front seats had some very naff seat covers, but the front seats were perfect underneath.
And the engine bay and engine looked like a nearly car, oh and importantly the floor and sills were solid.
According to the seller, it turns out the car was garaged for much of it's life by the previous owner.
The lady who originally owned it bought it from a local Fiat Dealer from nearly new, who used for display purposes in the showroom!
She had the car for many years until she gave up driving, the seller's wife said she bought it to learn to drive in because her mum said to!!
But since learning to drive she decided she prefer ed an automatic, so the Uno being a manual had to go.
She had promised the lady she would take care of it, and her husband had a couple of people ring.
But they only wanted to use it for a Turbo re-shell, and they didn't want that to happen.
Admittedly there was some rust and scratches on the outer body of the car, that had been sprayed in badly with a can of gold spray paint!!
What whoever done it was thinking ill never know, mind you ive seen worse!!
After a quick tally up of the work it would need, I decided to go for it! Even thought my brother originally said we should think about it
I left some cash on it, and we agreed to pay the balance in a week or so.
Despite the fact I was seriously stretching my finances, still nothing like a self imposed money crisis to make life interesting!!
Once the balance was paid, my brother and his friend Jim collected the car and delivered it back to my house one evening!!
Now the fun, and wallet bashing can begin!! The roof Ariel was bent, and the roof had a nice dent which came out after Jim pulled it out using the said Ariel!!
Cheers Jim
thats one thing off the list straight away!!
Better still the radio works and can pick up FM, although the car only has one speaker
Sadly it's not a cassette player, so I'm disappointed I cant play my Sash tape!!
Anyway enough of me talking, here's the car...
And that's pretty much where we're up to so far!! so what are the plans I hear you ask?
Well we don't want to do anything that isn't reversible, so was thinking of maybe some nice alloys.
And some period genuine fiat accessories for that extra bling!! plus whatever else we pick up along the way.
So the list of tasks for the project are as follows..
# Bodywork!!
* A wash and polish
* Get rid of the god awful spray paint
* Replace the broken roof Ariel
* Treat and repair the rust etc..
* Remove and replace any outer panels or trim etc as required
* Replace the broken and weathered number plates
* Fully rustproof the car
# Mechanicals
* Full Service with genuine parts, change engine oil, coolant & gearbox oil, new cambelt, tensioner & alternator belt etc..
* Set up the carb correctly
# The Dreaded MOT!!
As the car runs and drives ok, we'll be concentrating on the cosmetics first.
However we'll be buying parts for it as we go or find them!! so we'll see how that works ;D
I'm not sure how long before the car is on the road again, but depending on finances we're aiming for next summer all being well!
So watch this space...
It started a few weeks ago with that good old auction site, and wallet emptying service eBay!!
He spotted an Uno for auction, not a million miles away with only 27,000 miles on the clock but with no tax or test.
Only a couple of owners from new, seemed to be good to be true.
I decided we should only have a look.... famous last words!
So sure enough I found myself in Wolverhampton with my brother, and was quite pleasantly surprised..
The interior and trim was pretty immaculate, the back seat and boot don't even look used!! The front seats had some very naff seat covers, but the front seats were perfect underneath.
And the engine bay and engine looked like a nearly car, oh and importantly the floor and sills were solid.
According to the seller, it turns out the car was garaged for much of it's life by the previous owner.
The lady who originally owned it bought it from a local Fiat Dealer from nearly new, who used for display purposes in the showroom!
She had the car for many years until she gave up driving, the seller's wife said she bought it to learn to drive in because her mum said to!!
But since learning to drive she decided she prefer ed an automatic, so the Uno being a manual had to go.
She had promised the lady she would take care of it, and her husband had a couple of people ring.
But they only wanted to use it for a Turbo re-shell, and they didn't want that to happen.
Admittedly there was some rust and scratches on the outer body of the car, that had been sprayed in badly with a can of gold spray paint!!
What whoever done it was thinking ill never know, mind you ive seen worse!!
After a quick tally up of the work it would need, I decided to go for it! Even thought my brother originally said we should think about it
I left some cash on it, and we agreed to pay the balance in a week or so.
Despite the fact I was seriously stretching my finances, still nothing like a self imposed money crisis to make life interesting!!
Once the balance was paid, my brother and his friend Jim collected the car and delivered it back to my house one evening!!
Now the fun, and wallet bashing can begin!! The roof Ariel was bent, and the roof had a nice dent which came out after Jim pulled it out using the said Ariel!!
Cheers Jim
thats one thing off the list straight away!!Better still the radio works and can pick up FM, although the car only has one speaker
Sadly it's not a cassette player, so I'm disappointed I cant play my Sash tape!!
Anyway enough of me talking, here's the car...
And that's pretty much where we're up to so far!! so what are the plans I hear you ask?
Well we don't want to do anything that isn't reversible, so was thinking of maybe some nice alloys.
And some period genuine fiat accessories for that extra bling!! plus whatever else we pick up along the way.
So the list of tasks for the project are as follows..
# Bodywork!!
* A wash and polish
* Get rid of the god awful spray paint
* Replace the broken roof Ariel
* Treat and repair the rust etc..
* Remove and replace any outer panels or trim etc as required
* Replace the broken and weathered number plates
* Fully rustproof the car
# Mechanicals
* Full Service with genuine parts, change engine oil, coolant & gearbox oil, new cambelt, tensioner & alternator belt etc..
* Set up the carb correctly
# The Dreaded MOT!!
As the car runs and drives ok, we'll be concentrating on the cosmetics first.
However we'll be buying parts for it as we go or find them!! so we'll see how that works ;D
I'm not sure how long before the car is on the road again, but depending on finances we're aiming for next summer all being well!
So watch this space...
with the car fixed properly by my regular mechanic this time all was well