Adey
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,343
Club RR Member Number: 171
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Low and slow Fiat 126 bisAdey
@adey1984
Club Retro Rides Member 171
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Mar 24, 2017 18:15:47 GMT
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So I sold the dauphine a while back, owned an mx5 that I slammed on steels then sold, then a Clio 172 cup that I built as a track toy and never drove then just sold and have now found my way to a fiat 126 bis........
I had looked in the past at 126s but never found one close enough or cheap enough for me to buy. The week I decided to sell the Clio a friend sent me a gumtree link for a 126 in the same city. In a whim I contacted the chap selling to arrange viewing. Turned out he already had someone coming to view but would contact me later on either way..... ah well that was a done deal I thought.
Got a message later that eve to say no one had turned up so I arranged to see the car in the daylight the next day outside his house and if I wanted to go further i could come back in the eve when he wasnt working to check out the mechanicals.
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Last Edit: Jun 17, 2017 19:26:40 GMT by Adey
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Adey
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,343
Club RR Member Number: 171
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Low and slow Fiat 126 bisAdey
@adey1984
Club Retro Rides Member 171
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Mar 24, 2017 20:35:18 GMT
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I popped around the next day as quick as i could after noticing the advert had hit the newly found fiat 126 fb page and the chap selling had already told me he had taken a few more calls. All looked good for a 26 year old fiat though i have no actual experience of them.... so went back in the eve to hear it run and see about a vibration it has. I was assured it was the engine mounts causing a vibration so decided to take a punt and buy it. Even with no fiat experience a poor paint job and a vibration i had no idea to sort and a slightly misaligned gear shifter, i was able to barter a touch. It looked kinda cool, has mot and decked on some nice wheels could look even cooler.
A few day later the owner dropped it off at my house and that was that. It sat for a few days before i even looked at it and when i did i was pleasantly surprised it started with ease (well for an old carbed car) i took it around the block and struggled like hell to get anything other than first and second gear, i can now select all of them now i have the knack. Another week passed and i thought id take it for a longer drive, only to the local petrol station then on past a mates house. His garge door was open so i popped in to say hello. Upon my return to the 126 it wouldnt start. the battery died trying though it only had a few turns before it was dead. Quick bump start and she was away again.
That was about 2 weeks ago.
So now the drive is clear and other cars have been collected by their new owners so the 126 sits in its new home. I have a list of things to do including pulling the engine out as after some research it would seem the flywheel has been fitted incorrectly (the seller also rebuilt the engine last year), changing the engine mounts as i preemptive ordered a new one based on the sellers diagnosis and re align the gear shifter and swap some bushings there. I will also give it a service at the same time and then we get to work.
I haven't done any of this in the few weeks ive had her due to time and space commitments the only thing i have been able to do was browse wheels constantly...... I found some really cool ones on ebay.fr they don't fit the fiat and they are quite wide for one but hopefully i can get them on, I'm not even sure of the offset? 13 x 7 gottis 4 x 100 will fit a fiat 126 right? so i agreed a price and have sent the funds, quite possibly the most ive spent on wheels in my life in a single transaction, not that much to some but about the same price i paid for the car. The plan when they get here will be to drop the car and adjust the body where needed to run with them on, wobble bolts will probably be needed. I will also try and sort the other issues at the same time. Low and Slow is the aim here and with no more major outlays if possible.
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Mar 24, 2017 21:17:24 GMT
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I had one which was supposed to be a resto race project. Then a Westfield came along for ÂŁ1 so the Biz went. Remembering it just the other day I still lament passing it on.
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Peugeot 307sw - Suzuki SV650S - MX5.
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dikkehemaworst
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,586
Club RR Member Number: 16
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Low and slow Fiat 126 bisdikkehemaworst
@dikkehemaworst
Club Retro Rides Member 16
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For 4x100s you might need wobble bolts, as Fiats I know have 4x98. That's right , 4x98 and the centre is slightly bigger so you might need spacers. Funny , Adey buys another car I own. If you need parts , give a shout. I know a couple of adresses in Holland and germany.
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dikkehemaworst
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,586
Club RR Member Number: 16
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Low and slow Fiat 126 bisdikkehemaworst
@dikkehemaworst
Club Retro Rides Member 16
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And please get rid of the thermostat and join the English 126 forum. Epic guys and a ton of knowledge available. Nice tip for the summer , try to find a canvas sunroof out of a cinquecento soleil. Open top motoring at it best !!!!
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Adey
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,343
Club RR Member Number: 171
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Low and slow Fiat 126 bisAdey
@adey1984
Club Retro Rides Member 171
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not sure i could run spacers with the amount of width ill already be gaining, might be able to get them spun out a touch though if there is enough material. Cheers for the offer on bits i might take you up on that. The wheels were sold for golf mk1 or bmw 2002 fitment which i think is 57mm centerbore? from what i can find the fiat is 58mm? though I'm not sure so only a little bit of material would need to come out to fit i think. Will obviously check all that when they get here. Already joined up on the forum, the thermostat is on my list of things to look at and check, something to do with where it sits in the block causing issues if not maintained? its probably gone already. not sure I'm keen on running without one though dikkehemaworst
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Last Edit: Mar 25, 2017 6:55:51 GMT by Adey
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Mar 25, 2017 16:07:41 GMT
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As long as the cooling system is looked after you shouldnt have any problem with cooling I kept mine in and never had a problem. Crucial the flywheel is mounted correctly as both pistons move together ie both at top both at bottom not opposed and the flywheel has quite a bit of material removed to balance it out
A word of warning don't buy cheap gasket kits for the engine they are useless
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Davey
Posted a lot
Resident Tyre Nerd.
Posts: 2,220
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Mar 29, 2017 15:48:41 GMT
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Not sure how i missed this but this will be awesome. If you can make those wheels work this will be possibly my favourite fiat ever. Obviously the ride height needs attending too as well.
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K11 Micra x3 - Mk3 astra - Seat Marbella - Mk6 Escort estate - B5 Passat - Alfa 156 estate - E36 compact Mk2 MR2 T-bar - E46 328i - Skoda Superb - Fiat seicento - 6n2 Polo - 6n polo 1.6 - Mk1 GS300 EU8 civic type S - MG ZT cdti - R56 MINI Cooper S - Audi A3 8p - Jaguar XF (X250) - FN2 Civic Type R - Mk2 2.0i Ford Focus
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Adey
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,343
Club RR Member Number: 171
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Low and slow Fiat 126 bisAdey
@adey1984
Club Retro Rides Member 171
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Mar 29, 2017 17:49:04 GMT
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cheers Davey a firm smashing with the lowering stick will happen. Wobble bolts have just been ordered, not ever been keen on them but its a need so that i can get the 4x100 wheels on to the 4x98 hubs..... hopefully i can get cracking with it this weekend
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Adey
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,343
Club RR Member Number: 171
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Low and slow Fiat 126 bisAdey
@adey1984
Club Retro Rides Member 171
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Mar 29, 2017 18:17:41 GMT
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could do with some help on tyre size if possible. don't want massive sidewall and could do with a touch of stretch but none of the crazy tyre looking like its popping of the rim stuff, any suggestions?
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Adey
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,343
Club RR Member Number: 171
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Low and slow Fiat 126 bisAdey
@adey1984
Club Retro Rides Member 171
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Mar 31, 2017 18:32:25 GMT
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So I got home a little early today and decided to crack on with the engine removal. Had a little helper for a while and gave him a spanner for entertainment. He was helping daddy by putting it on every nut and bolt so I may have a hand with the projects as i grow older. Anyway one rear panel bolt was rusted away so I had to get the cutting disk in to relieve it. There was little space so the exhaust had to come off too. Easy enough though especially for my first time working on the fiat. The engine is even light enough to handball into the garage. In the week I ordered a gasket set as one of the exhaust ones was blowing so will refit anyof them that are looking worse for wear. Hopefully later on this eve I will find the flywheel in the wrong position, i can then rectify and then get it back in the hole tomorrow morning. I will also try and replace a few bolts as I go as some are a little crusty. Probably took 2 hours in total with having a dinner break and a little head scratching.
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Last Edit: Mar 31, 2017 18:56:23 GMT by Adey
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Mar 31, 2017 20:00:00 GMT
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looks like he's got a good spanner hand on him! stop fannying round with the engine though and get those wheels on!!
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'80 s1 924 turbo..hibernating '80 golf gli cabriolet...doing impression of a skip '97 pug 106 commuter...continuing cheapness making me smile!
firm believer in the k.i.s.s and f.i.s.h principles.
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Adey
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,343
Club RR Member Number: 171
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Low and slow Fiat 126 bisAdey
@adey1984
Club Retro Rides Member 171
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Mar 31, 2017 20:38:24 GMT
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its a need to get the car running properly unfortunately. Hopefully ill get the wheels started this weekend too
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Mar 31, 2017 20:48:08 GMT
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no no no....you only need it running to drive it....wheres the fun in that? with the wheels on you could just sit and dribble over it all day!!
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'80 s1 924 turbo..hibernating '80 golf gli cabriolet...doing impression of a skip '97 pug 106 commuter...continuing cheapness making me smile!
firm believer in the k.i.s.s and f.i.s.h principles.
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Is that really lancia written on the engine block? Where did lancia use that engine in (if they did)? If it's anything like the VAG group, with VW/Audi logos in all the castings, then it is no indication of actual use. It went even further, my father was a VW specialist who was brought a cylinder head to work on that he didn't recognise, but it had VW/Audi castings on it. Turns out that came out of a Porsche, and has never been used in any VW/Audi model.
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Last Edit: Apr 1, 2017 7:34:06 GMT by craigrk
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Adey
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,343
Club RR Member Number: 171
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Low and slow Fiat 126 bisAdey
@adey1984
Club Retro Rides Member 171
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yep cast into it. wernt/arnt they the same company?
Engine back in and fired up with no teeth rattling vibration. New rear engine mount in at the same time. Just needs a quick service, coolant bleed and then on to the gearbox linkage to try and sort an issue there. Might stiffen up the gearbox mounts with whilst I'm in there. All being well I can then test the wheels and take a look at the suspension.
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