Author Topic: Sons First Car - Fiat 126 BIS (Autocross)  (Read 2035 times)

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K5rlx

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Sons First Car - Fiat 126 BIS (Autocross)
« on: October 23, 2020, 02:43:19 PM »
Some of you may have read my welcome thread where I spoke about undertaking a full restoration of my newly acquired 126 BIS for my son's first car.  However, we know what teenagers are like, and so he has decided he would like to use it for Autocross for the next few years until he can drive it legally on the open road (he's only 14).  so we set about getting it ready, what we have realised is that when it comes to the full restoration, it will need a lot of welding as most of the cars is currently body filler (previous owner).

However, for now, that's not really a concern, we need it to be tidy and running with an MOT so he can race it.  This is how the car looked when it was delivered to our house.








It had been sat for 5 years in the corner of a field, so when we went to view it, we had to take a strimmer to cut back all of the greenery. Now the task began of getting it ready.

K5rlx

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Re: Sons First Car - Fiat 126 BIS (Autocross)
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2020, 03:22:04 PM »
After looking at the bodywork and paint we decided to go for a rattle can respray in matt black, firstly as its fairly cheap and also the stuff we are using has anti-corrosive properties.

Firstly a gave the car a once over to see what had been done previously and what needed doing this is what I found:

What had been done.

Front disc brake conversion, adapter plates, Mk1 Punto callipers
New front discs and pads.
New master cylinder
New copper brake lines
New rear brake cylinders
New rear brake flex hoses
New rear brake shoes
New left and right-hand sills (welding to be desired)
Front spotlights
Wax oiled underneath
electric fuel pump fitted
battery tray repaired (again welding to be desired)
both floor sides repaired (again welding to be desired)
Fiat Cinquecento sporting front seats fitted (which are so big they don't really fit)
Seat covers on the rear seat and front door cards (which were tatty as)

All in all, I thought it was a good starting point.

The things that needed doing included: 

Reverse light and rear fog light not working
Front wipers not working
No washer jets working
Indicators not working
Full service required
Bodywork needed tidying up arches etc. Also, someone had resprayed both doors, wings, bonnet and front panel which had not been prepared correctly as it was all cracked and peeling.

I could continue with a long list but I'm sure most people just want to look at pictures so he goes.

....


 










K5rlx

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Re: Sons First Car - Fiat 126 BIS (Autocross)
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2020, 03:28:27 PM »
I set about the simple things first like cleaning up the brakes.







Next it was no to the body work and paint I started on the bonet first and removed it from the car for ease, after using stripper to remove all the old paint I realised that most of the front of the bonnet was filler so I just patched it up and sparyed it matt black.










K5rlx

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Re: Sons First Car - Fiat 126 BIS (Autocross)
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2020, 05:01:18 PM »
Now as Jaden (my son) eventually want this car in oriental blue and with maybe chrome bumpers we removed all of the BIS bumpers and trim and set about welding up the holes before we set about it with more matt black.

The first thing we matbalcked was the boot lid, no rust and not much surface area after we masked up the rear window.



Now removing the bumpers left us with the dilemma of the reverse and fog light issue.  So quick look on carbuilders.com and we found a cheap LED replacement. Video link below.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/XO44NpS7EpI[/youtube]

It also left an unsightly exhaust, but it was nothing that an angle grinder and a bit of matt black couldn't sort out. It was then the case of welding the holes in the rear, prep and paint.





« Last Edit: October 23, 2020, 05:07:17 PM by K5rlx »

K5rlx

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Re: Sons First Car - Fiat 126 BIS (Autocross)
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2020, 05:06:38 PM »
Thought I would add this in here its the video I received from the previous owner before we viewed the car. (NSFW video contains bad language).

[youtube]https://youtu.be/VO1BJFeY2to[/youtube]

K5rlx

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Re: Sons First Car - Fiat 126 BIS (Autocross)
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2020, 12:27:54 PM »
Next, it was time to make up a bracket for the reverse/fog light, we also purchased a small number plate light so we got it all fitted.





Now while rumaging around in the car I also found a few bagdes.



My son decided he would like the 126 badge on the rear, we decided to reverse the colours of the badge to make it more subdued.

 





Flying Carpet

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Re: Sons First Car - Fiat 126 BIS (Autocross)
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2020, 08:21:25 PM »
Wow, great start guys, looking good! :P

I think this car has had a lucky escape, glad you saved it from dissolving under the brambles. Someone clearly had big plans for it, so good news that you've got stuck in. Good luck with the build!

All of this has a very familiar ring to it... I think my lad was the same sort of age when I bought our BIS three years ago. Better get my backside off the computer and back into the garage - I've still got a long way to go and not much time left before he's 17!  :$