Club126UK

Fiat 126 Chat => Your Restorations => Topic started by: Flying Carpet on May 04, 2017, 11:34:43 PM

Title: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Flying Carpet on May 04, 2017, 11:34:43 PM
And so it begins... :D

After a few months of pondering and eBay window shopping, we finally settled on a Fiat 126 as KJ's first project car, the idea being that if he starts now, it might just be ready for when he's legally able to drive it!
We'd noticed they ranged from basket cases to absolute minters, so what we were after was a reasonably late model to make sure the old tinworm hadn't taken hold (ahh, those Alfasud memories!)  (http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/rolleyes.gif)

Just happened to stumble across an ad for a 1988 BIS, dry stored, all complete and with a stack of spares to go with it. After chatting with the owner (top bloke) about the car and its condition, we agreed a deal and the following weekend ventured up to West London to pick it up.
(http://i.imgur.com/0JCXfgQ.jpg) http://i.imgur.com/0JCXfgQt.jpg (http://i.imgur.com/0JCXfgQt.jpg)

Attracted lots of attention when we stopped at the motorway services on the way home, including an Italian guy who loved it, enthusiastically telling us we definitely chose the right model! So after getting it home, we set KJ to task with the spanners, and soon he had the rear bumper and rear panel off...
(http://i.imgur.com/HosovOm.jpg) (http://i.imgur.com/PocrsQb.jpg)
 

Overall the car is in pretty good shape, having had a fair bit of work and (fortunately) dry stored for a while. It will need a bit of attention to the front end but two new wings and a front panel came as part of the deal, along with loads of trim pieces and service items (http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/cheesy.gif)


We did a quick oil change and fuel top up as I wanted to do a shakedown before dismantling, but couldn't quite get the engine to catch. Later on we found out just how old the fuel was...! So out came the power unit, a nice easy job, so the work of cleaning up could begin!

(http://i.imgur.com/A5MafsD.jpg) (http://i.imgur.com/REE7SXW.jpg)

Cleaned up the gearbox and fitted a new clutch guide oil seal as the bellhousing was full of oil.
(http://i.imgur.com/Oh16SwJ.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/ZDfS4xF.jpg)


After fitting new axle gaiters and driveshaft boots, along with new gearbox mounts (in the spares package!
 (http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/smiley.gif) ), the gearbox looks a little more presentable. Note to self: don't forget to refill with oil !!!
(http://i.imgur.com/SNerH6l.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/y8lUoj1.jpg)


With the engine out of the way we could turn our attention to the rear suspension, which we had noticed was pretty sorry looking. Took the opportunity to try on one of the new X1/9 wheels first though! Will have to think carefully about tyre choice, but first impressions are that the offset should be ok...
Then pulled the rest of the suspension and fuel tank out:

(http://i.imgur.com/Mm0SzYH.jpg)   (http://i.imgur.com/yWZZeol.jpg)



Rear suspension was pretty ropey, so off to the sandblaster to get cleaned up. Got some new bushes, wheel cylinders and bearings to fit once the bits come back...

(http://i.imgur.com/HPgh9v9.jpg) (http://i.imgur.com/SHXn2gh.jpg) 


 (http://i.imgur.com/rNy1M8F.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/dwAy1D9.jpg)

All painted up and ready for assembly...
(http://i.imgur.com/vKxFK8H.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/odL7aRZ.jpg)



Oh yeah, and I think that this might have had something to do with the starting problem...
The new tank (supplied with the car) was painted up so we could put the old dented one to one side
(http://i.imgur.com/8BUVg4E.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/8XSEk1t.jpg)



Next we turned our attention to the interior. The BIS seats are in pretty good condition, but didn't really suit what KJ had in mind for the car, so with the help of his pal they set to work removing them.
Nice pants btw! (http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/rolleyes.gif)
(http://i.imgur.com/YdNyAOM.jpg)   (http://i.imgur.com/0HfeOAa.jpg)


Got a cracking deal on pair of Mini seats, they look suitably retro and suit the padded dash. Couldn't resist popping them in just to have a look! Still got to work out the mounting, but hopefully that shouldn't be too much of a task.
(http://i.imgur.com/HwGb44d.jpg)



Well that's about it for now, looking forward to getting the rear suspension back together so we can get the car turned around and get started on the front. Lots to keep us busy on the weekends for a while yet I reckon, but should be worth it in the long run!


Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Gadge on May 05, 2017, 06:28:14 AM
Fantastic work guys 👍 Your really getting stuck in. It reminds me of my first one which I bought when I was 17 (in red as well). Great choice on the seats btw :)
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: 126blackbird on May 05, 2017, 03:19:49 PM
Make sure you use the right oil in the gearbox, don't use EP
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Flying Carpet on May 13, 2017, 11:51:50 PM
Thanks for the tip - will look into the whole gearbox oil thing in a while...

In the meantime, we decided the rear suspension arm bushes would need doing to keep the MoT man happy.
(http://i.imgur.com/P5i0366.jpg)

...after all, the manual reckons 'the flexible bushes can be extracted and installed using a press...'    Yeah, right (http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/rolleyes.gif)

After 30 years in situ, my little press could not even make these things wince, let alone be extracted. Time for more drastic action....

Decided that melting out the rubber was a bit messy. As the rubber had gone as hard as nails, decided to drill between the centre and the outer a few times to break up the rubber. A 5mm drill bit was an almost perfect fit. Removing the rubber from one side allowed rubber and centre pin to be driven out...
(http://i.imgur.com/wUopMTo.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/c0e1zON.jpg)

With the centre and rubber removed, a couple of cuts were made in the shell of the bush with a hacksaw, about 7 - 10mm apart. This was done carefully to avoid cutting into the bushing housing, but there wasn't too much danger of that. After that, the strip between the cuts could be peeled back with a drift, like pulling the lid off a tin of beans (http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/grin.gif)

(http://i.imgur.com/acr1KBQ.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/irl58Q8.jpg)

After that, the rest of the outer shell of the bush was easy to drift out, leaving a nice clean housing ready for the new bush.

(http://i.imgur.com/8aqCGUI.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/0n17jF1.jpg)

Here's the little varmint (or what's left of it) along with a new one for comparison. Then it was just a case of warming up the end of the arm in boiling water and then presenting it with a suitably chilled new bush (half an hour in the freezer), applying a liberal coat of grease and then squeezing the two back together. I reckon a big vice would have done the job easily, but as we had the press it seemed daft not to use it.

(http://i.imgur.com/zr2vfRS.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/AWiYKaL.jpg)

New bush in place, hopefully good for another few years yet! (http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/grin.gif)
(http://i.imgur.com/kSxyMGu.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/Kbr4G2J.jpg)

I can't say replacing bushes is ever my favourite job, and my heart always sinks when I see these on an MoT form, so glad this job is done. Without a doubt, removing the old ones is the most difficult bit - the first one took me a couple of hours, a plaster and a fair bit of strong language (http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/shocked.gif), but after that, the other three only took about half an hour each. Pushing the new ones in was a doddle, but very satisfied now it's done. Found some useful tips on an old post by michaelodonnell500, so will post a reply there too.

Now just wondering what the front suspension has in store for us!

Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Gadge on May 14, 2017, 09:54:33 AM
Great work :thumbup they are a bit of a swine to do. I go for the more messy (not to mention stinky!) way of burning them out before doing the same as you cutting a slot and peeling the outer shell out but very satisfying job once it's done. At the front the top and bottom bushes are exactly the same as the rear bushes - in that they are literally the same part - so you'll become an expert in removing them soon   ;D but to be fair the lower ones in the leaf are les fiddley to do as the leaf is easier to work around than the rear swing arms
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: andyzeetec on May 15, 2017, 01:03:12 PM
Great Read, keep it coming.  :thumbup
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Flying Carpet on May 15, 2017, 09:04:12 PM
Thanks Gadge

We had removed the front suspension units on Sunday, so suitably encouraged, I had a go at the front suspension after tea...
The lower wishbone bushes didn't really put up much of a fight, and popped out fairly easily. Then I turned to the lower spindle bush, and pushed out the middle with one of the old centres I'd released previously.

Then it was the (now) time honoured practice of hacksaw and pin punch, and 15 minute later it was all done!(http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/grin.gif)

(http://i.imgur.com/Q3f2WxQ.jpg)


So now to order up some new bushes, and clean up the rusty bits in the meantime... But I think I'll enjoy a pint first! Cheers!
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Flying Carpet on June 28, 2017, 09:33:18 PM
It's been a while since our last post, but we haven't been completely idle...
With the car sat on a dolly we can push it easily around the workshop (workshop? nah, it's a shed!), so set to work in getting the front suspension cleaned up.

(http://i.imgur.com/GIhau0u.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Qc8yzZH.jpg)

Dismantled the front spring to check it over, and get rid of the rust and grime. All ok, so primed and painted the leaves and reassembled with plenty of grease, then popped in a couple of new bushes to finish off.
(http://i.imgur.com/0gwzpMn.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/UL5FoQt.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/G5evhf9.jpg)

I had decided on a disc brake conversion some time ago, and even thought we're a long way off needing them yet, I couldn't resist just trying the conversion plates on the stub axles for size. The calipers are from a base model 500, but are the same as Seicento / Punto ones, and the discs were old stock, just a tenner for the pair!
(http://i.imgur.com/U9LtWoT.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/rSicQov.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/WLDzahs.jpg)

With the stub axles cleaned up and painted, and duly equipped with new bushes, it was then time to reassemble with the wishbone and spindle (yet more new bushes). Finally, we cleaned up the shocks as they checked out ok before disassembly, and finished them off in lurid yellow (more on that later).
(http://i.imgur.com/ORCtoZH.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/f0Jpvdb.jpg)



That was the easy bit - now to look at the bodywork side of things....(gulp!)

A visit to Forza Italia gave us the opportunity to take a close look at this little beauty!
(http://i.imgur.com/YKoCJCd.jpg)
Really good to chat with the owner and hear all about it - picked up some crucial tips for our project
     -    thanks Gadge!                       :good:
(http://i.imgur.com/xB5XlSp.jpg)

Feeling suitably inspired, we took advantage of some fine weather and made a start on the bodywork. We knew there was something lurking under the non-original paint, so decided to strip the paint back carefully to avoid damaging any sound panels. Once we got past the filler, we found some battle scars and corrosion on the front panel.
(http://i.imgur.com/fQmNJge.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/WcV6BRR.jpg)
The extent of the damage and the fact that we got a new front panel with the car meant that it was going to be easier to replace the whole thing. We were a bit daunted about the prospect of ending up with a misaligned front end, but fortunately the wings are in pretty good shape (apart from a couple of dings), so hopefully we should be able to use these and the bonnet to make sure everything lines up again.

Was a bit nervous about it, but the grinder soon passed the point of no return, and before long we had the front panel off. (http://i.imgur.com/qhkXakb.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/I0dEWP3.jpg)

This is going to make the job of replacing the battery box much easier, and also we can repair the inevitable rot in the inner front wings a bit more easily.

(http://i.imgur.com/PzoD3eQ.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/d1kxmLl.jpg)

Not quite ready to start tacking things together, but at least the school holidays are coming up, which means I should get some help! (http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/wink.gif)
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: shielsy on June 29, 2017, 02:15:54 PM
your doing a cracking job  :o :wave :thumbup :thumbup :thumbup :thumbup :thumbup :thumbup :thumbup :thumbup
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Gadge on June 29, 2017, 09:37:28 PM
Pleasure to have met you - and your son of course! Your doing a fantastic job there on that front panel they are not easy to do. I had to do the battery box on mine but with the front panel on  :o and it was quite a job!

Keep up the good work :thumbup
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Flying Carpet on July 16, 2017, 11:15:25 PM
Wow - can't imagine what doing the battery box with the front panel in place must have been like!
Mind you, it's taken a helluva lot longer than I thought to get the front end to where it is now!

Ok, so with the front panel out of the way, it was fairly straightforward to get to the crumbly bits in the bottom front corner of each wing. We had acquired a couple of wings with the car, but following advice, it really didn't warrant taking off the original sound wings for just that, so decided to repair what we had instead. Cut the old metal out and replaced with a couple of sections from the replacement wings (much easier than trying to fabricate compound curves from scratch! (http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/shocked.gif)
(http://i.imgur.com/hLRKc5l.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/0T83cUe.jpg)

We're aiming for a retro look, so whether we go for bumpers or not we certainly won't be refitting the plastic ones, so as we'd come this far we decided to shave off the old plastic bumper mounts...
(http://i.imgur.com/PvLeR4L.jpg) (http://i.imgur.com/29usl12.jpg?1) (http://i.imgur.com/U9gcQ8l.jpg)

So finally with the inner panels repaired and the battery box replaced, things are looking more shipshape....
(http://i.imgur.com/aQaHaUs.jpg)

...and at long last we can finally get the front panel fitted up and welded on - happy days! (http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/grin.gif)

(http://i.imgur.com/LXkLpbl.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/RZwklWe.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/CIqdir1.jpg)

Still got some work on the driver's side wing to attend to. Oh, and the doors and the rear panel need some trim holes filling too, and the rear hatch, not forgetting the floor of course... so still quite some way to go!
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: stuey on July 17, 2017, 07:11:45 AM
Just want to say I'm loving your work- keep the updates coming its great to see your progress.  :D
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: 1973/126 on July 17, 2017, 12:50:24 PM
 You guys are making great progress on this one. I'm impressed  :thumbup
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Flying Carpet on July 17, 2017, 11:21:59 PM
Thanks Guys, appreciate all the comments. I think all the regular contributors to this forum have set the bar pretty high, so we'll just have to do our best to maintain the standard!
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: johnvine on July 29, 2017, 06:13:07 PM
Hello Flying carpet. You are doing a very thorough job on a car similar to mine. (E reg BIS). When it comes to classic car restoration in my opinion original is best .I say this as someone who has been guilty of  fitting all the usual non-standard wheels, seats, paint colour, etc. Unless you keep a car for the rest of your life and so never need to sell it, you will always get the best price for an un-messed about with example no matter what you have spent on customising. I have spent since November 2016 doing just about everything to my car which had stood for 20 years!Regards John
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Flying Carpet on August 09, 2017, 10:15:26 PM

After a few weeks of rain it's finally been dry enough to open the doors and crack on with the project again. (http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/cheesy.gif)

With the front panel done we turned our attention to the drivers wing. Once the suspect paint and filler was removed it was clear that this had met with something substantial in the past. The replacement front wings that came with the car were not as sharp as the factory wings, especially on the swage line, which was not entirely surprising, so we set to repairing what was there.

Happily, a quick search turned up a section of an OEM panel that was exactly what we needed. Ok, it was in Italy, but it turned out to be a trouble free and quick transaction (thanks to Walter at jwspares.com), and in double quick time we were looking at a genuine panel.(http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/grin.gif)
(http://i.imgur.com/wl4vI6Q.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/7VMZzSG.jpg)   (http://i.imgur.com/zP5A2UX.jpg)

With the damaged section removed it was pleasing to see that the structural parts underneath were all in good shape, thanks to some wax injection in the past. The new panel was fitted up and stitched in...
Then we cut out the dent in the wheel arch, which had corroded through to the inner wheel arch, but fortunately had not progressed beyond there. We used a section of repro wing to make an arch repair...
(http://i.imgur.com/rOVRE2O.jpg)


It had been a while since I last did any lead loading, so I'd forgotten how satisfying it was to work with.... well, once you remember the technique that is! (http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/redface.gif)  It took a little while to get it right, but once the lumps had been ironed out and filed back, the wing was given a coat of etch primer to protect the bare metal until we get back to the body for paint prep.
(http://i.imgur.com/5kLodPp.jpg)   (http://i.imgur.com/zLaLRAM.jpg)


Door hinges...(http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/icon_scratch_head.gif)

I knew the drivers door had a tendency to drop when opened, and there was a fair bit of play in the hinge, so with the door off for the quarter panel repair, we had a closer look at the problem. There certainly was play in the lower hinge, but it wasn't the pin, the whole hinge being loose on the door! The original spot welds had obviously let go in the past and it had been repaired with a thick bead of weld where it met the visible part of the door. Sadly, this had not been a permanent repair, and it didn't take much to pull it out of the door completely!
(http://i.imgur.com/YVeW4of.jpg)
Don't think that's supposed to be like that!

Unfortunately the only way to reattach it was to cut an access panel into the inner door frame, but at least we would be able to get a permanent repair, and most of the area would eventually be covered by the trim panel anyway.
(http://i.imgur.com/LxqKB9v.jpg)  (http://i.imgur.com/CPZckAh.jpg)   (http://i.imgur.com/cz997Lv.jpg)
The hinge was cleaned up, removing the old weld, and after repairing the inner edge of the door we could reattach the hinge in its original position.

Tacked it in place, then checked the alignment before finally welding the hinge on for good, and then closing off the panel on top. Not exactly invisible at this stage, but we'll tidy it up later. Either way, it's been a lot easier than trying to find another good door with a good hinge, as this does seem to be a common weakness.
(http://i.imgur.com/awDfOm2.jpg)   (http://i.imgur.com/kMxcQgI.jpg)

Apologies for all the photos, but I spent quite a while searching the forum (and beyond) trying to figure out what to do with what I thought was a dropped hinge, so I hope this might be of help to anyone looking at a similar problem.

Finally, with the hinge sorted, it was a fairly simple job to then fill in the square trim holes and break out the lead once again to finish the job off. Ground back a couple of suspect areas while we were there, but the door is actually very sound, thanks again to someone's judicious use of wax and bitumin in the past. Mind you, that stuff does get bl***y hot when you're welding next to it, and once it's on the move it sticks like the proverbial to a blanket, or in my case, my fingertips! (http://club126uk.co.uk/forum/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/shocked.gif)

(http://i.imgur.com/haJDEOA.jpg)

....till next time...
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Flying Carpet on September 26, 2019, 08:12:19 PM
Oh boy, that was a long break...   :$

I can tell the passage of time by the fact that KJ is now as tall as me and shaving too!
After a (nearly) two year hiatus due to building and projects of the two wheeled variety, we have finally got back to our little project...

First tackled the rear hatch which was basically sound but had suffered in the corner...

 (https://i.imgur.com/4rzHb6E.jpg)

Then all the trim holes in the rear panel needed filling in...

(https://i.imgur.com/wZ9FL8p.jpg)

...and new seat mounts fabricated...


 (https://i.imgur.com/zTOJq0e.jpg)


and then finish stripping the interior and prepping for paint...

(https://i.imgur.com/tLhq6xG.jpg)    (https://i.imgur.com/vg4Nv0Z.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/QDhzKZ9.jpg)    (https://i.imgur.com/IyW3MQZ.jpg)



...just in time to take advantage of the late summer sunshine. Two coats of epoxy primer later, and it looks like we're getting closer!
(https://i.imgur.com/c8MHjSQ.jpg)    (https://i.imgur.com/TlzzmcZ.jpg)



Seems ages since we were at this stage - perhaps that's because it is(!), but we're slowly making progress...

(https://i.imgur.com/7H33WXZ.jpg)


Now a lot of hand flatting to do but might leave that until it's dry again, and instead make a start on stripping down the engine!  :P
 
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: andyzeetec on September 26, 2020, 06:20:42 PM
How are you getting on with this,  very interesting restoration  :good:
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Flying Carpet on October 03, 2020, 04:27:39 PM
Thanks!
A bit embarrassed by the date of my last post, but we are getting there slowly...!  :$

Got the engine stripped down over winter; despite low miles the bearings and rings still need replacing so I guess lots of short trips in previous ownership. Hopefully I've now got all the parts I need to get it back together.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZLr77JRl.jpg)

The big news is on the bodywork. Thanks to excellent spring weather it's now very green indeed, and now known as Kermit  :D
(https://i.imgur.com/Md7lIkNl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/gT1JW9hl.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/J8eimjnl.jpg)

Now the fun bit - putting it all back together again!
Wiring is in, dash back together, and luggage bay is starting to come together.
Doors reassembled and today running new brake line front to back, hooked up to new master cylinder.

(https://i.imgur.com/NFaqW84l.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/r8z9lcgl.jpg)

Next up (I think) will be glass in, cooling system, interior, outer panels, lights, suspension, brakes ....
oh, and get that engine rebuilt - still a long way to go!  ::)


Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Guldbergdk on October 04, 2020, 11:30:50 AM
Woow. Im envy on that body work.

I finally put my bis engine in after it has gone though a full rebuild.

If you dont insist on keeping it stock, have a look at this filter. I 3D printed a mount for it to fit the carb.

https://da.classiccarbs.co.uk/produkt/los-ramflo-luft-filter-classic-Stromberg-zenith-cd150-carbs
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: andyzeetec on October 04, 2020, 06:30:25 PM
Kermit is certainly looking the Bizz. :good:

It's good to see it all coming together. For me the giveaway on the time between posts was the pics of your son, getting taller.

These things take an awfull lot of time and effort, but if a jobs worth doing.......

Keep it coming.



Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: shielsy on October 04, 2020, 09:35:16 PM
SAME COLOUR AS THE BORN FIND
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Flying Carpet on January 04, 2021, 12:34:06 PM
So, made some progress with a few days off over Xmas (Happy New Year btw), and after getting the doors back on last night thought I would avoid the subzero windchill and instead provide an update...

Got a new master cylinder fitted and ran Kunifer pipe throughout. A set of nice new handbrake cables came with the car so they were going on, along with new rear wheel cylinders. Front is now running discs with Cinq callipers.
(https://i.imgur.com/Xl7dhsx.jpg)

At the back the refurbished tripods went on with some new Fiat Coupe bump stops, the old ones had turned to dust!
(https://i.imgur.com/0LF4DGy.jpg)

On the engine front, a set of new main bearings, new con rod bearings and new rings brought all the clearances back within factory specification...
(https://i.imgur.com/4Z1tkIh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5aVldgV.jpg)

...topped off with a copper head gasket and new thermostat as part of the overheating insurance policy.
(https://i.imgur.com/iLoKTUF.jpg)

Back to the body, added a layer of sound deadening before refitting the carpets,
(https://i.imgur.com/P1hcl0a.jpg)

then in with the seats, headlining and funky new seat belts (thank you Santa!)
(https://i.imgur.com/7YYOqdh.jpg)

Wheels were prepped and painted earlier while the weather was a bit warmer!
(https://i.imgur.com/I3C1eCh.jpg)

Got the panels on and glass in, then noticed a nasty chip in the windscreen  :o) - fortunately found a replacement screen within striking distance of home (thanks Pete) so swapped them over. So doors on and latches fitted brings us up to date for now...
(https://i.imgur.com/UpjEXV4.jpg)

...so next up is finding the gearbox, hook up to the engine and throw it in! Shouldn't take too long should it?  :$  :lol:

Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: andyzeetec on January 04, 2021, 12:58:26 PM
wow, great write up  :good:
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Flying Carpet on January 04, 2022, 08:52:18 PM
So, thought I would provide a long overdue update and noticed it’s been exactly a year since my last one!

In short, pleased to report mission accomplished – car completed in time, ready for son to drive having passed his test…

… but there’s been a bit more to it than that, so to pick up where I last finished off…

(https://i.imgur.com/Gd4oK8K.jpg)


With the running gear in place, I found the new petrol tank was a complete pig to install. It was fine on a trial fit before the rear tripod installed and needed a bit of adjustment to the flange to get it in place. Otherwise, it was all fairly straightforward to get the engine and box reunited (with a new clutch plate) and bolted up with a pair of new gearbox mounts (another bonus that came with the car).

(https://i.imgur.com/YeuDble.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/pUbHJkS.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/knss3Ap.jpg)

A bit of fiddling then ensued with distributor (tracked down to dodgy condenser), but still didn’t want to start until I eventually realised I’d got the timing wrong. Finally got it running for the first time in over a decade!

(https://i.imgur.com/dX3gpmb.jpg)

Electrics were a bit problematic after years of inactivity and corrosion, but after replacing all the fuses and most of the relays, including the intermittent wiper relay (from a Lancia Beta) managed to get most of the electric and warning lights functioning properly – amazing for an Italian car!

(https://i.imgur.com/sSERIR5.jpg)

Chucked the DIM/DIP relay in the bin and fitted some LED running lights for better visibility – doesn’t help the driver as still have the same rubbish headlights. Also discovered my new headlights (another gift with the car) were LHD so will maybe look to swap lenses in the future. Also on the LED theme, fitted an LED reverse / fog light under the rear bumper since the original plastic ones have been replaced with chrome.

It needed a new wiper motor and the starter motor had to come out again to replace the brushes and bush but now operates like new.

Was conscious that cooling was the weak spot on these engines so wanted to make sure the fan was operating properly – the original resistor fell to bits and the one in my spares box was no better, so managed to find a good alternative – Fiat Punto two speed resistor now gives us two fan speeds and have fitted a dash indicator light to show when fan is operating (which is reassuring).

So finally got the MoT in May 2021, over twenty years since its last one! Time for a few shakedown miles and then fast-forward to July and son passes his driving test, so finally able to go out and enjoy it!

(https://i.imgur.com/qRvkKYo.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/mI8RnXg.jpg)


All going to plan until our first big trip up to RetroRides two weeks later when we got rear ended at a roundabout. (https://i.postimg.cc/PNRsW3Sd/shocked.gif) (https://postimages.org/)

Subsequently, a VERY long wait for insurance bodyshop to repair the damage (good job though), but at long last here we are at the start of 2022 and we have our car back again good as new (well as new as a thirty year old car gets!).

(https://i.imgur.com/rpWYeI9.jpg)

It was a bit of an unknown at first but totally love this little car. Ok, it’s not going to set the road alight but the handling is brilliant and it never fails to raise a smile!  (https://i.postimg.cc/CZ9R8xTg/grin.gif) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.imgur.com/Vkkcnzc.jpg)






Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: Bar Vitelli on January 05, 2022, 09:09:47 PM
Stunning work, well done!
Title: Re: KJ's 126 BIS
Post by: pietschokkenbroek on January 11, 2022, 11:58:43 AM
Wow, very nice. great work! :good: