Club126UK
Fiat 126 Chat => Your Restorations => Topic started by: thepuddlejumper on August 03, 2009, 08:13:08 PM
-
Well thats the name Fraser has given the 126. Anyway the resto begins, we have been down to the breakers and purchaced a set of cc alloys, presently under refurb. Fraser wants to polish rather than paint, well he is doing the work. We have also cut out the roof and sun roof out of a seat tolido for installation. New door cards have been made, still to finalize the upholstery detail. Electric window motors from a cc will have an influence on the shape of the door cards, anyone done this mod any advice on motor position would be welcome. Recieved the front disc plates from Rusty today hope to fit the cc discs this weekend, Thats about it for now, photos will be posted soon although not a lot to show. Oh The Clockwork Orange is because the 126 is to be painted in candy orange. 8)
Ralph & Fraser
-
A photograph of the wheels and cc discs and the ne roof with sunroof and head liner. Will add more photographs as the work progresses.
Ralph & Fraser
-
:) That is all looking good , sure it will be a great little motor. I see that you still have the flexi pipes on the calipers. When I got my first set off eBay the pistons were damaged by someone trying to leaver them out plus the dust seals were wrecked in the process. So got another set in much better nick & to strip them down for refurbishment I cut a valve etc out of an old inner tube & fixed it in the end of the flexi pipe then just put a foot pump on & with a few pumps the piston just popped out [-/
-
Rusty intend to use stainless braided hoses, the calipers work fine tested them in the cc before removal although they need a good clean and paint before fitting.
Ralph
-
I stripped an alfa 75 milano some months back, stored a lot of bits in the shed. Pulled out the seats to see what would need to be done to fit the 126. Looks like they will fit with a little modification. Angela has the sewing machine out ready to start. The front seats fit like a glove.
Ralph
-
Hi all Fraser decided he didn't like the cc alloys, so down to the breakers again. We found a sc abarth, looked in mint condition, scrapage scheme. Fraser found a punto with what looked like new aftermarket wheel and tyres. We did a trade the cc alloys against the two sets, I want the sc abarth wheels for my 500. Fitted the abarth this evening and the fit ok 14" with 175x50's. The rolloing radius is about 8mm larger I think they look fantastic but Fraser prefers the aftermarket wheels. Hope to have the wheels on for the Hopetoun House Italian Vehicle Day this Sunday. I will post some photographs later.
Ralph
-
Trial fitted the 14" wheels with 157x50's looks great, had to do minor panal beating to the battery box clower corner to get the drivers front to full lock. Drove to Hopetoun House for the Pistonheads Italian car/bike meet great day out.
-
Ahh, good to see 175/50's works 'cos that's what's going on mine :D
What offset are those wheels?
-
The wheels are 6j x 14 e=38, as I said I had to do minor bashingto the lower corner of the battery tray. I will take some photo's over the weekend to post up.
Ralph
-
The wheels are 6j x 14 e=38, as I said I had to do minor bashingto the lower corner of the battery tray. I will take some photo's over the weekend to post up.
Ralph
Excellent, that exactly the same as the wheels I want to use :D
-
First dry day in ages therefore time to fit the disc conversion. I had used new flexi hoses from the old vw polo to fit panda disc setup. So I adopted the same for this steup, problem the brake pipe end has a different thread, therefore had to fit new end to the existing pipe. Tried to use plastic over the fluid reservoir to create a vacuum, not very successful. After a soaking in brake fluid it all fitted together. To get the disc alignment in the centre of the carrier I had to fit a 2mm shim between the addapter plate and carrier. See photographs
Ralph
-
Two More photographs
Ralph
-
Mmm, with those wheels I'm thinking Punto GT discs :D
-
:) That is all looking very good. What are the VW hoses like for length on the 126 ?
-
I have the same hoses on my gamine 500 and they are fine, not sure if the top wishbones are longer than the 500. I have been told the transverse spring is the same length but not sure, anyway they work fine on the 500. I will check them out at full turn and let you know.
Ralph
-
Not longer, just a wider footing + tighter angle. leaf spring is the same, i have a 126 spring on my 500 and a 500 top wishbone set.
Hows that 500 doing?
-
I have started collecting panels for the rebuild, but Frasers 126 seems to be the priority just now. Hope to start January on the 500. Also need to replace the lip sections on the gamine. Looks like a busy time.
Ralph
-
Started work this weekend fitted the new sunroof it is in just need to do a little fettling and that part is finished, the original roof was damaged by someone jumping on it well thats what I was told. See photos below
-
Looking very nice !
gonna love this car when its finished .
Steve
-
Thats worked out pretty well,
I think I may have to do the same to the second 126 once thats underway!
-
It looks good for the most part, this was the first time I have used a joddler. Its a great toll but the area over the rear passenger window was the first length to be joddled and I put a crease in the curved area between the gutter and the joddle, therefore need to do a bit of pannel beating to get the shape just right. An extra weekend of work but it will be worth it.
Ralph
-
I've got a joddler in the garage, only used a few times on my friends Daf.
Hadn't thought of using it to do your roof section, but it must make offering up alot easier!!
The only isse with the joddler would be the moisture ingress from the double skin, but if you're seam welding the roof then thats not a problem. Might be a very long term issue, but then all fiats are a long term rust issue!
Did you go for manual or electric sunroof?
Cheers
Michael
-
I went for a manual roof, where would you put all the wires I think there are up to 5 required for the electric roof. There is also the problem of fitting the 4 drain tubes, the roofs are not watertight and need to be drained. I seam welded, you need to be careful as it is very easy to warp, small bites at a time is the way to go. I think I should have spot welded it in to reduce the amount of heat grinding. I think the moisture problem would be the same for most panel replacement. It should be OK if sealed with joint sealer and painted.
-
The work goes on, nearly ready for paint.
Ralph
-
looking good!
-
What a weekend weather great just in time to complete the roof swap. Spent all day Saturday filling rubbing down and undercoating. Sunday finish preparing for pain and paint. Only one problem I got the mix wrong 2pk should have been 2 parts paint, 1 part activator and 20% thinners. I used swapped the thinners and activator ratios, hope it will only take a bit longer to harden off. Anyway some photos.
Ralph
-
That's turned out very well, must have taken allot of work, but it looks like a factory option
-
Excellent job Ralph, very impressed :)
I can't see it mentioned above, is that the kind that can tilt up but also slides right back to be fully open?
-
Hi, yes it does tilt as well as opening up full see photos. I have still to fit the seal and drain pipes, the rear should be easy but the fronts may cause some grief. I tried to feed a pipe down the front piller but it stops 1/2 way down, just above the corner by the top hinge. This route worked fine with my 500. The headlining should go in by the weekend ready for the Scottish Italian Car Day at Craigton Park St Andrews.
Ralph
-
Hi, yes it does tilt as well as opening up full see photos. I have still to fit the seal and drain pipes, the rear should be easy but the fronts may cause some grief. I tried to feed a pipe down the front piller but it stops 1/2 way down, just above the corner by the top hinge. This route worked fine with my 500. The headlining should go in by the weekend ready for the Scottish Italian Car Day at Craigton Park St Andrews.
Ralph
Shameless plug, I love it :D
-
Hi Ralph, That's an excellent job [-/ and I bet the metal is stronger than the standard 126 roof.
-
Pete, yes the roof is stiffer due to the crossmembers for the sun roof. I intend to glass in a stiffener in the rear area partly to support the rear slides of the sun roof.
Ralph