chrome bits for 126

[Maddog]

I have a 87 126 FSM, very cool apart from 1 thing, all the crap plastic bits, so time to ditch plastic & replace with chrome, however as I dont have an early 126 to look at any advice would be appreciated,

bumpers, are the mounting points the same? will I need to fill/drill new holes?
door handles, I'm presuming early cars have chrome handles, will they fit in later door apertures

lower side trim, is the plastic glued or screwed/riveted on, will I need to fill holes & paint bits,  does the early 126 have a lower side trim or is it bare?

rain gutter, is there a chrome strip on these on early cars as mines is fitted with plastic strip,

wheels, crap plastic centre/hup caps, any suggestions?

also if anyone is breaking and has any good condition early chrome parts, drop me a line.

cheers,  Richie

[slater]

The plastic side trims will leave hloes when you remove them so you would need to weld/fill the holes and repain the doors etc.

As far as i know everything else is the same

[slater]

the original 126 if its any help

[fiatfsm]

You will also have holes and a little reccess left in the wings at each corner! The door handles Im sure are the same, the rain gutter will be the same too. Why not do the Polish thing and colour code the plastic?

[green-fly]

hi Maddog,
 
i can't compare my cars' spec to a later one! only comment is i have no chrome strip along the guttering, if you want any specific photo's sending i can do that..
cheers
Brett

slater: i'm looking into copyright implications !!!!!!   hehe!

[PaulB]

The bumpers should fit - you can get them quite cheap from places like axel gerstl. The only other bits I can remember are the chrome trim around the door windows and the "chrome" inset in the windscreen rubber. Both are fiddly to fit but not difficult, if that makes sense. In both cases, you will have to strip away the old and completely replace. Quality varies depending on where you get them from. Go for the best bumbers you can afford or they'll rot of the car in no time - stainless steel might be a better option than chrome as the chrome bumpers are often more or less pig iron with a very rough, holey chrome on them!

The wheels... the early very nice 126 wheels, as shown on the little blue 126 at the top of the screen, have a different stud pattern to the later ones so they won't fit on without adaptors. If you want the early wheels then adaptors are readily available from fiat 500 specialists as then are used when fitting 126 hubs/stub axles.

A cheaper way to improve the look of the wheels is to get them powder coated, which willl make them look 100% better. I had my 500 wheels done recently at ?1 per inch (12" wheels, therefore ?12 per wheel) plus the cost of removing and refitting tyres and rebalancing the wheels.

Just remember that whatever you spend on your 126 you will never make back so its all for the love of the car.

[Ruffle]

How about other chrome parts for your vehicle?
Not so many, but some  126, which made in 80th and 90th, users are customising their cars according to the rule: put as many chrome parts as it`s possible. So we have new 126 cars looking better than original classics from 70th . I saw only two of them and pictures of 1 were avialable here (the site is in reconstruction):
http://www.czuczu.prv.pl/
Unfortunately the guy decided to put some parts away and now the car doesn`t look as good as before. And those adverts

[stuey]

hi the mountings are are different you can buy the chrome mounts from gerstl as well, personally i re-engineered the old ones from the plastic bumpers and made them fit they look very nice too!!!

welding up the side holes is "fun" i also lost the poor handles boot lock and relocated the rear number plate under the bumper amongst other things.....

look like this- (a little more has been done since)