interior panels and engine fired!

[stuey]

well failed the MOT today  

mainly on the previously checked and working lights developing an earth problem and a mind of their own!

1 suspension nut loose ("I am a tosser")

and a hole I previously didnt spot!!!!

oh and he doesnt like the rear suspension set up so its back to the original rear springs for the MOT (hours work)

but... It did give the opportunity to drive it a bit more and I can report its better mannered than the beetle on the road and I f**king love it despite the mot failure retest next week and then shes gonna be out on the road!!!

I am so not giving up!!!

on the bright side i stopped of a mcdonalds and 3 people in the car park stopped and said how much they liked it!!!-obligatory post mot shot in the sun-

[dajwid]

The rear fog looks loose after the MOT too.)

Car looks great, I would never of chosen the colour, but finished it really suits the car.

Shame she failed the MOT but it is always a gamble.

They are the best pulling car you can buy (apart from a 500, or a Ferrari or a ) OK they are a good pulling car )

[bis13]

ha i dont know about a pulling car but they never fail to raise a smile, do you have the original wheels as if you mot with those on it tends to stop the testers being very critical around they clearances etc .  anyhow good luck with the retest .

[Normansinjunstevas]

Comarades.
I would agree with the 'pulling power' hypothesis.
Being married with kids, I have never had so much attention from the "Jack & Danny" since buying my 126 FSM. If I had known this during my foolish youth, I'd have had to beat them away with a shi*ty stick, after having invested my paper-round money in a 126.

Respect.....Norman

[stuey]

well friday (been on the p*55 since) he finally passed the mot, I still have to reset the rear suspension back to"low" (no pics cos frankly its shocking!!!)

but on monday it will be legal and ready to rumble!!!

personally I'm made up cant wait to drive it legal and everything!!!

[stuey]

my dads friend (eith some help from his son who runs a catering kitchen out fitting company kindly knocked me up a set of new door panels for the fiat for the princely sum of £15 the pair (note to self-need to tidy up the edging that holds them in)-




much nicer than the moth eaten fibre board remnants previously in there-

[Gordan]

no offence mate, ive been a real fan of your project, bu this is the first part i dont like (its my own taste i guess...) to me, it looks like the grill at mcdonalds (where i work   )

[stuey]

TBH I was hoping some one would pipe up like youhave-

 I have some ideas for them (watch this space) but feel free to throw in any ideas you might have  :wink:

[Gordan]

no ideas at this time, but ill let you know if i think of something..

(this is just me, but since youve gone through so much trouble to get it to look like the first 126es, id do the same on the interriour, nice vynil seats, classic door panels... you know what i mean....  :wink: )

[stuey]

got fed up of my exhaust vibrating itself to pieces so I decided to repair the threadless exhaust mounts-

Here it is  for all to see using novice vision to explain how its done-
first i removed the back panel of the car-

first we see the offending bolt holes that have no thread what so ever-

this is the helcoil kit from ebay (all you need for about £30 delivered)
the holes are drilled then tapped (supplied in the box)-

then you insert the helicoil with the pushy tool-

after breaking off the 'tang' (the metal tab you screw the helicoil in with) you can then use you bolt holes again-

sucess and easy to use the hardest part was getting the back panel on the car again after!

[JamesY]

Stuey,

Re: door panels - some suggestions:

Re-trimming in vinyl (could do them plain or padded with some sculpted backing foam)

Or cover them in carbon effect film?

Or paint them?

Or get them powder coated?

Or get them polished?

Or anodised?

Or make them a brushed finish, then mask up and have a polished up logo on them (abarth scorpion?)

Or use them as a base and build up some pods for speakers etc with fibre glass then trim or spray with that weird flock stuff...

Or or or or .. dunno, run out of ideas now...

[JamesY]

PS meant to say just worked my way through the whole post and really like your build!  :wink: what are the alloys you've fitted?

James

[stuey]

thanks for the suggestions james, I think its gonna be powder coat after I havd a discussion with my powdercoater,

as for the wheels they remain a mystery..... ::

[Darrell]

PS Stuey I am a fan of your project too  :wink:

It'll be interesting to see how far you go with it.

Mine is a little similar but aircooled. I have widened the arches as it seems my wheels stick out more than yours.

Final touches to do and pray the paint job looks as good as yours.

I've gone for some slot mags I found on e bay, car will be red, lowered not as much as yours.

I go as far as I can squeexe money out of the monthly budget.

[stuey]

just stick with it took me 3 years to do mine and buying parts when they where cheap and theres lots more to do yet (including tidying the paint up some more)... watch this space  :wink: