Author Topic: Should I Restore an Aircooled Fiat 126 ? (Read 5411 times)

jamie · « **on:** July 07, 2008, 09:40:59 PM »

Hello to all, I've come to the experts with a question, so I'll hope you'll give your opinions.

I've discovered an ancient (D reg 1987) brown/red aircooled 650cc Fiat 126 by FSM with 30k miles , stored in the garage of an uninhabited derelict property, which is entering an auction sale.
The car was last taxed in 1998, and appears to have been stored in the garage since then.

So my question is; Would this be worth restoring?, as I've been thinking about making an offer to the owner before the property (+car!) is sold or demolished. I was thinking of offering ~Â£50 to the owner.

Admittedly it is rusty in a few places (one arch/top of bonnet/front window surround), but I have some basic welding skills.

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

stuey · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2008, 09:58:22 PM »

if you can get it cheap enough - go for it the worst that will happen is youll get it home find out its a crapper and weigh it in and steel prices are on your side at the moment...

at best a quick freshen up on the brakes and engine and a clean up on the paint and youve a cheap 126....

I cant really see you can lose if you can get it for that sort of money...

jamie · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2008, 10:18:03 PM »

Quote from: "stuey"

if you can get it cheap enough - go for it the worst that will happen is youll get it home find out its a crapper and weigh it in and steel prices are on your side at the moment...

at best a quick freshen up on the brakes and engine and a clean up on the paint and youve a cheap 126....

I cant really see you can lose if you can get it for that sort of money...

Thanks for the quick reply stuey!

Here are a few pics:

Gordan · « **Reply #3 on:** July 08, 2008, 12:41:11 AM »

First of all id like to say that a 1987 126 is not ancient, now a 1974 126, thats ancient. :shock:
but id say go for it, for such a small amount youll get yourself a really nice hobby, and once youre done, it can be a great runaround...
best of luck, gordan.

and yeah, welcome to the forum... :wink:

bis13 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 08, 2008, 07:19:42 AM »

only if you keep the original colour as they are dissapearing rapidly as no one likes a car the colour of pooo.

also jamie where abouts are you ?

Dom · « **Reply #5 on:** July 08, 2008, 10:34:02 AM »

That is not a healthy digestive system you have, if your faces have that much red in them - or at the other hand it may be very healthy, showing evidence of lots of beetroot!

That 126 doesn't seem bad at all and for Â£50 would be an absolute steal, I'd definitely make an offer

jamie · « **Reply #6 on:** July 08, 2008, 11:17:41 AM »

Quote from: "Cro_126Bis"

First of all id like to say that a 1987 126 is not ancient, now a 1974 126, thats ancient. :shock:
but id say go for it, for such a small amount youll get yourself a really nice hobby, and once youre done, it can be a great runaround...
best of luck, gordan.

and yeah, welcome to the forum... :wink:

Thanks Cro_126Bis, maybe i'm thinking its ancient by modern standards, not by 126 standards!

Quote from: "bis13"

only if you keep the original colour as they are dissapearing rapidly as no one likes a car the colour of pooo. also jamie where abouts are you ?

It's quite an odd colour, not sure I'm sold on it! Described as red according to the dvla. I'm in Devon.

Quote from: "Dom"

That is not a healthy digestive system you have, if your faces have that much red in them - or at the other hand it may be very healthy, showing evidence of lots of beetroot!

That 126 doesn't seem bad at all and for Â£50 would be an absolute steal, I'd definitely make an offer

Indeed it doesn't look too bad - 3 of the arches are totally without rust. The passenger door has bubbled up from inside about halfway up the door, there is rust on the leading edge of the bonnet(boot?!) and just where the headlight meets the front panel. Some rust on the drivers sill, and around the window seals looks a bit crusty. Those are probably well known by you guys!

Is still it possible to find parts for these cars? I can see several cracked rubber suspension bushes and leaking oil seals.

stuey · « **Reply #7 on:** July 08, 2008, 01:49:03 PM »

thats looky bloody good! it that as discovered then I'd go for it- make sure the engine isnt seized!

dajwid · « **Reply #8 on:** July 08, 2008, 04:46:33 PM »

Nearly everything is still available new, so go for it.
If you can weld, or want to learn. (or have a friend.....)

Great cars, but hard too give up once you get started.

jamie · « **Reply #9 on:** July 08, 2008, 09:07:16 PM »

Quote from: "stuey"

thats looky bloody good! it that as discovered then I'd go for it- make sure the engine isnt seized!

That's exactly as discovered - Still in situ! Accordingly, after 10 years, the paint is ultra flat and unfortunately several generations of birds appear to have lived in the garage. There has been a mouse nest in the footwell also. - I suppose all these things are to be expected.
I'll try to arrange another visit to the property, and have another check over the car for the known problems!

Quote from: "dajwid"

Nearly everything is still available new, so go for it.
If you can weld, or want to learn. (or have a friend.....)

Great cars, but hard too give up once you get started.

Great to hear parts are availible, I have a MIG welder and basic welding skills so I should be able to get stuck in

stuey · « **Reply #10 on:** July 09, 2008, 11:59:54 AM »

was having a little think on this today one point "abandoned"... it worries me, if you buy this car from the building owner does he know who owned it previously? make sure you get a v5 in your name prior to any work taking place- you dont want to spend all you hard earned only to have some one turn round and take the car off you... sorry to be negative but it would be a gutter to lose this little gem for the sake of the paper work.

Tomasz · « **Reply #11 on:** July 10, 2008, 12:46:51 PM »

compared to the one i have awaiting resto it looks mint!! Providing the you can be sure you can eventually get it registered etc i would go for it. Even if the engine is seized you can get another cheap.

Scouse_126 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 11, 2008, 11:10:49 PM »

Looks good from this end, what have you got to lose, give it a whirl!

Normansinjunstevas · « **Reply #13 on:** July 12, 2008, 09:34:07 AM »

I bet it'll look like the Dog's Dangly bits once you've had a bash at it.

Normski

jamie · « **Reply #14 on:** July 15, 2008, 07:38:21 PM »

Thanks for the replies chaps. Very good point about making sure it can be registered etc, that is vital!

Initially I was thinking "What a pile of junk, surely there can't be an owners club for this?" and "Why would anybody restore one of these things?" but I'm begining to understand a bit more about them and their character.

I've not got much spare cash at the moment, but I can see that it would even benefit from just some time spent on it.

I'll have another look over and see what I think then.