Greetings from the North

[Eklipze3k]

Greetings all from Elgin! I don't own a 126 yet, but am going to look at one this weekend hopefully ... currently drive a Seicento, which will remain my daily driver. Given the condition of the 126 I'm going to view, I'm hoping to keep it as a show car in near original condition.

The 'cento:


The 126 I'm looking to buy:

[Gordan]

Hello Eklipze3k!  (-*

that 126 looks really nice, just wondering about the price? its just the look im after, thin bumpers, and i see it has the special rear lights too... Id say go for it... oh and dump the seicento, its soo not fun... 

[defender90]

 Welcome 

Nice looking 126, I agree with Gordan why run 2 cars use the 126 as everyday transport, you can still keep it in great condition.

 Kev
Mcr. UK

[Eklipze3k]

Getting it for £400, currently not running and no tax or MOT but seller had it running fairly recently and reckons it should just be a case of new plugs/leads so I'll be replacing the oil/fuel filters too.

It's an A-reg with only 31k on the clock so the engine should still be good otherwise. From what I've read, I assume this would make it the 650cc aircooled version, as opposed to a BIS? Anything particular I should look out for when I go to view it? Cheers!

As far as "why run 2 cars" ... I can so I will   </2

[Gordan]

400 sounds a lot, but if its good....
oh and you dont change the oil filter on one of these babys, it has a centrifugal filter which you just clean and put back, fairly simple job. Im a BIS owner myself so cant be of much help with aircooled models but i can tell you to inspect the bodywork for rust in all the usual places.
Which production year is it by the way, is it an original Italian fiat or a Polish FSM? id love to see a few more pics if you have.
Cheers,,,

[ChrisRLewis]

Welcome to the forum!

The 126 that you have your eye on does look like a nice motor and with the alloys it sets it off nicely! Main problems are dodgy gearboxes especially 1st gear, bodywork rust and the kingpins (common fail on the mot test) so check them out!

any other advise just ask we are a friendly bunch here 

[Eklipze3k]

According to the DVLA, it was first registered in Dec '83.
I have seen some other pics of it but can't remember where they are just now. Good to hear the oil filter is an easy job at least

[dajwid]

Good to hear the oil filter is an easy job at least

Not exactly what he said

Car looks nice, Price Ok. Remember rust!  Check floor, inner wings..... It will have rust, just hope for as little as poss.

As for the wheels, dump them! (in my back garden) They really look nice

[Dom]

From that picture, it certainly looks nice and £400 isn't bad at all. The prices are always varying, but it looks pretty solid. Those wheels and tyres alone would probably cost a good £100. Considering people are selling engines alone for over 3 times the price, scoring a whole car can't be bad  [-/

The only worry is, that is something more serious is wrong with it. General mechanicals can be solved very cheaply and avoid taking it to a mechanic, just follow some of the advice from the good people of this site 

[Gordan]

Whats so hard about cleaning the oil filter? Support the engine, remove the rear valance, unscrew, clean and put back altogether... its the easyest thing ive done on my bis, and i doubt its any harder on the aircooled. Well its not the same as modern day unscew and replace, but as far as work on a 126 is concerned its just basic screwing/unscrewing...

[Eklipze3k]

Went to view it last night and good news, the boy got it running

Bad news, it cost me a few more pennies because of it - agreed on £500 in the end. But it's immaculate, not a patch of rust visible anywhere and only one small bubble in the paint on the drivers door where rust may form.

As it has no tax though I couldn't drive it away, so am going back next weekend to pick it up with the ol' Bland Rover and will get some pics once it's home

[Eklipze3k]

Meant to ask as well, when he was starting it he was playing with some wee levers behind the gearstick. So I don't look like a complete pleb, can anyone tell me what they're for and how to operate them?

Bear in mind that I've only been driving a few years and the only cars I've driven are modern FIAT's

[Dickie524]

One's the Choke.  You'll need it full on (ie pulled right back towards the back seat) to start from cold. 

The other lever depends on the age of the car. 

If yours is of a certain age, it will be to engage the starter solenoid.  It all happens on the key on modern cars - and indeed on later aircooled 126's.  Pull it back, turn the key, and knock it out when the engine fires up.

If it's a later aircooled, its just for the heater.  (It'll be marked with a red arrow if so...)
Keep this on full the whole time, you'll need it!

[Eklipze3k]

Cheers Dickie, it's an '83 so am gonna assume it's the solenoid since he was fiddling with both whilst starting it.

Oh, and have your first karma for that too

[Dickie524]

Cheers very much - I've never had a Karma before!!!

Good luck with it,

Rich

(PS - you're in a lovely part of the world - I was in Forres for a few months and loved it!)  Lots of nice open roads to enjoy your 126 on!