I know the thing is pointless but it's one of the idiosyncracies of the 500 that I love.
Reproduction parts quality is again causing me a problem. This item is in a place where it needs to fit and work really well because if it causes a sticking throttle , with the power and traction of the 499cc who knows what would happen?
The item supplied is missing the collar stop where the cable secures to the floor and the loop on the cable end is poorly formed and is secured with aloose washer rather than a proper sleeve.
I have struggled for ages to get it working properly but as soon as the cowling went back over I have asticky throttle pedal.

Does your cable look like this Peter? I am pretty sure this is what mine looks like. My one is the original cable.

I can't believe the price of the one below from Van der Laan.

http://www.fiat500vdlaan.nl/en/webshop.php?CategoryID=15

Vitesse said:

Does your cable look like this Peter? I am pretty sure this is what mine looks like. My one is the original cable.

I can't believe the price of the one below from Van der Laan.

http://www.fiat500vdlaan.nl/en/webshop.php?CategoryID=15

Click to expand...

It does and I can't believe I would pay that. It's so long ago I can't remember.
Anyhow, I slackened the clamp screw, fiddled about a bit, straightened a slightly awkward bit of throttle cable as it enters the engine bay and everything seems to be as it should be now. I even got the ash tray in today.

Oh good news. Massive progress on getting the ashtray in. Congrats

Yes, that ash tray had more restoration than any other interior parts even though it will never be used. A cigarette had been left burning with the cover open and burned off the paint on one corner so; paint stripped, dipped in acid to remove rust, washed, degreased, etch primed (skipped high build) then three coats of satin black! I did the rear badge at the same time.
All that's left now is doors, rear brakes and bleeding, finish electrics and fit fuel tank.
It's amazing to be so near and already the car gives off the right smells.

fiat500 said:

Yes, that ash tray had more restoration than any other interior parts even though it will never be used. A cigarette had been left burning with the cover open and burned off the paint on one corner so; paint stripped, dipped in acid to remove rust, washed, degreased, etch primed (skipped high build) then three coats of satin black!

Click to expand...

Not wishing to come across as a complete anorak but was the original finish on the ash tray not a type of (light) crackle/crinkle? black as used by Fiat on the body and mounting arm of the interior rear view mirror?
Well done on your attention to detail!

Al.

Anorak away Al......it's usually me wearing the unfashionable outdoor clothing.
I don't think it was originally crackle finish but it was more matt than my satin. I see that the repro items have an unpainted body.
I am being a bit tongue in cheek about this because all the other bits of trim have merely required a clean so generally I am a bit of a non restorer.

Non restorer my a**e!!!!!!!!!

Between you and Sean you should be both up for Fiat 500 basket case restorers of the year or in your case the last 5 years.

Thanks for that Tony. It must sound like false modesty given what I have done. But I mean that in general I have been simply replacing items of interior and exterior trim and lighting l after a quick clean rather than the option to replace. I could have done that with, for example, the ash tray for the sum of about £25.
Me and the car have swapped places now and I am the basket case.

Vitesse said:

Non restorer my a**e!!!!!!!!!

Between you and Sean you should be both up for Fiat 500 basket case restorers of the year or in your case the last 5 years.

Click to expand...

I read that Tony,
If only I had such trivial things to worry about as ash trays.
Im sure some days I stand in that garage for an hour just staring into thin air thinking "it will soon be finished".
Mind you, I have only just entered my 5 month mark rather then Peters 5 year marathon.

I worked it out. probably nearer to 2 and a half active years when anything was done, still a marathon rather than Sean's Sprint!

Today I took delivery of whole load of new parts and the old spectre of poor reproduction is there again.

The indicator side repeaters are plated not chromed and the wrong colour and too translucent. The washer rubber button is a totally different shape and not as nice to use as the original. The "Attenzione" sticker for the engine lid is self adhesive with wrong sized lettering and not the right colours; it should also be a water-slide transfer.

I haven't even opened the door trims yet.

I know i'm picky and should be grateful that these bits are available but it's constantly eroding the character of the car. Grrrr!!!

They just dont make em like they use to!
Its amazing to think how expensive everything was to make back then, hence why all manufacturers used the same parts on different models. And yet production is cheaper now than ever, but maybe thats because the parts are such poor quality. I just dont see that its cheaper to make a bad fitting part as opposed to a good fitting part. moan, moan, moan....

..add to that, mat for front luggage compartment which is ridiculously thin in comparison with the original. I will have to glue something else to it to give it strength.

While we are discussing ash trays, which way should it be installed? I've got mine so the hinge is at the top and it opens upward, but I've seen it installed the other way so it opens downward, presumably to act as a cigarette holder as well

These things are important to me. I'm still having nightmares over my misalignment of the interior door handles

Neurotically yours,
Chris

With a bit of counselling I got over the handle inclination Chris.
When I dismantled the interior I found the ash tray installed so that it made a ledge for the fag ie. bottom hinged; hence a cigarette burn on the paint, so I replaced it that way (but without the burn!). I also painted it all black although predominantly, on there cars, I see an anodised surround with black lid. Also I have rethough my memory and i think the paint might have been a very slight crackle finish after all.:bang:

I have to admit, the ash trays are usually finished with a slight crackle, black finish on the hinged part which pivots at the top. No paint ln the surround. I got it all wrong.

My ash trays are fitted to lift at the front . I have not had a fag for years but if I lift that lid the sat nav bracket is a perfect fit and is in a great location without obscuring any of the front screen.

Just realised that my repro headlights must have the locating tabs in slightly the wrong place making the beam out of level.

You might actually find it is the front panel that is wrong... I found that problem with genuine headlights in a non-genuine front panel. Of course most of the repro headlights are for LHD anyway so dip in the other direction- you can file another slot in the reflector to turn the globe around and change the dip position.
if you want to be really accurate you can also swap the lenses for some RHD ones and then the lights will be exactly as ineffective as when they left the factory...

That made me laugh Damon; it is the lights though, as the panel is original. Even the built-in sidelights (these are RH drive) are rubbish as both of the wires just pulled out before even fitting. I should just feel blessed to have got them, even when the cars were still only ten years old I struggled to find replacements at a manageable price.
They look good anyway.