Technical Project Little Blue - an introduction (and cry for help)

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Technical Project Little Blue - an introduction (and cry for help)

I would buy a new lock and compare it.. and either repair or replace the worn bits keeping the old casings etc

Filler!!!!!! what's that?

Great idea! I'm keen to keep the original one.
My lock issue is the internal one, like this one
http://www.passione500.it/maniglier...interna-apriporta-sinistra-fiat-500-n-d-giard
The little handle keeps dropping down into the lock position :(


Filler is... the solution to problems caused by nasty people opening their car doors onto your precious!
 
Great idea! I'm keen to keep the original one.
My lock issue is the internal one, like this one
http://www.passione500.it/maniglier...interna-apriporta-sinistra-fiat-500-n-d-giard
The little handle keeps dropping down into the lock position :(

!


Doh...I forgot you had one of them there old-fashioned Fiat 500's. :bang: I had locks like that on my 1935 Austin and the lever was held in place by a very simple spring like you could probably pick up in a DIY store.
 
Ok here she is.
I'm proud of Little blue, not because she's perfect, or will win any medals anywhere, but because I did all the work myself, with the help of you guys. Some bits aren't authentic but I'm really happy with how she looks and feels to drive. And looking back on the condition when she first arrived, a lot of work has gone into it.

The seals were a nightmare but as it stands they're water tight. The window is another issue altogether, but I lined the door cards with plastic sheeting so as long as the water goes from the top of the door to the bottom and out the other side then all is well.

The new sunroof and painted sunroof frame look great, and hold off more water than the original.

I hope the paint job lasts a while. I know it's not forever but I'm pretty happy with it for a backyard job. Piles of sandpaper and a million drops of sweat later and it was mostly back to bare metal. With the help of a paint supplier here, I managed to get a colour I loved and after etching and priming, I'm pretty happy with it.

Now it's time to hit the beach :):slayer:
 

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Ok here she is.
I'm proud of Little blue, not because she's perfect, or will win any medals anywhere

You should be quite proud of what you have done...
hope you get may "hours" (as remember we don't use the mileage system) of pleasure... and get lots of smiles..

you will still find lots of things you can do, but other than a complete strip down and total rebuild you will tackle most things as you find them...

Now we need some good pics out in the wilds of OZ
 
Sometimes its good to just have it in a good condition to be able to use it without worrying about it.
You can now enjoy driving it and tinker about as of when is needed.


Well done, another D on the road(y)
 
I'm proud of Little blue, not because she's perfect

You're rightly proud of that car and what you have done to it. From this distance (granted, that's about 10,000 miles as the crow flies) it does look perfect. You seem to have done the major parts of the renovation at a startlingly fast speed and I hope that your approach and enthusiasm serves as inspiration for other people.

When restoring vehicles it seems to be very easy to get hung up on an aspiration for perfection of appearance and (less frequently with Fiat 500s) for strict originality, which is something which delays people getting to the point where they can make use of them in the activity for which they were invented. So it's great to hear that you're going straight down to the beach with your elegantly coiffed Little Blue who's still blue.(y)
 
Thanks everyone for the kind comments. It's true - the greatest thing is to have it in a state that I'm happy to just get in and out of and enjoy. That and the number of people that stop and take photos now when I park it :)
New thread - please post pictures of people taking pictures of your 500 :D
Could have got a couple today alone!
 
I recently received an email from the lovely chap in NZ who sold me my little blue. He sold the 1963 D to me as he had another 500 project, one that had sentimental value as he was planning to complete it with his mum.

Well, he sure has got a project on his hands! Looks like an N perhaps?

Hoping to get him online here once he's working on the car. Looks like more than a few jobs ahead of him!
 

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Well, he sure has got a project on his hands! Looks like an N perhaps?
!

It's a D.....

I will leave you all to work out why....
and the answer is not because of the roof..
It's has a short roof that has been removed... and the cross brace can be seen as can the bolt holes... but that is not conclusive...

but Pics 2 & 3 give the answer....
but only the chassis number would confirm 100%
 
Sigh. A sad day.
I parted with little blue today. A new baby 6 months ago has meant that all tools were laid down and I couldn't give her the love I wanted to (the Fiat, not the human).
She was used as much as possible for school runs and trips to the beach, and was a feature up at the school gates. But my love for old cars is both in driving and playing / learning about them, and I had not a moment to spend doing the latter.

Having to park her on the street in the hands of the occasional larrikin also filled me with anxiety. The worst she suffered was a drunk deciding it would be hilarious to relieve himself on her, but perhaps it was only a matter of time before worse arose.

Thanks to everyone for all the help. I look forward to my next project, and hope to be able to contribute here where possible.

I think my next 500 in years to come may be one of those modern ones, and perhaps with a 650 engine or a little more power. Who knows!
 
A sad day that you will doubtless look back on and regret; but at least you've replaced the car with the best type of little Bambino that there is. :)....certainly noisier, smellier and more expensive than Little Blue but just as likely to receive the "ooohs" and "aahs" of the crowd.

And just think, instead of being the object being relieved upon, this Bambino will do the opposite and no doubt relieve himself or herself on you plenty of times.:D

All the best for the future, Peter.
 
Indeed it is......
I think you have shown how a little knowledge can go a long way, you did so much on little blue and kept using her....
This does not mean you have to drop off the forum... there are lots of 500s down under and you can always be a "spotter" and send us pics of those early cars yu seem to have so many of...
All the best..
 
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