Mine is rotten & will fail its MOT in March so I'm on the hunt now for a scrap subframe in decent enough nick to clean up & reuse on my 1.2 80xs Brava (2000).

I've tried (&I'll keep trying) the breakers websites, Parts Gateway etc, but so far no luck.

Does anyone have a subframe kicking about they would care to sell me? If it's far from me (Glasgow) I could try to arrange a courier to collect.

Like I say, MOT due in March so I have some time to get something sorted.

Thanks in advance guys

Stewart

You seem to be trying the online options, presumably ebay also, but you could try ebay with the search term "fiat bravo wheelnut" or similar... if someone is breaking an entire car then that is often what they will advertise.

As stated previously, it is the same subframe for Tipo, Tempra, Bravo, Brava, Marea, and probably Coupe too..

bluejohn125 said:

You seem to be trying the online options, presumably ebay also, but you could try ebay with the search term "fiat bravo wheelnut" or similar... if someone is breaking an entire car then that is often what they will advertise.

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Just had a look on ebay and a few salvage yards advertising "Fiat Bravo Breaking"
send them an email sure one of them could help you out.

Good luck with your search..

did some digging and found this one has a very good subframe

http://www.aldershotcarspares.com/breaking-vehicles/vehicle-details/fiat/brava/petrol/manual/969


hope this helps mate

I have 2 at my disposal from 1.2s but am in Ireland

As stated previously, it is the same subframe for Tipo, Tempra, Bravo, Brava, Marea, and probably Coupe too..[/QUOTE]

My '90 Tipo one went "soft" at 4 years old - I thought it was a one-off until my friends went on an end-of-line TDS ' 95,

they were prone to filling with water from the scuttle - so be careful / fussy about what you buy as they are awkward to fit ( dont want to do it more than once..!!),


Charlie

CFREITAS said:

did some digging and found this one has a very good subframe

http://www.aldershotcarspares.com/breaking-vehicles/vehicle-details/fiat/brava/petrol/manual/969

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Thanks, gave them a shot but they reckon they would have to pallet the subframe to me for about £80 delivery

Is it a 3 part subframe? left/right & rear? (it won't be me fitting it as I don't have access to ramps - just my mechanic told me it's rotted enough it will fail MOT in March)

I've had a quote back from one breaker saying they have the front subframe & it's all one unit - confused now.

Its one piece, americans would call it a K frame because its shaped like a K. It is big id expect a pallet. Im also looking out for new front and rear subframes for spares.

Heres some pics; It carries the anti roll bar, steering rack, wishbones and an engine mount.

Thanks buddy. THat's perfect. I know what I'm looking at/for now .

if your gettin a new subframe, may aswell get new poly antiroll ar bushes and kill two birds with one stone

I just changed the subframe on my 1.2 80sx a couple of months ago. Sourcing one took a while. Just have to keep plugging the breakers yards until you can catch them with a bravo/brava with a decent sibframe before it goes to the crusher.
Problem is that these cars ar now at best 11 years old and most have died or already have rotten subframes.

There are a couple of specialist fiat breakers scattered around the country. One in derby, one in essex and one in Northumberland that I am aware of. I got mine from the guy in Northumberland. His price was yery reasonable as was his delivery. It didn't come on a pallet - just wrapped in cardboard.

If you are still haven't sourced one yet let me know & I will try to look out the details of the fiat breakers.

good luck

williamt73 said:

If you are still haven't sourced one yet let me know & I will try to look out the details of the fiat breakers.

good luck

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That would be very helpful, thanks William.

I was just thinking last night that I'll need to get looking in earnest come the new year.

Stewart

I have a 2001 80sx and had to get the subframe replaced for the MOT in 2011 and sourced one which looked like it had never been on a car from D A MOTORS in Wickford, Essex 01268 767424.

It was £60 delivered to me up here in Scotland and was wrapped in bubble wrap and cardboard, no need for a pallet.

I got a local garage to fit it and they said it was a bit of a job with siezed bolts etc but it hopefully it'll last longer than the car will.

drumdmc said:

I have a 2001 80sx and had to get the subframe replaced for the MOT in 2011 and sourced one which looked like it had never been on a car from D A MOTORS in Wickford, Essex 01268 767424.

It was £60 delivered to me up here in Scotland and was wrapped in bubble wrap and cardboard, no need for a pallet.

I got a local garage to fit it and they said it was a bit of a job with siezed bolts etc but it hopefully it'll last longer than the car will.

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Yh, buddy. I did a search earlier & saw your post on a previous thread, thank you. DA Motors didn't have any the last time I tried but I will spam the breakers websites again in the new year.

OK, found the details.

I did most of my searching through online scrapyards

247spares.co.uk
carparts4less.co.uk
1stchoiceonline.co.uk
breakeryard.co.uk
etc.

of these 1stchoice & breakeryard came up with the most positive replies. Prices ranged from £30 to £80 plus various shipping costs. Although I was getting (almost) desperate I did ignore a couple thet were asking stupid money. You do have to keep trying though. As I said in my first post, good quality subframes are not just lying around anymore. Most probably have the same problems as your current one. ie rotten.

Of the three specialist Fiat breakers I am aware of one has already been mentioned = DA Motors of Wickford in Essex. 01268 767 424. They have a web site and do reply to e-mails. Sadly they didn't have a subframe when I contacted them.

The others are

Salvo 01773 531166
Longridge Lane
Heanor
Derby

Their price was not too bad, and they seemed pretty honest. I had ordered & paid for one but got a 'phone call a day or so later to say they couldn't send it as when removing it from the car they had sheared a bolt and it was stuck in the subframe so it was no longer serviceable. They gave me a full refund but it took a bit of chasing.

The guy who did supply me was...

.... well, I'm not entirely sure of the name of the business. It could be

CarParts UK 0701 312 4346
But direct number to the scrapyard is 0191 237 5951
They are in Seaton Delaval just north of the Tyne in Northumberland.
The guy I dealt with was "Marty". very helpful. very good.
£30 + £15 delivery. Came wrapped in cardboard and although not pristine was extremely sound and in infinitely better condition than the one I took off. Fitting was reasonably straightforward too. All the holes lined up so nothing was too bent.

Just a couple of words of caution if you plan to fit it yourself

1. Have a good set of drills & taps&dies to hand as you will undoubtedly have to remove a sheared bolt or two, and running a tap through all the treads to clean them up makes refitting much easier.
2. Remove the exhaust tunnel heatshield. It will make the job soooooo much easier. I didn't but wish I had.
3. Drop the thing off (& refit) with the suspension arms & ARB still attached to it. They are much easier to remove once the assembly is off the car. You just need to loosen the ball joints from the front hubs and a bracket on the top of the subframe that clips the brake (or is it pas?) lines, then undo the bolts and drop it all down.
4. Have a couple of strong mates and a trolly jack or two to help you. These things can feel pretty heavy with suspension attached when you are lying on your back trying to lift it, hold it, and then get a couple of bolts located before it drops on your head.

Depending how much stuff you break It could be possible to do it in a weekend. I did mine over two, but took the time to clean a lot of stuff up (mainly threads) while it was all apart - drilling sheared bolts out took up a bit of time too.

Good Luck

Did anyone try Fiat directly? Just wonder if they still have any stock left.

Adrian Bravo said:

Did anyone try Fiat directly? Just wonder if they still have any stock left.

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I did. I 'phoned Souls of MK (as I work not far from them) maybe thinking that a new one may not be that much more than a one from a scrap yard.
I was wrong. I don't have the exact details to hand, but my recollection is that they didn't carry them as stock but could get one in a few days. The price however would not be close. I have the figue £167+vat stuck in my head, but can't prove this.

Might be worth getting my mechanic to try Fiat. When i phoned the Fiat parts place for a new sump pan they said it was £160 + VAT & had no stock so I was going to get a pattern part off the web instead. My mechanic has had bad experiences of these so he wanted to try Fiat himself. Lo & behold they had it in stock & it was only £60 to my mechanic.

Well I got my mechanic to rty Fiat & they came back with a figure over £600 which got me trying again in earnest at the breakers. Found one in Newbridge, about 40 miles from me & going to pick it up tomorrow.

So... If I wire brush it, sand it, get rid of the surface rust. Treat it with Rust Eater & get a couple of coats of Hammerite smooth on it, will that be the best for it prior to fitting?

If you want to spend that much time & effort on it then it should be quite tidy by the time you fit it. However any corrosion already on it - and there will be some - will probably be inside and almost impossible to get at. I simply gave mina a quick scrape, wire brush, then copious ammounts of waxoyl. It should at least last out the rest of the car.