So this happened and the seller told me alot of people contacted him about putting 16v in it!! But I was lucky enough to get it.









So I left work at 5 to drive from Bristol to Hastings.. Arrived at 10.30 ready to go but however the seller locked the keys in the car and the battery had then died! After 30-45 minutes of breaking in, we got in! No damage done - apart from someone trying a screwdriver in the bootlid which has ruined the lock..

Anyway - the car has a genuine 35k miles, all backed up with MOTs. No knocks, burning oil, drips or anything - and even tax and tested to July 14 perfect!

I absolutely love the 899 engine so that will be staying in it. My 1.2 8v cinq is having troubles with the engine (alot of water in the oil) so the engine is coming back out of that one to be rebuilt and then may put into the Soleil next year.

Back to Soleil - I've lowered it, put some speedlines on it, and half way through swapping the interiors with the sporting interior and put a nicer steering wheel in it.

The roof opens a little and then stops - I believe it's popped off it's rails, but I'm semi-tempted to take it to specialist to have them re-do it I believe there's a webasto lot in Bristol which I may enquire about.

Here's a picture from today:



Rear spring/shock setup going on this weekend :yum:

I'm also semi-tempted by Cinquecento S bumpers - black and purple.. maybe a set of Hayashi Steets that I have recently come into ownership of.

Looks such a Clean Example , but needs 14" speedlines on it , needs tinted windows

very nice... i would love a soleil!!

Lovely....... And rare

You'd be hard done to drive past another one on the road!

Lovely weather to have the roof down in eh?

Rear is now lowered, looks immense.

I think this is all I'll be doing to this. I love the little engine, so quiet and there's something nice about driving a slow car that I love. No engine swaps here.. yet.

To do list:

Finish swapping the rest of the interior over + dash.
New dirveshaft gaiters to put myself at ease over them going wrong
New shocks + springs all round (current lowering bits aren't the best)
Take roof to specialist to get roof opening properly
Repair cracks in rear bumper (suggestions?)
Service service service

Photos to follow..

take it then its got the wetshaft box on it..? I would just swap it for the other type of gearbox if you have one on the other car..

blu73 said:

take it then its got the wetshaft box on it..? I would just swap it for the other type of gearbox if you have one on the other car..

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The sporting gearbox a straight swap? And would this mean clutch too? 899 engine is new to me so haven't really looked into it gearbox yet.

Would it be gearbox + shafts?

Decided on the Spax Adjustable kit all round for it. :slayer:

its' not for the 899. IIRC the 899 only ever came in wet shaft boxes.

But i thought you are going to drop a 1242 into this?

Chras said:

Decided on the Spax Adjustable kit all round for it. :slayer:

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What my seiT has, you won't be disappointed

ycming said:

its' not for the 899. IIRC the 899 only ever came in wet shaft boxes.

But i thought you are going to drop a 1242 into this?

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I thought that 899 and 1.1 have completely different bell housing meaning they can't be changed. Anyway it's no issue as long as you change gaiters to decent ones and keep an eye on them.

Saw this in the flesh at the weekend tis very clean and original. Need to get pics of that awesome original interior can't believe your changing it to sporting interior. Forgot to say bumpers you might be able to plastic weld them and then re spray. Swapping the dash over swing by mine when you get chance well do it here although not something I particularly enjoy but easier with two.

i don't know tbh, i had a 899 once, it was my first fiat and i knew nothing back then, never worked on an 899 since... :shrug: but yeah so long as you keep on top of gaiters it will be fine.

blu73 said:

i don't know tbh, i had a 899 once, it was my first fiat and i knew nothing back then, never worked on an 899 since... :shrug: but yeah so long as you keep on top of gaiters it will be fine.

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Same had a black l reg 899 learnt a lot Sunday working on this was the first time in ages that I'd so worked on one was enjoyable tbh soo much space in the bay

mine was a black'un too.. I was so upset about getting it but i needed a car and an aunt had one she gave me for what would be a good price now. But i was smiling within minutes of driving off in it. Always had a cento of some sort ever since. Its like a disease i can't cure lol.

Lovely car Chras, well done.... me personally id keep the color coded bumpers... i like that style.

So I love this car! 0.9 is not as slow as people make out either and 275 miles off 3/4 tank I'm very happy with it.

However I'm now having my first problems. I've got the injector light on, comes on randomly and varies what happens. WARNING - SOUNDS LIKE A RIDDLE.

Car starts first turn of the key, very loud tappety sound for the first 5 seconds (injector fault?) And then will idle fine, although sometimes it may bounce and stall itself without me holding gas on for first few seconds.

After driving, it'll the light sometimes turn itself off for a few miles, then come back on randomly again. Recently it's becoming worse and can be complete loss of power (foot down, down a gear -nothing) and then just suddenly come alive again.

Car only has 36,000 miles on it so could it just be lack of service/old parts. All pipes look fine, it's intermitent. I don't have the software to plug it in.. yet.

Any advice? Whack some injector cleaner in the tank, with new sparks and leads?

Chris

tapping on start up is pretty normal for an 899 really. I don't have much wisdom to share other than check the usual stuff, plug condition, arcing from leads etc..

Get the cables and software, IAWScan is free, cables are a few quid, you won't regret buying them i promise!

So whacked some redex in and on the usual commute where it'd cut out/stutter it's been fine!

Light came on for a few seconds after hitting a bump but been fine otherwise. Assuming something loose somewhere?

Giving it a service soon and will fit ARB and upper brace that I have spare at the same time.

Make sure you got all the arb brackets off your old black one there'll be ones holding the arm on as well as the on arm ones

Well I was sick of the shocks that are were on. They were knackered and made driving it horrendous.

So I put the lowering springs in the soleil shocks and mannnn it feels like new and still have my lows. I know the shocks wont last but it'll keep me going till I get my spaxx kit.

Also did a little wash too - may even upload a photo later

looks like you have some good plans for it, nice to see people still showing cinq's some love, I would love another one but they just aren't practical enough for me now with two small kids lol.