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Technical Cinquecento front swap?

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Technical Cinquecento front swap?

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zedorio

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So when I moved the car from the place it died (recently) to my house, I made some damage to my car because first - Car stopped exactly in non parking zone. Second - because I had no right to a trailer. And third - It was late night, no light at all, last owner cut the trailer hold (the thing where you put the rope?). So my nervous first though was, let's get a rope, tie to the little cinquy, and tie to ours Nissan Terrano anda trail it back home. End up screwing the already screwed front bumper (but already have a new one). Problem is, does the front metal around the headlights that holds the hood in place suitable? I have access to another cinq and if it is, I'll just swap them out. Image tou show you what I'm talking about.
IMG_20170321_224152.jpegthe day the car got trailed.IMG-20170325-WA0004.jpegthe damage I have to fix.IMG-20170325-WA0000.jpegthe piece of metal that goes from the headlight to other, that holds the radiator, basically the whole front. Is it suitable?
 
rallycinq said:
If you want a concours car you'd need to replace. Other wise a few hits with a lump hammer and you'll have that straight enough.

D
Click to expand...
I see bolts in there. My question is, is just a bolt on piece or welded piece?
 
I thought it was welded or spot welded in place.

Easier just to bent it back in shape i think.

What was the problem with the car in the end?
 
purf said:
I thought it was welded or spot welded in place.

Easier just to bent it back in shape i think.

What was the problem with the car in the end?
Click to expand...
The problem is I tried to bend it back, but, Its so weak that it broke, it's now splitting .
The problem was the fuel pump as it failed. And then, when I replace it, I missed the wires inside the pump set and the pump was actually trying to send fuel from the return line, which, btw, has an anti-return valve. Now fuel is getting to the engine and is almost ready to start, whenever I charge the battery.
 
My old Cinq had that panel replaced. Probably when it was quite new. It had a lot of seam sealant.
You might be able to bolt in rather than weld a slam panel but it's a quote a lot of work. You must love your Cinq enough...
 
purf said:
My old Cinq had that panel replaced. Probably when it was quite new. It had a lot of seam sealant.
You might be able to bolt in rather than weld a slam panel but it's a quote a lot of work. You must love your Cinq enough...
Click to expand...
I love my cinq, first car, and more importantly, the car that changed my mind. I hated fiat all my life. For me, best cars were made in Japan, love them, and dream about them. In my house I have 4 cars, and 3 of them are Japanese being 2 Nissan and 1 Mitsubishi. My step father bought me this car because it was cheap. But I always though that fiat's (specially puntos mk1 with those ugly body kits and spoilers and stupidity 16's rims and that exhaust noise) were really bad cars, unrealable, bad built, bad economy, bad power. Then I realised that fiat's are very good, and those cars I hated so much was only because the owners were retarded enough to f*** up their cars. But for now, I need my cinqy on road till may 2nd because I start working. And I need that repaired cuz I dont want the hood to jump and hit my new windshield.
 
It's a bit tricky here. The front panel (with the headlights attached and the black rubber blocks in it) is one piece and the cross-rail behind it (with the bonnet latch and hook on it) is another piece.

I can't remember which is welded and what is bolted... but as a guess, I'd say the front panel probably unbolts but the cross-rail behind it is welded.

You have the car half dismantled already so you should be able to easily remove the front panel (leave the headlights attached... but disconnect the wires) and then see what starts to feel like it's becoming loose.

If you don't want to chop out the cross-rail you may be able to get a second-hand one and get someone to cut off just the bonnet catch piece and weld that onto your cross-rail instead.


Ralf S.
 
Ralf S. said:
It's a bit tricky here. The front panel (with the headlights attached and the black rubber blocks in it) is one piece and the cross-rail behind it (with the bonnet latch and hook on it) is another piece.

I can't remember which is welded and what is bolted... but as a guess, I'd say the front panel probably unbolts but the cross-rail behind it is welded.

You have the car half dismantled already so you should be able to easily remove the front panel (leave the headlights attached... but disconnect the wires) and then see what starts to feel like it's becoming loose.

If you don't want to chop out the cross-rail you may be able to get a second-hand one and get someone to cut off just the bonnet catch piece and weld that onto your cross-rail instead.


Ralf S.
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So, what you are saying is I have a piece of metal welded from side to side, but the panel with headlights is bolted? Can you tell me if the hook of the hood is in that piece of metal that is welded or in the panel? As you've saw, I posted the image of the broken section. What do you think? Is in the welded part or bolted part?
 
I didn't ever dismantle a Cinq', only other cars, so I'm not sure - the precise construction might be different.

But usually the front panel with the headlights in it can unbolt from the car, leaving just a welded cross-beam in place that acts as part of the crash structure.

The more I look at it, the more it looks like the cross beam in the Cinq' is welded to the front panel but if you're lucky, the whole front panel (with the cross beam behind it) may be one that can be unbolted.

The front panel is usually attached to the car at each top corner - above each headlamp ... and also at each end (behind the indicators / at the top of the bumper). The top bolts should be easy to see without dismantling anything.

The cross-beam looks like the part that has the bonnet latch hook. If you can find a way to unbolt the headlamp front panel, and see if it will come out, you'll be able to tell if the cross-beam is a part of it (welded) or separate (bolted) to it.

If they're welded together but the headlamp panel can be un-bolted, then you only have to find a second-hand one of these... Should be simple, I hope.

Ralf S.
 
Ralf S. said:
I didn't ever dismantle a Cinq', only other cars, so I'm not sure - the precise construction might be different.

But usually the front panel with the headlights in it can unbolt from the car, leaving just a welded cross-beam in place that acts as part of the crash structure.

The more I look at it, the more it looks like the cross beam in the Cinq' is welded to the front panel but if you're lucky, the whole front panel (with the cross beam behind it) may be one that can be unbolted.

The front panel is usually attached to the car at each top corner - above each headlamp ... and also at each end (behind the indicators / at the top of the bumper). The top bolts should be easy to see without dismantling anything.

The cross-beam looks like the part that has the bonnet latch hook. If you can find a way to unbolt the headlamp front panel, and see if it will come out, you'll be able to tell if the cross-beam is a part of it (welded) or separate (bolted) to it.

If they're welded together but the headlamp panel can be un-bolted, then you only have to find a second-hand one of these... Should be simple, I hope.

Ralf S.
Click to expand...
The bolts I see, I think is for the front quarter sides. But thank you mate, I need to get the car road legal next week, need to sort out the rear brakes too, as they never worked and the more you try to adjust, the less they work.
 
lazybones51 said:
Andy replaced the slam panel in his Cinq, there are a few pages worth of discussion with photos in his rebuilt thread here.
Click to expand...
Thanks mate, I had a look, but couldn't understand that much, because a) I'm not native English but do speak a little, and b) it's quite unlogical the thread itself, because they start talking about so many things that then I loose the logic, you see?
 
Front of the car is welded on, if you want to replace the front, you will have to cut off and re weld the panel in.
 
Cento Painter said:
Front of the car is welded on, if you want to replace the front, you will have to cut off and re weld the panel in.
Click to expand...
Ye, I've seen that today, was going to post today. Do you reckon is better paying someone skilled enough to try to get it were it was? Or cut the whole front section from other car and weld back on mine? I mean, cost and stiffness wise.
 
That would depend on your skill and confidence.

If you are at all worried and can afford it, find someone trusted to do the work, or perhaps a new car ?
 
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