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Seicento Seicento Autosolo/Rally car

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Introduction

Hello,

I've had dalliances with Fiat cars in the past, a Panda 45, and an Uno 45 but it's been a while since one graced my driveway. A couple of weeks ago I was looking for a cheap and cheerful car to replace my MX5 and Ebay/Autotrader lead me to this little gem.

ImageUploadedByFIAT Forum1397150487.767805.jpg

It was cheap (although not cheap enough) but that was because its head gaskets gone. I'm in the middle of changing that now, and what an absolute sod of a job! It's the newest car I've ever owned and I'll be honest I was expecting it to be a lot simpler than it is. Am I an idiot, or is it virtually impossible to get the manifold/cat off it without taking the radiator out?

I'm just at the stage of waiting for the postman to bring me a new gasket set and I'll get it back together, hopefully. Is there anything I need to know?

I haven't got a manual for it, I can't seem to find a Haynes for it, only the Cinq, is it likely to be relevant or does the Seicento with all its MPI and electronics bear little resemblance to its predecessor?

I'm hoping to have it running again Saturday evening, then order up some springs for it and get the suspension sorted out.

Here it is as it sits outside my work tonight. It's a little bit tatty I must admit but it'd be a shame to buy a mint one to throw at hedgerows and cones when out competing...

ImageUploadedByFIAT Forum1397151256.820311.jpg
Click to expand...
Just got the final entry list for next Sundays 'Solo at Barton Stacey on the A303. Two Cinqs and my Seicento entered, one Cinq being driven twice, so it'll be nice to have some competition. I'd recommend anybody who wants to have a go at some cheap motorsport to come and have a look.

I was thinking of getting the -60mm springs on and modding the struts for camber one evening this week, but I've just driven past a bargain Seicento sporting for sale up the road, I'm pretty tempted to go and pick it up this evening to replace mine, on which the MOT is due soon and it'd be cheaper than sticking four tyres and rear arm bushes on mine.
 
Had a my first go at Autosolo last weekend in my Cinq Sporting.It was good fun and managed to finish mid table! :p
 
Well both the other cento's are in here ;). Its the first form of Motorsport the guy in mine has ever done and I'm useless at solos so treat them as a big hoon. mine is pretty much standard. So I'll expect we are near the back of class. The other cento is a rally replica with a bit of extra poke so the safe money is on him for the cento crown!
 
That's how I approached it in my mx5, I knew I weren't going to win so I went as sideways as possible!

Well the bargain Sei I went to look at was a bit of a non starter, but I just had a bit of a stab on eBay and am picking up another on Friday, I hope it's a good'un, I'm going to race it on Sunday.

If anybody wants a Seicento that's just been serviced and had a new head gasket, but wants a set of rear arm bushes, I've now got one that's looking a bit surplus.
 
That was fun, sadly my day cut short by urgent family crisis (mostly sorted now thankfully) but my new Seicento wasn't too bad for a wholly untested and unprepared car, picked it up Friday, washed it, checked fluid levels and raced it today. One front shocker had a sudden failure and jettisoned all its oil out which meant lots of wheelspin and pattering from the unloaded front wheels, managed to get it on 3 wheels on a couple of occasions (doesn't make you any faster but it's more entertaining for the marshals). I can see it being a viable proposition with a bit of work. Already looking forward to the next one which hopefully I'll be able to do the whole day without interruptions. How did the others do?
 
That's the replacement Sei I picked up on Friday, then raced on Sunday. Like Tims Cinq it is ripe for some suspension reworking. Obviously new dampers and lots of camber on the front, I think a lot of the advantage the cinq had was that it was on decent tyres not half bald/half age hardened tyres, so I might be tempted to get a pair of yokos if I can find the cash. Maybe a set of polybushes too. This is the trouble with any form of racing, it's hard not to get carried away in the pursuit of those extra few seconds...
 
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Looking at the photos the sei and troph had less lean through the corners.

The tyres i had may have played a small part in me being a bit quicker, but its hard to tell. Guess we'll find out next time ;)
 
I think my completely undamped front end probably caused the wheelspin and pattering that prevented me getting any of the (meagre) power down. I've ordered a pair of dampers for it now. I think the power steering is a disadvantage as its so light you can't feel what's going on. What's the score with these brace bars I've seen for sale on here? I can make something like that in a lunchbreak, as I could a strut brace if they are of any advantage. If I can find the cash I'll stick a set of yokos on the front.

On the other hand, I might just not be a very good driver...
 
RHFabrications said:
What's the score with these brace bars I've seen for sale on here? I can make something like that in a lunchbreak, as I could a strut brace if they are of any advantage. If I can find the cash I'll stick a set of yokos on the front.
Click to expand...

I doubt you'll make one up in a lunchbreak. Takes me longer than that to accurately fish mouth and assemble the pre-fabricated parts and weld them up! And I'm doing it on a jig, rather than lying in a stream of weld spatter.

Others have spoken of what they're like to drive with -- I've yet to drive a car with one fitted. All they're supposed to do is stiffen up the chassis, give the suspension something (much) less flexible to work with. They're stiff enough so that I can stand on them and barely feel deflection. "Bloody stiff", as Rob next door says.

For the top strut, from an engineering standpoint everything available has the extreme de-merit of being bent and -- to my mind -- of an under specified gauge.

You could probably weld in a straight bar between the turrets if you relocated the battery to the boot and removed the battery tray (just drill out the spot welds and prise it off). That'd be cheaper, stiffer and putting the battery in the boot would do no harm at all.
 
I reckon I'll do the summer solo next, I'm doing a resto at the moment to pay for all the bits on the Sei so weekend time is pretty scarce. Hopefully picking up a rear axle for it if I can strike a good deal.

The oil light is still flickering on tickover so I'm currently telling myself 'its probably just the switch' and that 'it'll be fine' but undoubtedly that way of thinking is going to bite me later.

Still, it's probably just the switch, it'll be fine.
 
I stuck an entry in for Abingdon as its 25min away from me (if that) but dont expect to do well. I need to fix some bits on the cento but will aim to make the summer solo. Although my main priority is stripping my hillclimb car and gaining a drivespace back
 
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