Howdy guys!

I have started on a new quest since phoning up Fiat today to try to get a part I thought would be relatively easy! Apparantly all out of stock and gone now so was wondering if anyone could tell me if this is another mk1 only thing!

So it's the white plastic thing to the right of the rusty strut in this picture:


Or number 6 here (thrust ring):


It's on all my mk1's but is missing off the marbella Is this item new to you all? If it's on mk2's as well then it might be easy enough to track down but it it's mk1 specific then I'm probably looking at borrowing it off the Panda 45 till I can find a new one :bang: I'd rather not though as that means I have to dismantle 2 suspension struts!

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Si

Here is a picture of it at the bottom of a strut beneath the coil spring:



I think it's purpose is to compensate for driver and engine being on one side for UK cars maybe?

Posh Panda doesn't have one, but I remember Nitro Warrior suggesting that some in the 4x4 scene use rubberized plastic chopping boards cut to shape to layer up the spring seat

Dunno in answer to your question.

But I'd ring Franco at Ricambio to see if he has them, especially with a part number.

Don't remember anything like it on MK2's 2wd... Will look at both MK1 and MK2 later..

Not a part I've ever come across either, not 2wd or 4x4.

Hope I didn't need one, never had one before.

Oh...I forgot, off to look now!..

I've not seen one on any of ours. Could it be an after market lifting kit to raise it up a bit?

I've not seen one on any of ours. Could it be an after market lifting kit to raise it up a bit?

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Could be. I have seen this element in various heights on italian panda forum.Used as a front susp lift up to 3cm. Never seen one in panda here in Poland, especially on only one side of the car


http://www.panda4x4.info/Public/data/rogerock/2010720152416_2008225213125_spessore.jpg

Fiat eper shows this element, so it could be a stock one for RHD panda4x4 mk1 on one side only?{ for plus 100kg drivers only, like me} Similar element was stock on both shocks in eg. fiat 127/128 etc , but it was thinner, about 2-3mm plastic one,used as an elastic shim not lift for susp.

Yep...my VIP has one one the drivers side but not the passengers side.

purple haze said:

Yep...my VIP has one one the drivers side but not the passengers side.

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Mine too

Thanks for all your replies folks! Seems like it was a mk1 design feature to have it on the drivers side. I am sure it has something to do with engine and driver being on the same side for UK vehicles but how then does the mk2 work then Are all mk2's lop-sided like my marbella is at the moment?

Anyway I have a plan, and it doesn't involve trying to track down a rocking horse poo!

:idea: So I had some old dampers lying around and an angle grinder in my hand and look what happened!! :


So after cutting all the welds the bottom spring seat just slides off:


And then all I need to do is push it over the new damper like so:


BAM!! Although not quite done yet as I need to find a reliable way of setting the spacer gap. But this could even be made adjustable :slayer:

Exciting when an idea like this pops into ones head.

Si

pandamonius_maximus said:

Thanks for all your replies folks! Seems like it was a mk1 design feature to have it on the drivers side. I am sure it has something to do with engine and driver being on the same side for UK vehicles but how then does the mk2 work then Are all mk2's lop-sided like my marbella is at the moment?

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Pushrod engine heavier? or weight further across maybe?

firstcar-Y10 said:

Pushrod engine heavier? or weight further across maybe?

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Ich bin Shouldn't be heavier really, it's a one man engine (lifting wise that is).

Can't see the engine's centre of mass being further across either. Maybe we need to get 2 engine bay pictures up here (mk1 vs mk2).

Or we could look into this at the next available show of course

I've got a spare 999 if you've got a 903 to bring along & compare

I wondered if Mk2s have a stronger spring on the drivers side instead

panda1408 said:

I wondered if Mk2s have a stronger spring on the drivers side instead

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Can't be..........they aren't labelled as such.

As a brand new engine in 1985 "fire" has been advertised as a new construction with less moving parts and a lighter unit than previous 903ccm ohv. Maby that weight loss was enough to remove this spacer from all fire engined RHD pandas?