General can anyone help with this car ?

[puntodean]

anyone know much about this shape/style punto, bought it off a mate, got papers to prove and its a japanese import, its a 1.2 16v which has a janspeed catback exhaust and a bigger throttle body(apparently), few people think its been mapped but the kid who i got it off says it hasnt, really fast for what it is, keeps up / beats 1.6 16v corsa sports and 1.6 8v saxo vtrs ....... and not too sure if its a propper abarth or not as it apparently come out the factory with the kit on ...... paid £750 for it, is it worth it ?

 

[MrMigs08]

Looks bravo/punto hybrid, and like an older seat but a jap import?? janspeed do good stuff i know that much normally for jap cars though?, do you think its a fiat engine? any pics of the eng bay?

 

[puntodean]

ye its definatly a fiat engine, and the engine looks propper box standard this is why i cant understand why its a quick little thing, and weve had it on the ramps at my dads work its definatly a janspeed catback too, dunno bout the hybrid thing tho ?

 

[Parksey]

Not chipped or anything silly, is it?

 

[JustAndy]

Might have been re-mapped but you wont know unless you get someone to read the map for you. Looks alright the cash though

 

[puntodean]

nope, not what me or the previous owner know of anyway, all we know is throttle body(he said he put that on) and the janspeed catback that was already on it ?

 

[The Beard]

It's a Mk1 Punto which first came out in about 1994. The 1.2 16v put out about 85bhp from the factory and was introduced towards the latter end of that model run as it replaced a 1.4 (I think) 8v model. It will need a lot of revving to get the most out of it as it'll produce max power near the (high)redline.

The kit will probably be an add-on. As for it being a Japanese export I'd very surprised if that were the case as if it were there should be wing mirrors, or at least have the rubber grommets in the wings where any mirrors would have been removed. Door mirrors in themselves were not considered effective enough by the Japanese transport ministry.

The car has quiet probably been abroad at some time, even if it was only on holiday as the front plate looks French

 

[Ziggy122]

the number plates are british - there just that embosed/3d/Raised Font thats legal i believe

If its that quick to keep up with other small cars with bigger engines - i'd believe its probably been mapped, a RR/Map Reader will tell you whats going on

Ziggy

 

[Butcher]

even with a re-map and the extra mods surely it wouldnt keep up with a 1.6 16v ? :s

 

[MrMigs08]

Maybe it has a bigger history? With the right mods and remap maybe the punto can keep up with, think the real question now is whats its tested max rpm? Jap cars always like to push this number up!

 

[puntodean]

what are they supposed to rev up to and limit at ? this seems to limit at about 7,300 rpm ?

 

[jip0]

sounds about right

if its not mapped then i would say it isn't a 1.2 under the bonnet

 

[puntodean]

its a 1.2, i helped fit it when he ****ed his old engine, he tried starting it in the snow when everything was frozen and ****ed it.

 

[m20b25]

the number plates are british - there just that embosed/3d/Raised Font thats legal i believe

If its that quick to keep up with other small cars with bigger engines - i'd believe its probably been mapped, a RR/Map Reader will tell you whats going on

Ziggy

Its a UK reg with german style plates (FE Schrift). Theyre the latest must have for vags over here

Liking the car, we used to have one like that and it was very fast for a 1.2 although we did find out it had a broken cat... It took on a 1.6 Corolla and walked all over it!

If its a jap import it should have air conditioning and possibly no heated rear window.

 

[puntodean]

it has got air-con, well did have, the previous owner took the pump off for abit more "power and fuel saving" , but the button is still there and all the plugs are still under the bonnet for it, but its also got a heated rear window ?

 

[puntodean]

anyone else got any info on this car ?

 

[Eklipze3k]

The Abarth bodykit was an option when ordering Sportings, the receiving dealer would have fitted it for the original owner. The Beard's comments about Jap 'wing' mirrors is somewhat out of date, every JDM import I've looked at recently has the door mirrors like everyone else, I think the 'wing' mirror thing stopped in the 80's or early 90's, maybe.
As said, the 1.2 16v's are quicker than many people would think.

 

[punto16v]

hi i have a mk1 85 16v elx its basically a 5 door version of the sporting and not many cars can keep with it at all 1.6 sohc vtecs arent able to stay with mine or most cars 1.6 or under cant keep with it all that i done to mine was ngk iridium plugs and a decat any also when your ragging it is very good on fuel .

i had a 1.6 bravo throttle body on it it was faster but was a pain in traffic so ditched that idea

 

[DaveMcT]

At one time a big issue selling cars into Japan was restrictive rules such as the glass should have no markings not even the little safety standards markings. So if the glass is all clean with no etched labels whatsoever, it might be from Japan.

 

[burtz]

Well worth £750 imo, good buy.