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Seicento "Grey Matter" - finally back in a Sei!

Introduction

Hi! My name's Jesper and I live in Odense, Denmark. 33 years old and I've been hanging around in here since 2006, mainly lurking in the shadows.

Back in 2005 I bought a money pit of a Sei and now I've gone and bought myself one, again. Same colour, different everything apart from the money pit detail.
I couldn't resist when I got this offer from a acquaintance of mine whom I got to know when I had my first Seicento. He's a good man - I think he just lost his patience and reprioritised to focus on his family and business rather than pouring funds into something which will only depreciate further.

More photos will come at a later point, so this is merely an introduction. CBA to was and polish it, yet - too much mechanical stuff needs to be done.

The engine and gearbox have done 99.600km at this point and nothing apart from brakes, cooler and a few cables has been done, mechanically since 1999 and it has only been driven occasionally three Winters.
Underseal was done years ago and will be done again before I store it for the coming Winter.

The following changes has been made by the previous owner:

Rear arches rolled (proper job)
Yellow Koni shocks
60/40 lowering kit (KAW and Ventura)
6.5x15 ET32 Barchetta steelies @ 15mm spacers with Nankang 165/45 :yuck:
Debadged front and rear + poor job of covering the boot lock :rolleyes:
J&R pod filter (n)
280 degree C&B cam :devil:
Head ported and skimmed
Different inlet manifold
Custom 2" exhaust (loud li'l' bugger)
Gas bonnet struts
Supersprint exhaust manifold
Bosch chip

It also had quite massive custom skirts and bumpers with Smoor wheels, all of which was sold at some point. I'm not allowed to copy photos from the site, so you'll have to live with a link to the profile at "bilgalleri.dk"

http://www.bilgalleri.dk/galleri/1450-fiat_seicento

Interior:

Custom leather/green alcantara with yellow stichings
6.5" speakers in the parcel shelf (but why? :confused: Can't hear'em anyway!)

In the deal I managed to score his NOS 14" Abarth wheels which will be fitted at some point. I will likely go for 165/55-14 as they are road legal (+4,73% circumference of 165/55-13) and a lot cheaper than 175/50-14. Possibly a bit more comfortable as well and they should fill out the arches nicely.


What needs work:

Likely the clutch and cable, beforelong
Paint falling off on the left, front wing
Fronts discs and pads
Stock air filter case with some mods
Different exhaust (CSC or whatever I find with a good price/quality ratio)
40mm TB
New headlights (on their way)
-35mm H&R springs (maybe - prev. owner lost the papers on the existing springs)
New strut mounts (so might as well change the springs)
Likely every suspension bush on the car, lol
Fluids change
Cambelt, tensioner, waterpump and refitting a cambelt cover
Rubber side strip for the left side of the car.
Paint my set of Abarth skirts and fit them if I ever find an Abarth roof/rear spoiler.

There used to be a 40mm TB on the car, but Tricker turned up the fuel regulator and at some point it started having a heavy smell of petrol inside the car. At first, the remapped chip was replaced with the Bosch one (I still have the remapped chip). As this made no difference, a stock TB was fitted and the 40mm one was binned/sold.
I hope a 40mm TB with an untouched regulator will work out with the remapped chip as the engine was pushing past 85BHP in its time.

I want a "sleeper" car which runs faster than it looks, drawing as little attention as possible until I floor the throttle! :yum:


Idle is sort of lumpy once the engine gets up to temperature. A stop/start of a thoroughly warmed up engine has it idling on the verge of stalling.
I'm contemplating giving it an ECU reset as per: https://www.fiatforum.com/cinquecento-seicento-guides/94040-how-change-ecu-chip.html
Do that, dude. :)


Underseal came with some consequences:

ImageUploadedByFIAT Forum1408969107.310238.jpg

All bald now and for some reason, some people are now referring to me as Mr. Walter White. :p

Another parcel arrived today:

ImageUploadedByFIAT Forum1408969329.420538.jpg

Green is my choice! The car's interior is after all black leather (ish), green alcantara with yellow stitches. Springs, shocks and wheel centre caps are yellow, so I need to break up the colour scheme a bit. Most people seem to be running red or yellow calipers so I'm hoping this will be a cool detail.

Still not sure if I should colour code the Abarth side skirts and add a rear spoiler or leave it like it is!
 
Is that a plastic cover for the calipers? Please say no :D
And i think your in some serious need of a pair of side skirts and boot spoiler yes (y)


Caliper paint. If I wanted Brembo brakes or the like, I'd fit them not fiddle around with an ugly illusion. I was considering Brembo decals for the calipers if I was convinced they wouldn't deteriorate - Bosch decals would make more sense, though, as that's what the calipers are.
 
I've been driving around today, just because I felt like it - oh, the joy of having a car you really like driving!

First of all, the cam! It's simply just fun-fun-fun and as I've mentioned it seems like the ECU is adapting quite well as I keep adding kilometres on in after the reset.
When cold there is a major flat spot between ~2.200-2.800rpm, but once the engine's up to temp it goes away.
Yeah, ok. There's close to no power below 2.000rpm but as long as the car will accelerate willingly from that point in 2nd gear I'm happy.
From 3.000rpm the engine starts to pull well, much like a standard 1108 engine.
At somewhere around 4.800rpm it goes kind of V-Tec, giving a proper push all the way up to the limiter (which for reasons unknown is at only 6.700rpm).
Top speed? I'll likely never find out but considering how easy it is to get to the limiter in 4th gear, I'd imaging that it will do max rpm i 5th, as well.

No Cento should be fitted with any other cam... except for a hotter one, that is. I love N/A engines! :devil: :slayer:

Set the front Koni's on their firmest setting. Not bad, actually, but now I do need to slow a bit more down when going over speed bunps. Turn-in seems sharper as well, perhaps even a bit too sharp, lol!
Can't imagine why anyone could ever need PAS in these cars.

The exhaust is getting on my nerves. Quite rusty as well, so I guess I'll have to make a decision before long. I've found a stainless steel CSC cat-back system for €299, somwhere. Just can't recall which site. :rolleyes:


FUN-FUN-FUN! (y)
 
I envy you, sir. I really do... (y)
Reading this makes me miss mine ( never expected this tbh... ) and reminds me that i'm in need of tires :bang::bang:
Cant drive it like i stole it (n)
Glad the konis are good, not glad that you are making me look for those here :D

And... as i saied before... VIDEOS!!! :slayer:
 
Jump on a plane and come drive my Cento before you pay for the Koni's, lol! They're good - trust me - but on a car of this age and with such low value it seems silly to fit €5-600 shocks.

On the other hand...

FUN-FUN-FUN! :D

Car's going to get the last brake problems sorted some time between Monday/Wednesday and the it's ready for the Winter (sorry, car!) and MOT in March/April. Hopefully I can find the cash to give it an proper underseal, as well.
 
I think i can get them cheaper here, probably around 3\400€ with promo prices :p
I don't know... I'm going to check prices on the B6 first and then i'll decide what to do. But tbh, right now that's the least i'm worried about.
 
I think i can get them cheaper here, probably around 3\400€ with promo prices :p
I don't know... I'm going to check prices on the B6 first and then i'll decide what to do. But tbh, right now that's the least i'm worried about.

Bilstein B6 are more expensive than Koni Sport, here. And almost twice the price of Koni Str. T! Best price I've found on the B6 ones was around €40 cheaper than a full set of Koni Sport.

At €400 I'd get Koni in a heartbeat unless the B6 turned out to be significantly cheaper. Especially if going lower than a 40mm drop!
If shipping from Portugal wan't so crazy expensive, I'd almost be tempted to order a new set of shocks through you! :p

Get the head gasket sorted. There really isn't much work involved and unless you've recently changed the cambelt, you can get that done as well. Just don't forcet to unhook the battery, lol!
Even if it's the first time you do it, it shouldn't take more than a day.

I was quoted 4-5 hours and €550-600 for a cambelt including the water pump. I can do it in less than three hours, on the ground, on my back with really poor lighting. Head gasket on top of that shouldn't be more than another three hours work (not counting the head being sent off for a skim).
 
I will be paying 600€ for this last work. It included cambelt change and all that, 10hr work. I'll check whats has been done for sure when i pay the total bill.:rolleyes:
After this i need tires, wich will be probably 400€ or so. And that's what i'm receiving for being home sick. (n)
I don't know the prices on Bilsteins B6, if you need something shipped from Portugal just send me a PM ill see what i can do (y)
I think i can get Konis on sale for around 400€ too and lately i've been thinking about it tbh. Might give them a try if the billies are too expensive :rolleyes:
 
Heh... If only I could settle for €600 for the last work that needs to be done. I'm looking at twice that amount, but then the car's done (mechanically).

Still need a complete underseal before Winter comes and that's another €550!

Oh well... Once the last things are done, the car should last me another 4-6 years, a part from possibly a clutch and trailing arms at some point.

Financially, this was a really bad idea, lol!
 
Tiny update:

Went by the garage earlier today. Goodridge hoses appear no different than any other standard, s/s braided hose kit in the correct lengths and there are no rubber distance-thingies (true lack of better words, lol!) so they require a bit of mods to fit properly.

Only the front brake lines were completely shot and downright dangerous. The middle part had a bit of rust and has been cleaned and painted. The last length of the rear pipes is perfect, but the threads on the connections have seized due to rust. If all goes to hell, all brake lines will be replaced which will add further labour costs at €75/hour.

The new J&R CV-joint doesn't clear the shock absorber so an original one has been ordered.

Rear brake shoes hardly have any wear on them but the drums are far from round - good thing I ordered new drums, at least. Hand brake cables have been replaced as well.

It's getting there! I can hopefully pick up the car tomorrow or Thursday. No matter how crazy a bill I end up with, I've convinced myself it's worth it and I'll still be loving every second in the car. :D

Luckily it seems I can settle for just going at a few rusty areas with a wire brush, anti-corrosion primer and some bitumen-based underseal. It'll only be about a days work and will save a fair bit of cash.
 
Last edited:
Picked up the car three hours ago:

No more ticking when turning left! (CV joint)
Braking has improved a LOT now both set of rear shoes are actually getting to the drum, lol!
Car keeps going straight under braking where it used to pull a hard right - likely the drums being used simultaneously as opposed to before!
The old brake hoses must've still been ok as the Goodridge ones hasn't made much difference if any to pedal feel, but they're fitted!
Front and rear brake lines have been changed - the rest were fine. Front ones literally broke off when lifted from the plastic retainers!


The mechanic didn't know of the C&B cam and told me, "There must be something wrong with the ECU, a valve or the head gasket, 'cause it doesn't pull very well!"
I asked him to go for a second run, get it warmed up and then give it some stick. When he came back he was a bit wiser, lol!

I really need to get that rev limit moved upwards at some point. It's still pulling strong at 6.700rpm.

DET3 will have to wait for now, unless I can get some extra hours at work, though. I also need to clear out the wiring mess from a failed attempt at fitting an alarm. There was a con-man of sorts hanging out in the Danish Fiat forums at some point - a real joker, it appears. He delivered the goods but left only half the job finished after getting paid.
I still need to wire in the temp gauge. If the wheather keeps up I might be able to get it done the coming weekend. :)

LOOOOVE this car!
 
After reading that you changed the drums, i think might need to change mine too. My hand brake just doesn't work and i don't even know why (n)
Well... I think i know now :rolleyes:
 
After reading that you changed the drums, i think might need to change mine too. My hand brake just doesn't work and i don't even know why (n)
Well... I think i know now :rolleyes:

Do the whole rear brake job, double-check the cables and take apart, clean and grease up the hand brake levers. Trust me, anything less is a waste of time!

Don't buy the cheapest drums - I've learned so, now. Will need new ones, come MOT time next year as they're already oval. I could return them but that'll cost more in postage than the drums did!
 
There's not a lot of difference between Goodridge and the other reputable braided lines. Hope you got stainless end fittings, or they'll look pants (but still function OK) 12 months down the road.

All I do fitting them is to cut off the rubber thing that holds the old hose to the strut, pop it onto the new hose and sikkaflex it back together.
 
There's not a lot of difference between Goodridge and the other reputable braided lines. Hope you got stainless end fittings, or they'll look pants (but still function OK) 12 months down the road.

All I do fitting them is to cut off the rubber thing that holds the old hose to the strut, pop it onto the new hose and sikkaflex it back together.

Galvanised, sadly. But they came with a 40% discount so I'll survive.

I'll have to make a change to my previous statement, though. There's a noticable difference compared to the old brake hoses! Loads more pedal feel and a nice upgrade for a driver's car which this is really turning into.

The tire guy apparently gave the tires a whopping 35PSI which made the steering a bit light. I've since reduced it to 32 PSI in front and 30 PSI at the rear.
The steering is now slightly heavier, turn-in unchanged but the rear end feels a lot more composed.

Set the front shocks back to half-a-turn from their 'softest' setting. Really a lot better than anything else I've tried, even though it cuts 2-3kph off my top speed through a nearby roundabaout (50kph limit, lol! I've taken a full round with 70kph with no panic... and 85kph on 195/45R14 tires! :p)


Need... more... money! Really don't feel like waiting to get up and running with DET3, but I have to.

If all goes to hell, I stand before losing my appartment. Long story - no details needed, but the circumstances may well put an end to any further development on this project other than keeping the car in running condition. (n)
 
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