G
Grant
Guest
Hi,
Just wanted to post on here for the last of the die-hard fans of our "182" Bravo's, what I've been doing the last few months with a 2000 plate, yellow, 100 HLX Bravo I purchased for tuppence.
When I got the car, she fairly neglected. Dull paintwork, filthy engine bay, kerbed alloys, lots of tar spots & light scratches. But she drove well, with no knocks or bangs, engine pulled well too, and gearbox was easy with no grinding or difficulties, subframe was solid too, and there were no dents on the bodywork at all! A rarity with these Bravo's now.
With only 55k on the clock I took the chance and bought her.
The first thing I set to work on was a thorough clean and tidy of the bodywork. I set to work with my trusty tar remover, and cleared all of the spots and splats of tar off the car. This gave me a chance to cut the scratches out of the paintwork. All tar gone, and just one scratch I couldn't fully cut out of the paint, on the drivers side door sill. So would only be visible from when the door is opened.
The next phase was to sort the plastic mouldings out, over the years of not enough cleaning, and open to the elements, they weren't really black any more, but a mottled grey. I sourced a permanent black trim repair from the U.S. which I have to say has worked a charm. The plastic is back to factory black again, BUT, without that silicon shine, which, to me, looks OTT.
Then really the final phase for the bodywork, a good deep clean and wax off. Now she looks like new. Seriously. You'd honestly put a 2011/12 pate on the condition of the bodywork.
Then the hard work began!
I'd noticed the price of parts for the Bravo were so cheap online. I'd decided to refresh and renew, even if it didn't really need doing. With a view that even if the part wasn't showing signs of a wear, surely a brand new part without 55k miles on it would perform better, even if marginal.
So here's the list of parts replaced for brand new:
Front:
ARB droplink bushes,
Wishbones (for the ball joints)
Top Shock Absorber Mounts
Shock absorber bump stops and dust cap assembly
Shock Absorbers
Springs
Brake Calipers
Brake Discs
Brake Pads
Brake (flexible) hose
New Full Exhaust system
With new hangers
Rear:
Shock Absorbers
Springs
Brake Cylinders
Brake Shoes
Brake Drums
Engine:
Full service, all fluids change. Brake/Clutch, Power Steering, Coolant and of course Oil. New filters, inc pollen of course.
Engine has been fully cleaned up again. And again looks like a 2011/12 car under there.
Interior was the only place which just needed a good clean, and again looks like new again. I just replaced the cassette grundig unit for the grundig unit which has a CD in it. (Think this was from some Marea's, and the Trofeo & Formula versions of the Bravo).
Modifications from factory:
Front Bonnet struts - now the bonnet opens without too much of an effort.
Black side repeaters - goes with the rest of the black & yellow theme.
Fiat Marea "poly" headlamps - better light output than the standards.
LHD rear light cluster - now has 2 foglights.
New rear reflector and reverse light assembly - fits exactly where the original reflectors sat, but instead they have a bright reverse LED in the centre, backed by a red reflector
And I think that's it.
Suffice to say that car which cost nothing to buy, but just time to fit parts to, drives better than a lot of "modern" vehicles.
It leaves me wondering why Fiat stopped production of this model so early. I think they make a cracking car!
Just wanted to post on here for the last of the die-hard fans of our "182" Bravo's, what I've been doing the last few months with a 2000 plate, yellow, 100 HLX Bravo I purchased for tuppence.
When I got the car, she fairly neglected. Dull paintwork, filthy engine bay, kerbed alloys, lots of tar spots & light scratches. But she drove well, with no knocks or bangs, engine pulled well too, and gearbox was easy with no grinding or difficulties, subframe was solid too, and there were no dents on the bodywork at all! A rarity with these Bravo's now.
With only 55k on the clock I took the chance and bought her.
The first thing I set to work on was a thorough clean and tidy of the bodywork. I set to work with my trusty tar remover, and cleared all of the spots and splats of tar off the car. This gave me a chance to cut the scratches out of the paintwork. All tar gone, and just one scratch I couldn't fully cut out of the paint, on the drivers side door sill. So would only be visible from when the door is opened.
The next phase was to sort the plastic mouldings out, over the years of not enough cleaning, and open to the elements, they weren't really black any more, but a mottled grey. I sourced a permanent black trim repair from the U.S. which I have to say has worked a charm. The plastic is back to factory black again, BUT, without that silicon shine, which, to me, looks OTT.
Then really the final phase for the bodywork, a good deep clean and wax off. Now she looks like new. Seriously. You'd honestly put a 2011/12 pate on the condition of the bodywork.
Then the hard work began!
I'd noticed the price of parts for the Bravo were so cheap online. I'd decided to refresh and renew, even if it didn't really need doing. With a view that even if the part wasn't showing signs of a wear, surely a brand new part without 55k miles on it would perform better, even if marginal.
So here's the list of parts replaced for brand new:
Front:
ARB droplink bushes,
Wishbones (for the ball joints)
Top Shock Absorber Mounts
Shock absorber bump stops and dust cap assembly
Shock Absorbers
Springs
Brake Calipers
Brake Discs
Brake Pads
Brake (flexible) hose
New Full Exhaust system
With new hangers
Rear:
Shock Absorbers
Springs
Brake Cylinders
Brake Shoes
Brake Drums
Engine:
Full service, all fluids change. Brake/Clutch, Power Steering, Coolant and of course Oil. New filters, inc pollen of course.
Engine has been fully cleaned up again. And again looks like a 2011/12 car under there.
Interior was the only place which just needed a good clean, and again looks like new again. I just replaced the cassette grundig unit for the grundig unit which has a CD in it. (Think this was from some Marea's, and the Trofeo & Formula versions of the Bravo).
Modifications from factory:
Front Bonnet struts - now the bonnet opens without too much of an effort.
Black side repeaters - goes with the rest of the black & yellow theme.
Fiat Marea "poly" headlamps - better light output than the standards.
LHD rear light cluster - now has 2 foglights.
New rear reflector and reverse light assembly - fits exactly where the original reflectors sat, but instead they have a bright reverse LED in the centre, backed by a red reflector
And I think that's it.
Suffice to say that car which cost nothing to buy, but just time to fit parts to, drives better than a lot of "modern" vehicles.
It leaves me wondering why Fiat stopped production of this model so early. I think they make a cracking car!