Panda (Classic) Project Panda-looking Pandas.

[JamieK]

is that grip the same as a mk1? I had to take Jasper's off as it kept sliding up & preventing the end button from being depressed - usually at traffic lights

You use the handbrake at traffic lights

 

[Palio]

:woot:

V5 now has the correct engine capacity & the very first Limited Editions Unlimited engine number ever to be recorded on the DVLA database! VmanC :worship:

Must get some photos printed for the insurance valuation, then a quick reg plate change (quick in glacial terms, aka DVLA), and I just need the car completely finished.

 

[scout]

I just need the car completely finished.

I reckon Vern is planning on keeping this one

Ahhhh Ahhhh

One thing you can guarentee is that when it's finished you will have one hell of a Panda

 

[VmanC]

I reckon Vern is planning on keeping this one

Ahhhh Ahhhh

One thing you can guarentee is that when it's finished you will have one hell of a Panda

It does seem that for every job I tick off I add on two, but the list is coming down so that can't be the case.

Public opinion so far seems to agree with you Bob, so do I, but then I might be biased.

 

[Palio]

I reckon Vern is planning on keeping this one

Ahhhh Ahhhh

One thing you can guarentee is that when it's finished you will have one hell of a Panda

It does seem that for every job I tick off I add on two, but the list is coming down so that can't be the case.

Public opinion so far seems to agree with you Bob, so do I, but then I might be biased.

Hang on which bit is public opinion & you agreeing with Vernon?

I'm assuming/trusting that you mean that it's "one hell of a Panda", rather than "you're planning to keep this one"?!!

 

[VmanC]

It does seem that for every job I tick off I add on two, but the list is coming down so that can't be the case.

Well in keeping with the above statement here is an update of recent work, and jobs added.


When Panto first came to me he had a go faster stripe that looked like it had been there pretty much from new, and as usual with old stickers, once removed it left an impression in the paintwork. Now this impression is normally higher than the surrounding paintwork due to the sticker protecting the paint under it whenever the car gets polished, but this time, for some reason that I have not been able to work out, the paint under the sticker was way thinner than the rest. This was only the case on the rear wings, but when I tried to polish the marks out I very quickly exposed the primer below. :bang:
The only solution was to re-paint the rear wings.......





At least it allowed us to remove a few other tiny blemishes in the process.


I've also made a start on cleaning up the head lining sections ready for re-covering. They were in quite a state but at least the hardboard base was ok.







After much scraping and sanding this is what you end up with.....



Next step will be to cover in a thin layer of foam.


I've also been modifying the top mounting for the radiator fan as it is in the way of the route the new air filter pipe will take.

This is how it normally is......





After taking the fan back off I cut most of the moulded bracket off to be left with this......



I then turned the metal bracket round the other way and added a small extension. After painting I had this.......



And this is the finished job in place.........




While at Santa Pod we found that the engine became slow to turn over during starting, to check that it wasn't the battery or alternator I swapped batteries with my Blue clx, this made no difference so there is either a poor connection somewhere or the starter motor needs changing. Added to list


Despite still having a few issues Panto has been getting about quite alot recently..........





These were in Scotland during Panda Camp.




This was at a charity evening car show near to where I live. Sorry I didn't ask permission for this one Gavin but seeing as it was for charity and a relatively short distance I guessed you would have said yes anyway. He was a big hit with the children in particular.
Also, the event was sponsored by the garage that passed his cat free mot so only fair that he should support them. Is that enough excuses?








Finally a few shots from his visit to Santa Pod last weekend. No pics of him racing down the strip though, I think his gearbox needs a little fettling before we can try this.

This coming weekend will be busy too. Saturday - Castle Combe, Sunday - Stanford Hall.

 

[VmanC]

Will update soon but here's a taster pic from the weekend ..........

 

[homeward]

Will update soon but here's a taster pic from the weekend

I think it needs some go-faster stripes, or even some flame décals on the rear quarters.... :chin:

Was almost tempted to Photoshop some in...! :devil:

 

[VmanC]

I think it needs some go-faster stripes, or even some flame décals on the rear quarters.... :chin:

Was almost tempted to Photoshop some in...! :devil:

I've never seen a Panda bear with go faster stripes or his arse on fire, but I bet someone will post a picture of one now.

 

[VmanC]

The previous pic from the Classic and Retro Action Day at Castle Combe was from the fast session. This was five laps in single file behind a pace car supposedly reaching speeds of 70mph. In reality we were able to go flat out most of the time as the pace car always ups the pace if he can see that the cars behind him are capable enough.

We had a complication before the start over wrist bands which meant that, once sorted, everyone else was already out on the track. This allowed us (my Dad was passenger as Gavin was under the weather) to really go flat out to catch up. We had caught up by the end of the first lap, cars in front were...
Pace car, Lotus 7, and two Subaru Impreza Turbo's.

Panto was great, the engine is so flexible it allowed me to stay in third gear for most of the time. Only on the slowest corner did I have to select second briefly, then with a good run at the long straight I had to change to fourth towards the end.

Cornering was pretty neutral with plenty of grip, just goes to show that 13" wheels are perfectly adequate. It did feel like there was alot of roll but not according to the pic! clearly the Y10 anti roll bar is doing it's job.

Some more pics but from the slower parade lap......









Next day we took Panto to Stanford Hall where he joined a few friends......



The previous week I was getting a little hesitation on initial start up and thought it might be an injector, so I bought some fuel system cleaner. It's called 'Hot Shot' and is one of the few additives that I have found to be effective. The whole bottle is added to 15L of fuel then driven to near empty. Since doing this the problem has gone I'm pleased to say.

Also during the previous week I was able to finish the air filter. Just under 1 metre of flexible 50mm hose was bonded to the rubber pipe that comes from the throttle body, branches off into the air resonator then on to the front of the engine. The hose now runs along above the radiator then down to just behind the hole in the front panel that the original Panda air hose attaches to. A motor cycle air filter is then fitted to the end of the hose. Pictures here would explain it alot better but I have only taken one so far.



No, hold on, I did take one more but haven't loaded it :bang: I'll post via an edit once I've finished.

I had to make these three brackets to hold the filter and hose in place.......



A new alternator and starter have been fitted now as the originals didn't last very long once pressed back into service.


EDIT:

Here's the missing pic of the filter assy.



The bracket between the filter and hose allows fitment to the inner wing.

 

[ginkelvanmichiel]

it's really a superb looking Panda!
Especially when you look at all the hard work you did put into it

Here in Holland (at the Dutch Panda Club) we do have someone busy (re)building a 1400 Turbo powered Panda, but due to overheating the cilinderhead is giving trouble. I'm interested if it's going to run some day...

 

[VmanC]

it's really a superb looking Panda!
Especially when you look at all the hard work you did put into it

Here in Holland (at the Dutch Panda Club) we do have someone busy (re)building a 1400 Turbo powered Panda, but due to overheating the cilinderhead is giving trouble. I'm interested if it's going to run some day...

Thank you ginkelvanmichiel.

Loving the van in your avatar!

I too have a 1400 turbo engine waiting to be fitted to a Panda. I was going to fit it to my van like yours but have decided on a different victim. :devil:
I'd be interested to hear how your club member gets on with his.

 

[ginkelvanmichiel]

The van is my Danbury-style mini campervan.
Based upon a Seat Trans (the only one ever brought to the Netherlands)

 

[homeward]

They say a picture paints a thousand words: so here are four thousand (and a bit...).

Hope you got home safely from Mitcar, VmanC; and a big thank you to dombooth -- gentleman that he is -- for staying behind, too. Palio -- hope you're not too upset, and that it didn't ruin your day.... :hug:

I'm sure both Vernon and Gavin will have something to add. I just hope -- and am sure -- that everything will sort itself out....









PS: Panto! attracted a lot of attention -- of the right sort...! -- as always, during the day; and now, having sat in him, I have to say what a superbly detailed (I was going to say finished... (oops)) car it is. Can't wait to have a drive...!

 

[GrandeGuy]

Finishing touch needed some ronal teddy's.

 

[Palio]

Finishing touch needed some ronal teddy's.
View attachment 142374

Definitely not! :yuck:

We were going for classy, and those 127 alloys cost a fortune to get refurbed properly.

I'm sure they'd look equally "good" on a Grande though.

 

[Palio]

They say a picture paints a thousand words: so here are four thousand (and a bit...).

Hope you got home safely from Mitcar, VmanC; and a big thank you to dombooth -- gentleman that he is -- for staying behind, too. Palio -- hope you're not too upset, and that it didn't ruin your day.... :hug:

I'm sure both Vernon and Gavin will have something to add. I just hope -- and am sure -- that everything will sort itself out....









PS: Panto! attracted a lot of attention -- of the right sort...! -- as always, during the day; and now, having sat in him, I have to say what a superbly detailed (I was going to say finished... (oops)) car it is. Can't wait to have a drive...!

homeward and dombooth thanks for staying with Vernon - much appreciated. I would have stayed if no one else was around, but Mum had had enough really by then, so I'm afraid I accepted your kind offer Stephen! :worship:

It was one of those days all day for some reason - I'd already had a couple of near misses with errant German saloons on the way over (fortunately I was awake & the Coupe had enough poweeeerrrr to get out of trouble once, and enough braking/handling to avoid the more serious attempt to bend it! :bang: ). The whole day was odd including coming back - I think there must have been a meteor shower or a full moon maybe......

I know Vernon got back safely, but it took a long time.

I suspect I put the kibosh on it by confirming on other threads that Panto was finally coming home to stay & that there was nothing else to fail after the starter, alternator, battery, etc. I will be like Zippy from now on.......

He's in good hands - Panto that is, not Zippy, do keep up - so I'm not too worried until I'm told otherwise! It's probably a good thing that Vernon found that empty stretch of dual carriageway (we both took a wrong turn with outdated satnav's & then found the road closed - said it was one of those days!), as I'm sure he did 50mph down there and finished off the gasket or whatever it is! if it hadn't gone there I'd have probably blown it on my next test session, then I'd have felt guilty.

You're more than welcome to have a drive - maybe the Uno/Panda Selecta's are easier at the moment though, on the basis that they (fingers crossed) are running.....

 

[Palio]

Backup starting handle fitted now?:devil:

There's a big key sticking out of the back now.

Actually there's not much left to replace having killed a battery, alternator & starter motor while testing it!

:shakehead::hug:

Me and my big mouth! I'd forgotten I'd said that :bang:

:shrug:

And this is what I shouldn't have said - with thanks to Andrew for reminding me!

 

[Freebo]

What happened then?

 

[homeward]

What happened then?

I'll let VmanC or Palio tell you. It's eminently curable, though....

Here's something to cheer Gavin up...! :slayer: