(G) My Uno Mk1

Well months after buying it here she finally is. Looks pretty good in the photos, doesn't look as good in real life.

verrrrrrrry nice indeed. looks like a lot of work to keep her very rust free?

looks very smart mate! missing the bonnet raised vent thing tho and a turbo i.e badge on front grill instead of the fiat one hehe

Dunc

Actually not that I can see. Have yet to get the MOT sorted, will be this week hopefully. The only rust was the offside rear arch which my brother inlaw and I welded up. Well mostly him with me helping. lol. The MOT may throw up some more problems but all looks pretty sound from what I've been able to see.

The car is only a 45s so basically very little power. If I could get hold of the bonnet vent I'd fit one. Any ideas? On the grill I do have a Turbo grill but haven't fitted since it isn't a Turbo. I've got a Turbo tailgate which I will spray up and fit, might give me an extra 1mph lol

its almost a shame to change such a nice example but:

turbo bumpers and lowered suspension would give it a nice look

It is lowered by 30mm on Jamex springs, now imagine how high it looked before lol.

Very nice. The paint is not original, or is it?
If it is not, what brand was used?

Most of the paint is original I believe. The passenger door is not and is unfortunately failing. Looks like they used clear over black and the clear has failed around the door frame. You can see around the bonnet vent an area where the paint has also failed, possibly due to something being spilt and left there, too big for bird crap. I sprayed a couple of area using halfords paint and the match is poor.

It looks good because I gave it a thorough going over with a rotary polisher a couple of times and then applied Autoglyms Ultra Deep Shine. You might be surprised at the results that yield from a machine polish. The car isn't of high enough value to warrant a respray. Would probably be useful for someone looking to do a Mk1 Turbo reshell.

That looks really, really clean Pottleflump - I'm jealous! Want to swap for my '86 45S

A genuine Fiat Uno turbo bonnet vent would look great on that. I have one but its not for sale as I want to fit the one I have to my Uno If you keep an eye on Ebay they turn up every now and then and don't normally go for much.

Turbo front bumper with foggies would look good too, though an SX is a bit more understated and still comes with fogs. I have an SX bumper with fogs (thanks to Jai and the 1p Uno we bought ) but again its not for sale as it's going on my car. Sorry

Otherwise your car looks fantastic! I wouldn't worry too much about the paint not being quite right. Your Uno looks far better than many cars of the same age and has that genuine aged 'patina', which shows it to be a genuine and used car rather than a pristinely restored museum piece.

The wheels look good and suit it too. What are they from? Any more plans for the car?

Chas

i got fooled! thought it was a Ut lol ooops!

Dunc

Yeah thought about a Turbo front bumper, fogs would be good. I actually quite like the type of bumper it has now, a bit sleeker, would look nice with some fogs fitted in.

The likely outcome for this car is ebay. I was originally planning on keeping this and selling the Turbo but I think I've been swayed to keep the Turbo and sell this instead. One car as got to go!

The wheels are generic 6 spoke. I might fit the Turbo wheels I have when I come to sell and advertise it as a Turbo replica. If I fit the Turbo tailgate and grill it will be pretty close externally. No side skirts on this though but it doesn't notice. The wheel arch trims look good.

You wouldn't be fooled on the inside. Fitted with a tasteful Mambo interior. Nice green and purple. Comfortable but shocking to look at. Interior was courtesy of PeterG.

MOT booked for this Friday, I currently have this feeling of dread. Couple of things left to do, change front wiper blade, and check both back brakes are working ok. My brother in-law who is an MOT tester reckons they always fail on back brakes. I have other worries though.

I thought your post was pointing out that it wasn't a Turbo. You wouldn't be fooled if you came up against it at a traffic light rally. 0-60 in 60 years most likely. The power of the beast is phenomenal. Lol.

Super news it PASSED THE MOT today.

Passed with flying colours, the garage seemed pretty impressed with the car, looks like my effort has paid off. I'm not in a dilema about what to do, keep the Turbo or the Mk1. Really tough call. I've spent a lot of time and effort on the Mk1 and I prefer the looks. The turbo is obviously a turbo and more desirable. What am I to do?

Swap over the parts from the turbo into the mk1

Don't tempt me. LOL

I'm tempting you, I'm tempting you!

I love the look and dashboard of the mk1, and to be fair I've never had a mk2 so can't really say much about them. But I am biased towards the mk1, as the older they get the more retro they look

However, the mk1 is now so distinctive with it's boxy nose and slim tailgate it really does stand out, especially one as nice looking as yours Pottleflump.

If your mk1 shell is in better shape than your mk2 Turbo, then I would consider 'turbofying' the mk1. Some of the early mk2's rotted really badly, as I'm sure you've seen from Duncs turbo reshell project. Yet later mk1's sometimes seem to be very well protected and can remain relatively rust free compared with a lot of other cars the same age.

Worth remembering that all the mechanicals from the mk2 will fit the mk1, including most of the interior. I've heard the dashboard from the mk2 will go into a mk1, and the front door panels will fit early mk1 doors with some modifying. Later mk1 doors have provisions to take both mk1 and mk2 panels and regulators.

Talking of doors, how are those on your mk1? They look good from the picture! The doors are the weak spot on just about any Uno, and it took me quite some time to find some relatively rust free examples. Still got to fit the drivers side to mine, but want to give it a good going over on the inside with zinc primer and anti-rust wax That will have to wait until I get back in October

Oh, and congratulations on passing the MOT! Another mk1 gets back on the road