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plasticpig1972

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Jul 31, 2020
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Hi i've just joined the forum to take part sharing things to do with fiat 500.
I have a 1974 Autobiachi Giardiniera and starting learn about working on them.
cheers
Alan
 
Welcome to the Forum Alan---where about do you live? Always handy to know in case you have a problem; might turn out that you have another Forum member in your area.
 
Hi i've just joined the forum to take part sharing things to do with fiat 500.
I have a 1974 Autobiachi Giardiniera and starting learn about working on them.
cheers
Alan
Just be aware the forum is frequented by many crazy people , obsessed with rust and welding and oily bits....My advice sell sell sell before yo get drawn into the murky world of Fiats... It all starts quite harmlessly, a passing interest n perhaps problem solving issues with a car... but then you will start to buy other things, soft furnishing embellished with Fiat images, and can even extend to displaying 1/2 of a car on the wall of your house!!
Then you will buy another, even rustier... and you are on that slippery slope.....
Part numbers, colour codes all become second nature.....
 
Welcome Alan. I am also a relatively new member and owner of a 500 F, although I am not new to classic cars. So am reasonably well versed in the pain and frustration usually equally divided between the old tin worm and trying to put right previous owners “fixes”. Having said that it does not take away the joy of owning and driving these little beasts. Already I have found this forum useful and it’s members generous with their time and knowledge to help out.
 
I don't know how well versed you are in mechanics Alan,but may I suggest that your troll through e-bay and tryand get yourself as much technical literature as you can on your car. Whilst they are basically simple cars to work on, they do have their little quirks!
 
Thanks good idea,
i've bought a Workshop Manuel and also a Parts List Manuel.
I like to get a Workshop Manuel for each Car and Parts List Manuel.
To be sure when i order new parts and always keep the old parts in a Bin for each Car.
I also have a 1972 Lotus Elan Sprint, 1976 TVR 3000M and a 1978 TVR 3000S which i do all the repairs myself, great fun.
I must say working on a 2 Cylinder Air Cooled Engine makes a change.
I like this Forum and everyone helps a lot.
Cheers
Alan
 
Welcome Alan :)

I have been on this forum for a couple of years throughout the bare metal resto of my 500L. We are finally nearing completion and have found this forum very friendly and the collective experience of the members invaluable.
Like you, myself and my partner have owned and maintained TVRs (Griffith 500) and Lotus before (2 x Exige) and air cooled motorbikes but nothing as old as the 500.

Cheers,
Katie
 
A "Lotus Elan Sprint"---you lucky b---r! I used to work on these cars as a young mechanic (late '60s)---still regard them as one the very best small sports cars EVER. Unbelievably, they are still used as the bench-mark for any new sports-car.
The early 'Mazda 5' sports cars were basically an Elan built by a company that could churn them out in their 1000s---they looked amazingly similar, even to having 'pop-up' head-lamps---but the Elan is STILL the best.
When i was looking for a retirement project in 2012, a good Elan could still be bought for about £8,000 (which I could have JUST afforded)---now? you won't get an 'even sensible' Elan for under £20,000! Even the '+2' variants, which in some ways are a nicer drive, and for a long time stayed at sensible prices, are going up towards the £20,000 mark.
In the 500 and the Elan you have just about the perfect pairing---the (still!) best little city car, ever and the (still!) finest small sports car--again, ever.
 
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The early 'Mazda 5' sports cars were basically an Elan built by a company that could churn them out in their 1000s---they looked amazingly similar, even to having 'pop-up' head-lamps---....................................

The Mazda museum used to have an Elan Sprint on display... there was a reason they looked so similar...
The design brief was to produce a "the typical British Sports car" so they brought an Elan Sprnt....
Hence even similarities with the cam cover design....


Believe it or not a common modification to Elans is to ft the 6 Speed Mazda gear box or even the engine/box combination.....
 
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