LiteRye said:

Thanks!

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Random image of Murf

Very nice. Looks like Chianti; certainly not the hills of Maryland.

JumpJet said:

Very nice. Looks like Chianti; certainly not the hills of Maryland.

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It’s Tuscany, we rented it on our last trip there.

Love the wrapping job that you did....12 out of 10 for effort!!!

On the fuel filter what I have done with mine is actually fit one in the "frunk" on top of the tank to the fuel line heading out. Much safer and very easy to access in the future without having to burn your fingers or worse spill fuel on a hot engine during maintenance.

Many happy and safe miles ahead I hope!

FR85 said:

Love the wrapping job that you did....12 out of 10 for effort!!!

On the fuel filter what I have done with mine is actually fit one in the "frunk" on top of the tank to the fuel line heading out. Much safer and very easy to access in the future without having to burn your fingers or worse spill fuel on a hot engine during maintenance.

Many happy and safe miles ahead I hope!

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Yes, that is on my list as first and foremost items to remedy on our bitza

There is no need for an additional 'non-standard' fuel filter on the 500--from factory the're 3 in the system---tank -unit, fuel-pump and top of carb.

My car came with one of these Abarth heat shields. I’m not sure where and how it attaches. I assume it’s above the exhaust on the right side?
Should I even bother with installing it?

LiteRye said:

My car came with one of these Abarth heat shields. I’m not sure where and how it attaches. I assume it’s above the exhaust on the right side?
Should I even bother with installing it?

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Yes, definitely; it says "Abarth"

It helps to keep the ignition coil less hot and gives some protection to the wires above..

fiat500 said:

Yes, definitely; it says "Abarth"

It helps to keep the ignition coil less hot and gives some protection to the wires above..

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Any ideas how it gets attached? Any photos?

The car also came with a Giannini intake cover (no clue what pipe to use or if it’s worth the effort)

Any thoughts on what these two gaskets could be?

Another USA 500 owner! Welcome aboard. I'm in Texas and there are a few of us around here. Good luck.

yovinny said:

Another USA 500 owner! Welcome aboard. I'm in Texas and there are a few of us around here. Good luck.

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Thanks Yovinny, we just moved out of Texas after about 9 years. Hopefully some time in the future we’ll be back!

The gaskets look like rear light unit gaskets. The air-filter cover fits (I think) in place of the normal Fiat tin version. Giannini was a contemporary of Abarth, and very good they were too at tuning the 500, and later, the 126 models Giannini still exist as a company, and as they never received any financial assistance from Fiat, cannot be touched by Fiat in their drive to attack the 'pattern' part makers for Abarth (as well as Alfa and Lancia). Lots of Giannini replicas in Italy. Look them up on 'U-Tube'

the hobbler said:

The gaskets look like rear light unit gaskets. The air-filter cover fits (I think) in place of the normal Fiat tin version. Giannini was a contemporary of Abarth, and very good they were too at tuning the 500, and later, the 126 models Giannini still exist as a company, and as they never received any financial assistance from Fiat, cannot be touched by Fiat in their drive to attack the 'pattern' part makers for Abarth (as well as Alfa and Lancia). Lots of Giannini replicas in Italy. Look them up on 'U-Tube'

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Thanks Thomas! I thought they may be rear light gaskets but they don’t match up. Maybe it’s for another year?

LiteRye said:

Thanks Thomas! I thought they may be rear light gaskets but they don’t match up. Maybe it’s for another year?

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late N (59-60) or D (60-65

Bigvtwin996 said:

late N (59-60) or D (60-65

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That would make sense.

If anyone wants them, shoot me a PM and they’re yours.

My parts from Germany are taking much longer to arrive than expected. I’m sure the wife doesn’t mind as it gives me more time to change diapers

Does anyone know the part number for the loop that mounts to the motor to lift it out?

The easiest way to heave a 500 engine out is with the use of a jack UNDER the sump (with a piece of wood between sump and jack-head). Put the rear of the car up on a couple of stands under the rear suspension arms (1 hole above lowest 'lift' should suffice). Remove the flywheel under-tray, lightly support the engine, remove the rear cross-member, undo all fuel lines, electrical cables and throttle and choke cables, undo all the gearbox-to-engine nuts/bolts. You will find it easier to get at the top ones if you lower the engine on the jack a bit so that you can (sort-of) lean across the engine. With all connections dis-connected, heave the engine out---depending on what exhaust is fitted, you might have to lower the engine as soon as the gear-box spigot shaft is clear of the clutch pressure plate. DON'T FORGET TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY prior to carrying out the above work. Refitting it is basically just a reverse of above. If you remove the clutch but don't have a clutch alignment tool, when you refit it, align the centre plate up as best possible (using sockets), only do the 6 pressure-plate screws up about 80%, and then fully tighten them up when the engine is back in, prior to re-fitting the flywheel tray---simples.
Doing it this way, at 73 years old, I can have an engine out in just over 1-1/2 hrs---working on my own. Even when i worked in Fiat garages, we never used the engine hoist to remove the engine, or re-fit it.

For the reasons Tom highlighted above, I didn’t install the loop on my new motor. You’re welcome to it if you like. Not trying for a concourse restoration here.

OK... Here’s the plan thus far with the car for now:
- Sort out the leak coming from the timing chain seal
- Swap out oil pan and valve cover for larger and “abarth” ones
- install new exhaust, including fixing the broken bolt and upgrading the mounts. (Thanks to The Hobbler for the parts!)
- Rebuild carb
- Rewire the car. Ordered a new harness from FD Ricambi. Any pointers on this job on a 500 w/ a 650 with a dynamo would be greatly appreciated!!
- Tidy up bits on the interior and replace sunroof
- Enjoy the car for a few years
- Full strip down and repaint to original Blue Turchese
- Reupholster interior to red and cream

And if that little list doesn't keep you out of mischief for a year, then I am sure that here on the Forum we can come up more things that will!
When you come to fit the new sunroof, do it before you have the interior re-upholstered. The rear cross-bar for the sun roof is held in place with a row of small nuts (on studs built into the cross-bar)---it is a fiddly job that will test your patience. The ends of the cross bar are normally held down with self-tapping screws---may I suggest that you use small "riv-nuts" instead and seal round them with a small blob of silicon sealer.
When you fit the alloy sump, if you decide to use a gasket, use the 'rubberoid' variety, NOT the cork type. If you decide to forgo a gasket and use a modern sealer, only put the goo on the OUTER 1/2 of the sump flange to ensure that no goo drop into the sump,but make sure that there is enough round each bolt to seal it. I use 20mm stainless 'cap-head' screws and the original Fiat oblong washers. You will have to re-shape the 2 washers that are alongside the "oil-drain" section on the side of the sump.
That is just for a pre-breakfast "starter for 10"---I am sure that the members of the Forum will come up with many more suggestions.