Hi,
I took ownership of a Barchetta today (and wasn't it the right weather for it) and looking forward to getting to know it better.
It's been sitting with a non-Fiat dealer for about 12 months so hasn't had much use although it's feels and sounds good to me. It's come with an extensive history of services and repairs etc including new variator, timing belt and mohair hood some 2 years/8k miles ago done by DTR
The very recent MOT has mention of the exhaust condition in the advisories (along with slightly deteriorated front brake hoses).

Currently I'm based near East Midlands airport but about to embark on a new life in SW France.

I was thinking about getting a new stainless exhaust before I go as I'm guessing that French prices may be higher so was looking for a place in the Midlands that is recommended by Barchetta owners for exhausts

Any info on how to convert the headlights would be great

Additionally to register the car in France I will need the COC which I can't find but I did find some legal document about the car in Spanish as it lived in Spain for a couple of years - see photos, which I don't think is the equivalent to a COC but would be great if I was wrong

Cheers,
Paul

Hi, welcome to the forum. I moved my Barchetta to Framce and wrote to FIAT at this address:
Direction Services au Client
Homologation
6 Rue Nicolas Copernic
78190 TRAPPES

OR EMAIL [email protected]

They will ask you for a photo of the plate in the engine compartment plus a copy of your V5 details plus a cheque for 165.00 Euros ( yup ripofffiat).

In return they will send you an attestation d'identification pour vehicles importes conformes a un type communautaire. This will provide the COC proof for registration.
If you have the CoC number on your V5 this should be enough for the French Authority but being French bureacratics not all departments will accept this number even though it is european legal. Unfortunately the only answer is try several times then suck it up and pay for the paperwork. On the up side it happens quite quickly.
For the conversion of the lights, do a search on this forum there is a link somewhere to changing the reflectors over.
Good luck and if you need more help on the registration process just ask.
By the way where about will you be moving to?
Steve D

Hi again, just looked at the Spanish paper you have and it has all the info and a nice stamp (French love stamps) so you may be successful with that paper as it looks like a Spanish attestation.
Also before you can register you will need a control technique (mot) and to get this you will need to show the test station the CoC or Spanish paper or the French aquired attestation.
Steve D

Thanks Steve,
In a expat forum there is a general consensus that, providing a MOT is not more than 6 months old, a CT isn't needed which I'm kinda hoping is correct. If not, then a CT will be acquired.
I seem to recall, possibly reading on here, that a UK spec B will fail the CT due to rear fog light position.
Also in the last couple of years, car registration in France has become more centralised/ less regional so I think I will have to have all the right docs - I've heard of things being overlooked in local registration offices which probably won't happen now

Using your experience of living in France are parts etc easier to come across ? How easy would it be to get a stainless exhaust fitted for example ?
There seem to be quite a number of B's on Leboncoin so I'm assuming they are not as rare as in the UK ?
I'm moving to the SW corner of Dordogneshire between St Foy la Grande and Montpon-Menesterol with Bergerac being the nearest big place and Libourne about 45mins away.
The car I bought is a 54 plate with 54k miles which I'm hoping will behave itself as fitting upstairs floors and ceilings are the priority and tinkering in the garage on a car will be frowned upon by SWMBO.

Paulr999 said:

The car I bought is a 54 plate with 54k miles which I'm hoping will behave itself as fitting upstairs floors and ceilings are the priority and tinkering in the garage on a car will be frowned upon by SWMBO.

Click to expand...

Welcome aboard, Paul! Sounds like you have a great project on your hands (the house, that is!), and the B will be perfect for those lazy French summer days when you're not slaving away on the floors & ceilings (useful also for those inevitable trips to Mr Bricolage, as you can just drop the roof and wedge the longer stuff in the passenger footwell ). As for tinkering, remember that A Husband's Place Is In The Wrong.

Re headlamp conversion. This is a link from an old posting. http://www.barchettaclub.fr/spip.php?article217 . It is in French but if you're moving there you'll understand! Some instructions also in English:- "I found this on another site. Hope it helps. :

I have taken the old light apart this afternoon and found that
> there is a metal deflector which is reversible. It is marked TD on
> one side and TG on the other. It has a part number 88203735 stamped
> on it.
>
> Remove the headlight from the car which involves removing the
> front bumper to access the retaning bolt underneath.
Unclip the black housing from the headlight. Put the
> clear lens once removed from the black housing on a soft cloth to
> avoid scratching it.
>
> Remove the bulbs to avoid damaging them, Pull the metal assembly
> off of its mounting pins, Remove the two screws and one large clip
> remove the four little clips which hold the deflector in place,
> remove the deflector turn it around and put it back in place.
> Reassemble the headlight assembly re install in the car refit front
> bumper. The headlights will need alligning.

I seem to remember that some older cars have the deflector plate rivetted on so they would need to be drilled out and reattached. "


Shouldn't be too difficult!! Headlamps apart will also give you the opportunity to use a soft cloth to clean the insides of the covers and lenses. Mine were quite dirty & foggy after 18 years.
On the fog lamp/reversing light subject, they are easy to swap over.

Hello Paulr999,
the spanish paper of your picture is the homologation of the Barchetta in Spain. It shows the Vehicle Identification Number of your Barchetta and all the technical data of the homologation, and if there have been done some important modifications on your Barchetta, they should be registered in this paper.
I can see part of a stamp of the ITV = MOT from Santiago de Compostela.
The number of the spanish plate (5242HGX) of your Barchetta is from November 2011.
If you need some help with the spanish paper, contact me, I live in Spain and have a Barchetta.
Juan Carlos

Hi again,
Just a few more points. When I registered my Barchetta it had an MOT within the 6 months but the administration would not acknowledge it or the fact that it was european certificated, so yes the European laws are on your side but the French beaurocracy has the last word and if they choose not to acknowledge a document then it is back to obtaining the document sourced in France. This helps to keep the economy going. Try first see how you go, only time and effort wasted afterall, always remain calm and polite will help immensly if visiting in person the registration ofice (prefecture).
Regarding parts in France, I have successfully obtained parts from ebay Germany, where there are more Barchettas than anywhere bar Holland I think. Barchettaparts.com also a good source. Postage in Europe of the various parts is not too bad. I purchased a complete standard exhaust for 140euro plus 29euro postage from Germany to France, no problem quick service good exhaust. You could source a bespoke SS exhaust in UK and post it out fitting I found quite easy. SS exhausts on ebay appear expensive. DTR I think do a SS exhaust again and would probably ship it out. I priced a standard exhaust from le Clerc in France and shocked myself with a quote of 450Euro. In the Dordogne area you will find small garages that will fit items for you. I have found few local small family garages here near Figeac where I live that are very helpful. Just make sure that you tell them to disconnect thebattery before any work that may involve disconnectiing electrical items as this can cause warning lights to display continuously and need resetting (airbag light).
Finally (for now) I live near Figeac not too far from your area, this forum is a great help to Barchetta owners and you are joining a friendly helpful group who enjoy reading about each others project so keep up the news, most on here are happy to advise.
SteveD

Thanks for the input thus far folks - really appreciated. Instructions to modify headlamps duly copied and printed.

As a newcomer to Fiat I was wondering whether Fiat recommends/recommended any particular brand of tyre for the Barchetta ? - last decade or so for me was with Mercedes who always promoted/preferred Continental tyres wondered if Fiat were similar

I also seem to have an approx gap of 6mm in one area between the hood and the door window (see pic) Is this normal ? Any suggestions to a 'cure' gladly accepted