Ok just gone 10pm and a few wines later, but on another thread was a nice tail of two B owners saying HI, so lets start it for real. Every time you are in your B and see another one, Wave or flash your lights.

Cult classic car deserves respect.



Wave to your Barchetta owner.

So any one live near Swindon as mine is back on the road in May!!!!

Hi all B owners,
I drive my 1999 Silver B almost every day, unfortunately I see twenty MR2’s or MX5’s on my way to work, but only one or two Barchetta every four or five months. Every person I have seen in a B always waves and flashes as we pass each other witch is a real nice part of owning a B.

Has anyone else noticed how many B’s are now getting written off and broken up for parts? If you prang your B now it’s almost a sure thing the insurance company with call it a day and make you an offer. I was told DTR now dismantle good but old Bs for parts as its more financially viable then selling them.

So if you see someone else in a B, wave and smile, it’s not everyday you meet someone who does not follow the heard and like to be a little individual and different.

Your right again boss. 53,000ish ever made and I think around 1000 only in the UK. However 30% of them are not on the road until the summer.

I like the B because it's simple and so much nicer looking than most convertibles and it's in a class of it's own.

Mines back in 3wks, come on May and Sunshine.

Brum brum, must put the miles on as mine is 2002 and 18K mines on it.

Hi
I run my B all year round but i picked up a second hand hard top for £430 off eBay so it makes the winter weather a lot more bearable.

I don’t really have any big problems running my B all year round, she has now done 118000 kilometres and the only things I have had to replaced because of faults was, two rear ABS bearings, exhaust flexible down pipe and a rear swing arm bush set, all the other mods have been more me indulging myself and upgrading bits and peaces. I do have my B serviced every year at DTR and then I do a small service every six months myself.

I would like to only run her over the summer months and I have my fingers crossed for a company car real soon.

I'll always flash another Barchetta. The other day an X19 flashed me so i flashed back, i like all that kind of stuff makes you feel like you are in a special car ...which of course it is judging by the comments and looks you get whilst out and about.

Sounds like a plan
however there are only 3 Bs over here so its not goin to be easy:bang:
I drive mine all year round too, unless i can steel my wifes car to go to work or its a great day and ill take the bike , but they re great and its a great idea.

OZ

i think ive only ever seen 2 othes on the road!! a blue one around camberley area and the other is a green 1 on hayling!! Who ever it is that has the green 1 on hayling island, nice car we always flash to each other or wave!

docorangepeel said:

Hi
I run my B all year round but i picked up a second hand hard top for £430 off eBay so it makes the winter weather a lot more bearable.

I don’t really have any big problems running my B all year round, she has now done 118000 kilometres and the only things I have had to replaced because of faults was, two rear ABS bearings, exhaust flexible down pipe and a rear swing arm bush set, all the other mods have been more me indulging myself and upgrading bits and peaces. I do have my B serviced every year at DTR and then I do a small service every six months myself.

I would like to only run her over the summer months and I have my fingers crossed for a company car real soon.

Click to expand...

How much was it to have the rear bearings and down pipe done? i need to have these done on mine!! its covered 160k kms now so doing pretty well i think!!

Hi topride1
The downpipe i got from the internet (link below)
http://www.cats-direct-shop.co.uk/exhaust-front-pipe-details.php?recordID=75

This is £100 but look around sometimes one comes up on Ebay UK or de and you could get one for less.

This is not that hard to fit and you can do this yourself.
(Dont forget the gasket you will need)

For rear bearings you have to got to Fiat, if your Barchetta has ABS make sure you tell fiat a good few times. " I WANT ABS BEARING" as i had a nightmare with fiat and getting the wrong ones.

The ABS bearings in my B (99 Treg) have been updated / changed and the new ABS bearings dont look like the old ones. The update on the bearings has changed from what looks like gear teeth running all the way round the bearing to the new type withno teeth, but internal magnets instead.

Below is what i have taken from the Barchetta UK club about replacing the rear bearings. Hope this helps

Doc Orange Peel

Below was taken from UK Barchetta club.

Fitting is easy also and should be given a go.
Time needed: 20 minutes. (including hands washing)

Difficulty: Not difficult, if you have the right tools ;-)

Hub with bearing assembly for a vehicle without ABS (original FIAT) is just slightly more expensive (approx. ¤ 5,-) than an aftermarket bearing alone.


Besides the usual tools for wheel removal

1. 32mm socket, minimum 25mm deep !!

2. A decent lever

3. 8mm Allen socket (hexagon)

4. Screwdriver and a small hammer



WARNING NOTES by Geoff Bowles
There are 2 different types of wheel bearing one for cars with ABS and one for cars without. If you fit the wrong one on to a car with ABS the ABS warning light will come on as the bearing contains sensors to tell the ABS computer if a wheel is spinning or locked (skidding). Because the sensor effected is motion related the warning light may only come on at certain speeds.

(In the UK a car will fail the MOT test if the ABS warning light is on)
The last time I drove my barchetta, I described how the ABS light came on after a few minutes cruising on the motorway, following the replacement of a rear wheel bearing. When I had the car connected to the diagnostic computer, it retrieved a message to say that the ABS system had detected a phonic wheel with the wrong number of teeth. The phonic wheel is a toothed ring on the inside of the bearing, which the ABS sensor uses to measure wheel speed. My new bearing didn't have a toothed wheel but came with a magnetic implant which - I assumed - was there to do the same job I have spoken to those who supplied the part. They say that there are different parts before and after a certain chassis number, and agree they supplied the wrong part for my car. I'm still a little baffled (as were DTR) as to why the ABS light only comes on when cruising at 70-80 mph on the motorway, and not when using the brakes.... When I changed the bearing, and installed new rear discs and pads, I happily road tested the car round my local country lanes with no problems....!

The main problem I had was that one of the little studs that holds the brake disc on had corroded and seized. They're very soft metal and difficult to remove without damage, so it might be worth replacing those too...




WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO
STEP
ACTION
1 Remove wheel and (distance)spacer



2 With an 8mm Allen, unscrew the 2 bolds (in yellow circles) holding the brake caliper.

3
Pull off the brake caliper (DON'T REMOVE THE HYDRAULIC HOSE)
4 Remove brake disc
5 Remove cap, using a screwdriver and hammer

6 Losen the 32mm nut (VERY tight!!)

7 Remove Nut (1) spacer (2) and hub (3). The hub comes off easily

8 Install new hub, spacer and nut
9 Install the new bearing in the opposite order to the way the old one was removed

Thankx 4 that. i cheated and got the bearings done at a garage yesterday. but will be looking for the down pipe!

mark m said:

I'll always flash another Barchetta. The other day an X19 flashed me so i flashed back, i like all that kind of stuff makes you feel like you are in a special car ...which of course it is judging by the comments and looks you get whilst out and about.

Click to expand...

Just to say sorry to the owner of an orange Barchetta that I passed on the A50 on the way towards the Mangoletsi garage near Knutsford today. I was in a world of my own and didn't spot them in time to wave or flash! If you're reading this, sorry! And if you're not reading this, then at least my conscience is clear!

Matt