hello every one . for a while now i have been looking at choping a mk1 punto 2 door and transforming it into i pickup style show car i have seen 3 done ever 2 on the web and one passing me on the road , i need some questions answered first ..... 1,is the roof of the car a main support ? 2 what way does a convertable boot door open ? and 3, will it be like jelly on the road when it comes to handling ? please feel free to laugh or help im looking for opinions
ps. i will not be doing the work all work is going to be done by panel beaters
also a link of what i am aiming for http://blog.543club.net/peace/archives/61L30050.jpg
http://blog.543club.net/peace/archives/61L30051.jpg

nice project!! im subscribed !!! good luck

I would imagine it would be best to start out with a Mk1 cabriolet!

The structural strength of any car is in the roof.

As said, start out with the cabrio- that will already be strengthened to cope without a proper roof. It won't handle too badly either- it will be no where near as bad as a normal Punto with the roof lobbed off- that''s just dam right dangerous tbh.

if you going to start with a normal punto, your going to have to put reinforcing bars and plates everywhere to keep some rigidity. This in turn makes it heavy. Choosing where to put these supports and reinforcements is also quite tricky so it would be easier to start off with a cabriolet and then go from there.

would be a hell ofm a project though if it ever did get started

Wicked Im definelty going to be watching this space!

Thats an awesome idea! Can you link us to a pic of one on the net please? I'm intrigued to know what they look like!

ive looked into the convertable body of the punto and whitout doubt it will be stronger but believe it or not there is lots more work involved in converting into a pickup ie. welding in half a roof in and also the floor of the convertable body is alot higher .'. less sapce in the pickup part here is a jap website with a few pics on it let me know what you think
http://images.google.ie/imgres?imgu...channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&sa=N

the bulk head thing behind the seats will stiffen it all up go for it

my avatar is the rendering i made of the pickup , that is how i want the car when it is all done the projet will be starting soon i will post pics of it getting the chop when i get started (click on the pic to enlarge)

It looks awesome, good luck !

btw, I didn't know fiats were sold in japan !

paulcozz said:

my avatar is the rendering i made of the pickup , that is how i want the car when it is all done the projet will be starting soon i will post pics of it getting the chop when i get started (click on the pic to enlarge)

Click to expand...

been talking to a man in the know and he says a solid bulk head and properly secured bars like in you pic will be plenty enough to stop body flex

Tad-bravo said:

It looks awesome, good luck !

btw, I didn't know fiats were sold in japan !

Click to expand...

its not a jap its left hand drive he brought it in from poland ( thats what i was told )

dave said:

been talking to a man in the know and he says a solid bulk head and properly secured bars like in you pic will be plenty enough to stop body flex

Click to expand...

thanks dave im on the process of getting the supports welded up to be bolted to the middle pillars of the car ......... then i can cut the roof w00 :slayer:

How about I swap you one of these:

Available in V6 and V8 options
for your Punto?


We have no Puntos over here, but too many of these, Id be happy to do it. It would save you fagging around, and you would still have something unique.

maybe not japanese but those pics were taken in an asian country.

Why not buy a Fiat Strada Pick-Up...???

converting a punto into a pick up would be very expensive and would need professionals to do it because the car would have to all be strengthened etc

look at me draggin up an old post ! i was just sorting through my subscriptions and saw this .. was it done? is it being done?