It's really coming along... the car looks great with those original wheels and when you've sorted the maintenance issues just give the cosmetics a bit of a do and then enjoy driving and displaying a great original 90s sporty Fiat... 
General Broom Yellow HLX
- Thread starter Liquid Knight
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General Broom Yellow HLX
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Thanks bluejohn125
I have a confession to make.
When I swapped the brake discs over I noticed the CV was weeping.
When I swapped the CV I managed to rip the lower mount of the wishbone.
Today I forgot how to deal with the anti-roll bar so the amount of time I had to do both I only managed to do one.
Still while I was under there I decided to replace the front pipe even though it doesn't leak. It looks pap next to the new rear.
The other wishbone shouldn't take half as long and the new bushes will tighten up the front no end.
I have a confession to make.
When I swapped the brake discs over I noticed the CV was weeping.
When I swapped the CV I managed to rip the lower mount of the wishbone.
Today I forgot how to deal with the anti-roll bar so the amount of time I had to do both I only managed to do one.
Still while I was under there I decided to replace the front pipe even though it doesn't leak. It looks pap next to the new rear.
The other wishbone shouldn't take half as long and the new bushes will tighten up the front no end.
It's definitely coming along now...
Are the CV boots simple to do? My 1.2 Brava has a slight leak N/S and I've ordered a replacement. Do you just remove everything at the end of the drive shaft and slide the old boot off and the new one on?
I couldn't follow if you used your special tool (!!??!!) for the clips etc, you said something about machining part of the assembly I think.
Cheers
Are the CV boots simple to do? My 1.2 Brava has a slight leak N/S and I've ordered a replacement. Do you just remove everything at the end of the drive shaft and slide the old boot off and the new one on?
I couldn't follow if you used your special tool (!!??!!) for the clips etc, you said something about machining part of the assembly I think.
Cheers
OP
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Just normal pin end pliers should do it. The eBay boot already has surface cracks so it won't last long.
I was thinking of of rose jointing the ends of the wishbones for some adjustment but the standard set up is pretty close to perfect.
I was thinking of of rose jointing the ends of the wishbones for some adjustment but the standard set up is pretty close to perfect.
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Even though I've been laying around this afternoon the Bravo is completely exhausted.
Silicone!!! :bang: :bang: :bang:
A small tub of exhaust putty is 79p at my local parts place. The smallest tube of silicone is £2.79
So spend less and do the bloody job properly that way you won't be slagged off on the internet by the person who discovers your bodge.
On that topic I had a few minutes spare so I cut the flange off the old pipe and welded a length of Stainless to it. If anyone wants a de-cat' you can have it for a tenner.
Same length as the standard cat' and the same bore as the standard exhaust so it will go straight on.
Silicone!!! :bang: :bang: :bang:
A small tub of exhaust putty is 79p at my local parts place. The smallest tube of silicone is £2.79
So spend less and do the bloody job properly that way you won't be slagged off on the internet by the person who discovers your bodge.
On that topic I had a few minutes spare so I cut the flange off the old pipe and welded a length of Stainless to it. If anyone wants a de-cat' you can have it for a tenner.
Same length as the standard cat' and the same bore as the standard exhaust so it will go straight on.
OP
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This...
...was an adventure.
I knew I had about an hour and a half to get the other wishbone done before it rained. Most of the weather in Norfolk is tidal and high tide was....
...anyway...
Plenty of time now I know a few tricks from doing the other side right?
Wrong. The anti-roll bar end was fitted incorrectly. The washer was inside above the bush. This meant the rubber had wrapped itself around the nut so there was no way of getting a socket on it and the washer had been wedged into the void and rusted in solid.
I had to cut the wishbone in half to get it off, undo the bush from the top mounting to the anti-roll bar and then with a combination of a heat gun, WD40, a vice and big hammer get the bush out of the half wishbone. I cleaned the parts up and refitted them in the right order. I'll replace both drop links as soon as because they both looked tired.
All this extra faffing about meant I got wet. Any other badge I would have gone in and had a cup of tea.
Because Fiat.
...was an adventure.
I knew I had about an hour and a half to get the other wishbone done before it rained. Most of the weather in Norfolk is tidal and high tide was....
...anyway...
Plenty of time now I know a few tricks from doing the other side right?
Wrong. The anti-roll bar end was fitted incorrectly. The washer was inside above the bush. This meant the rubber had wrapped itself around the nut so there was no way of getting a socket on it and the washer had been wedged into the void and rusted in solid.
I had to cut the wishbone in half to get it off, undo the bush from the top mounting to the anti-roll bar and then with a combination of a heat gun, WD40, a vice and big hammer get the bush out of the half wishbone. I cleaned the parts up and refitted them in the right order. I'll replace both drop links as soon as because they both looked tired.
All this extra faffing about meant I got wet. Any other badge I would have gone in and had a cup of tea.
Because Fiat.
Lucky you didn't do that trackday then... twas truly bodge-tastic in many ways.
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Cable ties to hold the undertray on.
Tiger Seal holding the CV together.
Cable ties to hold the exhaust in place.
Silicone instead of putty on the gaskets.
Anti-roll bar drop link placed on the wrong way round.
Not to mention the MOT that ran out five months before advertised and assured.
Bloody glad the car was cheap eh?
Tiger Seal holding the CV together.
Cable ties to hold the exhaust in place.
Silicone instead of putty on the gaskets.
Anti-roll bar drop link placed on the wrong way round.
Not to mention the MOT that ran out five months before advertised and assured.
Bloody glad the car was cheap eh?
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At least it's found a loving owner now though.
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At least it's found a loving owner now though.
I would like to defer to the greatest living Anglo/American ambassador and future President Tim Allen...
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I would like to defer to the greatest living Anglo/American ambassador and future President Tim Allen...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnsiZOJjfUg
Obviously I was wrong, lol!
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To be honest the Bravo has been a pain in the arse but none of it is the cars fault. She was only supposed to fill in while I got my Coupe' home and on the road ready for Summer. Now I know the Coupe' has been clocked and the MOT on the Bravo has been Mythbusted. I got this...
...to fill in but because I get such a good deal with Flux Direct (plug plug) for my Fiats the premium for the Audi is more than it's worth a roughly three times as much as it'll cost to get the Bravo fixed.
So I bought another car instead of parts and towing my Coupe' home and I'm about a month behind myself.
But I have a plan.
This was my driveway in 2010...
...I will get something like this again.
As soon as the Audi is sold I'll get tyres for the Bravo and Shipey on the Coupe.
...to fill in but because I get such a good deal with Flux Direct (plug plug) for my Fiats the premium for the Audi is more than it's worth a roughly three times as much as it'll cost to get the Bravo fixed.
So I bought another car instead of parts and towing my Coupe' home and I'm about a month behind myself.
But I have a plan.
This was my driveway in 2010...
...I will get something like this again.
As soon as the Audi is sold I'll get tyres for the Bravo and Shipey on the Coupe.
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To be honest the Bravo has been a pain in the arse but none of it is the cars fault. She was only supposed to fill in while I got my Coupe' home and on the road ready for Summer. Now I know the Coupe' has been clocked and the MOT on the Bravo has been Mythbusted. I got this...
Dirty boy!! You're contaminated with bland car germs now, lol!
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That's why I chose the colour. The least bland of the bunch. "Sport" edition so it has the 125hp version 1.8 20V engine yet it feels slow compared to the Bravo. Pretty good seats and sunroof instead of air conditioning.
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That's why I chose the colour. The least bland of the bunch. "Sport" edition so it has the 125hp version 1.8 20V engine yet it feels slow compared to the Bravo. Pretty good seats and sunroof instead of air conditioning.
People laugh at me for saying this, but bhp figures are a bit meaningless really: my old mk2b only had 60bhp, yet felt surprisingly nippy, ditto my 77bhp Grande.
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Production figures are manipulated to a degree.
Power to weight is the key. The Punto 60 weighs less than the Grande so that would explain that one.
Power to weight is the key. The Punto 60 weighs less than the Grande so that would explain that one.
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Production figures are manipulated to a degree.
Power to weight is the key. The Punto 60 weighs less than the Grande so that would explain that one.
Nah, the Grande goes surprisingly well too, lol!
That's funny my 77 Grande felt everything but nippy Ahhhh
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Just a bit of an update. To stop the alarm running the battery flat I've put a solar panel in between the sunroof and liner.
Back off topic. For some reason the five door Grande feels quicker than the three door versions I have driven.
Back off topic. For some reason the five door Grande feels quicker than the three door versions I have driven.
Mine was a five door although it had the full 'Skydome' roof which probably adds quite a bit of weight, it was powerful enough but as a 17 year old at the time most of my friends 1.0L cars (which were significantly lighter) would be able to pull away on a hillFor some reason the five door Grande feels quicker than the three door versions I have driven.
