Bravo (Classic) 1996 Fiat Bravo 1.8 HLX - Ink Black

bluejohn125 said:

Adrian, that's a lovely car you've got yourself there, though you are a bit of an obsessive!!

I have a question about the mudflaps - did you fit them yourself? I just bought a set of genuine Fiat rear mudflaps from ebay - they're fine but I'm damned if I can see how to separate the little stubby original black corner pieces from the rear bumper. There are 2 screws at the front that go into the wheelarch liner, but at the bottom the black bits seem to be moulded onto the bumper.

Any ideas anyone?

Cheers

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Thanks Bluejon and chris. Im feeling like a bit of an obsessive

My mud flaps are fiat originals and i fitted them myself. to this car and the 1.4 I used to have, ive even got a spare set just incase
Bluejohn do you have the little explination sheet that comes with the flaps?

I think you struggling with the little black plastic wheel arch liners that just fill a gap really? well mine where wedged in quite well. A good wiggle should get them free, but they dont need to be removed from the car.

In the sheet I am certain "Vite D'origine" is Italian for origianl so you need to use two screws already in the car and two new screws per side.

Take out the two original lower screws in the wheel arch liner put the mud flap in and fasten them up, put the first new screw into the bumper itself on the painted side , the second new screw needs to go into the wheel arch liner. I used a pointy thing to mark my new holes (braddle), then drilled them with a tiny drill bit then screwed the screws in.




The rear mudflaps are one of my favourite improvements. I could take a pic from the wheel side if needed.

My new Radiator fan is much better, the original's fan blade was actually a little warped around the outside so it vibrated. The exhaust sounds good.

Forgot to say what I originaly wanted to do with the manifold and down pipe, I had hoped to buy a Supersprint punto HGT exhaust manifold since that will fit past the sump then likely only need modifications around the front subframe to meet the cat.

In the end the price of the supersprint pipe was just too much. I might still go for it in the future though.

have you thought about seeing if any decent company can custom build one for you, could be cheaper

I got some new Brembo Brake Discs recently PN:09.9631.14 to replace the generic cheap rubbish that was on before. They are really good noticably superior to anything else I have had previously. Also got another new set of EBC brake pads to go on with them.

After a few days my new exhaust got very loud, the manifold to downpipe gasket wasnt quite right. It was obviously leaking;

part 2


Got that replaced and the car is now quieter than I have ever known it. It sounds more purposeful, when the rpm gets quite high it has a slight growl.

I am really happy with the exhaust it was worth every penny and just what I wanted.

When you fitted wishbones, track rod ends and anti-roll bar drop links how long time wise are you looking at for this......i have limited mechanical hands on experience but need to attempt the same job.

Anything tool wise apart from usual sockets,copper grease etc that may be required.

Well I finally fitted my rear mudflaps, after realising that they wrap over the top of the existing black plastic corner pieces on the bumper - I had been trying to remove those first.

As stated, they are easy to fit using the 2 original arch liner-to-bumper screws and 2 self tappers to secure the wider bits to the bumper and arch liner.

The car looks basically as before but with wider mudflaps that should make some difference. No luck finding proper front flaps but they're probably out there somewhere (but not through Fiat...)

I could not find proper ones from local stores as all were flat rubber, plastic with wrong shape or some bright coloured cr**.

Ordered couple of these and use them on marea and brava.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260947075018
They dont screw under the sills like Fiat ones, but theyre wide and long enough to not mud the entire sides on dirt roads .

Used 3 stainless self tappers on the plastic inner instead of the supplied ones for securing and cut some of the stuff inside so tyres dont get caught in them.

wrightyHGT said:

When you fitted wishbones, track rod ends and anti-roll bar drop links how long time wise are you looking at for this......i have limited mechanical hands on experience but need to attempt the same job.

Anything tool wise apart from usual sockets,copper grease etc that may be required.

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Hey Wrighty, I paid a garage to do that job I dont have decent workspace to do it myself unfortunatly its limitting what i can do myself. Anyway they said the bolts holding the wishbones where a struggle and some snapped so id be prepared with some spare bolts. Looking at the manual I cant see the need for any out of the ordinary tools. Tracking will need to be redone ofcourse.


Glad you got them on bluejohn, I just bought a set of front mudflaps for 99p on eBay. They are replacing mine that where damaged by speedbumps in a supermarket car park, guess i went over it too slow. I hate speed bumps.

Got a Optima Red Top Battery for the car, fitted that today.
Comes with a cover for delivery

Without

Handle can be removed at two strips of plastic on the left and right of the base can be removed too.

I bought the reversed model because the terminals match the original layout. It weighs 15kg

Here is my engine bay with the Optima Red Top battery Fitted. After I took the pic I started tidying up the aged looking Injector Wiring and MAF wiring with some special woven nylon covering but it started raining so ill take another pic when thats done. Ive also got a pair of petrol tank straps I want to powder coat or plate, fiat do not have any stock left on them.

I might try and replace some engine bay bolts with stainless steel ones next.


My car has something ive never seen before on a Brava/Marea/Brava, between the drivers chasis leg and cambelt cover is a ducting that leads to the alternator intended to cool it with fresh air.

Oh and the red delivery cover on the battery also doubles as packing, you can put it under the battery to increase its height if needed.

Got the split boots taped up and then coverd with the woven nylon stuff. Still looking for a 2nd rocker cover to finnish in red.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-BRAVO-BRAVA-ETC-1-8-16V-182A2-000-TOP-ENGINE-COVER-/280728684309?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item415cbbc715&_uhb=1#ht_2918wt_1163

hope thats what your looking for

Bravo16VSpoonz said:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-BRAVO-BRAVA-ETC-1-8-16V-182A2-000-TOP-ENGINE-COVER-/280728684309?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item415cbbc715&_uhb=1#ht_2918wt_1163

hope thats what your looking for

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Thanks for thinking of me Spoonz The one you linked is a spark plug cover and its broken. At the top the semi circle bit where the filler is should be round its snapped in half.



I need the actuall rocker cover shown above not the spark plug cover, since i can drive my car without the spark plug cover while i make it red.

I finaly found out what cartridge i need for My FL Tester I need cartridge M43A

My ECU is a Hitachi MFI-0



If theres a M43A cartridge for sale i want it

Hi would you be intrested in a full magnex system came of a hgt but will fit an bravo

You really have a nice car. Good job!

Just a pic with the first round of stainless steel bolts. Most of them are in the slam pannel and lights. Ive ordered some stainless penny washers for the headlights.


The two rusty bolts in the bumper have a collar designed to prevent crushing the bumper plastic, im going to ask around and see if anyone can provide something to replace them. they are used on the rear bumper too so id love to change them all.

The rusty screws in the washer bottle and water bottle have a crazy self tapping kind of design, im not sure anything equivilant would exist in stanless steel.

looking good adrian.

Nice attention to detail but like the fact that you have mixed improved parts...exhaust,poly bushes into the mix.

Also annoying as it highlights the state mines in and the to do list is getting bigger..:bang:

Keep it up.

Ive bought a camshaft cover and coil pack cover, stripped them down and sent them off to a powdercoaters for coating in wrinkle red.

I had to remove the breather cover bit so noting gets trapped behind. Its bonded on with a silicone so the only way to get it off was by destroying that cover. Ive ordered a new cover, fiat do list a gasket in eper but the stock of that was exhausted so i will have to silicone my new breather cover back on.






Got more stainless bolts for the engine bay, suppose I should buy a new oil filler cap too.

Managed to get some stainless steel top hat bushes made out of stainless steel at a good price. Need to pick up some bolts without flanges then i can fit them at weeked. The will replace the rusty bumper bolts in my engine bay. I have enough to do every bolt on the car both front and back bumpers.