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Bravo (Classic) Van with a difference!!!.

Introduction

Heres the replacement for my highly abused yet extremely reliable Bravo.... Another Bravo (y) I'm moving up a year here :D Not going to be bitten like the last time, this is going to have a strip down and re-rustproof with a few bits to be thrown in too (copper lines all round are in the plans). Most importantly, this car is going to be converted to a van and painted black with some "toys" installed... More pics soon! :)

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Re: Van with a difference!!!

wooow the pictures make it look like a fun job, but doing it, im sure is alot different feeling.

and some of those pictures take me back, when i took my car to pieces..:) glad i aint going back there again.

ill look forward to more updates!! (y)

It is a fun job, reminds me of my first full stripdown and rebuild :) this is more thorough and time consuming mind you :p

Now for yet another quick update (y)
Shoulder feeling better, I went and attacked the inside of the car (y)
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So now it looks like:
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Hang on, that deserves a closer look...
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:mad::mad::mad:
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Daylight didnt help, the other side was symmetrical (n)
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Not to worry, always take it on the chin :) with a drill and wire brush...
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Just need to push it out with the dozer and spotweld, job done (y)

Those pesky door cards were going mouldy (n) so out they came (y)
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Now for the halfway point on the interior: The roof lining :D Simple, just undo the handle grips, plastic trim, sun visors, interior lights and a few push clips. It should come out handy as its only CLIPPED in position. But as usual, nothing is simple with this car :mad:
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Thats right, it was glued back on, not with glue but davids fast resin and the worst fibre glass effort ive seen in ages :mad:
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Who seriously does that... I would like to meet the person who worked on this car and show them how to maintain a car properly :D

So here it is as it stands: All the bits needing to be taken off are off (except for the door components). Just some welding, body dozing and bonding to do. Then we can start with putting the engine in (y)

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Re: Van with a difference!!!

This makes me want to do a rebuild of my own lol! I will do it eventually but I have no space or time at the moment. I'll keep watching!

Dom
 
Re: Van with a difference!!!

Im definately gonna keep an eye on this one, its interesting what else your gonna find and looking forward to how its gonna turn out in the end (y)
 
Re: Van with a difference!!!

Update time :)

First of all, I havnt been able to do much but all will be explained why further down :)

Remember this nasty dent?
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Good ridance!! :D:D:D
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It was time for the engine swap. The thoughts of butchering my old car... :cry:
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It is only temporary though :) Now I didnt get many pictures of fitting the engine as it got very dark, very quick.
So well move onto this, Im painting my speedo clocks with a white surround, more pics of that when its done :)
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Time for the interior. Ill be retrimming the cards and roof lining in white leather, to match the seats :D this means hacking up the door cards :p
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All was going well untill one moulding decided to be stubborn. So I put all my effort into cutting it, big mistake. The knife slipped and the knife went into my finger, lacerating it quite badly Ahhhh Ahhhh Ahhhh Ive lost the use of it for the moment, it will heal but it needs lots of time. Its still very sore as I type this (n) Todays lesson, be careful with knives (y)

Earlier today, I decided to try get this car going (y)
Front painted with hammerite
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6 speed box :slayer:
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And a quick clean (y)
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If you have a 1.2 please check this pipe going into the injectors, they go brittle with age and leak, causing a strong "odeur" in the cabin and a potential fire hazard
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Once again, it got too dark too quick so no decent pics of the engine ready to go (n) plugged in the battery, in with the key, double checked everything! Turned the key and.... Failed to start :bang::bang::bang: Tried again, still nothing, boo earns (n) so Ive put up this thread:
https://www.fiatforum.com/bravo-brava/258198-non-runner-battery-drain.html?p=2660368

I hope for the next update the car will be at least going!! (y)
 
Re: Van with a difference!!!

we'll youve certainly van-dalised that :p

Im definately gonna keep an eye on this one, its interesting what else your gonna find and looking forward to how its gonna turn out in the end (y)

same here,i like before and after pics :)

keep it up look forward to the end result
 
Re: Van with a difference!!!

we'll youve certainly van-dalised that :p



same here,i like before and after pics :)

keep it up look forward to the end result

A new way of putting it!! :D:D

Small update, Ive just got it going a few mins ago (y) seems to idle too high, I think its time for some washers on the tb... Not going to wait for daylight, in with the shafts, slave cylinder, exhaust and radiator. Time to get it mobile. Hope to have more pics tomorrow! :D
 
Re: Van with a difference!!!

have you got a garage or doing it all on the driveway?
if i had a garage or even a car port my engine change wouldnt have took the time it did lol

fair play to ya doing it late (y)

Mike
 
Re: Van with a difference!!!

have you got a garage or doing it all on the driveway?
if i had a garage or even a car port my engine change wouldnt have took the time it did lol

fair play to ya doing it late (y)

Mike

We have a garage but it has an X1/9 and a big Mercedes in it at the mo :p The ground is good so Im not complaining :) All the work is being done outside except for the eventual paintjob, which is an indoors only job :D
 
Re: Van with a difference!!!

Small update, nothing major!

Well start with a quote :)

We have a garage but it has an X1/9 and a big Mercedes in it at the mo :p
The 2 longtimers :) I did say it was a big Merc :D
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Now common sense kicked in last night after it read -2 degrees out :mad: So instead I decided to try finish the back bumper. 2 years too long in the making :eek:
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And I managed to route out this badboy :devil:
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I have plans for that later.... ;)

I got my speedo finished
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And assembled
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So now it has a nice blue milometer and hopefully yellow backlights (y)

Ive got nothing done in daylight as Ive been away leather hunting :devil:
As she stands:
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Interior almost ready
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And the van pannels :slayer:
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Maybe ill have it painted for the next update....!! (y)
 
Re: Van with a difference!!!

wow you have been busy!

did the speedos annoy you a little ? in the temp and fuel parts you have those so called 'stoppers' they are proper fiddly, my temp moves up and down when its likes now..

look forward to some more updates
 
Right update time :D

First of all due to college exams and miserable weather (if its not raining its freezing) I've did naff all with the car :mad: I've been collecting various bits and pieces for it though so not a total waste of time (y)

As of next thursday (and this friday to a certain extent) I'll have much much more time to get this car sorted :D

Lets start with a running theme. Having multiple copies of the same car (a minimum of 3 at the very least) is very very handy....
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Hold on, where did the wings go?
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:devil:

They need painting though, prefably with this stuff
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You know its good stuff when it says for industrial use only on the side (y)

Now due to the complexity I had in fabricating custom brackets, lift up mechanism and the right diameter collar on the other car it wont be going on this one :(
However I am making up my own push start system (y)
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Need more time to fit and test it though...

Better brakes are a must
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And new tyres :D
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And a new shut panel for the bonnet :D:D
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Those are 40mm lowering springs with sachs super touring shockers for this car btw :p

This steel floor and exhaust...
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...needs reworking to fit these
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and this backbox if you can call it that :ROFLMAO:
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The final job for the moment was to put the plates up
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:woot:

Back to college stuff, untill the weekend! (y)
 
Cheers for the comments!!! :D

A one picture update this time......... :eek:

After a horrible wet day, I've put in the driveshafts, new track rod ends, customised "service" box (modified bottom half of air box), vented disks and calipers, new shut panel and shocks in one evening, not a difficult job anyway. Only one pic as it was still raining :mad:
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Oh and the K&N 57i making the right sound...! :D

If anyone out there wants a guide on any of the stuff I've done so far or has a request, leave a comment and I'll see what I can do! (y)
 
Small update time :)

Still doing college work so not much time to do much :( however last exam is on thursday, leaving me untill the end of the month to do whatever I want... ;)

First of all, time to get the car on the ground :)
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Fairly low :) now just the back needs sorting....
Connected all the cables up
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The K&N was custom made by me for a different application so it took a bit of time to get it to fit there

Time to move the car :) but I'm trapped :mad:
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Golden tip, a W126 is a very very heavy car... Got it moved though and in its original place :) still looks a right mess though!!!
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And then the window refused to wind up :mad::mad::mad: so I've started this thread :)

Hope to have the window sorted for the next update!! :D
 
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