Panda (Classic) Godiva -- the blue 750L (L is for "Low mileage")

Well, having not "driven stick" for many, many years, picking up Pippin (the Panda formerly known as Godiva...) was one heckuvanadventure...!

It was fun, though! And I got him/her up to an indicated 70 mph, at one stage; but s/he cruises rather nicely between 60 and 65 mph. (It's a good job s/he doesn't have a rev counter...!) S/he also drove really well in heavy traffic in town... (it's the Shakespeare Birthday Weekend, here; and really sunny...).

Here s/he is, parked outside Black Cat Motors, in Stratford-upon-Avon: waiting to be MOT'd, serviced, and given a thorough once-over. (And I make no apologies for promoting them as a garage: they deliver sterling service -- which includes taking their customers all the way to pick up their new cars...! A big thank-you to John, the owner, therefore, for whizzing me up the A46 in his swish 4.2 Audi A8, earlier...! And for commenting that "It doesn't look like a twenty-three-year-old car, does it?")











Thanks to everyone for their help and support -- especially to @purple haze for bringing him/her to my attention...!

Watch this space...!

PS: Not a bad way to celebrate my 1,500th post to the Forum, eh...?!


2 August 2014
How Pippin looks now -- after a light fettling from @VmanC...

Congratulations she look a really nice example.

Super cool....750L's look so right..the real meaning of a car for the masses..

Nice one Stephen . She's looking a little better than Betty at the moment, think they're going to get on very nicely.

yeah thats nice. well done man. happy you got it

Wow, just gorgeous! That interior is amazing.

A really lovely little car. The interior and the paintwork go brilliantly together too.

This is from John (yes, another one...), who runs Black Cat:

It's been for its MOT, and for a 23 year old car it's going okay -- life has been kind to it, but 'Fiat problems' have come up! Certainly I think it has been really well looked after, so you haven't been sold a dud by any means....

Basically, it needs its exhaust patching (which you could tell from the noise she makes...!); new tyres (which I also knew...); but -- as you may have guessed from the quotes above -- the driver's seatbelt mount needs a little bit of welding. (It's obviously caught it from the rusty door...!) @cheekylittlescamp: I now empathize, rather than just sympathize....

To be honest, none of this actually fazes me... (although having two cars in a similar state might just -- when @VmanC reports back...). It's not actually as bad as I had dreaded; and, as I said to John, I bought this car "to save it"; and to ensure it survives (providing the homewardette doesn't drive it into a tree, of course...).

Echoing something @Palio said to me, John sums it up better than I could:

Bearing in mind this is a first car, [this work will] ensure this rare, near pristine and great example has many years left to enjoy. I think it's a great investment, and in 10 years time there really aren't going to be many as good as this anywhere -- certainly not on the road!

He may be slightly biased, of course: as a restorer of classic Minis. Dan and Binsy (two of his staff: separated in age by almost 50 years!) are currently restoring a Triumph Herald and a Morris Minor, respectively, too!

To that end, whilst Godiva's being fettled, I have decided to replace the springs (which are quite corroded -- but didn't even come up as an advisory...); shocks (which look tatty to me; and the suspension doesn't feel brilliant... -- although I obviously haven't driven a classic Panda for around 25 years...) and bushes. (I may as well go for -- almost literally -- broke!)

If anyone has any recommendations as to brands for the new suspension, please yell now: as I'm getting back to John in the morning.

So: good news and bad news. I now truly feel that I belong here...!

Normal news really.....I would only question the cost of a patch on the exhaust compared to a new item...

Panda exhaust's tend to look good on the outside and rotten on the inside..so if yours needs patching it will need doing again soon.

Good thing is that new exhaust bits are peanuts..

Thanks for this!

I must admit that I had already been thinking along these lines, anyway.... Whilst the car is up in the air, it seems a false economy just to patch it... -- especially when compared to the cost of replacing the suspension; not to mention having to rescue the homewardette when the exhaust falls off miles from home....

Ah looking good, however you want a bit of bad news?

The gear leaver isn't an origional 750L part, that's been changed from probably a 4 speed 1000CL

Glad MOT doesn't sound like anything too major though

Being an "H" reg didn't it come with the later gearstick like most pandas of the time?? Sure I'm right.

I have to admit I much prefer the older type and have a spare if needed.

Can one or both of you please post piccies...? I'm struggling to find one for reference....

I think the later 750 FIRE & Mania models might have, but those with hammock seats didn't, having checked the reg plates out our H reg is a late May 1991 registration where as Godiva is August 1990 and out 1991 has the same more 'simple' gear stick as in out 1989 750L.

Will have to take a pic for you @homeward as haven't got one on the computer I don't think.

Many thanks...! Although no panic: as the car is remaining hidden in the workshop until the day before the homewardette's big day!

As the rest of the interior is pretty 'mint' (and I'm about as happy using that word as you are with 'stock'...), it would be nice to keep it/put it back to the original... (although @purple haze now has the opportunity to murmur something about clocks, of course...).

What I then do about the radio, I don't know... -- although I have just managed to source two brand-new speaker pods from Italy! What these are also filled with will depend on HRH's taste, budget, and my say-so.... But that's a debate for another day...!