Hi to all the panda buffs,

I have a basic spec panda 750 (such an honset little car!) that i am trying to restore, (it is also my main means of transport) the seller had changed the seats in the car, i suspect they came from either a cinquecento or uno but they are ill fitting, the driver seat had not been anchored to the floor as i discovered when entering a curve in the road.....thankfully there was little traffic about at the time!

The cars here in the Portuguese interior do not as a rule rust, (sadly i have a few bubbles at the base of the doors). my panda is a 1990 model, and the interrior is a mismatch of panels and very worn carpeting, roof liner that is sagging into the boot.... But the body is sound, no rust apart from door bases and no accident damage.

I am looking to make a new rear seat bench along the lines of the original but as there are no pandas in any of the local scrapyards (100km radius) i am unabe to get hold of an original seat as a template - can anyone supply information and the mechanical operation/functioning on the original seat and covers (dimensions or photos or the various anchor poles etc.) to facilitate the reconstruction of the rear seat and assembly.

There are many pandas still registered and running in portugal as little rust means the just keep on going here, and they are now classic cars and so are appreciating in value! I have the autobook and haynes manuals for the 45 and the later models but the manuals provide next to no informstion re back seat dimensions etc.

Any help with the sests would be greatly appreciated.
dirk

I can certainly try, but i am away tomorrow for a few days so it might be next week. I'll check in again later to see if anyone else has been able to help

rendo said:

I can certainly try, but i am away tomorrow for a few days so it might be next week. I'll check in again later to see if anyone else has been able to help

Click to expand...

Thanks for input any information welcome, have tried to generate a template from photos from the internet, using points where seat attachement points used to be. I was wondering what the seat poles were constructed of and what construction method was used to reinforce them so they would withstand bending forces when occupied by two adult passengers while also being light enough for easy removal for the transportation of hay bales and the annual olive harvest to the local olive press, the old panda is a real farm workhorse.

I was also looking to replace the rear window latch as one of the previous owner(s) had snapped off the metal latch stem ???? and simply fastened the window with fence wire (effective for winter until you are forced to drive in 40 deg. C in summer with little air flow!) i went to the official fiat dealership only to be informed that Fiat no longer supplied the window latch assembly! I see Ricambios of Banstead do one for the 126 - is this the same assembly used in the panda classic? Well i have "rewired" the window back up as the car must travel many km on dirt rutted farm roads so there is the fear of the flimsy hinges taking too much strain and causing more damage.