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Tipo (Classic) New Tipo (old model!)

Introduction

Following the demise of the red Tipo (see previous rust thread) I obtained a new one and this is work to date. This one had a fairly long MOT failure list including excessive corrosion on both front suspension mounts, 1 rear seat belt mounting point and an advisory on the other. However the 'Liberty' special edition with air-con in SX trim was tempting and the previous owner had fitted new springs and had some tidy welding done previously. So what needs doing...

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The rear valance is heading the same way as the red Tipo and cutting off and using the remade valance from the red one may be the way forward later on.

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The inner arches are not too far gone but there was more rust at the top and the back to tackle later.

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The holes behind the front struts will be the worst to fix, just above the sub-frame mounting bolts. Both my Mk11s suffer this.
Unusually the offside is worse than the nearside.

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Struts and brake pipes have to come off on both sides to do the front.

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The hole was largest on the front offside and it is double skinned in part, so there is an extra 2mm thick sheet on top of the usual 0.9mm sheet, forming the suspension turret, to reinstate. (n) This was the situation behind the strut on the o/side before and once all cleaned up. As usual there's more rust than first appears.

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It wasn't initially clear what was going on here. Having cleared the rot out, the 2mm outer sheet has cut-outs revealing the 0.9mm sheet immediately behind. The resulting gap was simply seam-sealed meaning this splendid arrangement was likely to cause problems one day! :nutter:

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The water must get in when the seam sealer cracks, or behind the raised edge of the 2mm sheet further up, where there was missing sealant, then run down and fester between the two sheets. The plastic protection in the front arches could have been designed to help overlap the edges but it stops short ! Useless! Time for a cup of tea.

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The next stage was to cut cardboard templates for the new sheet to go in.

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It wasn't initially clear what was going on. Having cleared the rot out, the 2mm outer sheet has cut-outs revealing the 0.9mm sheet immediately behind. These edges were simply seam sealed meaning the splendid arrangement is likely to cause problems one day! :nutter:

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The water must get in when the seam sealer cracks here, or behind the raised edge of the 2mm turret further up, where there was missing sealing, then run down between the two sheets. The plastic protection in the front arches could have been designed to help stop this but it stops short ! Time for a cup of tea.

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The next stage was to cut cardboard templates for the new sheet to go in.

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Mk1 Tipo s don't seem to rust here as the cavity behind the front strut is filled with expanding polyeurothane filler,this must have been dropped in the mk 2 and there is some concern expressed in the thatcham body repair manual as to the use of expanding filler due to health and safety,I presume this is due to giving off fumes if the stuff sets on fire when welding in repair sections.
 
Turning to the other side it didn't look anything like as bad at first but it was a similar rot-fest. I cut the brake hose retainers off, cleaned them up and welded them back on. In place of the original spot welds plug welds were placed.

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For paint, the more of a faff it is to apply and use, I take the view the better it might last in the long term! With that in mind, the paint for outer areas is Epoxy Mastic which appears to adhere very well and present a tough finish and by forming the base and top coat avoids issues with paint compatibility between coats. It can also can be mixed thick enough to avoid resort to sealer. Brush painting it is ok where the finish won't be scrutinised too closely. The concealed areas which are not exposed to spray were coated in galvanising spray. Time will tell, any other views welcome !
 
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Mk1 Tipo s don't seem to rust here as the cavity behind the front strut is filled with expanding polyeurothane filler,this must have been dropped in the mk 2

That's interesting and I thought this must be the case because of your Mk1, Camo and others clearly did not require any work. The foam is still there in the Mk2 I had a bucket ready! I think it's down to slapdash seam sealing further up the turret from what I can see, maybe the guy got bored or was retiring on a Fiat state pension ! :rolleyes:
 
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My current Tipo is a late model one with the "safety pack" fitted... It has a driver airbag, pretensioning seatbelts and the seats are height adjustable. My earlier one was a non-airbag version, and I always preferred the feel of the simpler wheel.

Incidentally the airbag steering wheel is deeper than the standard, and as a result both indicator / wiper stalks are angled more towards the driver.. when mine failed I replaced them with earlier ones and it's quite noticeable!
 
More updates. With the struts off I tidied underneath the strut tops, however, as it is the same piece of 2mm sheet it would seem unlikely to perforate any time soon, and I renewed the strut bearings which were looking a little rusty.

With a sill repair, front brake pipes, new wiper blades and sorting some lighting issues, the Tipo was ready for MOT...

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I can't boast BlueJohn's safety pack (y) or Camos' digi dash :cool: however I hoped my garage would be welcoming of the SX trim elements plus 'Lorica' seats and leather gear knob :yum:

After an initial knock-back for suspected corrosion inside of the sill behind a plastic cover, which we agreed was incorrect having taken it off, I had an MOT and we were ready for the first test drive...
 
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Not having driven one for some years, it was a reminder of what a great drive these cars are. However it was a cold day and family members complained about damp seats and lack of heating. In addition, the engine was clearly running too cold. More concerningly by the time we got back, the oil pressure light was just starting to flicker...:eek:
 
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Heating issue might be the thermostat (I've swapped a few...), oil pressure light is a bit worrying if your level is OK, do you get the feeling the previous owner looked after it or just ran it until it was about to expire?

The engines are pretty tough so maybe do a compresion test and listen for any bottom end rumbles. Do an oil flush and change, use a 15W/40 oil (a diesel variant will help clear any internal gunk).

Hope it goes well, they are a nice driving experience.

I never really liked the SX's velour interior but the colour coded bumper sections are a smart addition. Plus a 60:40 split folding rear seat!
 
Heating issue might be the thermostat (I've swapped a few...), oil pressure light is a bit worrying if your level is OK, do you get the feeling the previous owner looked after it or just ran it until it was about to expire?

The engines are pretty tough so maybe do a compresion test and listen for any bottom end rumbles.

Plus a 60:40 split folding rear seat!

The coolant is grey colour so it's well had it and you'd be right about the thermostat. The vendor seemed confident in the engine and given the work needed to the body that was a lesser concern. However I would say this oil pressure reading at 1 bar when cold! supports the warning light. Along with that rattle on biting point you mention. Apart from that it's a nice unit. :D

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So time to consider a way forward. One option could be to transplant the 1.9 TD from my red one. Much would be 'plug and play' but it won't all be plain sailing.

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PS No 60:40 seat and headlamp washers for the Liberty, must have paid for the air con :idea:
 
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