That's an absolute beauty you've managed to land yourself there. Without doubt, definitely don't modify it!

I love Q cars and this has to be one of the best. If I were to take the HGT badge off the back everyone would think she's a 1.2

:devil:

Gave a chap in an S3 a bit of a shock earlier. Third gear off a roundabout this thing is untouchable.

:worship:

New tyres arrived today...



...and I took a load of SuperFIRE bits to Peacehaven...



...and a spare set of wheels back. I hit a pothole on the M25 and now the car makes a clunk if I brake or accelerate hard. I'd better get her up on ramps before we hit the track.

Be careful taking that beauty on a track!

puntofan01 said:

Be careful taking that beauty on a track!

Click to expand...

I need to get her up on ramps and find out what the clunking is first. The Alfa may end up going instead. :bang:

It's a tricky situation really: both cars are far too good to be used for track days. Ideally, you need another car like the Bravo: tatty, not much longer left before its beyond economic repair, etc.

It's just one track day to set a bench/target time for "build" side of things. :devil:

I see!

Liquid Knight II said:

New tyres arrived today...

...and I took a load of SuperFIRE bits to Peacehaven...

...and a spare set of wheels back. I hit a pothole on the M25 and now the car makes a clunk if I brake or accelerate hard. I'd better get her up on ramps before we hit the track.

Click to expand...

I hope it’s nothing too serious [emoji21]

Having seen this car in person it is a real beauty,one to keep

Love the green, keep it stock! I got my 05 HGT a couple of years back, and it apart from a few Abarth badges (that I kept on) its pretty much stock. Grabbed mine for £600 from a guy who'd bought it for his nephew but the road tax and insurance had priced him out of keeping it. Still has only 46k on the clock and would love to see it through to at least the 100k mark. Dont regret it for one minute. Firm ride on rough roads around here, but on a decent surface I love the drive. My gf has a 14 plate Corsa and find that way too bouncy anyway in comparison. Bad back vs nausea I guess!

My second punto after an old 1.2 ELX finally died on me. Dunno why but I still love the them! Maybe because it was on of the last genuinely small hatchbacks.




Few things I've had to do with mine...

1. New tyres, still had a couple of dunlops on the back but they were close to not making it through the next MOT so grabbed 4 Oponeo mid range tyres for it a month or so back.

2. Replacement Blaupunkt CD Changer - got lucky with one on ebay for about £20, had one originally but was kaput.

3. Replacement Handbrake. Teeth were knackered when I got it, so got another from Puntospares, worked perfectly.

4. 2x wiper motors. The linkages on mine have sprung off twice with water, and damaged the inside of the wiper arm, so now on my 3rd. Have put clips on the linkages now to hopefully avoid it from happening again.

5. Serviced twice, air filters, plugs etc - had 9 stamps when I got it, so have kept up with that.

New & constant problems...
1. Electrics - mostly if its been sat for a couple of days or the cold, but often get airbag warnings, a max temperature warning or a clock reset on a first turnover or after a short drive. Typical italian electrics I guess, all luckily have been false warnings so far.

2. Revs dipping - has got better but has been a problem when shifting down to second or neutral - will sometimes dive under 1000 revs and has occasionally stalled because of it. Redex and going back to premium fuel seems to have helped. Also tried cleaning out the throttle body - but was already pretty clean, so still a bit of a mystery but a common problem I think

3. Power steering used to fail sometimes on a full lock, hasnt happened now since I got it, but again another punto problem I think.

4. Gearstick hasn't enjoyed the snow and now wont spring back from left to right, so need to look into that.

Look forward to seeing how you get on with it!

puntofan01 said:

It's a tricky situation really: both cars are far too good to be used for track days. Ideally, you need another car like the Bravo: tatty, not much longer left before its beyond economic repair, etc.

Click to expand...

Like this one?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-Fiat-punto-1-8-HGT/173207807848?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Shame it's on the south coast again.

Sadly, yes. It's such a shame that mk2s are going to scrapyards in such high numbers now. My parents 1 was scrapped last year. [emoji20]

puntofan01 said:

View attachment 189007

Sadly, yes. It's such a shame that mk2s are going to scrapyards in such high numbers now. My parents 1 was scrapped last year. [emoji20]

Click to expand...

Defo, numbers are dwindling Another reason trying to keep mine going as long as possible!



Anyone know what year production on the HGT Abarth stopped? Not seen one other than the mk2 that was on fifth gear, was it only in the yellow and was there much different with it?

I think I'll always have a soft spot for mk2s tbh, especially the 1.2 8v models.

Well. I'm flummoxed. There is nothing loose or knackered under the front or rear of the car that would make a clunk when I set off from the driver side or the grinding sound from the passenger side front wheel when I put the car in reverse.

No movement from any wishbone, drop link or anti-roll bar bush. I did notice one anti-roll bar bush has been replaced recently and the front wish bones look recent.
The passenger side tracking is off from the looks of the tyre wear. Oh the rear bump stops were both on their sides inside the rear springs.

Hmmmmm...

I'll get the new tyres on as the fronts are worn and the rears a no name ditch finder brand and see how she feels.

The track day is Friday but I get paid Thursday so I'll get oil and a filter then as she's a little low.

New tyres fitted and a couple of mysteries solved.

1/ The rumbling sound in reverse. Sunny Pro-Tour tyres are crap.

2/ The clunking when setting off? The locking wheel bolts were 10mm longer than the standard ones. The front wheels have never been mounted properly. My guess is the wheels resettled every time I moved. I have fitted standard bolts all round and there is no clunking at all.

:slayer:

Something funny happened at the tyre place.

A customer noticed my Punto and said...

"You've doubled the value putting those tyres on".

...I politely replied...

"Nah, she's an HGT. One of only a hundred or so left. You can buy her if you have two grand".

...he looked at me dumbfounded and walked around the car on four jacks with both passenger side wheels off. Paused to look at the back brakes, paused to look at the spoiler and then noticed the little HGT badge.

"I am so sorry. I have never seen one of these. How fast does it go?"

People are so retarded about Fiats. Even a normal ELX would still be a stylish way of getting around today. I find people who often sneer at Fiat often drive something shyte: a ford normally.

Liquid Knight II said:

drop link

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How hard did you look