I never thought I would have to make a thread like this but it seems the time has come..

Went for my MOT over the weekend and it came back with the dreaded 'corrded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced' (x4)

Both sills need welding and a small patch on the subframe. My MOT guy even said its such a shame as the outside is so clean. The undercoat I did last year did manage to save the floorpan though as the usual spots in the rear footwells are perfect.

This little car has been perfect for the 4 years I've had it, trips up and down the country even climbing the peaks in wales and hauling huge concrete slabs once. A real shame really as I dont have the time to get it properly sorted it out.
So I would like to offer it to anyone on here that would like a project of sorts as I'd rather it be saved than strip it for parts or even worse..

Basics:

-2004 1.4 16v Sporting in the light shade of blue (azzurro lagoon I believe)
-Timing belt and water pump done last year
-New KYB rear springs, front shocks, new (2nd hand reconditioned) rear beam
-New gearbox dogbone mount
-New aerial- old one collapsed as they all seem to with age
-New exhaust rubber hangers- old ones looked ancient
-New rear silencer around 2 years ago

'Mods':

-Front Alfa GT blackine leather seats (with the fancy red stitching )
-Working Alfa GT/147 cruise control stalk - comes up on the dash display as normal
-Factory 100w fiat subwoofer
-OEM kenwood speaker upgrade x4
-Audi TT facelevel vents- surprising they fit really well
-The correct 23" drivers side wiper- wierdly its hard to find 23" blades
-Bonnet gas struts- cannibalised from the bootlid struts
-Wind delfectors
-Alfa GT front interior light- old one relocated to rear

It was fun to scroll through old pictures to see has been done, I can't quite believe the amount of stuff over the years, was just supposed to be a run around car. I've really enjoyed it- really nippy, not quite a real hot hatch but I've supprised a few people haha.

With these getting rarer these days I ideally would ike someone to take it off my hands and save it, I know they're not worth much these days but I'd rather sell it to someone who could get it back on the road than get around £250 from the local scrappers.

I've probably forgotten some details but I'l be happy to answer any questions.

Hi

Thats a shame isnt it..

Where are you based.?

How many miles on it..??

Its probably worth saving if you have time and can weld for materials cost

The working cruise and Alfa leather would work for me..

But .. as I discovered with my 1st 188..

£200 every year just gets to a point where its not viable..

Charlie

I am so sorry for you, this is such a shame.
I invite any skilled tinsmith who live in Jason's area to try and give him a helping hand as the problem do sound dreadful, in fact in easy sortable for a skilled hand. Maybe you can fix it with help and won't have to give it away, keep it still and use it on.
So good people, please step up and do a decent job either for free, either for a decent price, I don't think Jason wouldn't pay a reasonable price for the job.
Thank you!

Hard to believe a car that photographs so well can have reached the end of the road.

You should at least get a quote for repairs.

varesecrazy said:

Hi

Thats a shame isnt it..

Where are you based.?

How many miles on it..??

Its probably worth saving if you have time and can weld for materials cost

The working cruise and Alfa leather would work for me..

But .. as I discovered with my 1st 188..

£200 every year just gets to a point where its not viable..

Charlie

Click to expand...

Ah yeah, I knew I forgot something..

Its on 71k miles, and I'm based in Rugby in the midlands.

Seems like a waste if I strip it for parts or scrap it, engine is perfect still and drives really well.

I feel you on the few hundred a year thing, the new rear suspension along with the beam was the major thing last year- I stumped up then becuase I really like the car but now its getting to the point where I have to question my decisions..

judderbar said:

Hard to believe a car that photographs so well can have reached the end of the road.

You should at least get a quote for repairs.

Click to expand...

I got quoted at the mot place £300 for the welding alone, I'm going to another garage tomorrow afternoon to see what they can do for me.

Sadly I doubt they can do it for significantly less.

Hopefully someone who has access to a welder and a ramp can take on a project.

John .. Dragon Man
Poor link sorry ..
Likes projects and is Midlands based

gadge is '2 streets away' and might know of somebody

Fingers crossed!
I really hope you'll get the fix, for a decent price!
Do not get yourself down! The fix must be there, right "around the corner". You'll find it. By the looks of it, the nice car did not let yourself in the midlle of the road. You'll manage not to let it, too!

Mike1alike said:

Fingers crossed!
I really hope you'll get the fix, for a decent price!
Do not get yourself down! The fix must be there, right "around the corner". You'll find it. By the looks of it, the nice car did not let yourself in the midlle of the road. You'll manage not to let it, too!

Click to expand...

Thanks mate! The last thing I want to do is just scrap it- its too good for that.

The car has actually been totally reliable in the last 4 years, never once left me stranded anywhere.

varesecrazy said:

John .. Dragon Man
Poor link sorry ..
Likes projects and is Midlands based

gadge is '2 streets away' and might know of somebody

Click to expand...

If I had the space I wouldve took it on. I love the 1,4 engine I think it's just the right size for the car

The reality is.. its probably STILL worth saving..
As its potentially 'patchable' currently to MOT standards.. but really wants cutting out and rebuilding to last a decade.. but this is time consuming..

i just had to sell one car as i have no space

I think I'd probably save it if you can afford to. Especially as you just had the timing belt done. That's like a £250–£300 job right there. I have a 2003 MK2B and your body work looks far nicer than mine.

You'll need a new pair of rear shocks but they're not expensive and fairly easy to do yourself.

Can I ask what kind of car aerial replacement you used? I need a new one on my MK2B.

Good luck.

I've done that kind of mot fixes for friends for almost free (food salary), easy peasy. It's weird to see how good looking cars ends in scrappy in there. Maybe there's no backyard mechanics like we have in Finland?

varesecrazy said:

The reality is.. its probably STILL worth saving..
As its potentially 'patchable' currently to MOT standards.. but really wants cutting out and rebuilding to last a decade.. but this is time consuming..

Click to expand...

To save it long term it would be best to get entirely new sill sections really, doesn't make much financial sense for me right now though unfortunately.

Would be a perfect for a fiat specialist to quickly deal with..

quaffle said:

I think I'd probably save it if you can afford to. Especially as you just had the timing belt done. That's like a £250–£300 job right there. I have a 2003 MK2B and your body work looks far nicer than mine.

You'll need a new pair of rear shocks but they're not expensive and fairly easy to do yourself.

Can I ask what kind of car aerial replacement you used? I need a new one on my MK2B.

Good luck.

Click to expand...

Want to swap bodies?

Rear shocks I can do on the driveway- the welding is a whole other ball game.

I just got a new aerial base off aliexpress- literally cost pennies just had to wait a while. Something like this:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...earchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

I'm sure you can find similar on ebay though. Fixed my no reception problem instantly.

jonik said:

I've done that kind of mot fixes for friends for almost free (food salary), easy peasy. It's weird to see how good looking cars ends in scrappy in there. Maybe there's no backyard mechanics like we have in Finland?

Click to expand...

I don't know of any 'underground' type ones in this area really..

Going to another garage later today to ask them what they think but if anyone knows of any good backyard type garages (or even mobile mechanics?) in the Rugby area it would be greatly appreciated.

jason6168 said:

To save it long term it would be best to get entirely new sill sections really, doesn't make much financial sense for me right now though unfortunately.

Would be a perfect for a fiat specialist to quickly deal with..



Want to swap bodies?

Rear shocks I can do on the driveway- the welding is a whole other ball game.

I just got a new aerial base off aliexpress- literally cost pennies just had to wait a while. Something like this:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...earchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

I'm sure you can find similar on ebay though. Fixed my no reception problem instantly.



I don't know of any 'underground' type ones in this area really..

Going to another garage later today to ask them what they think but if anyone knows of any good backyard type garages (or even mobile mechanics?) in the Rugby area it would be greatly appreciated.

Click to expand...

Sounds like you don't want to pay more money to fix the car and don't want somebody to take it apart for parts.

However, if you can put your sentimentality to one side, then just the carpets on that car are going to get you money towards your next car.

As I said it is hard to believe the car is so bad underneath but if you believe it to be so bad you may as well sell it for parts.

I just can't justify spending £300 to fight a never ending battle against rust really. Possibly closer to half that amount I could justify in my head maybe..

Stripping it for parts isn't out of the question but obviously it is much more practical for me to hand it off as a whole car. Definitely don't have anything against somebody taking this as a donor for their own mk2b.

I dont think its as bad as the mot place made out- I'll try and snap a few pics over the weekend. At the end of the day it just seems a waste just to send it to the scrappers.