This is my '95 Cabrio ELX I have for more than 2 years.
It was actually built in 1994 but registered on the road in Feb 1995.
That was my dream car after owning a MK1 75SX punto for almost 10 years.
These are very rare here in my country, I believe there's up to 10 maybe.
I'm planning to own it to the rest of my life )


Background
The car came with no service history at all, I'm the 14 owner of the car
Here in my country, sports and open roof cars changing owners within a year.
Although it's an old car, i was amused it was very original, very clean and kept 5 years at the last owner.
I got it at around 230,000KM on the clock, engine was changed a few years ago.
Cars won't rust here in my country but the color faded over the years and got re-painted a few years back.

This is how I got it:





First thing I did was detailing the car:






I will try to upload all the things I've changed these 2 years since I have the car and hope to continue update.

1 month after driving the car, I've desided to renew the engine.
No paraflu was in the system, only water. no thermostat, and no service history. it shot a bit of water thru the back exhuast after the car is hot, but I still be able to drive it.

Pictures of renew the cylinder head:







Changing more bits while everything is removed:





1 Month after fixing it, I started to feel loss in power and engine got off a few times.
Checked the plugs and HT leads and found corrosion:




I then desided to renew all the ignition system and sensors with new genuine parts:



Corroded water temp sensor:



New spark plugs vs. old:



Bad connector wires:






After changing everything, it still didn't run very well.

I've found a broken spark plug that I didn't install correctly:



Then, it was running great for a few months, and car turned off at corners with Ignition light on. I came to a local FIAT delaler which checked and told me I have a bad speed sensor (on the gearbox).
Found a new part on ebay:



Old one:




Look at the old wires:



Engine was no longer turned off at corners but it got off sometimes and I couldn't start it.
It cranked but no start.
I checked the crank sensor because that's the only thing I haven't changed.
It fixed my problem.




Removing it was a pain, since the car has an A/C system and the sensor is located on it's mount.



New sensor in:



Old one:



Since then, car is running great.
and I replaced almost everything I could.

Here I will post pictures of the projects I did and what I've replaced and hopefully will update this thread every now and then.

Now for the parts I've changed over these 2 years:

Lambda sensor:







I got rid of the old wheels and got original GT/ELX Cab wheels:

Old ones:



Some cleaning:




New bits I got including new Bertone Symbols:





Car is getting original again:



Next I had to change the clutch, I believe it was the original clutch for 20 years since it was so bad:



I then upgraded to a nice leather steering wheel and leather gear knob from a GT3:






NICEE


Done some cleaning and changed the brake system and got it colored:




Setting up the hand-brake:


I had to renew all the lubes and the oil in the hydraulic hood pump as well:



Fixed some wiring which operated the roof:




Next was to renew all the electronics and bad connectors, and to protect it all:

More bad wires:


New connector:







I then managed to get to the fuse box as well:



Fixed the bad windows which were going slow by spraying silicone lube and replaced some bad and old bolts:


More seals and gaskets to change:


Oily crankcase breather area:








All clean:


Rocker cover started to leak after 1 year of the cylinder head fix:



New brake master cylinder hose:



More stuff:


When I first got the car, steering pump was leaking and made a horrible noise. I got stuck at the road on a hot day with the Battery light on.
I then knew my alternator is gone, steering pump fluid got in it and burned it.
As the steering pump is on top of the alternator.
Then I fixed that as well, one of the hardest work I did:




Original 21 years old alternator (1994)!


Got it renewed:




Also the steering pump got fixed so it won't leak on the alternator again:



I then replaced all the steering pipes as they didn't last more than 21 years old



Leaking lines:



I got this silicone pipe and system is like new again!
No pipes can be found anywhere! FIAT doesn't make these anymore.

Now it's time to renew all the cooling system, starting by pipes, radiator and sensors.

Old pipes:





Starting to work with my friend:







Old one is out!









Now it's time to renew all the A/C system, and the old condensor was bad after 21 years and started to leak ^^





New:





New A/C fan:





Got a bigger dash fan for A/C models, more air!



Also, installed an A/C filter + it's mount (found that on an original A/C punto).
Mine was installed here in my country in '95 by local dealer.







System runs great now!

Time to renew the fuel system:

21 years old fuel pump:



Genuine fuel filter:



Genuine fuel regulator (very hard to find these!):



Old one was leaking:





New one in:





Replaced the fuel lines:



New cap:



Fuel filter in:



I then replaced the original fuel filler neck line as it got holes and tears after 21 years of service:











I've got a better genuine pipe, better build, 1 piece plastic so it can't get holes.



Old rubbers:





Next thing to do was to renew all the suspension.
Got a set of original genuined spring rubbers, shocks, and polyurethane bushing for all the suspension parts:



Before:



After:



Before:



After:

























Old bushes:

Of course by owning an old car, you would want a space items:





This is how she looks now











250,000KM by now:

Lots of work to keep a cool car on the road
Jealous that you got aircon, was never an option here
Does yours have a Bertone metal plate under the bonnet, to the right of the metal plate that has the Fiat bodycode number and engine number on? Mine does and it has a number on it which I can only assume is which number car it is? If this is true be interesting to see how much difference between our cars as they were registered quite close together, mine being August 1994.

Nice work, great to see an old car being kept up to spec. That would be a nice engine for the X1/9 as it's basically the same.

Didge3 said:

Does yours have a Bertone metal plate under the bonnet, to the right of the metal plate that has the Fiat bodycode number and engine number on? Mine does and it has a number on it which I can only assume is which number car it is? If this is true be interesting to see how much difference between our cars as they were registered quite close together, mine being August 1994.

Click to expand...

Yes here it is

Notice the before and after (Angel Eyes, GT headlight washers, Original look painted mirrors):

chesh said:

Click to expand...

I would suggest you have some pretty severe panel gap issues

Didge3 said:

Jealous that you got aircon, was never an option here .

Click to expand...

Is that true...? I guess it maybe on the cabbies. Anyhow, many many GTs had aircon in the UK, if you wanted it it would swap back on a 1.6 no problems

A few days ago I've changed this bad EGR connector as well as many of the old connectors that didn't survive.

good stuff but i must say i really don't like the look of how you are splicing your wires together - here is a video of how i would do it (bear in the video he is making it way longer than it needs to be really but you get the idea).



Its a great channel as it happens, highly recommend it - loads of great videos (alot totally pointless but funny, and loads of genuinely interesting ones too)

In a case like that I always stagger the joints, then there isn't that big bulk at any one point, bit of heat shrink makes it neat as well.

Replaced the CV boots:





I've seen silicone CV boots on ebay:



Does anyone know if those last longer and fit?

And another question,
I've changed my camshaft seal 5 months ago, and it seems to be leaking again:



I didn't use silicone, could I use next time I replace it?

i replaced top camshaft oil seal on my mk1 and didnt use any gasket sealant, it didnt leak few months later tho

my guess would be it either got damaged while you were fitting it, or its not sat in teh right place, too far in or not far enough.

I've got these 2 rare window seals today, brand new from Germany:

Mine didn't have any, and torn down.



Before:



After:



The other side:





Old vs New





I don't know what can actually happen not having them.
Some water would get thru the manual rear windows, so what?

Brilliant, same colour as my 2.

The first is a 1581 ELX90 like yours but damaged it in the snow, so is now my body spares car. Didn't like the engine, following my much loved ELX75, so the new one's a 1242 16v ELX85 but is currently getting a 1368 ex-Stilo bottom end under the original top end https://www.fiatforum.com/cinquecento-seicento/328987-1368-mk-1-punto-elx85-2.html (engine stuff there cos thos guys are the experts).

Your headlights - I didn't see them in the progress pics - what make/model/where from?

Oh I've putted Angel Eyes + Xenon HID.

Wot, inside the existing glass unit? Or did you get complete new unit?