900 900t Restoration (Connie)

[Gary50]

Rear electrics wired...

The 4 relays are for the fuel pump, rear demister, rear fog and reversing light.

Only the tow bar to wire up and the 'first fix' is finished - all main circuits working

When looking at the tow bar the plate shows some interesting information.

The 50KG nose weight (vert. load) probably means that I won't be able to use my 3-bike carrier (that attaches to the tow ball).

More interestingly, the max trailer weight is 900KG. I'm sure that the maximum towing weight for the 900T is only 350KG. I'm not sure where I heard that from - I can't find it listed in the Haynes manual. (I may have posted the 350KG on the forum previously but I can't find that either :bang. Any one able to confirm the max towing weight for the 900T?

 

[Gary50]

Found the link to the towing information on the forum from 2015 (via Google):

https://www.fiatforum.com/850t-900/432195-850t-900t-tow-bar.html (forgot it was me that started the thread :doh

Still not sure where I've put the documents I found the 350KG weight limit in ... :bang: but I'll stick to that.

Just checked the spec's for my Thule tow ball mounted cycle carrier... 12KG for the unit and 45KG max load (15KG per bike) - 57KG all up. I'll need to weigh the bikes but I suspect that I should have a reasonable margin under the 50KG limit (although I'd prefer to be nearer the 40KG mark).

 

[Gary50]

New wheels and tyres fitted...

In the side-by-side comparison photo above the blue ring is the 12" wheel rim and the red is the new 14" rims.

Original tyres were 155/80 r12 the new ones are 155/65 r14.

According to the Car Bibles website (and others) the size difference will mean I'm actually doing 70.55mph when the speedo reads 70mph... giddy heights to aspire to.

The 123 electronic ignition conversion includes a GPS speed indicator - it will be interesting to see what the comparison to the speedo is.

I have now much more choice of tyres (compared to the 12" ones) and room to fit disc brakes in the future (should I manage to get hold of some).

 

[Gary50]

It's been a busy few days since my last post...

• Main electrics finished and working, including tow bar electrics
• Brakes adjusted
• Headlight beams adjusted

And...

Huge milestone reached...

First time on the road in over 14 years!

Three times around the block and short blast on the bypass - reached the giddy heights of 50MPH with plenty in reserve (didn't want to push it too far as loads of new parts need to settle in).

Results of road test:

• Everything appears to work
• Breaks are a little soft but pull up nicely without any pulling to one side (need a bit more adjusting and probably re-bleeding)
• Steering is really light - not sure if this is due to new wheels & tyre combination or bad memory
• Steering wheel not true, not sure why as there have been no changes to the steering set up
• Oil light comes on at low rev's, need to investigate
• Electric fan and ducting is not quite working as hoped, running a bit hot. However, there is no under-tray around the exhaust so this may be contributing to the problem. (I will need to make up a new under-tray as 4-branch exhaust manifold totally different to the old single pipe manifold.)
• Glad I bought some extra filter elements for the in-line fuel filter. Even though I cleaned the tank out there has been a lot of gunge come out of it
• Remembered how awful the driving position is

Also great to find out that as Connie is over 40 years old she is exempt from requiring an MOT (as long as she is road worthy) and also exempt from paying road tax - just needed to pop down to the local Post Office with my Insurance certificate and MOT exemption form and that's it

Although technically Connie doesn't need an MOT I'll get her put through a test once I've sorted out the hot running - best to be safe.

Once the MOT is done it's on to the interior - can't wait.

 

[fiat500]

All brilliant news and great to have another van on the road.

Once the MOT is done it's on to the interior - can't wait.

...me in reverse......busy inside and up top and then onto the mechanicals.

 

[Gary50]

I must admit that I've had an added incentive to get Connie running under her own power/road worthy as soon as possible - we are relocating (Hampshire to Somerset). Or at least we will be once the housing market starts up again.

Being able to drive Connie to our new home and being (relatively) water tight takes a lot of pressure off. I expect once we move the DIY spectre will surface and I won't get much spare time to work on Connie for sometime... the more I can get done now the better.

 

[Gary50]

Reluctantly, I've conceded that Connie won't be able to run only with an electric rad fan. Even on short runs there simply isn't enough airflow in the engine bay to give the electric fan a fighting chance.

I've refitted the engine driven fan, keeping the electric fan as a booster and this appears to be working reasonably well.

However, I need to rebuild the cowling that attaches to the water pump. My existing one had crumpled to dust, damaging the fan in the process - hence (in part) to looking to switch to electric.

There was enough of the old cowling left to make a pattern for a new one. The cowling attaches via three brackets to the water pump housing.

I've put the three brackets in the same position as the original ones, two are attached to a coat hanger type bar attached to the end of the water pump housing. The last one sits on the water pump housing, about halfway between the pulley and engine block but there is nothing to bolt it to.

My question is where is the third bracket supposed to attach?

 

[Gary50]

Another milestone reached today...
Connie past her MOT (first time with only 2 minor advisories)

 

[Gary50]

The importance of fitting fuel filters, even when you have cleaned the tank out.

New

20 miles later

 

[fiat500]

Another milestone reached today...
Connie past her MOT (first time with only 2 minor advisories)

Great news. Is your van not exempt?

 

[fiat500]

I've put the three brackets in the same position as the original ones, two are attached to a coat hanger type bar attached to the end of the water pump housing. The last one sits on the water pump housing, about halfway between the pulley and engine block but there is nothing to bolt it to.

My question is where is the third bracket supposed to attach?

Isn't there a threaded hole at that point?

 

[fiat500]

The importance of fitting fuel filters, even when you have cleaned the tank out.

New

20 miles later

Where the heck has that lot come from. It looks more like rusty water than anything.

 

[Gary50]

Great news. Is your van not exempt?

Connie is exempt for road tax and MOT - I've applied and received the exemptions. However, as she has been off the road for 14 years, been stripped and had loads of new parts fitted it made sense to have her tested for piece of mind. It's also proof of roadworthiness (which you still need to prove), at least on the day.

One tip I picked up from the MOT station. If you don't have an MOT and need to make an insurance claim a number of insurance companies are insisting on an engineers report before they pay out - the cost of the MOT looks good value in comparison.

Another suggestion (not sure if true) is, when they do random spot checks for MOT's you are more likely to get pulled over if you are exempt (and without MOT) to ensure that your vehicle is roadworthy.

 

[Gary50]

Isn't there a threaded hole at that point?

That's what I would have thought but there is nothing in the water pump housing to bolt to. All I can think of is that there must have been a separate bracket at some point but this has been lost. The cable tie will have to do for now, I'll fabricate a new bracket in the future.

 

[Gary50]

Where the heck has that lot come from. It looks more like rusty water than anything.

Definitely rust from the tank, it appeared after filling up for the first time. I'm assuming that its surface rust that accumulated on the sides and top of the tank inside. I'm now on to my fourth filter and its just starting to clear. Luckily I fitted a glass filter with replaceable filter elements, makes it much easier to see the condition and change them.

 

[fiat500]

I used tank sealant after I had cleaned it using small gravel and a weak phosphoric solution. Time will tell as I hate those inline filters. There is a gauze on the pickup tube and I think there's one at the carb...I must check that

 

[fiat500]

Connie is exempt for road tax and MOT - I've applied and received the exemptions. However, as she has been off the road for 14 years, been stripped and had loads of new parts fitted it made sense to have her tested for piece of mind. It's also proof of roadworthiness (which you still need to prove), at least on the day.

One tip I picked up from the MOT station. If you don't have an MOT and need to make an insurance claim a number of insurance companies are insisting on an engineers report before they pay out - the cost of the MOT looks good value in comparison.

Another suggestion (not sure if true) is, when they do random spot checks for MOT's you are more likely to get pulled over if you are exempt (and without MOT) to ensure that your vehicle is roadworthy.

All quite enlightening stuff. I will look into that further. I haven't MOTd the 500 since exemption applied. However, all the steering rods and joints have been replaced, lots of structural welding done and a complete set of tyres.

 

[fiat500]

That's what I would have thought but there is nothing in the water pump housing to bolt to. All I can think of is that there must have been a separate bracket at some point but this has been lost. The cable tie will have to do for now, I'll fabricate a new bracket in the future.

This is the new pump (sorry I didn't remove from the bag) which shows the tapped hole. The other picture is a bit hard to understand but shows where it attaches on my existing pump.

 

[Gary50]

The mounting point is missing on my water pump. Looking at the casting it looks like it should have been there at some point. I suspect that it would have been a bad casting that got through the Fiat quality control back then

 

[Gary50]

On further investigation, the mounting point has been ground off to make room for the alternator.