Panda (Classic) Barbara's Panda 4x4.

[JamieK]

Love what you do with the pandas Vernon y
And as you've said before whenever you mod a car it's always something that can be reversed in the future if the new owner wants to revert to original spec

 

[VmanC]

Ok, bit of a catch up post.

Rock sliders and sump guard were powder coated in a dark grey called anthracite.......



I did consider a lighter grey or even silver but when I saw this I was sold, felt it was a nice compliment to the blue bodywork, a lighter colour would be too showy and black too subtle.


This is the modded ball joint carrier, not much to see as the holes are only 1mm offset, the top one toward the wheel, the bottom one toward the centre of the car.



It gives the front wheels a very slight negative camber and looks much better than the normal positive camber. I have some other pairs being re-drilled so will be able to supply them to anyone who fancies the same soon.



The seat subframes are the same as the ones in the white 4x4. The square box sections are farther apart in this case as I'm using Alfa 147 seats rather than 156's and they are wider.



I had a crisis of confidence when it came to carpeting before the NEC and didn't want to rush it, so rather than using the stuff I've bought I temporarily fitted the old carpet from the white 4x4.


I didn't manage to make the door panels in time even though I managed to buy some matching leather for them so this is how the interior looked at the NEC.



I had painted the rear wheel arch covers, rear ashtray, window winders, door pockets and dash supports brown with vinyl paint. I still have the inner door pulls/handles to do as well as the speaker pods, and will be painting the instrument pod graphite grey soon.

I did take a couple of hours out today to start on the door panels. I'll give you a little detail in case you fancy having a go yourself, it makes a pleasant change from working on the oily/rusty bits.

When I was trying to find some matching material I took a chance on a piece of leather from Ebay, unfortunately it was slightly orangey compared to the seats. Rather than waste it I've decided to use it on the door cards but upside down so that the suede side is showing.











I've stuck it straight to the hardboard without any padding because the area around the window winder needs to be flat. I will add another panel on top of this trimmed in leather the same colour as the seats. The design is the same as I used in the white 4x4, I would have liked to have been more adventurous this time but leather is not cheap and I hadn't used it before. The orangey leather is pretty thick and I wasn't sure it would fold around a more intricate design, but as it turned out it was quite nice to work with, ah well, next time.

 

[purple haze]

Class...pure class..

 

[pandamaniac]

Vern
I don't know how you find the time to post, as every day there seems to be something new or adventurous going on.
You are a wizard of new concepts that us mere mortals only dream about.
Are you using Dzus fasteners throughout now as I reckon now you could strip and rebuild a Panda interior in 20 minutes.
Dave

 

[Aston Martin]

How heavier are the seats?

 

[leonsdada]

:worship::worship::worship:

 

[VmanC]

How heavier are the seats?

I would guess they're about one and a half times the weight of the originals, that's including the subframes. I haven't put it to the stopwatch but performance doesn't seem to have been affected. There is a little wear on the drivers side bolster so I may have this repaired, this would mean a srtrip down of the seat so a good opportunity to leave out the airbag and lose a little weight.

I have found that the 147 seats sit slightly higher than the 156's, ideal in this car as Barbara needs to sit higher and it's still fine for me, just. The height adjust lever was missing so it's locked in the lower setting. I mention this because anyone thinking of fitting Alfa seats would be better off using 156 seats if they are tall, you can still raise the drivers seat if the adjuster mechanism is fitted. The 147 seats are more comfortable but take up more space, and because they sit higher you lose the height adjustment.

 

[VmanC]

Vern
I don't know how you find the time to post, as every day there seems to be something new or adventurous going on.
You are a wizard of new concepts that us mere mortals only dream about.
Are you using Dzus fasteners throughout now as I reckon now you could strip and rebuild a Panda interior in 20 minutes.
Dave

Thanks Dave, you're too kind.

If you don't include the dashboard it is only a 20 minute job to strip a Panda interior, that's why I love them.

 

[Freebo]

Looks cracking there Vern

 

[Palio]

If you don't include the dashboard it is only a 20 minute job to strip a Panda interior, that's why I love them.

Aha that's good - only 1/3 of your hourly rate for that job in the project Panda then!

 

[VmanC]

Aha that's good - only 1/3 of your hourly rate for that job in the project Panda then!

Sorry Gavin, stripped your interior before I got quick at it.

 

[4WDPandamonium]

I would love a pair of those (or rather 156 seats as i'm of the tall variety) in my Panda, it would make driving it much more of a pleasure.

Would these subframe suit the 156 seats? and how much are you selling the frames at?

Thanks
Michael

 

[Palio]

Sorry Gavin, stripped your interior before I got quick at it.

Quelle surprise!! :nerner:

 

[leonsdada]

I have found that the 147 seats sit slightly higher than the 156's, ideal in this car as Barbara needs to sit higher and it's still fine for me, just. The height adjust lever was missing so it's locked in the lower setting. I mention this because anyone thinking of fitting Alfa seats would be better off using 156 seats if they are tall, you can still raise the drivers seat if the adjuster mechanism is fitted. The 147 seats are more comfortable but take up more space, and because they sit higher you lose the height adjustment.

I assume you also lose a bit of "legroom" at the back, not that there is much of that anyway
Are those alfa seats the type that tilt and slide , or is it the same system as the panda? How do get in the back with the 156 seats in? All 156's are 4 doors so surely the front seats don't tilt, slide or anything...

 

[pandamaniac]

To get in the back you open the tailgate and climb over the rear seat.
This manoeuvre causes.
1 Torn trousers
2 Dislocated hips
3 A big fart
4 Lots of swearing
5 Sale of the Panda to someone with no friends / kids
Dave

 

[4WDPandamonium]

156 for the driver, 147 for the passenger, simples!

 

[VmanC]

I would love a pair of those (or rather 156 seats as i'm of the tall variety) in my Panda, it would make driving it much more of a pleasure.

Would these subframe suit the 156 seats? and how much are you selling the frames at?

Thanks
Michael

Yes they can be used for the 156 seats, both the 156 and the 147, even the Fiat Bravo/Brava and Seicento all use the same runners, they're just set at different widths so the subframes have to be made to suit. Price? PM sent.

I assume you also lose a bit of "legroom" at the back, not that there is much of that anyway
Are those alfa seats the type that tilt and slide , or is it the same system as the panda? How do get in the back with the 156 seats in? All 156's are 4 doors so surely the front seats don't tilt, slide or anything...

147 seats from a 3dr are best for rear access as they tilt forward. With the 156 and 147 5dr you need to slide them forward and wind the recline knob to gain access. Once you're in the back though it's still a five seater after a little compromising with the front passengers.......




Well I finished off one door panel this evening, this car's not a priority for a while so I will be nibbling away at it when I can.



First job was to glue scrim foam on to the detail panel. Scrim foam is only about 3mm thick and gives a slight padding to the panel.....




Then the leather can be stuck over the top.....





I got into it and forgot to take photos of the next bit so I'll post them when I do the other side. So cut straight to the finished job......





It will look better when the door handle and the black strip at the bottom of the panel are painted brown too.

 

[Stuartl]

Vern I've spent the last few minutes simply trying to think of the proper words for what youve done and I can't think of any apart from simply stunning. I know the work that goes into a car during full restoration, but to build what I suppose is a modified car and to do it in a way that it looks as though it came out of the factory like this is something else. Fantastic.

I've never wanted more to jump in the car, head to the shed, get the French panda onto the trailer, get it home and get stuck in. Just a pity the G Wagen is off the road and I've 2 other cars to first.

I really hope to you don't mind if I copy a couple of your idea when i start as I love the Alcantara.

Sorry all but this is the best job I've seen done to any panda. :slayer:

 

[VmanC]

Vern I've spent the last few minutes simply trying to think of the proper words for what youve done and I can't think of any apart from simply stunning. I know the work that goes into a car during full restoration, but to build what I suppose is a modified car and to do it in a way that it looks as though it came out of the factory like this is something else. Fantastic.

I've never wanted more to jump in the car, head to the shed, get the French panda onto the trailer, get it home and get stuck in. Just a pity the G Wagen is off the road and I've 2 other cars to first.

I really hope to you don't mind if I copy a couple of your idea when i start as I love the Alcantara.

Sorry all but this is the best job I've seen done to any panda. :slayer:

Thank you Stuart, you're too kind. Your comments are very reassuring as my aim was to evolve the Panda rather than modify beyond all recognition. By all means copy, and I'm sure improve on any of my ideas, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery after all. I know my ideas were probably influenced by more exotic Italian machinery, I can certainly see elements of Ferrari and Maserati Bi-turbo in there.

I haven't really started on the restoration side of things yet, most of what's been done so far was to get it looking good for the NEC. Now that's over all the mechanical changes can be done, but like you I have a couple of other jobs to finish first.

 

[VmanC]

Here's the bit I forgot to photograph while doing the drivers door panel.........




When fitting the detail panel to the main one I first wrap the leather around the front and lower edge of the detail panel and glue it in place. Next I staple it to the main panel and wrap the back and top edge leather around both, gluing and stapling it in place. I'm not an upholsterer so have no idea of the correct way to do it, this is just what works for me.