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Hey don't worry. a fluid change won't change that sound. it's normal.
but a change cant do no harm either
General Blue Barchetta Project
- Thread starter nicholasb
- Start date
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General Blue Barchetta Project
Hey don't worry. a fluid change won't change that sound. it's normal.
but a change cant do no harm either
OP
OP
I finally have leather seats to install. This has been at the top of my wish list for the past 7 years. Now I need to fit them. I can see there is a floor removal guide but wondered if anyone had any advice if they have switched seats over before.
The most important thing is the seat belts. I'm not sure how they will need to be handled. Do I disconnect battery, unbolt 4x each seat?... I am lost after that. I have seen the floor removal guide but don't understand these last details.
The most important thing is the seat belts. I'm not sure how they will need to be handled. Do I disconnect battery, unbolt 4x each seat?... I am lost after that. I have seen the floor removal guide but don't understand these last details.
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I had a rough idea so I just went for it in the end. The pre tensioners are bolted on with 1 bolt. I unhooked the battery and took my time.
I have wanted this upgrade for a long time.
Nice one, looks great!
OP
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I would but I'm all spent out for the time being. With a third baby on the way, I'm doing well just keeping my B. I simply cannot get rid of it. I had another person walk up to me to compliment the car yesterday - it happens a lot.
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Not immaculate but still a beauty
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New heat shield I put in last night. This is the replacement sold by Henk at barchettaparts.com
Well done. Thinking of one of these myself. How easy was it to fit!? Steve
Sent from my iPhone using FIAT Forum
Sent from my iPhone using FIAT Forum
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I can recommend it. The part is not as shaped as the original but is a lot more solid. I'm hoping it will last.
Fitting was easy. There are just 3 bolts to remove and then replace once you have maneuvered the new one into place. It took a little bit of wiggling but wasn't too much trouble.
There is a guide here http://www.fiatbarchetta.com/btech/hshield.html
I only removed the 2 screws (to the left) on the air ducting and rather than remove the ducting, I pulled it gently out the way to allow the new heat shield in. I reached my hand down to undo the lower bolt on the heat shield. It took no more than 30 mins. I had to get some WD40 on one of the bolts to release it.
Fitting was easy. There are just 3 bolts to remove and then replace once you have maneuvered the new one into place. It took a little bit of wiggling but wasn't too much trouble.
There is a guide here http://www.fiatbarchetta.com/btech/hshield.html
I only removed the 2 screws (to the left) on the air ducting and rather than remove the ducting, I pulled it gently out the way to allow the new heat shield in. I reached my hand down to undo the lower bolt on the heat shield. It took no more than 30 mins. I had to get some WD40 on one of the bolts to release it.
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Passed MOT yesterday without any trouble. Not bad for car that will be 20 years old next year.
Great news about the MOT. Thanks for your thoughts about the heat shield. Steve
Sent from my iPhone using FIAT Forum
Sent from my iPhone using FIAT Forum
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Re: Blue Barchetta Ending
The terrible news every driver dreads - The B has to go.
I have a 1995 Barchetta that I aquired in 2007 and have driven daily ever since. Over the 8 years I have had it, I carried out modifications that were sympathetic to the overall look: stainless exhaust, leather interior, rear speaker, painted calipers / engine cover etc. The attention I have given it has slowed down as I have had less time recently. The bonet has paint damage where water has got underneath the paint but the car is very sound mechanically and has never let me down once.
My wife feels the car is not practical. I have been using it to commute to work and see no problem. We have 3 children and she wants me to drop two of them to school in the morning, although I barely have the time to do this and arrive to work on time. Anyway, the time has come for the B to go. I am completely gutted and feel very sad at giving it up.
I am undecided whether to try and store it for later use or try to sell it. Can anyone offer advice? Maybe you have been in a similar position.
1. Keep the car.
I may not have the opportunity to get it back on the road for years. Is there any advice for storing it? My wife doesn't really want it on our property. I may be able to store it outside but off road in 2 possible locations. At a stretch, I may be able to use my mums garage.
2. Sell the car.
My dad may give me money to respray the bonnet. I imagine it is a hard sell. People don't know how wonderfull B's are. It's left hand drive and a convertible. I don't need to get top dollar for it but can't let it go too cheap because of the time and money spent on it. I may be better selling it than leaving it for years doing nothing.
The terrible news every driver dreads - The B has to go.
I have a 1995 Barchetta that I aquired in 2007 and have driven daily ever since. Over the 8 years I have had it, I carried out modifications that were sympathetic to the overall look: stainless exhaust, leather interior, rear speaker, painted calipers / engine cover etc. The attention I have given it has slowed down as I have had less time recently. The bonet has paint damage where water has got underneath the paint but the car is very sound mechanically and has never let me down once.
My wife feels the car is not practical. I have been using it to commute to work and see no problem. We have 3 children and she wants me to drop two of them to school in the morning, although I barely have the time to do this and arrive to work on time. Anyway, the time has come for the B to go. I am completely gutted and feel very sad at giving it up.
I am undecided whether to try and store it for later use or try to sell it. Can anyone offer advice? Maybe you have been in a similar position.
1. Keep the car.
I may not have the opportunity to get it back on the road for years. Is there any advice for storing it? My wife doesn't really want it on our property. I may be able to store it outside but off road in 2 possible locations. At a stretch, I may be able to use my mums garage.
2. Sell the car.
My dad may give me money to respray the bonnet. I imagine it is a hard sell. People don't know how wonderfull B's are. It's left hand drive and a convertible. I don't need to get top dollar for it but can't let it go too cheap because of the time and money spent on it. I may be better selling it than leaving it for years doing nothing.
Crachat
Member
Keep it if you can, as you say you won't get a mint for it, but at least when the time comes you'll still have it and won't have to look around for another and you know (some of) the history of this one.
Mind you, if the kids are small(ish) you could always cram them in the footwell on the school run.
Nah, thought not.
Mind you, if the kids are small(ish) you could always cram them in the footwell on the school run
.Nah, thought not.
gar074
Prominent member
I really feel for you - my wife grumbles about the amount of space the B takes up in our small barn, and how there's never any room for her to put anything else in there, but I feign selective deafness on such occasions. I had mine off the road for at least 3 years when it needed mechanical attention and I didn't have the time to sort it out. That lay-up doesn't seem have done it any harm, but it was undercover and dry at all times. I wouldn't have wanted to keep it outside, even under a cover, as the damp kills them. I'd speak sweetly to your mum about using her garage. It would be a great shame to part with it. If it's not in tip-top condition you won't get much for it, and if you spend money on it in order to sell it, you risk not recouping the cost. And if you ever wanted to run another one, would you be able to find one as good as the one you have?
If you can sort out the dry storage issue, it won't cost you anything to lay it up, and it's not costing you anything in depreciation. If you can afford to buy a replacement without selling the B, that's what I'd do, and then you have the option of running it again as & when the opportunity arises. I tax mine for 6 months in the summer, and my insurance costs me less than £100 pa, so as playthings go, it's very cheap. The trade-off is that my daily drive is a little Panda 4x4 that also costs relatively little to fuel, tax & insure. I'd probably have a much harder job justifying the B to 'er indoors if I ran anything less practical/more costly as a second car (she just about tolerated the DS3 as it was cheap to run and surprisingly capacious). Having said that, she knows how much pleasure I get from owning the B ("Sometimes I think you care more about that bl**dy car than me") and I reckon she thinks that, as vices go, it's a relatively harmless one. My ace-in-the-hole argument is that Bs are becoming rarer, so keeping it is actually a good investment, but secretly I'm not entirely persuaded by that argument as they seem to sell for buttons unless in tip-top condition, which mine isn't.
If you can sort out the dry storage issue, it won't cost you anything to lay it up, and it's not costing you anything in depreciation. If you can afford to buy a replacement without selling the B, that's what I'd do, and then you have the option of running it again as & when the opportunity arises. I tax mine for 6 months in the summer, and my insurance costs me less than £100 pa, so as playthings go, it's very cheap. The trade-off is that my daily drive is a little Panda 4x4 that also costs relatively little to fuel, tax & insure. I'd probably have a much harder job justifying the B to 'er indoors if I ran anything less practical/more costly as a second car (she just about tolerated the DS3 as it was cheap to run and surprisingly capacious). Having said that, she knows how much pleasure I get from owning the B ("Sometimes I think you care more about that bl**dy car than me") and I reckon she thinks that, as vices go, it's a relatively harmless one. My ace-in-the-hole argument is that Bs are becoming rarer, so keeping it is actually a good investment, but secretly I'm not entirely persuaded by that argument as they seem to sell for buttons unless in tip-top condition, which mine isn't.
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Davefridge
Established member
Don't store it outside - you'll kill it! Storing it in a dry garage may cause a few problems by nothing like the amount caused by storing outside. For long term indoor storage I'd change oil & filter, brake fluid & coolant. Disconnect battery for monthly re-charge. If possible, remove wheels (or blow tyres up to 50psi) and use all fuel up.
Good luck!
Good luck!
OP
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Thanks guys. The B is sitting on the drive and I need to take it over to my wife's mothers tonight as insurance runs out tomorrow. I should be able to store it in the garage and will look at your advice when doing so. I'm not in a hurry to get rid of it but may still let it go at some point if I'm not going to drive it for a very long time.
It is such a shame as it runs like a dream. I have driven it daily since 2007 and it has never let me down.
It is such a shame as it runs like a dream. I have driven it daily since 2007 and it has never let me down.
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gar074
Prominent member
We all feel your pain, but at least you'll still have it.
Take the long way round to your MILs, and enjoy the drive
Take the long way round to your MILs, and enjoy the drive
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I just found my old thread and realised that I never updated it. After storing outside for 18 months or so because I wasn’t able to use the garage I finally got it back on the road again and have been driving it since. 15 years of ownership now but it is once again off the road die to fuel leak and airbag issues. It is due to go to the garage at the end of the month.
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Back on the road again after a months without MOT. I decided to celebrate by repainting some bits in the engine bay and cleaning the bonnet liner. I’ve bought some adhesive and will fit it back on when it arrives. It was a bit saggy so hoping to fix that by bonding it to the metal.
