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900 Bluebell the 900e Amigo

Introduction

We have just taken on the ownership of this camper from Kelly and Karl and hope to have it on the road within the next six months.
17717052334_1044bd2216_b.jpgDSC_6177 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
Not only is it a really lovely vehicle, it was also a pleasure to buy it from such a genuine and really nice couple. There was a huge amount of interest in the sale and I am really appreciative that I was favoured to be the buyer ; so many thanks Karl.:)
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There is a certain amount of essential welding to do underneath, which will add to the welding that has been done in the past. It is currently pretty solid underneath but not as pretty as it could be. I hope to tidy as I go and then work around the bodywork. This has signs of a lot of filler and there is rust poking through in places, but it looks like we will be able to get using it soon.
There are a number of mechanical issue but nothing too onerous and it starts and runs really well.
So a rolling restoration to usable standards.
I just need to get the roof open now!
Watch this space as I document my progress.
- great if you are at a festival etc.

Out of interest, do you have any wind-down stabilisers (like those fitted to caravans) to stop the van rocking? With all the weight up top I suspect it will get a little rocky when the wind blows.

No stabilisers.:eek:

Anyhow, I've made my best effort and finished the roof now. I would have been happier to see it a bit more taut but the mechanics of the thing just don't give much possibility of that. But it's tidy enough and looks like a factory-finished item inside. In fact, because I've been using better materials and fixings than original, with stainless-steel screws and bolts and plusher vinyl and fabric, I think it's better than original.

Whilst the basic framework is as found, everything else is new, even down to the ball-bearings in the sliders, so the whole thing feels and smell likes new. I've got it all working properly now and this has stopped the sliders from being a bit wobbly. Now the sleeping baseboards are in it's all gone nicely rigid.:eek: I tested the fit of a full(ish) sized adult and it's not a huge bed but big enough. The fibreglass roof curve provides the headboard where your pillow probably ends up and that gives a bit more room.

I'm very pleased with it and with myself as this has been a huge undertaking; but it has been much more enjoyable than I expected and makes a change from welding and painting.

Next target is to finish the trim of the passenger compartment. I have some new, thicker vinyl and also need to varnish the back of the trim-boards and glue them in as an addition to the screws in order to stop them from warping as they did last winter. There's also the small matter of a sunroof to fit.:cool:

To answer an earlier question from Gary50, today I noticed the heater does have a tiddly little fan built in.(y)
 

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It's been raining all day so I decided it was the right time to refurbish the windows. I use such a big name for this because they are were in a right state. Absolutely filthy and covered in paint speckles. The worst of them is heavily marked with spatter from a grinder or welder (not mine!!!) and ideally needs replacing. Luckily, the heated rear screen ( remember, you can't see through it because of the kitchen units :D) looks undamaged.

The sliding window must originally have been custom-made for these vans which will have had the window-openings cut out by the motorhome constructor from a panel-van. Amazingly, the specialist manufacturer is still listed as operating from a base in Birmingham, but I don't hold out much hope of finding a spare locking-catch still available.:eek: It's from the days when things were really well made by hand and with the removal of some 3mm rivets and a bit of manipulation, it all came apart very easily. This allowed me to clean all the grooves and seals and make it almost like new. The seals were in excellent condition, which was obviously a great advantage.

So I would now appreciate if anyone has a fixed side window or catch going spare although I suspect I will just have to get the glass specially cut.

Typically, although I'm now ready to put the windows back in because the rubber seals have arrived very promptly, I first need to re-cover the window surrounds with some thicker vinyl and that might first mean cutting another set of surrounds from 3mm marine ply; we'll see.:bang:
 

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I finally got round to fitting a some windows. I've done a few before, including the windscreen on my 500 and they've all been easier than the Amigo. The difficulties are partly because I've not used this type of seal with an infill strip before, the window openings aren't all exactly the same and are uneven as they were cut by hand and not at the Fiat factory and mostly it's hard because I also have to accommodate a turn-up of the internal window-surround vinyl.

But after a few hours' struggle I have three windows fitted. I have a big tub of water-based lubricant used for slipping drainage-pipes together and I found a generous wipe with that was a great help. I have to say, this type of window-seal is very positive and I don't expect any leaks.

The internal vinyl has been rucked up by fitting the windows and isn't as neat as I hoped it would and I may be able to do some tweaks. But I will have to accept that trying to get fairly non-stretch vinyl to do compound curves is not easy for anyone including the original manufacturers.

I've also fitted the sunroof with a generous bead of PU sealant. This hinges open and creates a really nice interior and allows excellent ventilation above the cooking area. It was a very long-winded item to renovate as I couldn't remove the glass and needed to strip and paint complicated pressings of steel and aluminium. The roof has become a bit grubby over the last few weeks having gathered a patina of pollen and dust; but it will shine up nicely when I'm finished.
 

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Looking good.
I'm assuming that you have already done/thought of this... make sure you squeeze a bit of sealer between the window rubber joins (looks like yours are in the middle at the bottom, as are the ones on Connie). This will make sure that you don't get any water leaks/traps to rust your window opening and/or stain your nice new interior.

I wasn't sure about fitting a sunroof to Connie (she already has a standard caravan roof vent) however, your comment about providing ventilation above the cooker makes good sense - adding fit sunroof to my to do list.
 
..... make sure you squeeze a bit of sealer between the window rubber joins (looks like yours are in the middle at the bottom, as are the ones on Connie).

I followed some advice about fitting VW windows in non-factory conversions, which is basically the same as the Amigo. That was to make the join for the seal at the top and then the join for the filler strip at the bottom.

I have a tube of window-sealant at the ready but considered that using it at installation would be the last straw in terms of the challenge and it would end up everywhere. The dimensions of the rubber I used ended up being probably at the maximum the window opening could tolerate with respect to the thickness of the central part of the "H" of the rubber. I was also taking it around a radius far in excess of design. Consequently , once the filler-strip was installed it created a very tight seal. I doubt it will leak although I remember when fitting double-glazed units in the house, the bottom corners had to be given a bead of sealant despite the hi-tech rubbers they use, so only time will tell.

On the back burner I've started on the winding windows and the quarter-lights. The frames to the latter have a familiar look of decay after being steeped in a phosphoric acid solution for a few days and this also removed the black paint from the aluminium channel. So I'm not sure whether to simply paint with epoxy and live with it as it's covered in rubber when assembled, to weld it up properly or to fibreglass. I need to find the latches so they can be re-bonded to the glass and get hold of new winding mechanisms and bottom channels for the glass.

The internals are really getting there now and as it's raining today I will make up the last of the window surrounds and side-panels; so maybe more here later. :)
 

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Your quarter light frames look in reasonably good shape - one of mine had almost dissolved at the bottom but there was just enough left to attach a strip of new metal to give it strength.

I managed to get hold of new (expensive) quarter light rubbers which happily cover the frame so didn't need to make the repair pretty - they were a pig to fit though as there was very little give in the new rubber (and still leak).

The problem I've got now is bonding the spindles to the glass. I've tried various adhesives in the past (as did the previous owner) but none of them lasted and the glass kept falling out :( (I've taken a pattern of the glass in case it happens again and I'm not as lucky to keep them in one piece.)

At the moment I have a temporary fix using Gorilla tape - this works as long as you don't try to open the quarter light. I've bought some two-pack adhesive which is supposed to work well with metal to glass bonding. The problem is trying to work out how to clamp everything in place while the glue sets overnight.

Ideally, I want to replace the spindles with ones with a 'U' shape channel that allows the glass to slide in and will be gripped from both sides - probably using a grub screw on the inside to lock them in place.

Thinking back to my school metal work classes making them shouldn't be difficult - providing you have a lathe and milling machine (as much as I would love to have them I can't justify them for one job - especially as we are moving house soon).

I'd be very interested to see what solution you come up with... or if someone else has already mastered this please share.
 
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Blimey...six more months of inactivity.....on the campervan that is. I've been very busy on lots of other things including the completely novel (to me) hobby of beekeeping, which seemed to consume the summer. But today I went out to turn the van around in the garage so that I could get at the back end and get in the side door again.

Despite being left with an uncharged battery for half a year (the battery that came with the van all those years ago), the engine fired up (at the very last possible turn of the starter.:D) So expect a bit of a flurry of activity as I intend to complete the interior trim, fit the rest of the windows and have another look at the water-pump situation.

I've also dug out surplus spares to sell, which include a brand new tailgate and a side-door for a RHD vehicle. When I get the eBay listings sorted I'll put a link here.
 

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It's been raining all day so I decided it was the right time to refurbish the windows. I use such a big name for this because they are were in a right state. Absolutely filthy and covered in paint speckles. The worst of them is heavily marked with spatter from a grinder or welder (not mine!!!) and ideally needs replacing. Luckily, the heated rear screen ( remember, you can't see through it because of the kitchen units :D) looks undamaged.

The sliding window must originally have been custom-made for these vans which will have had the window-openings cut out by the motorhome constructor from a panel-van. Amazingly, the specialist manufacturer is still listed as operating from a base in Birmingham, but I don't hold out much hope of finding a spare locking-catch still available.:eek: It's from the days when things were really well made by hand and with the removal of some 3mm rivets and a bit of manipulation, it all came apart very easily. This allowed me to clean all the grooves and seals and make it almost like new. The seals were in excellent condition, which was obviously a great advantage.

So I would now appreciate if anyone has a fixed side window or catch going spare although I suspect I will just have to get the glass specially cut.

Typically, although I'm now ready to put the windows back in because the rubber seals have arrived very promptly, I first need to re-cover the window surrounds with some thicker vinyl and that might first mean cutting another set of surrounds from 3mm marine ply; we'll see.:bang:
Wow doing the windows seems like quite a job. I will be removing mine soon as I prep my 850T before it gets sent to a body shop.

I was wondering what is generally done about replacing the window seals. Are they available on ebay or can you buy some sort of material by the meter and cut it to size it yourself? I will be doing all of the windows and from what I have found on ebay original gaskets are not too cheap. Are they still produced or would I be buying 30 year old rubber?
I have never done a job like this before and any advice would be much appreciated!
 
Wow doing the windows seems like quite a job. I will be removing mine soon as I prep my 850T before it gets sent to a body shop.

I was wondering what is generally done about replacing the window seals. Are they available on ebay or can you buy some sort of material by the meter and cut it to size it yourself? I will be doing all of the windows and from what I have found on ebay original gaskets are not too cheap. Are they still produced or would I be buying 30 year old rubber?
I have never done a job like this before and any advice would be much appreciated!

I've not been coming near this part of the forum, nor near my van for quite some time. It's been neglected due to other interests and projects which include upgrading our regular campervan to a relatively modern motorhome which is also need of some minor work.

The glass and seals on UK campervan conversions would not originally have been Fiat parts. Generic rubber profiles were used and these are still avilable from specialist and kit-car suppliers in the UK. But the original rubbers may be out of shape if measuring for replacements and the original sizes may no longer be available. I took a gamble and obtained some which I have made to work.....just.

One of the problems is that my van was converted from a panel van and the windows were hand cut by the conversion company. This means that the opening sizes are variable and some windows have been easier to fit than others.

I'll do a proper update on things within the next few weeks.
 
Wow doing the windows seems like quite a job.

Hi
Replacing the windows/rubber seals isn't as difficult as it may first seam but it is a two person job.

If you want to keep the original look the windscreen rubber is a specialist part which come up on ebay from time to time - Ricambio may be able to get one for you (showing as out of stock at the moment), approx £160.

The side/rear windows can use generic rubbers - I got mine from Rubber Stock. They also supply all the door & roof seals etc. and will happily supply samples so you can make sure the profiles are correct. On another thread I've listed the profiles I used (can't remember which thread at the moment).

The generic rubbers come in a roll that you cut to size.

Tip:
When cutting the side rubbers make sure you cut them to the aperture NOT the window. I made the mistake of cutting to the window size, when fitted I ended up with inch gap at the bottom/join which I had to cut a piece to fill - not too obvious but annoying. Either way use a good quality silicone sealer to stick the ends of the rubber together to prevent leaks.

To fit:
For the windscreen fit the 'original' rubber to the glass and run a strong piece of cord (the stuff you use for curtain pulls works well, don't use wire otherwise you will cut the rubber) round the rubber that will fit to the aperture.

Using a couple of glass suction cups place the window so the rubber seal locates in the bottom edge of the aperture. The person outside gently but firmly presses against the glass while the person inside pulls the 'draw cord' to pull the seal into place. Aim to finish at the top middle.

Once in place, using the suction cups, move the glass around to make sure properly seated. You will feel a satisfying 'pop' when correctly positioned.

The side windows use the same principle. However, due to the profile used I did find that they needed a lot more pressure to push/pull them into place.

Cheers

PS. There are a few YouTube videos showing how it's done. Search Classic car window rubber replacement.
 
Season's greetings everyone who's still interested in this thread. ;) This restoration isn't going to be abandoned, but it has definitely had a couple of slow years. In 2021 I seem to have done virtually nothing. I think I rebuilt the water-pump again, or was that last year? :) I started on some reworking of the retrim I had done the year before. So I have a van which is tantalisingly close to cosmetic completion, both inside and out.

I refuse to start any real mechanical work until I have the paint and trim complete; this might be partly what has caused the impasse. In January I have a small amount of welding to do on our "modern" motorhome and some wheelarch repairs on my Fiat 500. After that, the van will be getting more attention with updates here. It's really dragging on, as are other peoples' restorations judging by the inactivity on this section of the Fiat Forum. It's tricky when these things are so time consuming and life puts so many other demands on our time.. ⏳






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Hi Peter,
I share your frustration, Connie's restoration was progressing well until our house move/relocation got in the way. The last 18 months has either been preparing to move or doing DIY on our new home - and I still have a garage full of boxes to clear through and replace the garage door before I can get Connie in it to start work again. Hopefully by the summer I'll be able to resume where I left off.
Cheers,
Gary
 
Realising that I'm now seven years into this restoration, and not wanting to have to have relatives beg for me to become a target of Classic Car Rescue in a few years time, I thought it was time to get stuck in again. So I got the engine running, got the van out of the garage, put the roof up and sorted out a simple fault with internal lights that has held me back for over a year. Mind you, beekeeping has been my obsession for all that time, so I haven't seemed to have much spare time.

Next things I'm going to fit the final, side-window and the windscreen. then another attempt to sort out the vinyl window surrounds, and the ball should be rolling again with regular updates.

I thought a quick video would explain things best.

 
Hi Peter,
Good to see that you have started again. I share your pain, I've not been able to touch Connie for 2 years due to house move and home improvements taking priority. At least the paint work on your van still looks good, the paint on Connie has been gradually been pealing off due to the reaction to the POR15 rust proofing - I'm going to have to strip down to bare metal again and start the paintwork over again.
 
Hi Peter,
Good to see that you have started again. I share your pain, I've not been able to touch Connie for 2 years due to house move and home improvements taking priority. At least the paint work on your van still looks good, the paint on Connie has been gradually been pealing off due to the reaction to the POR15 rust proofing - I'm going to have to strip down to bare metal again and start the paintwork over again.
Oh no!!! That POR did seem too good to be true. I used it on underbody areas on my 500, and it was good, but didn't last forever. I used epoxy primer everywhere on the van, and applied it with a small brush on thin edges such as guttering, just to be sure. I've yet to find any scabby paint. But the final coat of yellow is still waiting to be applied.
Overall, I've been really impressed with how the unused van has held up; I expected mouse nests and holes in the roof, but it's all been safely preserved, just waiting for me to wake up to it again.
 
I'm still at it. Given the time of year it may look like I've made a resolution to get on with the project, but I've been doing a few bits and pieces recently which culminated with a decision to sort out the sticking throttle and choke cables. New ones were obtained, but although the length is good, the outer casing was too long and didn't have the correct end-sleeves. The old ones were unwound from the outer sheath, the new sleeving was cut to length and at each end, a small section of plastic was cut off to expose the steel winding; the terminations could then be wound on.

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I decided to sort out the original 30 ICF 20/250 (actually a 21 /250) carburettor. This looks superficially the same as the 30 ICF 15 as currently fitted, but is jetted differently and has stud that allow the original elbow and subsequently the entire intake system to be fitted. It also has the correct fuel return spigot and a third one for which I need to work out the function. This is being dipped in my new ultrasonic cleaner and will be rebuilt as soon as I have new seals and gaskets.

The spacer that raises the carburettor above the rockers is an interesting device. When the engine is on high throttle settings it exposes an opening that connects the blow-by gases (presumably from the rocker cover) directly into the intake below the carb. The little, spring-loaded piston that does this looked like it might need an "O"-ring but now I think not. What puzzles me, as nothing was properly set up when I bought it, is the tiny, petrol overflow pipe.....where does it overflow to?

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I have a couple of spares that don't have this mechanism that must be for earlier engines...I hear eBay calling.
 
Hi Peter,
On Connie there is a return pipe from the carb overflow back to the fuel tank, excess fuel enters via a connection in the fuel sensor (on the top of the tank).
You should have two fuel pipes running to the tank... if you connect them up the wrong way round you suck air :)

Having fitted an electric fuel pump to Connie the return feed is essential (much higher flow rate than with manual pump) and makes priming the carb floats a doddle when Connie has been sitting idle for months on end.

Hope this helps.
 
Hi Peter,
On Connie there is a return pipe from the carb overflow back to the fuel tank, excess fuel enters via a connection in the fuel sensor (on the top of the tank).
You should have two fuel pipes running to the tank... if you connect them up the wrong way round you suck air :)

Having fitted an electric fuel pump to Connie the return feed is essential (much higher flow rate than with manual pump) and makes priming the carb floats a doddle when Connie has been sitting idle for months on end.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Gary. I have the return pipe partially plumbed-in already. It's the third spigot on the carb that puzzles me and exactly where to aim that tiny, copper spill-tube on the intake pedestal thingy.
 

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I checked with Haynes, which is fairly sketchy with this sort of detail for the 900e as it appears to have been published before the "e" was marketed. The spigot on the carb is for vacuum advance on the distributor, but I don't think my current distributor has that. The spigot on the carburettor stand/manifold/pedestal is to draw in engine blow-by gases when on high rpm. The tiny outlet is for fuel overflow, although I've no idea where that is directed to nor how it gets there with the supplied gasket. Maybe the carburettor undertray isn't needed in this application?
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Hi Peter,
I'll double check Connie's set up when I get a dry day (she is still outside in all weathers).
I'm not sure what carb version I have fitted on my 900T... it's not the original.
I don't recall seeing an additional fuel overflow drain pipe - if there is one I'll make sure it's not a fire risk.

Oddly, when I fitted the upgraded electronic distributor it has a connector for vacuum advance but there isn't anywhere to connect it - so the instructions recommended taping it up to stop muck getting into the dizzy.

I'll post pictures as soon as I have them.

Cheers
Gary
 
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