Tuning Built vs Bought Cinquecento track day project

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Tuning Built vs Bought Cinquecento track day project

ah ha, i found your thread.. have you really never messed with teh superfire before chap? oh you are in for a treat you are, lol. Great engine, its a personal thing but i'd take the early 1242 16v over the 1368 any day of the week, it just is betterer out the box - and of course the ecu runs it better than it does the 1.4

So as you have new headlights I am guessing you dont want these mk2 punto ones to hack up still?
 
I was going to hack them up and put the lenses inside the old bowels.

I could fit the 1242 16V as it's already here. It would save having to strip the Idea and faff about.

Also 85hp instead of 100 would make brakes and stuff less of a priority. I have an MOT and first track day in six weeks.
 
my valver cinq was the 1242, all from one car. I might get some flack for this but I prefer the 1242, it just revs better, drives better and sounds better.. not as fast technically no but i just think it works better. I guess though, the 1242 ecu is always gonna run the 1242 better than it does the 1368.

If you do go 1.4 then i advise using the cams (i.e. the whole head for ease) from the 1242.
 
panda-sport spec'. :)

I'm looking at time and MOT at the moment. I accidentally kept the Punto exhaust so I can use the standard manifold and down pipe to the Cinquecento cat' and call it stage one for now. I depends what kind of ECU the Idea has. If it plus into the 1242 loom brilliant. If not I may as well scrap the idea of the Idea and find a t-jet.
 
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the main issue is fly by wire throttle on the newer cars, I have never ever touched an Idea but i suspect it will be same as all the other fiats of its age and have fly-by-wire. So to use it you are converting the go pedal at least, i dunno what else the ecu needs to have connected to work. I know the tjet ecu's throw a paddy if all their body computers etc are hooked up so tjet is basically standalone when putting in a cento. I have seen 16v centos with the 1.4 ecu but so far not seen a clean on (dont get me wrong, i'm sure they exist, just not seen one myself) - last one i saw was on ebay and it had the centre switches from a mk2 punto in it so i presume they needed to be connected :confused: why they would i dont know.
 
The fly by wire isn't the problematic part. The throttle position sensor is. Without it the ECU craps itself apparently.

So either fit the vague pedal box from the Idea/Punto/Bravo etc or bypass it with a cable body from the earlier 1242 and worry about the position sensor later.
 
I'll be visiting the Idea on my way to work tonight. I'll have a look at the engine loom plug and ECU.

Worst case scenario I'll use the Idea as a mule on my driveway. Disconnecting the Idea loom and ECU retrofitting the 1242 one to see if it'll start without the fly by wire plugged in. Then pull the engine, swap the inlet manifolds in my shed and fit it in as one lump to the Cinquecento. New belts, clutch, water pump and stuff while it's out and accessible.

:devil:
 
Today I have been asking my local MOT guys if the scratch that has been an advisory for the last two MOT's on the windscreen would be a fail.

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It's where the car has been used with a broken wiper blade and is a resounding fail from all who I have asked.

So new windscreen to take from the budget this month but...

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...it does give me an excuse to get my welder out. :)
 
Toyosport manifold and custom air filter from a Mk2 Punto 16V for £150?

Oh, yes. Collecting those next Friday. :)
 
I thought I would take the last of the Bravo bits to a mate who has two Bravo's and a collection of FTO's. The git!

Anyway on the way back the little metal clip that broke on my Bravo last time I went that far south went today on the 145 because I had no wipers and was looking for somewhere that sold cable ties (I didn't have any tools or stuff in my Alfa at all) I hit a pot hole and burst a tyre.

Then I managed to break the tyre lever. I would like to think it was my shear physical prowess but more likely the tyre fitters using an air gun at too high a torque setting.

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So new lever and tyre swapped in Halfords carpark Chichester ready to go. As I was limited to 50mph (officer) I went via Goodwood to take a photo of my 145 outside the hallowed gates but someone had parked/abandoned their HP spec' VW Passat on the way. :(

I eventually managed to get home just after seven. Should have been home by four. Just as well the spare set of wheels that came with my 145 haven't sold on eBay. Looks like I'll be needing them. :)
 
Four weeks to the first track day and £135 windscreen is a chunk of track day budget has got me over thinking things.

The trouble with the Cinquecento is simple.

I feel like I should have an automotive Peter Pan complex driving it.

Building a Panda 100hp powered Cinquecento is something I wanted to do since the 1368 16V first appeared. Doing it now when there are plenty of cheaper and quicker options out there for less seems a bit of an effort.

Also the car if perfectly fine as she is.

I could easily spend the track day budget taking care of the little things and a respray. Despite the lack of history and number of previous owners 60,500 mile fairly original car could be worth more to someone looking for a fun first classic.


:devil: :bang:
 
I keep thinking of other cars/other engines for more power etc... but maybe i should just be happy with what i have .. mind you a 1.4 16v might drop in mine .
 
I keep thinking of other cars/other engines for more power etc... but maybe i should just be happy with what i have .. mind you a 1.4 16v might drop in mine .

Would you like to buy the Idea donor from me and I can drop the 1242 in mine?

As I have the cat' and bits I can do it pre-MOT (in theory).
 
ah ha, i found your thread.. have you really never messed with teh superfire before chap? oh you are in for a treat you are, lol. Great engine, its a personal thing but i'd take the early 1242 16v over the 1368 any day of the week, it just is betterer out the box - and of course the ecu runs it better than it does the 1.4

So as you have new headlights I am guessing you dont want these mk2 punto ones to hack up still?

Your video the other inspired me. The 1242 does sound better than the Panda 100hp both as an engine and in principal. Also as the engine will be unmodified and I kept the emissions control stuff I could do it pre-MOT.

I have wanted to fit the 1368 since it first came out and FrankenFIRE 1 was an 8V 1368 block with Sporting head and 866 cam'. The oil pump failed and seized the crank after a few minutes ticking over (TDM850 carb's).
 
Payday is today. I'm having a little trouble bonding with my Cinquecento as the old kart is in full on daily mode right now I thought I would take the project to work with me and paint the cam' cover.

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As it's payday today I wasn't able to do anything too bold. Italian flag cleche' or something like the violet and silver MX5 cover I did before...

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...I had the primer and lacquer already but could only afford one tin of paint.

So as I'll need to colour match the windscreen frame repair soon...

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...yellow. :)

I think it'll look pretty nice in there.
 
I finally got to the Idea but there was a ropy Seat in the way.

Not too bad really...

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...rust in the usual places and the seats aren't as good as I remember but that's a small detail compared to the engine that started and ticked like a clock second turn of the key. :)

I have also been looking into alternative "bought" vehicles. There's a nice Punto HGT on the south coast for reasonable money. I'll keep it in mind.
 
great car .. would be perfect for my engine donor but I just dont have the room to buy it and swap engines right now.:(
 
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