General Cinq sporting project

[cinquecentos 4 life]

Hi all,

Long time member, and after 8 years I’m back in a fiat. My first car was a silver cinquecento sporting and have always regretted scraping it :cry . Anyway after months of trying to find good example of one, I found a clean silver sporting not many cinq’s left on Irish roads anymore.

Photos attached

I was in two minds on keeping it standard or engine swapping. But I have decided to opt for the 1242cc punto 60 and I am picking up a low mileage punto tomorrow only 44,000miles and it is for free

My plans are

Fully rebuild punto 60 engine
866 cam
Port and polish on the head with lap work
Drop the rear treat and paint
New brakes all round
New new springs
Under seal
And replace most components

Will try and update the thread as I go along, and would be great to get some feedback or ideas from you lot.

Regards Eoin

 

[Fintan Stack]

Looks like a tidy base car. I've just started our yellow 96 sporting here in Carlow, so I'll be following your work here too. Not many left at all running.

 

[cinquecentos 4 life]

Thanks Fintan, was just looking at your post there great looking car. Looking forward to seeing you’re progress on it. Handy having the sx for parts did you pick that up in Wexford?

 

[Fintan Stack]

I did, in Enniscorthy. but the more I look at it the blue one might be worth saving. Had it running today, and it drives well. Might look out for the few bits for the Sporting and see.

 

[cinquecentos 4 life]

Got the punto delivered yesterday, been sat in a driveway since 2008, one owner car, well looked after regularly serviced. Dropped the engine out of it this morning head and cylinder look in very good condition. So I’m happy to proceed with stripping it all apart prepping it for paint.

Probably won’t get to work on it again for a week or two now.

 

[cinquecentos 4 life]

Think that lad was breaking a sporting as well ? Yeah might be worth saving not many in that colour too.

 

[Fintan Stack]

Breaking is the appropriate word.. broke it into an eejit with the bucket of a digger.. but it had been pilfered of bits, alloys trim etc.. I got the Sporting badge off it.. about all that could be salvaged. It's what I went to look at and saw the SX sitting there all unbroken and sad... and I had the trailer...

Nice little job ahead with the engine swap.

 

[cinquecentos 4 life]

Was busy working all weekend so haven’t had a chance to do much at all. Spent a bit of time this evening working on the head. Looks in good condition. However when I was talking the thermostat off it broke in two. Don’t know if I should be worried if freezing causes it to split from lying up for so long. I’ve got a 866 cam and P75 Tb in the way should be here by the end of the week.

Next on the list
- Deep clean the head
- Port and Port match & Polish
- Get the head skimmed
- Lap the valves
- 866 cam and balance the valve shims

 

[cinquecentos 4 life]

Well it’s been some time so I thought I will give a few updates, 1. I haven’t touched the car in over a year I have it in storage on the other side of the country so getting the chance to work on it has been slim.

Here is some work that has been done in the last 5 years.

I did indeed get the block and head skimmed
Intake and head ported. And all new core plugs.
Soda blasted the head and pistons came out like new don’t have a photo sorry.
All new gasket set.
New sump.
New piston rings
New coolant tube
New wp and belt kit
New thermostat
Valves re set and new stem seals
Basically have everything brand new or restored to build the 1242 engine.

Some mods
866 cam
Punto 75 wide bore Throttle body
OMP top strut brace
14” speedline wheels I got from the uk, not cheap with delivery to ireland
6 speed fiat stilo box
60/40 lowering springs
That’s all I can think of now anyway

I stopped work on the engine back in late 2020 until I had all parts ready to go trying to get stuff zinc plated in Ireland is impossible.

So I turned my attention to the rear of the car.
Sand blasted the rear beam and treated primed and painted.

All new parts ready to go for rear beam build, need to re commission my fuel tank as can get a new one.

All the inside of the car has been rust treated and red oxide painted, just need to decide what product to under-seal it with.

Anyways after a year away from the car I plan on the next week or two to get back at it and make some progress.

Hope everyone is keeping well comment and thoughts welcome

Eoin

 

[cinquecentos 4 life]

Bit more work done this week most of the underside is complete now, wire wheel, rust converter, 2 coats of red oxide, and 2 coats of 182 grey zinc primer. Was going to Shultz the underside too but now in 2 minds the grey primer seems super hard wearing and I like the colour and finish.

Anyone with experience of this stuff like to give there opinion?