The lounge has the chrome insert strip.
Technical Fiat 500 buying advice - twinair
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Technical Fiat 500 buying advice - twinair
The lounge has the chrome insert strip.
The lounge has the thick chrome strips whereas the older Sport and pop has body coloured so the bumper comes without the slots for the trim. Obviously yours is a lounge.
Don’t forget to salvage the front tow ring cover. Replacement bumpers often come without that bit.
Don’t forget to salvage the front tow ring cover. Replacement bumpers often come without that bit.
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It's one of the few pieces of the bumper which still exists 
That and one of the chrome trim parts and one of the foglamp blanks. Picked up a couple of tools today including clip pliers and a set of torx bits, and a 5l bottle of demineralised water. Whole cooling system will have to be emptied regardless but it's cheaper and cleaner to throw water into the system to look for leaks than antifreeze.
At least I wont have to vent the aircon system, there's no way that condenser is still holding anything in, it's comprehensively destroyed.
That and one of the chrome trim parts and one of the foglamp blanks. Picked up a couple of tools today including clip pliers and a set of torx bits, and a 5l bottle of demineralised water. Whole cooling system will have to be emptied regardless but it's cheaper and cleaner to throw water into the system to look for leaks than antifreeze.At least I wont have to vent the aircon system, there's no way that condenser is still holding anything in, it's comprehensively destroyed.
You probably won’t have any leaks. You can drain it suitably from the bottom nearside hose connection and the top offside. The clips are single use so get yourself some screw type jubilee clips.
Oh I thought those click clamps could be re-used?
I'm thinking there probably is a water leak from the radiator or at least a hose joint because the existing coolant is well below the MIN mark. They have definitely pulled the front out a bit from where the initial impact left it, by about 3/4 of an inch and there's a good chance something back there is broken.
One thing I notice the bottom of my bumper has a black plastic/rubber boot running all along the very bottom and from videos it's that which screws to the underside of the car - does that bond or screw/clip to the painted part?
Wheel liners appear to have survived at first glance, although some plastic covers for the lighting connectors are gone, found one in the boot and another cover I can't identify which is snapped clean in half. I'll get photos during the initial stripdown attempt. It's likely to take me several weekends to sort the car out, I bet you'd have it done in a day!
Just grabbed some rosso red bonnet hinges, some wheel caps and a right scuttle cover on ebay. I'm thinking I'll leave the bonnet on until everything else is finished just as a rain cover.
I'm thinking there probably is a water leak from the radiator or at least a hose joint because the existing coolant is well below the MIN mark. They have definitely pulled the front out a bit from where the initial impact left it, by about 3/4 of an inch and there's a good chance something back there is broken.
One thing I notice the bottom of my bumper has a black plastic/rubber boot running all along the very bottom and from videos it's that which screws to the underside of the car - does that bond or screw/clip to the painted part?
Wheel liners appear to have survived at first glance, although some plastic covers for the lighting connectors are gone, found one in the boot and another cover I can't identify which is snapped clean in half. I'll get photos during the initial stripdown attempt. It's likely to take me several weekends to sort the car out, I bet you'd have it done in a day!
Just grabbed some rosso red bonnet hinges, some wheel caps and a right scuttle cover on ebay. I'm thinking I'll leave the bonnet on until everything else is finished just as a rain cover.
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That rubber skirt thing is clipped into the bumper st the front with from memory just a couple of bolts. It clips to the rubber under part of the bumper. I may have some spare headlight access covers. Let me know which ones you need.
Are there repair kits for the driving lights? sure enough all the fittings are broken on those too - looks like the lenses might have a crack across each one. One has a big X across it.
Edit: never mind, just seen new units aren't crazy expensive on ebay, but I'll try to find a used pair.
Edit: never mind, just seen new units aren't crazy expensive on ebay, but I'll try to find a used pair.
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No repair kits for those but I always hot staple repair the lugs on broken ones but if your lenses are knackered not worth it. You can normally pick them up for around £20-25 each.
Got a new pair inc postage for £67 as I don't own a hot stapler. Lenses aren't cracked it turns out, it was just hard to see as they've fallen in - it's a visual deliberate line across them like on the headlights. I'll keep all the bits just in case for the future.
Here’s a decent bumper for £120 + £20 postage
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/143101194590
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/143101194590
This post contains affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
I think you might be right but you can still just bond them on. Grind off the tabs and use a two part glue or specialist car panel bonding. Done this a few times. Not ideal but when that’s the only one that’s available it’s worth the extra work.
Incidentally the leak you mention could be the main water pipe. Easy to change once you’ve got the rad and front panel off. It’s behind the silver manifold heat shield. One nut holds it on and it just pushes in, sealed with a rubber washer/seal. These often fail although yours is only a 2014 so I wouldn’t have expected it to have rusted yet. Worth checking though.
Some people also recommend changing the thermostat when replacing a rad. I never have but again, probably worth it.
Incidentally the leak you mention could be the main water pipe. Easy to change once you’ve got the rad and front panel off. It’s behind the silver manifold heat shield. One nut holds it on and it just pushes in, sealed with a rubber washer/seal. These often fail although yours is only a 2014 so I wouldn’t have expected it to have rusted yet. Worth checking though.
Some people also recommend changing the thermostat when replacing a rad. I never have but again, probably worth it.
I’ve just realised that the new bumper I’ve just bought didn’t have the holes so I’ve bonded them on.
OK - so I started the work....
Removed the driver side wheel liner for general access to the dented wing, will be getting one of those mobile guys to take a look. Removed the lights, bumper, crash bars (the lower one is almost undamaged but will need replacing), condenser, engine cover. Salvaged all usable clips from the lights & bumper, only the left fog lamp blank survived - turns out I do have both wheel liner covers, but passenger side liner has a possibly fixable broken lug.
Noted some extra damage - top clip for intercooler is broken on the front edge which is probably fixable with some thin metal and araldite. Put some water in the tank and sure enough radiator dripping immediately from passenger side. The bumper clip sections riveted to the wings have broken clips at the front at both sides. Plastic tray under the engine is broken at one side, probably a Copart fork lift.
Special thanks to whatever idiot last did up the engine cover probably with an impact driver as the brass thread part has stripped the plastic it sits in. I really don't want to have to dismantle all that to replace whatever that big plastic part is, so I'll probably use araldite or similar to refit the brass part and be careful doing it up....
Left rail flange is definitely bent and possibly the rail too slightly - does anyone have the exact measurements from side screw holes to right side? I have an idea for taking the bend out of the flange as there's not much room to swing a hammer - get a 1.5" thick block of steel with the bolt pattern drilled in it - and screw it down tight. Right one is in better shape but still has a slight bend at the top, definitely fixable.
Tackled the radiator next - OH MY GOD THOSE ****ING CLIPS, these were easily the worst part of the day along with limited access to get the hoses off once the clips were broken away. Some of the hoses could do with replacing maybe as the clips were done very tightly. Next fought the intercooler for just as long - same story with short inflexible hoses and evil clips - didn't realise intercoolers had oil in them, I don't know anything about turbo cars. Oil everywhere but mostly into the tray still there with antifreeze in it.
Took lots of sandwich bags and rubber bands and put them over all hose ends on exposed hoses and electrical connectors. Ran out of daylight and tidied up by torchlight.
Parts needed (* = already ordered)
* Headlamp repair kit L+R
* Driving/fog lamps L+R
* Bonnet hinges
* 2x wheel caps
Bonnet
Lower engine plastic tray + 1 screw
Bumper, grille, badge, moldings small x2 & large x2, right foglamp blank, top bumper screws
Slam panel
Slam panel aluminium spacers
Upper crash bar & foam
Lower crash bar
Condenser Radiator
Possibly radiator and intercooler hoses
Possibly fan - ran out of daylight to check if it spins freely when removed from the rad
Clip for fan wiring
Parts to be repaired:
Headlamps
Intercooler
Passenger wheel liner
Bodywork:
See if driver wing can be dent pulled
Straighten passenger wing front fitting edge
Touch up all exposed metal as temporary protection.
Summary - costs have increased a little which is a shame - little concerned about the passenger frame rail but if it is bent it's only very slightly. Not sure how I used to do this when I was younger and not ache afterwards, but I'm glad the worst part is done - those hoses and clips, and fighting to remove parts from a bent slam panel.
Removed the driver side wheel liner for general access to the dented wing, will be getting one of those mobile guys to take a look. Removed the lights, bumper, crash bars (the lower one is almost undamaged but will need replacing), condenser, engine cover. Salvaged all usable clips from the lights & bumper, only the left fog lamp blank survived - turns out I do have both wheel liner covers, but passenger side liner has a possibly fixable broken lug.
Noted some extra damage - top clip for intercooler is broken on the front edge which is probably fixable with some thin metal and araldite. Put some water in the tank and sure enough radiator dripping immediately from passenger side. The bumper clip sections riveted to the wings have broken clips at the front at both sides. Plastic tray under the engine is broken at one side, probably a Copart fork lift.
Special thanks to whatever idiot last did up the engine cover probably with an impact driver as the brass thread part has stripped the plastic it sits in. I really don't want to have to dismantle all that to replace whatever that big plastic part is, so I'll probably use araldite or similar to refit the brass part and be careful doing it up....
Left rail flange is definitely bent and possibly the rail too slightly - does anyone have the exact measurements from side screw holes to right side? I have an idea for taking the bend out of the flange as there's not much room to swing a hammer - get a 1.5" thick block of steel with the bolt pattern drilled in it - and screw it down tight. Right one is in better shape but still has a slight bend at the top, definitely fixable.
Tackled the radiator next - OH MY GOD THOSE ****ING CLIPS, these were easily the worst part of the day along with limited access to get the hoses off once the clips were broken away. Some of the hoses could do with replacing maybe as the clips were done very tightly. Next fought the intercooler for just as long - same story with short inflexible hoses and evil clips - didn't realise intercoolers had oil in them, I don't know anything about turbo cars. Oil everywhere but mostly into the tray still there with antifreeze in it.
Took lots of sandwich bags and rubber bands and put them over all hose ends on exposed hoses and electrical connectors. Ran out of daylight and tidied up by torchlight.
Parts needed (* = already ordered)
* Headlamp repair kit L+R
* Driving/fog lamps L+R
* Bonnet hinges
* 2x wheel caps
Bonnet
Lower engine plastic tray + 1 screw
Bumper, grille, badge, moldings small x2 & large x2, right foglamp blank, top bumper screws
Slam panel
Slam panel aluminium spacers
Upper crash bar & foam
Lower crash bar
Condenser Radiator
Possibly radiator and intercooler hoses
Possibly fan - ran out of daylight to check if it spins freely when removed from the rad
Clip for fan wiring
Parts to be repaired:
Headlamps
Intercooler
Passenger wheel liner
Bodywork:
See if driver wing can be dent pulled
Straighten passenger wing front fitting edge
Touch up all exposed metal as temporary protection.
Summary - costs have increased a little which is a shame - little concerned about the passenger frame rail but if it is bent it's only very slightly. Not sure how I used to do this when I was younger and not ache afterwards, but I'm glad the worst part is done - those hoses and clips, and fighting to remove parts from a bent slam panel.
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Why do you need new front panel spacers?
Have you got a river gun as you need to rivet the 3 rad locator pins onto your new front panel.
Make sure you buy the correct radiator. I’m sure you’ve already realised it’s different to the 1.2.
Shop around for parts. You’ve still got a great bargain. I wish I had it.
Have you got a river gun as you need to rivet the 3 rad locator pins onto your new front panel.
Make sure you buy the correct radiator. I’m sure you’ve already realised it’s different to the 1.2.
Shop around for parts. You’ve still got a great bargain. I wish I had it.
You can always buy a new bumper painted to code for £179. No matter what bumper you buy second hand they are very rarely perfect. There’s nothing quite like a brand new freshly painted one. I’ve done this before and the match has been pretty good. As your car is only a 2014 it’s unlikely to have faded much.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/192791866744
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/192791866744
This post contains affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
I've been looking at that new bumper but not sure what to do about the lack of the black section at the bottom. I took a close look at mine today and it's actually all the same piece of plastic as far as I can tell. I'll get a photo tomorrow - hoping the weather will hold so I can get that slam panel off and get a better look at the upper rails. The subframe is definitely perfect, the damage to the lower crash bar was absolutely minimal - the tubular section squashed and moved up a bit, but it still sits perfectly flat on the ground.
I do have a rivet gun but I think it might only suit smaller rivets - do you know how many mm they are? I'll need to buy locator pins unless I get a used panel with them on, at least one of mine is broken.
I do have a rivet gun but I think it might only suit smaller rivets - do you know how many mm they are? I'll need to buy locator pins unless I get a used panel with them on, at least one of mine is broken.
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Well the fan is good at least - doesn't seem to rub anymore despite still being clipped to the bent radiator. I worked out how to fix the intercooler, just trying to find something made of the right kind of plastic - some of those snapped headlamp lugs might be just the thing. I'll use a dremel to square off the broken section and plastic weld them together.
