Barchetta Hello from Wiltshire

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Barchetta Hello from Wiltshire

Joined
Jul 14, 2020
Messages
370
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214
Location
Wiltshire
Hi,
Just doing the newbie thing and saying hello. Hopefully in the next week or so I'll be the owner of 1999 Barchetta bought from a friend who imported it from Germany as new but isn't driving it much these days. It'll be my first Fiat and wasn't even what I was thinking of buying when I wanted a second car to replace my sadly departed Citroen DS but I like its looks and thought I'd give it a try.

Cheers
Chris
 
Thanks for the welcome everyone. I'm very much the M4 end of Wiltshire, between Malmesbury and Swindon.
The Barchetta has been SORNed for a couple of years and so it's having an MOT next week to make sure there's nothing immediately that needs doing.
It does need a timing belt change fairly soon so I'll get the water pump, tensioners and (probably) variator done at the same time. Is there a feel for a standard cost for that work at the specialists?
I'm really looking forward to getting hold of it and having some fun.
 
The B4042 will be a good road to 'test' it once ready, if you can find a time when all the 40-45 ditherers are not there.
Keep you eyes peeled, occasionally you'll see an orange Panda scampering along there.
:) The added challenge with the 4042 now is remembering where all the tyre crunching pot holes are. The stretch going from under the M4 to Brinkowrth has some horrible stuff by the verge. The bit between Brinkworth and Malmesbury did get some decent re-surfacing during lockdown.
I'll keep an eye open for that Panda, lockdown has meant I'm no longer tootling down it twice a day.
 
Quick update. I now have a Barchetta in my garage that doesn't have an MOT - long story.
There's a few things to get sorted for it to be legal again:

  • Three of the four suspension mount points have corroded. The one that hasn't was fixed a few years back.
  • Handbrake ineffective (I've read the tales of that woe on this forum already).
  • Dipped headlight not working - woohoo one I can do
  • Leaking exhaust. Sounds like its coming from the front section but I'll have a crawl under there later to see if it can be patched or whether I need a new front pipe
  • Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded
  • Offside Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
  • Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits
I've been poring over ePer to get part numbers for the various bits I need - thank you to whoever made this available. Once I'm sure I can support it properly I'm going to have a look at the state of the underneath and see what I can get done myself before handing it over to the local mechanic.

There's work to do but I've some cash set aside for it and it does look very pretty sitting in the garage.
 
Show us a foto !! Heres my 1995, at my place in Spain.
 

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Hi Chris, belated greetings! Hope you get your B on the road very soon.

I saw that you previously had a DS. A chum and I are plotting a road-trip to France next year, to do the Beaujolais run, and we're thinking it would be cool to do it in a DS. (The original idea was to go in his newly-imported E-Type, but he reckons it won't hold enough wine!) So, I've been idly scanning the classifieds over the last few months, and DSs seem to have rocketed in price since I last looked at them (for half-decent ones, anyway...). My all-time fave is the Decapotable. Was there ever a sexier convertible? (not counting the B, of course (y))
 
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Hello again one and all. Sorry for my long absence but here's an update.

Using the various guides and posts on this forum (thank you to everyone who's knowledge I leaned on) I managed to fit new rear disks and pads, replace the corroded brake pipe and replace the handbrake cables (as noted in the relevant threads the new cables seemed too long and I had to create some spacers to make it so the handbrake actually worked). After that it went to my local chap to get the welding done. Sadly, personal issues meant that he didn't get to look at it for about 5 months during which time it sat under a cover. I finally got her back last week complete with MOT which means she's road legal and I could have a quick blast in her.

Sadly what had happened is that the time under the cover means there is a ton of mould in the car. I should have known this would happen but hindsight is no good to me now. So I'm now donning the respirator mask and cleaning all that up. I've taken the seats out so I can clean them and the floor more easily which means I've been able to remove the quantity of ancient sweets and parking tickets from underneath the seats. It didn’t help that he stuck the damp cover in the boot which means the lining on the boot lid was also mouldy. I’m getting there with it now and I’ve only got the bonnet lining and inside the soft top to clean up now and it should be pretty once more.

While it is tempting to now just have some fun in the spring sunshine I’m aware that the timing belt hasn’t ever been to my knowledge so I think I’m going to have to raid the coffers again to get that done. I’m not getting any clatter at start up so I don’t know whether to get the variator done at the same time or save a few quid and skip it for now.

After that there is some non-structural rust to be taken care of but that may wait to be a winter project as I want to have the use of her over the next few months.

@gar074 The DS is a fantastic car and it’s an itch I would want to scratch again but prices are high and they rust for fun. Driving one is a wonderful experience and one I’m glad I’ve had, they’re not a car to rush but you can just take speed bumps at full tilt and let the suspension take care of it. The decap is beautiful with the roof down but I’m not so keen when it’s up but definitely wouldn’t turn one down. A trip to France in one would be good fun, definitely envious if you do it.
 
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Hey Chris, delighted to hear that your B is now a going concern again. Mine still needs some work to get it back on the road, but I've been distracted lately by a new toy that I bought last summer - not a DS, sadly, but another old French favourite of mine, a Matra Murena. It's not well suited to the Beaujolais run, unfortunately, as it has precious little storage space, but it goes like stink and corners on rails! Looks gorgeous too, in a wedgy '80s sort of way!
 
Hi Chris, just wondered if you got the cam belt water pump and variator done, and if so where. I have had a quote from DTR to do the cam belt and water pump is £499inc and the variator is £279 plus vat so around £800 in all which seems bit steep
 
Hi Chris, just wondered if you got the cam belt water pump and variator done, and if so where. I have had a quote from DTR to do the cam belt and water pump is £499inc and the variator is £279 plus vat so around £800 in all which seems bit steep
Hi, welcome to B ownership. I did get mine done at a garage in Newbury who charged me a little more than the prices you've been quoted so while I can't say you've got a bargain you've definitely done better than me!
 
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