500 'Knuckles' the Fiat 500 1.4 Sport

[staffordmike]

I wouldn't bother using leather food on your seats, they're not real leather. I know this as the vinyl on mine went hard and cracked, eventually peeling off to reveal the fabric backing. It cost me £250 for a new seat base cover!

 

[306maxi]

yes, they're not real leather.

 

[samdavis]

I wouldn't bother using leather food on your seats, they're not real leather. I know this as the vinyl on mine went hard and cracked, eventually peeling off to reveal the fabric backing. It cost me £250 for a new seat base cover!

yes, they're not real leather.

Ahh I did wonder.. The Fiat brochure made out that 'Frau Leather' was real, but I wasn't 100% convinced.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll go back to the hot chamois approach instead!!

 

[samdavis]

Mirror Caps

Managed to find some white mirror caps on FleaBay for £50, from a Mercedes Benz dealer of all places!

Pulled the car out of the garage for half an hour between the rain to fit them. Was an absolute doddle; remove the mirror glass, unclip the old caps from the tabs on the inside and replace! I then put some wax on them for good measure.

Excuse the lame phone picture...

 

[chas379]

White mirror backs look good with red.

 

[samdavis]

Thanks chas. I'm still pondering over the roof chequers but that will wait untill the spring. So its all little things from here on out.

I whipped up a little guide on the mirrors as the fitting instructions were beautifully vague!

https://www.fiatforum.com/500-guides/312113-how-change-mirror-covers-fiat-500-a.html

 

[chas379]

Thanks chas. I'm still pondering over the roof chequers but that will wait untill the spring. So its all little things from here on out.

I whipped up a little guide on the mirrors as the fitting instructions were beautifully vague!

https://www.fiatforum.com/500-guides/312113-how-change-mirror-covers-fiat-500-a.html

Very good instructions on the guide. I found that the 2 wires attached to the mirror(for heating purposes) are quite easily pulled away. Gentle pressure only required to pull them from the spades. Just remember which wire went with which spade.

This being the case your OH can be inside preparing a drink for when the job is completed, rather than holding the mirror glass..

 

[306maxi]

Very good instructions on the guide. I found that the 2 wires attached to the mirror(for heating purposes) are quite easily pulled away. Gentle pressure only required to pull them from the spades. Just remember which wire went with which spade.

This being the case your OH can be inside preparing a drink for when the job is completed, rather than holding the mirror glass..

Being a heating element does it matter what the polarity is?

 

[samdavis]

This being the case your OH can be inside preparing a drink for when the job is completed, rather than holding the mirror glass..

Or just watching very curiously, as my neighbours did today!

Being a heating element does it matter what the polarity is?

I guess not, I just didn't think that much about it at the time...! :worship:

 

[chas379]

Being a heating element does it matter what the polarity is?

Out of my comfort zone here do as I failed GCE physics. All I do is take notice of the connections and replace as was. But as ever I learn from the forum.

 

[samdavis]

All I do is take notice of the connections and replace as was.

Me too! Until I forget where the connection was...

 

[samdavis]

These arrived (finally) from PolishedBliss, via the worlds worst courier service...

Gilmour Foammaster II, Meg's Hyperwash, some wash mitts and drying towels. My cousin has gone at bought herself a new Ford Ka (Fiat 500 in disguise) so we'll be trying out these toys on both our cars

Anyways, some better pics of the car with the new mirror caps.

 

[chas379]

Anyways, some better pics of the car with the new mirror caps.

Looking really good especially with the mirror caps

 

[samdavis]

Wheely good?

This arrived in the post earlier this week. An Abarth 500 steering wheel minus the airbag.

Hopefully I'll be able to have play with it Sunday, when I've finished writing reports and the weather brightens up a touch.

I'm hoping that it will fit with the stock Fiat airbag as they look near enough identical. It has the same steering controls on it as well.

Its in pretty good nick, a couple of light marks to the silver bits but the leather and red stitching looks unused.

 

[chas379]

Hope it works OK for you

 

[samdavis]

Hope it works OK for you

Here's hoping! In theory it should be simple enough. Disconnect battery, make coffee, unbolt existing wheel and airbag, disconnect airbag, remove old wheel, put on new wheel, replace airbag...

We shall see. I put a Nardi wheel & airbag on the Maz, which worked out ok.

I've also got some mudflaps I need to install as well!

 

[jnoiles]

Re: Wheely good?

This arrived in the post earlier this week. An Abarth 500 steering wheel minus the airbag.

Beware the clockspring when removing the wheel. I've had my wheel off to send it away for alcantara retrim and the clockspring removal without it unravelling is a bit of a pig. MEP was on hand with a third hand to assist in removal and being the bright bloke he is, had a couple of bits of masking tape handy to hold it all together while I swapped wheels.

 

[samdavis]

Re: Wheely good?

Beware the clockspring when removing the wheel. I've had my wheel off to send it away for alcantara retrim and the clockspring removal without it unravelling is a bit of a pig. MEP was on hand with a third hand to assist in removal and being the bright bloke he is, had a couple of bits of masking tape handy to hold it all together while I swapped wheels.

Ahh I did wonder about the clockspring, as I'd found a few warnigns about it on other vehicles.

I'll make sure I've got loads of masking tape on stand by and possibly grow another arm! Didn't get a chance to look at it this weekend, but I did find a video on the BlackIt website showing (very roughly) how to remove/replace.

 

[samdavis]

Wheely got it fitted... and more!

Anyways, finally got it fitted. I'll let the pictures do most of the talking.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Thanks to RUI for telling me how to get the airbag off. Took a long time (of swearing & cursing) to get the right technique to pry the airbag tabs, but got there in the end!!

The stock gear knob had always annoyed me because it was in such a poor state. The dealer originally said that they would source arepalcement for it, but it never happened. Might be a bit of a love/hate thing on here but I think you can pull it off in a 500!

It is a real pool knob, and it is desgined specifially for a lift up reverse Fiat 500. Fits pretty much in the same way as the standard gear knob, even with the original retaining nut!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190671761159?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

The gaiter came from Black Srl in Italy. I dropped them an email about a 6 speed reverse plate on it for the Sport. A chap called Marco emailed me back and they said they could supply it. The gaiter is of really supple leather and matches the Abarth wheel perfectly.

Also, probably the most important mod:

As the weather was nice and the car was out I had to wash it. Used the Meguiars HyperWash foam and Meguairs Shampoo plus. Also did my parent's Audi TT earlier today; the difference on both cars was, well, erhhh, woah!

I'm really, really pleased with the steering wheel. Totally agree with Rui and others, its such an improvement. So good, that I had to adapt a meme!

 

[RUI]

The wheel does make all the difference doesn't it, I have yet to drive a car with a better wheel.