Punto (Mk2/2b) Luca91's Tiziano Punto Sporting

[Butcher]

nice mate, any other plans?

 

[xFaz]

Lovely colour, the centre caps work with it so well!!

If you're wanting tinted repeaters, I'm selling some now

https://www.fiatforum.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=23118&cat=19

Can give them to you at Stanford for a reduced price if you're going

 

[Luca91]

Thanks Butcher,

I'm considering having the rear MK2B lights smoked slightly to fit with the rest of the car as they now seem a lil "off"...they suited the standard alloy colour but not so well on the gun metal.
Aside from that, I reckon a nice full set supersprint exhaust and manifold is next on the list.
Visually I'm quite happy with it now, but considering smoothing both the front/rear bumpers to have no strips as it'll look nice when it's lowered.

xFaz, I'm deffo interested, will PM you my mobile number, give me a ring when there...and my mate wants the other pair...sorted

 

[Luca91]

Finally got around to buying some coilovers, decided to go with the FK Highsport, second hand for £250, was a lovely 100 miles each way but rather enjoyed the drive, car was amazingly comfortable for such a long drive

The car has finally had a proper clean since the autoitalia, finally used the G3 with a machine polisher, and then finally some autoglym polish

 

[Ashjj]

Looking good so far and the paint work looks like new you have definatly done a good job on that.

The plans you have got for it are looking good to keeping it nice a suttle

 

[Luca91]

Aha cheers mate, I should hope it looks new, spent a good 9 hours or so, need to do the interior next weekend...

I'm considering having the alloys resprayed white as I'm going off the gun-metal, a bit unsure so I'll wait for now, and it'll most probably be done after the snowy season is gone, so Jan next year...not too sure
If I get them done in white, I'll be getting slightly lower profile tyres, need to replace them soon anyways :devil:

As for the coil-overs, I think a 40 - 50mm drop will suffice, don't want it ridiculously low as it needs to get me to work and back...we'll see, all will be clear in 2 weeks as that's when it's having most things done.

- Luca

 

[SamuraiDragon]

looking good... other than the red drums... imo, only black drums work, but nice motor.
get some pics up as soon as the coilovers are fitted.

 

[Butcher]

i really like this car , the colour wins me over, i would love to see it with abarth side skirts and a stilo front splitter.

 

[Luca91]

Back drums are hit and miss, some people like em, others don't, I liked them, well I still do like them aha :devil:

Pics will deffo be put up once it's been lowered, and Butcher, I've ordered a Stilo splitter already

I was going to get Abarth skirts a few months back but decided against it, the shade is slightly darker and is noticeable, but who knows, may go back to it

Got the following to finish.

1) Get the coil-overs fitted
2) Have the dent removed, bumper resprayed and mirrors colour coded
3) Fit splitter
4) Possibly change the alloys to white...opinions are needed on this as I'm 50-50, most have said to keep them as they are, we'll see:bang:
5) Slightly lower profile tyres if I change to white alloys.

Not sure what else from there, we'll see

 

[Luca91]

Seen these lovely alloys, need opinions though

Yay or nay?
All opinions welcome :devil:

 

[SamuraiDragon]

depends on the size. 15's and i think they would look good, any bigger i think would look silly and you would be better off getting ur current ones powder coated white instead.

 

[Luca91]

On the same wave length Samurai, I'm sticking to 15''s, and I too thought my current MK2B sporting alloys would look better in powdered white.

I think if I bought lower profile tyres, that would improve the general look of the wheels, at the moment they look too "chubby"

- Luca

 

[SamuraiDragon]

keep the rolling radius the same as it should. the car is designed to work as it should on the size of the standard 14"/15" rims. any bigger or smaller wheels should have tyre walls that take that into account that difference for eg i have 195/45's fitted on my 16" rims. keep to the stock tyre size, otherwise ur speedo will be out for starters and handling will also be affected.... not to mention that lower profile rubber = one uncomfortable ride.

 

[Luca91]

Hmm, I thought the sporting could handle 14'' and 15'' without any issue?

I'm not getting ridiculously lower profile tyres, just slightly to give it a more refined look, what do I need to do/get if I want to maintain the exact 15'' rolling radius?

I'm aware that the ride will be more uncomfortable, which is hence another reason why they won't be drastically low profile.

Thanks for the info though, wasn't aware there'd be an issue between 14-15''s.

 

[SamuraiDragon]

its not so much the issue between the rims, but the tyres themselves. the tyre profile will be thinner on the 15s than it would be on the 14s for eg, but the overall diameter of them will be pretty much exactly the same. by fitting thinner tyres than the car was designed for on the respective rim size you will at least be putting the speedo out of sync.
iirc, by rolling on a smaller diameter you will on a plus, increase your acceleration, but you will also reduce your top speed, by having a larger diameter, you will slow down acceleration etc and also put a strain on the gearbox and diff.... im not sure if having smaller diameter will have any mechanical complications but either way, performance/handling and the speedo readout will be out.

 

[Luca91]

Hmm true.

I mean that if I had 14'', it should all be fine really, but surely me changing the profile of the tyres will not change the overall radius anymore than if I swapped the 15''s for 14''s?

Hope this makes sense, I'm aware that the tyre pressure, handling will definitely be different.

Thanks for the help by the way

 

[SamuraiDragon]

if you had 14s, you would be on something like 185/65 tyres but on 15s it would be 185/55 tyres. im not sure if thats the exact tyres u need as i went from 14" steels which are 165/70 to 16s which were 195/45. either way the roling radius was pretty much the same. if for eg you had 15s on 185/55/15 but changed them to 185/45/15, then you put it out of sync. hope that makes sense.

 

[Luca91]

Yeah I understand now, so yours is in essence out of sync by 5 if I have calculated the total radius correctly?

One of the previous owners of my car had apparently put 16''s on it, this was discovered by my mechanic who checked specific parts of my car and saw tell-tale signs of someone fitting bigger wheels than 14/15''.

I'll jot down the total radius of my wheels and come back here or PM you them, I'd still like to reduce the profile of the tyres slightly, but I'll make sure with my mechanic that it won't cause any issues such as significantly reducing MPG or handling, rest assured he will say "NO" if it sounds ridiculous.

I'm trying to strike the balance between practical and looks so I appreciate you pointing this all out mate

If I remember correctly, lower profile tyres improve handling, but at the expense of a harsher ride quality, and say I go over a pot hole, the alloy/car will absorb more of the impact than the rubber (as there's less rubber for the impact to travel through) so this can mean the alloys are more likely to be damaged.

 

[Luca91]

So alot has happened since I updated this thread.

Two lovely dents collected, one gone...other is proving to be a lil more stubborn, nothing to do with my wallet being empty of course:devil:

Jokes aside, the mirrors have been painted, and the car has been lowered aprox. 50mm, will be sure to post a few pictures when a nice day pops up - Luca