General Mitchio the 500F

[fiat500]

Having recently completed the restoration of a 1969 F, I was getting withdrawal symptoms from the smell of hot grinding discs and I was getting confused at finding my garage a little cleaner (only a little) than I am used to.

I wasn't feeling any richer but I wasn't shelling out a hundred pounds a month on welding gas, body panels and paint and that didn't feel right.

To cut to the chase, after a large outlay of cash and a certain amount of alteration to my already cramped garage, a stablemate for my little blue car is due to arrive tomorrow.

I doubt that I will be restoring it anytime soon, if at all; more likely I will gradually rebuild the components and use them when needed on the running car. But once our house build is complete I may get out the welding torch again. Although the seller seems to have doubts that it's feasible

We'll see tomorrow with crisp, gory photos of my own to reveal all.

 

[Vitesse]

Well it's nice to see it appears to have rust in all the right places unlike Murpio!!!!

What year is it? 1970? As it appears to have a column ignition switch?

The engine looks like it could do with a clean up, do you know if it is seized or not?????

 

[Franko500]

Look forward to see how you get on with this one. Nice to see that you are challenging yourself again. I'm sure the wife is happy?

 

[fiat500]

Look forward to see how you get on with this one. Nice to see that you are challenging yourself again. I'm sure the wife is happy?

As of this moment, Sheila is (I think) unaware of my, ahem, predicament. She thinks that this sort of thing should be reserved for later on in our lives "when we have more time". The challenge now is to keep the garage locked for long enough to wean her to the idea. Latest thing is that she suggests that I buy her the " For The Love of Cars" one off Ebay...only half joking. I might tell her this one is her Christmas present.

I really know nothing about this car other than the obvious; it looks like it's yellow and has black seats...great combination at least! The engine will be seized I am sure and I think there may be a spare gearbox, which might indicate where it originally went wrong. I know I should have asked more questions and at least have been to see it, but I reckon I wouldn't be too far out of pocket even if I held up my hands and passed it on straight away.

It looks like a"K" so maybe '71 and it does at least have the Reg. Doc.

I am looking forward to frightening myself, closely examining it tomorrow.

 

[Franko500]

Oh dear, you are going to be in serious trouble!
Hope you didn't mean this Christmas?
Can't wait to see the photos to see what you have bought, and how much you will be in trouble with Sheila.....

 

[Vitesse]

As of this moment, Sheila is (I think) unaware of my, ahem, predicament. She thinks that this sort of thing should be reserved for later on in our lives "when we have more time". The challenge now is to keep the garage locked for long enough to wean her to the idea. Latest thing is that she suggests that I buy her the " For The Love of Cars" one off Ebay...only half joking. I might tell her this one is her Christmas present.

I really know nothing about this car other than the obvious; it looks like it's yellow and has black seats...great combination at least! The engine will be seized I am sure and I think there may be a spare gearbox, which might indicate where it originally went wrong. I know I should have asked more questions and at least have been to see it, but I reckon I wouldn't be too far out of pocket even if I held up my hands and passed it on straight away.

It looks like a"K" so maybe '71 and it does at least have the Reg. Doc.

I am looking forward to frightening myself, closely examining it tomorrow.

Crumbs so you still haven't yet mustered up the courage to tell Sheila the whole story, that you have probably bought another 500 that is in much worse condition than Murphio was originally.

I would love to be a fly on the wall when you pitch up with Mitchio tomorrow to see the look on her face? Followed by the words I bought it for you. :hug:

 

[fiat500]

whole story:

The WHOLE STORY?...none of the story!
I will first have to wash it, remove all the scrap inside of it, give the inside some sort of refreshment, blow up the tyres and open the sunroof so it all looks as good as possible.

The main thing I will be doing is signing a voluntary affadavit that the house will be finished before I start on the Fiat, (That will be a lie , by the way.)

 

[Vitesse]

The WHOLE STORY?...none of the story!
I will first have to wash it, remove all the scrap inside of it, give the inside some sort of refreshment, blow up the tyres and open the sunroof so it all looks as good as possible.

The main thing I will be doing is signing a voluntary affadavit that the house will be finished before I start on the Fiat, (That will be a lie , by the way.)

I would just like to point out there is no sunroof just a hole by the look of it! As you say a bit of air freshener Sheila will never notice.

Am I right it is being delivered so you don't need to make an excuse to be going somewhere you are not?

I could be like an episode of candid camera!!!!!

 

[fiat500]

Am I right it is being delivered so you don't need to make an excuse to be going somewhere you are not?

...not quite that bad; I just didn't fancy the horrendous long drive down and up the A9...just the one direction is enough for a day. When I priced it by Shiply (an excellent bloke called Phil), it was reasonably competitive with my fuel and trailer hire or hiring a big van.

What's really causing the awkwardness is that I sort of had the go-ahead for a classic camper (ideally a Fiat Amigo) and this may be seen as scuppering that project

 

[stevehg]

It seems like a sensible move to me. If you are anything like me, work on the house is a necessary evil, whilst work on cars bizarrely is enjoyable. Doing it slowly over time with no deadline pressures, a part or group of parts at a time, will give you a welcome break from work and also work on the house.

Your wife will know this too, and will naturally be happy with your new purchase. Plus, it's an appreciating asset, so you have that argument too!

Have fun with the next project.

cheers, Steve

 

[fiat500]

Plus, it's an appreciating asset, so you have that argument too!

Have fun with the next project.

cheers, Steve

Thanks for the positive words Steve..I need them along with something stronger even than Yorkshire Tea!

It arrived apparently somewhat lighter than it left as bits were flying off on the A9. There are some serious bits of metal missing and what's there doesn't look too clever. a shame as the interior is actually fairly good considering, as Tony pointed out so helpfully, it has no sunroof canvas.
There appear to be lots of bits of gearbox, maybe from more than two cars and so far I turned up a distributor and a vey nice loking door mirror. It looks complete and not too messed about (apart from by Mother Nature).
So financially, maybe not a total disaster but restoration-wise, despite me obviously being quite plucky about these things, I don't think so.
Struggling with the image uploading so will do that later.

 

[fiat500]

I have now moved it to its penultimate resting place in the garage. In the course of that I found that I had nowhere really to place the jack
It's all the bottom 300mm that gone...and I mean all of it. the worst features are that the stud locations for the rear engine cross-member are very dicky and I don't think much is left of the cross-member under the rear seats where the trailing arms are "secured".
I have found a Gunsons Timing Kit, a massive, woodworking bench clamp in the boot, a rocker assembly and some pushrods, a new Fiat/Lancia air filter and some new, odd-looking small panels that may or not be connected with the car.
I sense some Ebay business commencing soon as there are many interior items which I think will come up well.

 

[Paolo66]

Good luck Pete. Dont feel as bad about mine now. At least your ashtray works and the door levers are set at the correct angle (or are they?)
:$

 

[Vitesse]

Crikes that really is a bit past its sell by date. At least you and Sheila can go out and do your Fred and Wilma impression. You would spend so much time and money attempting to bring that back to life.

The steering wheel looks good, no cracks? That is worth about £250, speedo with a new chrome ring probably £150 - £200 as it is MPH. £100 for the column switches.

What are the rubber mats like?

Another bonus the front seat belts looks like it works ok.

 

[Franko500]

Oh dear.
What have you bought?
I thought my one looked a mess! But the good news is that it can be saved.
Virtually all the lower panels are available with the exception of the rear seat floor and inner rear wings. I should know as i bought all of them except the front bulkhead panel. Providing the car is fairly genuine and the gaps are okay you can rebuild these without a jig.
So the question is do you rebuild the car or flog it for spares?
There are plenty of eyes on you know, including Sheila's.

Come on you know you want a challenge....

 

[fiat500]

With Sean and Tony it's like the good and bad angels whispering in my ear and it's not clear which is which.

I thought about it and the only way I can imagine getting the body repaired would be to make a space-frame inside to support the intact roof and then prop the bodyshell off the floor. It certainly couldn't be relied on to keep its shape on axle-stands, especially once the remaining slivers of "metal" were removed.

The door gaps and the fit of the bonnet are great and its lovely to see original roof gutters and the front scuttle..all things lacking on the last restoration.

I'm obviously going to keep you all posted.

 

[Franko500]

Well if the gaps are good, then you can do the same as I. If the floor is in tact then you can remove and replace the inner and outer sill one side at a time to keep it in shape and add the strength back in slowly. Once the sills are in place you have a solid structure to work on.


sell it

repair it

 

[fiat500]

If the floor is in tact

repair it

WHAT FLOOR????!!!
PS Love the animation
:worship:

 

[Franko500]

who needs a floor anyway?

:rumour:Ahhhh

 

[pete vdp]

having seen the quality of your work I am sure you will find this one a doddle.from a selfish point of view I hope you do as I need to see the repair of the rear seat area due to leaking rear window !enjoyed the murphio rebuild and eagerly await the sequel. . . . was tempted to bid on that myself and now rather glad I didn't as my wife would have left me. good luck- with both the car and the wife