Panda (Classic) Mk1 Panda 4x4 long term project

[aquamarine]

Picked the project up again in the last week or two...

Great to be able to clean up and treat the underside without crawling underneath it!

 

[aquamarine]

Question aimed at the Mk1 4x4 peeps so @goodgirl156 @pandamonius_maximus @Palio and VmanC (as omniscient): what colour is your car painted underneath? Can't work out if mine was body colour (verde alpi) or the colour used for the sills/lower panels (a darker grey). Any ideas? Conscious it doesn't really matter but I have both paints and am not a fan of underseal so might as well pick the right one!
Thanks
David

 

[goodgirl156]

I wish I could tell you, but mine has a large amount of under seal, im really not a fan of it but went for function over form.
If I had the choice id go for the verdi green

 

[Bartpanda]

I am not sure about panda mk1, but my other fiats had just a beige factory "rubber "underseal, it was on my 128 coupe from 73, on ritmo 125tc from 82, also on my regata from 87 and on seat marbella 91.In wheelarches it was partially "dusted" in body colour but under the car out of reach of painting robots it was just "beige".

 

[Palio]

I don't recall the underneath being body coloured, but my mk1's are tucked away & I can't check. Vern might remember from when he was underneath Jasper & Casper, and has his own 4x4 mk1 now (somewhere).

Quite honestly if you prefer coloured & can give it enough protection, go with it.

 

[pandamonius_maximus]

Hi David,

I can say they weren't colour coded underneath but not sure if they were the same grey colour as the lower sill panels. They were coated in a sort of dark grey rubbery gunk though. And under that a light grey which I think was just the primer.

Hope that helps!

Cheers,
Si

 

[aquamarine]

Thanks all. In the end went for a beige/grey as that was the colour of the resin paint I was using and it looked good enough to not bother with a further topcoat. Has a couple of coats for protection.

Re-assembly sometime soon, starting with the fuel tank and back axle.

 

[onemanmade]

Thanks all. In the end went for a beige/grey as that was the colour of the resin paint I was using and it looked good enough to not bother with a further topcoat. Has a couple of coats for protection.

Re-assembly sometime soon, starting with the fuel tank and back axle.

It looks very tidy indeed!

 

[pandamonius_maximus]

Yeah, nice job David...the more I see, the more motivated I get to complete the work on Chichi. I love that rotisserie...I need a bigger garage to make use of one though unfortunately.

 

[aquamarine]

Quick update on slow (but steady!) progress. Engine started tonight. Lost of stuff to bolt on pre September but a great leap forwards.

 

[kolza]

David, if you need assistance - this Saturday I can set my spaners from Undo to Do and we could get the things moving. I'm collecting that roof rack from your area anyway.

PS. have you had a look thru the parts list?

 

[aquamarine]

Thanks Jakub, will pm you.

David, if you need assistance - this Saturday I can set my spaners from Undo to Do and we could get the things moving. I'm collecting that roof rack from your area anyway.

PS. have you had a look thru the parts list?

 

[aquamarine]

Wonder if I have been over-ambitious in booking an MOT for next Saturday...

Brakes replaced and bled, engine starting well but running rich, lots of bits still to bolt on. However (inevitably huh) most time currently (geddit) being spent on the electrics. Latest status in tail chasing:
Rear lights and stop lights work
Right hand indicators work
Left hand rear indicator and side repeater flash in time with left sidelight. There's also an earth problem on this circuit.
Neither headlamp works, but main beam warning light is permanently on with ignition. Presume earth problem again (shorting through earth?)
Coil seems to get warm even when ignition not on (again shorting issue??).

Any guidance from the electrical experts much appreciated! Prayers welcome from everyone else.
David

 

[andyholli]

Hail Marys for farthing added to tonight's list.

 

[AndyPanda4x4]

Well done David and good luck with the test!

No electrical pointers to give as you'll already know the basic ones as I do

 

[aquamarine]

Cheers guys.

Found a broken earth wire and generally fiddled around in an unstructured way. Got to a point where everything worked (though hazards every once in a while work on one side of the car only). So took a video and escaped while the going was good. Heading back to garage now to see if things still work..
Waiting for a few parts through the post but next it's bumpers, windows, wheels, and gaffa tape for the rough edges...

 

[andyholli]

Tell tales signs of a goddess woken from slumber. All will steadily improve with use and attention.
- apologies for earlier autocorrected "farthing" for "earthing" post.

 

[pandamonius_maximus]

Cool stuff!! Glad you got the electrics sorted. I couldn't get online over the weekend so couldn't say sooner but basically I had literally nothing working when I got mine and all I did was sit in it for about 30 minutes switching things on and off. It all came back pretty much just with that. (and a bit of tail light contact sanding but that is normal for a Panda in full time use!! I think the dash switches on these "abandoned for a while pandas" just crust up though basically...

 

[VmanC]

Hi David,
Not been able to explore the Forum properly for ages so didn't realise you'd been cracking on so well with this

I know you asked me for parts a while ago, if they are still needed or you need anything else that I can bring to the offroad weekend just PM me a list.

 

[aquamarine]

Put in some late night hours last night but as of 3am still had air in the brakes, no windscreen and a few other 'niggles'. Just about made it for MOT booking at 9.30...

It failed. However only on two things, which is a pass in my book! :slayer: (insecure brake flexis and brake imbalance). Brake imbalance was due to air which the garage sorted. I'd attached the flexis with long bolts as despite being the longest flexis I could find, they were tight when reaching to the (Bendix?) calipers.

Got those things sorted so now have a nice, shiny MOT pass. Can't quite believe it!

Still got loads to do - exhaust routing is way off so exhaust is hammering around in reverse etc, tracking is way out, various bits are still in boxes.. However I now think we will get there in time for the Peak District!

And in the 2 mile trip to the garage I observed:

1. The gearbox is good!! (phew!)
2. Everyone was laughing at me (this included the garage mechanics, who kindly told me "Don't worry, it won't fail just on how it looks".

Can't wait for 2 weeks time. Night off tonight though.

Thanks everyone for your support/advice (and Andy B for the wheels!). VmanC, do you still have a spare steering wheel?