General Murphio's Meanderings

[lazylobster]

You may have noticed, I like bright colours :slayer:

I quite like the look of the rubber gaskets but not sure it's a worthy exercise in my book. Each to their own.

R

 

[fiat500]

Just at the time when I presume that most people are putting in the bulk of their annual mileage, Murf has hardly meandered at all for the last few weeks. I've been away on holiday and then had a few quiet weeks at work. But that has meant I have been able to sort out several areas of the bodywork that had started to acquire a bad infection of rust. These areas included parts of the rear wheelarches, on one side where the slope of the roof-section meets the rear wing, the top of one front wing where it meets the scuttle and (worst of all) the joint between the front panel and the wing on the driver's side.

I've scratched away at all of these with a Dremel and treated and re-treated with phosphoric acid until all traces of rust were eliminated; no rust was so bad that welding repairs were needed. Then two coats of epoxy-paint followed on, then high-build primer, with polyester stopper where necessary and then five coats of cellulose paint. The whole car is now shabby and dusty apart from these shiny new areas. But it will now scrub up fairly well once I've worked to blend the new areas with the old.

It's looking like a bit of this sort of renewal is going to be an annual job if I persist in vehicle abuse in the way I have been doing; the front panel needs a full respray for cosmetic reasons, due to stonechips, but it looks likely that Murf will at least get his proper cosy garage back during the forthcoming winter.

 

[Vitesse]

TBH I think the average 500 ‘slowly’ tries to rust itself into an early retirement regardless of whether it’s been driven or wrapped up in a garage. They just weren’t expected to last 50 years. Talking of which it must be Murf’s 50th this year? Has it happened yet or is it due?

 

[fiat500]

It's his birthday on November 21st. Before then there will be another almost literal milestone when I will equal the mileage the car had covered before my ownership.

 

[fiat500]

It's his birthday on November 21st. Before then there will be another almost literal milestone when I will equal the mileage the car had covered before my ownership.

Today we reached that milestone; so we've done 32,364 miles (or 52,084 km), in a bit less than five years since getting Murf back on the road. We had a celebratory picture with another form of transport at Lossiemouth Harbour.

I think I can now consider myself to be the major, lifetime owner of the car as from this point I can be sure I have driven him further than any previous owner-driver.

This also means the replacement 652cc engine has propelled me the same number of miles as the original, refurbished 499cc before it blew out a valve-seat. Worryingly, the original engine had never sounded better until shortly before the incident; at the moment, this engine seems to be as near perfect as it could be too.:bang

But onwards and upwards; we will keep going for as long as it takes for me to be certain that a (more or less ) unmodified Fiat 500 can be reliably driven over long and continuous distances.

 

[fiat500]

I road tested the new fuel return system today with a journey of 160 miles. If there is a difference in the way the engine runs it is quite subtle. But there were none of those (admittedly, very infrequent) occasions when the engine makes a little "pop" or when you get a brief whiff of petrol. It seems to have completely stopped the oily residue below the carburettor, It's possibly even become more frugal with petrol.

One incidental "problem" is that I'm down to about five litres of fuel, on tickover, I can hear the returning fuel dropping into the tank. I had to make the return extension short so as to avoid any risk of fuel back siphoning to the carburretor. I just take it as a sign that my engine must be quieter than I thought.

Last week I was joking to Sheila that she must have put on some weight (she definitely hasn't:bang because I've lost some and despite that, the car was sitting low on the drivers side when we were both inside. Today I noticed the end of the front spring on that side was curved in the opposite direction from normal. So either a leaf has broken or it is just past it's sell-by-date. It is 50 years old so maybe time for renewal?

 

[Vitesse]

. Last week I was joking to Sheila that she must have put on some weight (she definitely hasn't:bang because I've lost some and despite that, the car was sitting low on the drivers side when we were both inside. Today I noticed the end of the front spring on that side was curved in the opposite direction from normal. So either a leaf has broken or it is just past it's sell-by-date. It is 50 years old so maybe time for renewal?

Or the alternative explanation could be that when you were of a larger persuasion, maybe that had some direct impact on the springs current condition?

That’s the politest way I could put it!

 

[fiat500]

Or the alternative explanation could be that when you were of a larger persuasion, maybe that had some direct impact on the springs current condition?

That’s the politest way I could put it!

Very tactful!

It's definitely going to have a "direct impact" on my wallet. If I buy the spring and all the contingency aluminium bits just in case they're all corroded (as I expect), will be another £150 from the budget. But in reality, this is such a cheap car (never mind "Classic Car") to run; the mileage allowance I get for using it as a company vehicle more than pays for anything (including fuel and insurance) that it costs me.

 

[Vitesse]

The ally bits normally hold up quite well, but I don’t suppose there that expensive anyway?

Whilst you’re there you could upgrade to rack and pinion, put an upgrade spring on and maybe stretch to some flared arches? Oh no wait!!!!!!!!:woot:

 

[the hobbler]

I hope that you have more luck than I did when I first tried to replace the spring locator/mounts---mine were seized solid on to the studs. I tried soaking the in WD40, hitting them, used a wide (old) wood file to try and 'start' the mounts by trying to insert the file between the cross-member and the mounts; all to no avail. In the end I had to VERY carefully grind away the front and rear of the mounts so as to JUST expose the thread of the studs. This was enough to break the corrosion grip on studs. Be VERY careful as the studs are difficult (and expensive) to replace.
Prior to fitting the new aluminium mounts I filed a slope on the inside (the side nearer to the middle of the car) edge of the base of the mount---the idea being that if I ever had to remove the mounts and they didn't want to move I had a starting point for driving something (again, probably an old wood chisel)under the mount to start it moving. I also liberally coated the shank of the studs with 'copper-slip' to help prevent corrosion between the aluminium of the mount and the steel of the stud.

 

[fiat500]

I hope that you have more luck than I did when I first tried to replace the spring locator/mounts---mine were seized solid on to the studs.

That's sort of what I expect; I have had the spring off previously when I rebuilt it. When I put it back there was lots of copper-grease involved. But It was tricky to dislodge everything at first. :bang:

 

[fiat500]

Look who's 50 tomorrow.

I was going to arrange a surprise party, but Murf's lost touch with most of his relatives who are still alive and the bulk of them are in Italy in any case.

He puts his longevity down to having great genetics from the start and taking regular exercise. When I pointed out that my efforts might have something to do with it he got a bit shirty and pointed out that with any other "partner", (he hates the term "owner"), he would probably be scrubbed-up a bit better.

We'll go out for a short run to celebrate tomorrow and I'll probably treat him to a well-earned drink and then let him relax for a few weeks whilst the weather's so bad, before the first of his long journeys in his 51st year.

 

[fiat500]

He's back into action...not having done any serious driving since November. But today we set of to do a day's work in Plockton, which is over 80 miles away. It was a really good drive in dry weather so I didn't get to properly test my latest modifications. But I did find the foglight and hazards useful on the way back when I was at the rear of a queue of traffic at some unexpected temporary traffic-lights on a bend...almost rear-ended by a Suzuki Vitara so I lit up the back of the Fiat when I saw it coming.

There was a slight hiccup with a binding rear brake, classic seizure at the pivot on the handbrake mechanism; one side had the rubber seal missing. A thump with the end of a wrench sorted that and it has now been dismantled, free-up and greased. I wonder if there are other people who don't realise their brakes are stuck on slightly? The symptom was almost as if the engine was down on compression or had a problem with timing. By the end of the day everything was running perfectly.

[ame]https://youtu.be/CzWwvSz3T2c[/ame]

During the winter so far the car has had the top part of the engine cowling replaced because the slots for the clips for the air-cleaner lid were worn and not securing it. I've sorted out the annoying, badly seated rear spring problem, the rear panel has had some welding, I've done a bit of rustproofing (a bit late some would say ) and fitted the Brantz rallymeter. Did I say? I've also been messing with electrics.

So we're now looking forward to another year of action, which is going to include a couple of 360 mile journeys to Preston and a possible visit to the EU....well, Northern Ireland.

 

[Bigvtwin996]

.............. Did I say? I've also been messing with electrics.

In the second pic have you installed the “The ultimate in British engineering.”


or is it a superb "Game of Shadows " type camouflage paint job?

 

[fiat500]

In the second pic have you installed the “The ultimate in British engineering.”


or is it a superb "Game of Shadows " type camouflage paint job?

No. I admit I couldn't drive to the top of that hill. This is spot the Fiat time. It is there, right in the centre of the image:

 

[Bleeding Knuckles]

and a possible visit to the EU....well, Northern Ireland.

Sorry Peter, you've failed your geography exam 'again'? The EU does not include Northern Ireland any more, but Southern Ireland is still joined at the hip with the eurocrats
Ian.

 

[fiat500]

and a possible visit to the EU....well, Northern Ireland.

Sorry Peter, you've failed your geography exam 'again'? The EU does not include Northern Ireland any more, but Southern Ireland is still joined at the hip with the eurocrats
Ian.

I was kicked out of the geography class for messing about....that's what I was doing there..

I might just nip into the Republic and spend a few Euros......there's plenty of free movement.

 

[Bleeding Knuckles]

I was kicked out of the geography class for messing about....that's what I was doing there..

I might just nip into the Republic and spend a few Euros......there's plenty of free movement.

Hi Peter, If you can try the Northern end of 'The Wild Atlantic Way' mainly in county Donegal, you won't forget the experience and the piccies with Murf would be worthy of a calendar
Ian.

 

[fiat500]

Hi Peter, If you can try the Northern end of 'The Wild Atlantic Way' mainly in county Donegal, you won't forget the experience and the piccies with Murf would be worthy of a calendar
Ian.

That's what I was hoping to do...just the weather up there is no better than Scotland but we'll give it a try.

We're definitely back up to speed now with another jaunt to the wilds today.

 

[fiat500]

...what rain????