thisisburdett
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Haha, keep me posted. You can take at look at this 238 if you get a spare half hour!
Daniel
Daniel
General Murphio's Meanderings
- Thread starter fiat500
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General Murphio's Meanderings
OP
OP
A little half-brother arrived for Murphio. It's a very expensive, full side panel. It had to be cut in order to send from Italy but will go back together with a bit of welding.
Although almost the entire thing is available in repro parts, crucially this original has the door frame and roof gutter. It would have been perfect for restoring Murphio but is now destined to become a very lovely ornament. Our new house has a huge internal gable wall and a painting that was sufficiently dramatic to set on the wall would cost a packet.
Once the panel is sprayed in Positano Yellow it will go up as a constant source of inspiration.
I tried it with a front wing but it looks more balanced just as it is.
Although almost the entire thing is available in repro parts, crucially this original has the door frame and roof gutter. It would have been perfect for restoring Murphio but is now destined to become a very lovely ornament. Our new house has a huge internal gable wall and a painting that was sufficiently dramatic to set on the wall would cost a packet.
Once the panel is sprayed in Positano Yellow it will go up as a constant source of inspiration.
I tried it with a front wing but it looks more balanced just as it is.
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Crikey that is one hell of a panel. Imagine the old days when there were just Posties that used to deliver things. He would have struggled getting that in his sack!!!!
Why only one side? What is rotten on one side that isn't on the other?
Why only one side? What is rotten on one side that isn't on the other?
OP
OP
Hi Tony. It's not for fitting to any car; it's simply going to be a wall ornament.
It would have made my last restoration much easier though.
It would have made my last restoration much easier though.
OP
OP
We went on another 200 mile jaunt across to Glenelg...Glen of the eagles. We were up on high on a road across Mam Ratagan. The sign said 15 percent. It was a 2nd gear hill. I had three extended conversations about Murphio...people are very interested... we're like a mobile car show. Found another AA box on the way back.
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You should be fine with even a standard 650 in Australian traffic- I have no problems staying with the traffic in my 500F with Niki motor and my 650 Giardiniera is only slightly slower- I suspect once the Giardiniera also has 150,000km on the engine it will loosen up and perform better!
If you are doing a lot of 80-100km/h work the best investment you can make is a 5 speed conversion however- the 650 has enough torque to pull 5th gear from around 60km/h and with a Niki transmission/differential it will cruise very happily at 100km/h all day.
We might have to make another pilgrimage across to Auto Italia in Canberra- it is probably 2 years since I last went and it is always a great show!
Thanks Damon. Would be good to catch up one day.
The 5 speed sounds like a good option but it's one thing I will have to postpone for a while. The gearbox I have is working well at the moment and I don't mind not having synchro gears.
I look forward to the next instalment of murphios meanderings. It's great seeing the car out and about.
Cheers Geoff
The 5 speed sounds like a good option but it's one thing I will have to postpone for a while. The gearbox I have is working well at the moment and I don't mind not having synchro gears.
I look forward to the next instalment of murphios meanderings. It's great seeing the car out and about.
Cheers Geoff
OP
OP
....everyone seems to like it when the car goes whizzing past and it's abit like owning afriendly dog, the way it starts up conversations with strangers.
Today was a short spin the 60 miles down to Dalwhinnie, where there is a famous whisky distillery.
We diverted back through a very quiet route past a place called Lochindorb, which has the ruins of a huge castle on the middle of a lake, which was the stronghold of Highland chieftans in ancient times. It was quiet enough to take a brief video of the car from the outside for as change.
[ame]https://youtu.be/ZUOjqY7GzDQ[/ame]
Today was a short spin the 60 miles down to Dalwhinnie, where there is a famous whisky distillery.
We diverted back through a very quiet route past a place called Lochindorb, which has the ruins of a huge castle on the middle of a lake, which was the stronghold of Highland chieftans in ancient times. It was quiet enough to take a brief video of the car from the outside for as change.
[ame]https://youtu.be/ZUOjqY7GzDQ[/ame]
OP
OP
As I have said before, this is the best 500 club around. But I am also a member of the Fiat 500 Club and the editorial this month talks about puttoing the cars away for the winter now.
I intend to garage my car and I just wouldn't enjoy going out in driving rain and when there is salt on the roads, but Murphio definitely won't be sleeping through it.
I intend to garage my car and I just wouldn't enjoy going out in driving rain and when there is salt on the roads, but Murphio definitely won't be sleeping through it.
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OP
OP
I am trying to work out the source of a minor oil leak. I thought it was the crankshaft seal but no oil on the back of the pulley. The little pool in the image builds up every 200miles or so.
Could it be dripping down from a pushrod tube or sneaking inside the cowling from the rocker?
No smell of oil from the heater and never enough oil to leave drops on the road.
Probably a winter investigation.
Could it be dripping down from a pushrod tube or sneaking inside the cowling from the rocker?
No smell of oil from the heater and never enough oil to leave drops on the road.
Probably a winter investigation.
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OP
OP
Thanks for the confirmation that I am probably onto the case thinking that it's the pushrod tubes need checking.
Latest problem was that Murphio was unable to indicate when he was about to meander, which turned out to be a duff relay..a new pattern part of course.
Most people will know the very poor earth return path for the panel indicator light. With the new relay, this lights up so feebly it can't be seen. I have made good all the metal to metal connection and replaced a couple of spade connectors that had lost their springiness.
Any bright sparks got any suggestions? Please!
Latest problem was that Murphio was unable to indicate when he was about to meander, which turned out to be a duff relay..a new pattern part of course.
Most people will know the very poor earth return path for the panel indicator light. With the new relay, this lights up so feebly it can't be seen. I have made good all the metal to metal connection and replaced a couple of spade connectors that had lost their springiness.
Any bright sparks got any suggestions? Please!
OP
OP
Today Murphio let me down, or rather I let him down. In trying to make the flashers work I must have dislodged the fuel light connection. So I ran out of petrol 10 minutes' walk from home. My very kind neighbour spotted me and brought some petrol and whilst I waited the Parcelforce guy passed me and delivered to the car!
I am sending the flasher back.[
I am sending the flasher back.[
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H A
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Pray tell
OP
OP
OP
OP
My whole incident was sorted within ten minutes. I usually fill up as soon as I pass a garage when I get the red light.
Just once I put a full tank of diesel into my Cinq at a motorway service station. Miraculously, but suspiciously, there was a bloke hanging out there who had access to 25 litre drums and a professional siphoning kit. To this day I am convinced that I was setup some way because of course, I had to give him the fuel.
I've been carrying a spare 5 litres with us the whole trip Peter. Finally had cause to use it the other day in the north of Sardinia but still had a liter or so left in the tank when I did. Still felt like it was cutting it a bit too fine though!
OP
OP
If I am ever brave enough to venture where you have been Kieren, and so far from home, I would definitely carry spare petrol and might try to fit an auxiliary tank holding a spare 10 litres or so.