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Panda (Classic) My 4x4 - The Muddy Pics!

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Introduction

Hey everyone as I've only just joined I thought I'd post some more pictures to show you lovely lot what we're all about up here in the bleak North.

Both me and my mate have Pandas, mine's the '87 and his the '89, both Italian Racing Grey.

As I've previously said, although we put the Pandas through their paces we take good care of the old lasses because we want the fun to keep coming.

I hope you enjoy the pics as much as we enjoy making them! :D

























Some of these pics are from a while ago, I'll get some new ones up soon :)
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Click to expand...
AndyPanda4x4 said:
That's excellent I got the bespoke one from the panda 4x4 club italia which will allow the felicia rear springs with spacers. I have a spare set of springs if you need some Jacob?
Click to expand...


It would be highly appreciated i could collect felicia springs during our next meeting.
What you going to use at the rear?
 
The Suspension Lift

The lift kit...



...Consists of:-

FRONT
x2 15mm strut-top spacers
x2 Modified front shock absorbers (+25mm)
x2 Skoda Felicia Estate rear springs (+50mm)
*additional work required (see below)

BACK
x2 Extended Shackles (+35mm)
x4 Leaf Spring Mount Poly Bushes
x2 Axle/Leaf Spring Spacers (+50mm)
x2 2wd Panda Rear Shock Absorbers
x8 130mm .88 Thread Bolts with double nuts & washers

All being well, we'll FINALLY be getting all the work done on Saturday and I will take pics during construction to inform of any problems encountered.

The rear end will hopefully be fairly simple as it's a take-off and put-on job, existing parts won't (or shouldn't) require any modification. The rear shocks I am putting on are the standard 2wd Panda part...



(left = Panda 4x2, right = Panda 4x4)

...As shown in the picture they are approx. 75mm longer between the mounts which allow the travel of the suspension to remain similar whilst retaining the height adjustment. The spacers which fit between the leaf spring and the rear axle mount are pre-cast with locators top and bottom, the "keys" on the spacer are offset to allow the correct location of the axle, which will need to move further forward to keep the prop shaft (in relation to the differential) in the same position. The bottom of the spacer is also tapered to allow a very slight rotation of the axle as well as to compensate for the longer rear shackles. These will be held in place by the longer 130mm bolts & double locking nuts...









The new rear shackles are +35mm longer from centres of mountings and have been beefed up from 3mm steel to 5mm aluminium. A new set of poly bush mountings for the spring and shackle mounts complete the back end.





The front will be slightly more testing. The whole front suspension will be replaced with a modified strut (+25mm onto the front spring mounting cup), the Skoda Felicia Estate rear springs which are 50mm + longer than the standard Panda 4x4 ones...





(left = standard, right = modified)

The spacers will go on top of the strut top mounting, between it and the body mounting point. This is where modification will be required the grind off and re-drill the top mountings to allow longer mounting bolts and nuts to be put in place...





Once the struts are back on the car, the hub carrier strut mounting point will have to be drilled out (this is the top mounting hole where the hub carrier joins to the bottom of the strut). This bolt hole will be drilled out 4mm to the negative, allowing the wheel to sit straighter and the camber to be correct. I am unsure as yet whether or not I will have to buy wider spacers for the front wheels depending on how far they are pulled in from standard after the work has been done.
In addition to this work, the eyelet where the steering rack comes through the body into the arch will have to be enlarged to allow full articulation of the front suspension with damaging the steering or indeed the body!

The only part of the kit which I haven't got back from the fabricators is the modified 127 gearbox flange. That is well overdue now and I will post pics as soon as I get it.

The flange, as people know, is key to the suspension lift as if it is not installed, the articulation of the short drive shaft will crack the standard flange and maybe even cause damage to the already tired gearbox. The modified flange is an off-set stepped design which allows the CV joint to cope with greater angles (pictures will explain better).

So that's all really - wish us luck for the weekend! :)

Ps. I have ordered myself some bigger wheels and nobbly tyres which will for now remain a naughty secret until they are ready :slayer:
 
Last edited:
The spacers will go on top of the strut top mounting, between it and the body mounting point. This is where modification will be required the grind off and re-drill the top mountings to allow longer mounting bolts and nuts to be put in place...
Click to expand...

You said that....
x2 15mm strut-top spacers
Click to expand...
.... so I think you can use standard top mounts with standard screws/bolts, I have 18mm spacers, and they are 18 not 20mm because 18mm is the max height to work with standard top mount bolts, at least my top mount bolts are long enough to work with 18mm spacer and there is just enough tread on the m8 bolt to put spring washer and m8 nut.
 
Bartpanda said:
You said that....
.... so I think you can use standard top mounts with standard screws/bolts, I have 18mm spacers, and they are 18 not 20mm because 18mm is the max height to work with standard top mount bolts, at least my top mount bolts are long enough to work with 18mm spacer and there is just enough tread on the m8 bolt to put spring washer and m8 nut.
Click to expand...

Excellent thanks Bart that will save time, I don't see why the ones on mine will be different to yours so hopefully that will work great with 15mm spacers :thumbup:
 
kolza said:
Andy,
Are those front shockers DIY type thing?
Can I get more details please, as I need pair of them as well.

BTW you've made me jealouse.
Click to expand...

They are very much "bespoke" but they are professionally made, ie. I haven't made them!

The bottom spring cup or seat has basically been cut off and a new one welded back on 25mm higher up, but you must make sure the orientation of the shock remains the same when re-welding so that the spring seats correctly. The rest of the shocker is the same as standard.
 
Andy,
what results( in mm ) do you expect? My calculations leads me to conclusion of+ 65 to 70 mm at the front and + 60/ 70 at the rear. If the front moded shocks were 130 euro each i've found them.
Is it correct to use fabia/felicia rear ESTATE coil springs?? I though it was hatback ones.
 
I wrote it somewhere earlier on the forum, but do not remember where:), so, there are 3 types of rear springs in skoda favorit/felicia, standard for hatchbacks, standard for estate/combi, and "strenghtened" for estate, all three have almost the same height{ plus minus few mm} but the thickness of the wire is different. I had the "toughest" strenghtened estate set{ bought by mistake, wanted hatchback ones} with 4x4 shock for test on my trekking and it was impossible to drive with that springs, zero susp. travel extra tough, only the tyres were flexing, not the susp. Cant recomnd them:) Now I bought another new set, from hatchback, so the "softest" set, my friend has similar set in his pandabella and Ilike how they work. Can recommend them, Did not try the "middle" ones, standard from estate/combi, They can be ok with heavy front with winch and other heavy mods at the front of the car?

Which set did you buy Andy? wire thickness is....?
 
kolza said:
Andy,
what results( in mm ) do you expect? My calculations leads me to conclusion of+ 65 to 70 mm at the front and + 60/ 70 at the rear. If the front moded shocks were 130 euro each i've found them.
Is it correct to use fabia/felicia rear ESTATE coil springs?? I though it was hatback ones.
Click to expand...

I am hoping for a lift of around 50-70mm in total, but from the kits that have been fitted in the past it seems to vary quite a bit on different cars.

Are those some shocks that are for sale on ebay.it? Mine have been fabricated by the chap who makes the kit in Italy, it is probably similar to those for sale though. Post a link up Jacob I will have a look.

Bart thanks for the detailed info on the springs, I don't know the thickness of the wire used I will measure it tomorrow but I read in your thread about the different thicknesses before I bought the springs and I'm 99% sure I have the medium density springs. My brother is an aftermarket parts dealer and we looked through the info on them. The hatchback has the lightest spring, the estate has the medium and the heavy springs came from a skoda felicia-style pickup that was only on sale in the uk for a couple of years, I can't remember the name if it off the top of my head.
 
Bartpanda said:
I wrote it somewhere earlier on the forum, but do not remember where:), so, there are 3 types of rear springs in skoda favorit/felicia, standard for hatchbacks, standard for estate/combi, and "strenghtened" for estate, all three have almost the same height{ plus minus few mm} but the thickness of the wire is different. I had the "toughest" strenghtened estate set{ bought by mistake, wanted hatchback ones} with 4x4 shock for test on my trekking and it was impossible to drive with that springs, zero susp. travel extra tough, only the tyres were flexing, not the susp. Cant recomnd them:) Now I bought another new set, from hatchback, so the "softest" set, my friend has similar set in his pandabella and Ilike how they work. Can recommend them, Did not try the "middle" ones, standard from estate/combi, They can be ok with heavy front with winch and other heavy mods at the front of the car?

Which set did you buy Andy? wire thickness is....?
Click to expand...

Sorry for the belated reply Bart the wire thickness of the springs that I have is 11mm.

Just received the new steelies and ordered new tyres - pictures later :D
 
kolza said:
11mm rod dia sounds correct to me.

What is the plan for the old Ziarelli Trac tyres then?

:worship:
Click to expand...

I am keeping hold of them to put on Hillary when she's done :)

I have ordered my new tyres from tyres-direct, they get the Ziarelli tyres direct from Italy now which makes the ordering process alot easier. They have a container coming over in 10 days so if you'd like order any then now is a good time.

I have been dealing with a bloke called Greg Oliver...

Tel : 01582 585845
Web : www.tyresdirectuk.co.uk

The 13s are Ziarelli Trac 4x4 145/80/13
 
Hi Andy, are the Ziarelli E marked and road legal? I had an email from tyresdirect the other day telling me the Malatesta 145's were back in stock. How much are the Ziarelli's, they don't advertise the 145/80/13 on their site from what I can see.


Thanks
Michael
 
4WDPandamonium said:
Hi Andy, are the Ziarelli E marked and road legal? I had an email from tyresdirect the other day telling me the Malatesta 145's were back in stock. How much are the Ziarelli's, they don't advertise the 145/80/13 on their site from what I can see.


Thanks
Michael
Click to expand...

Hi Michael yes they are marked as road legal, the malatesta trac tyres are the same just made by a different italian company. You can buy the ziarellis through tyres direct you just have to request the. The ziarelli trac tyres for me were 240 Euro delivered direct from ziarelli, that was before tyres direct started to deal with them. You will pay a bit more no doubt getting them through tyres direct but you don't have to speak italian to order them :)
 
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