Panda Panda 100HP project (cooperman style!)

[cooperman]

My BMW bike blew one coil, so I limped to a nearby dealer to buy a replacement. The guys says, "don't you want two". Yes but at £80 each I'll take the one thanks. Half way home the other coil failed so I had to turn around and go back to the dealer.

When the 100HP blew a coil, I bought a full set.

Just gives me piece of mind!

 

[cooperman]

The front end rebuild is finally finished!
All together it took me about 10 hours but while there was a few stressful moments the sense of satisfaction doing it correctly is massive!
To recap the wishbones where changed for the correct 100hp ones, the top mounts where changed and corrected to face the right direction, the original 2007 shocks were changed out after the thread on one snapped on me while trying to replace the top mount leading to a panicked call to GSF and a cab ride as it was a Saturday morning and i needed the car for Monday!
On the plus side the old shocks literally were well past their best and the ride is now really smooth!
All the engine mounts were replaced as they were all worn out!
And his finally got his Toyo tyres back on with a full track to replace the mismatched tyres from one side to the other!
Next job rear shocks and springs and replace the cigarette lighter for a usb charging port!

 

[DaveMcT]

Did you fit your front shock top mounts with spindle towards the back or to the front?

 

[cooperman]

Did you fit your front shock top mounts with spindle towards the back or to the front?

The arrow faces the back

 

[koalar]

Is this damaged?

Already answered but here's a photo

 

[cooperman]

Is this damaged?

View attachment 424022

Already answered but here's a photo


View attachment 424023

Hi bud,
I had to go and re look at the picture to check! Haha no it’s just the angle it was taken the mount had moved when I took it out the car.

 

[DaveMcT]

Is this damaged?

View attachment 424022

Already answered but here's a photo


View attachment 424023

That's what I thought - spindle is centred towards the back of the oval housing. I can never remember which end has the triangle. Fitting the other way around risks a steering wobble as it reduces the castor angle.

My top mounts were flaking where rubber "flash" has gone onto the metal backing but the bond between rubber and metal is good and there is no cracking in the rubber so I have not replaced them. The bearings were OK so I re-used them. Some bearings can be opened and packed with grease but if they are dry, you are better buying new. ePER has the Fiat parts numbers.

That all said, with the car on its wheels, check the locknut base heights against the inner wing mountings. You can also compare the retaining cups. If they are not equal the mounts are degraded or just different and should be replaced as a pair.

 

[cooperman]

I had to replace the air vent movement actuator as the old one would work for a couple of adjustments then stop!
I was lucky enough to sauce a good second hand one, when refitting you just have to make sure the white plastic cog is in the right position so the cogs match!

 

[cooperman]

A bit of future proofing and a mod well worth doing for any panda owner! As we all know the cigarette lighter is rubbish for any phone charger and hardly works.
I fitted a double USB port this evening nice simple job, simply remove the panel and the old cigarette lighter, the usb charger screws into the same hole.
Locate the power wire of the ignition and earth, remove the 3 wires out of the old connection block, tape up the 3rd light power wire as you won’t need this.
Connect the wires the right way round and refit! I even got it in the matching orange so it’s the same as the dash lights!
Oh and I got all the change out that was rattling around in the centre console!

 

[Pandadoodoo]

Definitely something I’m gonna give a go

 

[porta]

What’s more interesting than all that USB stuff is…a cigarette lighter…a cigarette lighter?!?! You should have left it for rarity value alone!
On a more serious note, I put a usb charger/socket where that little round grill is above the gearlever for a friend so they could use their phone for satnav

 

[DaveMcT]

On climate aircon cars (100HP and Eleganza), that little round grille is used by the thermostat.

 

[cooperman]

Well not a bad mornings work! The B6’s are on along with the new Spax springs to replace the old rusty ones.
While I was there i cleaned up the subframe and also the wheel arches.
On the road the B6’s defo feel a lot more planted then the ones that came off.

 

[DaveMcT]

I would love to fit airbag rear springs to the diesel but getting info on spring rates has already messed up the idea.

 

[koalar]

I would love to fit airbag rear springs to the diesel but getting info on spring rates has already messed up the idea.

Panda 1.1 1.2 and 1.3 rear springs all use the same rear coils

Wire dia 12mm
Number of coils 4.5
Length 295.5mm
Load (daN) for resulting lengths: 202.5mm) 310
Colour of mark white-blue


Van, 4x4, 100hp and natural power use different spings

 

[DaveMcT]

Ooh that's handy. Thanks

On a close look, let's see what this means.

Free length 295.5mm. Compression to 202.5mm uses 310 DecaNewtons = 316.112 kg-force over 93mm
Imperial would be 695 pounds over 3.66 inches = 189 inch-pounds.

 

[porta]

Do you remember wehn springs had a colour code for rates/loads, then everyone went off and did their own thing. Fiat we’re always orange or black coils with two coloured rings painted on…always confused me as an apprentice wehn pre 80’s cars came in and the old hands in parts dept would confuse me even more!

 

[cooperman]

What else are you meant to do on the longest day of the year! Washed the pandavan and also refitted the drivers side wheel arch with 3 new clips as one had failed! I now have a super close fitted wheel arch!

 

[cooperman]

My trim reconditioning continues! The front bumper trim was loose at the top and it wasn’t in line with the arch (which I fixed with new clips last week).
I pulled off the trim and it was obvious the body shop who (very badly) painted the bumper during the time after I sold him had broken all the clips and had just put screws through the end of what was left of the original clips to keep the trim on!
I cleaned up all the area, fitted fresh new clips and boom clipped into place and looking flush!!
Next will be the side skirts!

 

[cooperman]

Big day for the pandavan today with the last of the maintenance issues being sorted, new radiator fitted, needed to be slightly modded on the top intake pipe with a few lugs removed to fit the original pipe.
I counted 4 leaks in the old rad!
Also the air con as been re gassed after I fitted I new high pressure valve hopefully that should cure my gas loss after a few months!