Panda Panda 100HP project (cooperman style!)

[cooperman]

I needed to make the pandavan a little more practical for summer holidays with the kids!
Hopefully this should give us enough extra room!
Also got the box in carbon affect

 

[cooperman]

Well hello powerflex!! New lower mount bush fitted, was pretty easy to fit (let’s not talk about the 2 hours it took me to replace the exhaust bolts that decided to shed their threads while doing the nuts back up!)
The car now Feels a lot more solid on the road with abit more of a vibration in the cabin but nothing major!!

 

[cooperman]

Back from holiday, the pandavan did amazing job and it pretty much did it all on a tank of fuel. The roof box is a great addition for those extra storage need’s especially having 2 kids!
Fully loaded it was probably sitting the lowest it’s ever sat!
If you’re not scrapping while driving around the camp site you’re too high! #lowlife

 

[cooperman]

A bit of head light restoration this evening, I had a headlight T-cut kit left over from my Mercedes so I thought I’d give it a go!
You can see how cloudy they looked, the next picture shows the right head light done compared to the left one. I used 2000 sand paper on a drill, then some cutting compound, then a polish then finished off with the T cut sealant.
For no cost I think they have come up looking ace!

 

[A3jeroen]

Bright!

gr J

 

[koalar]

Nice improvement

 

[cooperman]

That’s it job done! All my broken coil connects are now fixed, I had to fix the wire rail as when I broke down after autoitalia the RAC man snapped it (not really his fault as they are made out of tissue paper!) I plastic welded it back together, this is probably the hardest part unclipping all the plastic tabs to expose the wiring.
The plugs themselves are not hard to get off you just need a little cheap precision screwdriver set.
You have to prise off the back plastic cover and then pull back the red rubber (a bit of wd40 makes this easier) next I just broke off the 6 tabs that hold the 3 connects on and the connector just pulls off leaving the 3 wires. Simply push the new connector on and refit the rubber and the back plastic and it’s done!

 

[cooperman]

So an interesting day, I haven’t been getting on with the Bilsteins since I fitted them, I’ve felt they have made the car to nervous and that they couldn’t keep with the front end which has meant the tail has stepped out a few times, as your read previously in this build I had koni sports and have always run cars on konis.
I was able to sauce some second hand ones to test them, at this point it’s worth mentioning this is just my opinion I think a lot of it depends on your individual setup, so I have Spax -25mm lowering springs all round and standard front shock, I have to say fitting the konis have transformed the handling, they don’t seem to be stressed or nervous over the bumps which was the issue I was getting with the bilsteins B6’s, I’m not saying the bilsteins are bad it’s just with my setup and the way I like the car to be the konis suit it so much better!
I’m super happy now as the cars on rails

 

[koalar]

Maybe B4 would be a better choice if they are made

B6 are suppose to be stiffer, sportier

Which is great if the roads were smooth, but they are not.

 

[cooperman]

Good little bit of future proofing today, the wires in my scuttle were looking abit worse for wear, I removed the wiper scuttle cover and re wrapped all the wiring with fabric electrical tape, really happy with the result.
While I was there I cleaned out the scuttle and drain holes.
I got to use the new clips that I bought when I refitted the wiper scuttle cover it’s probably the first time in a while it’s had all the clips back on!!
Anyway another little job done!

 

[Pandadoodoo]

Very tidy job that! Where did you get the panel clips from? I snapped a few taking mine of the other week

 

[cooperman]

So I’ve taken the plunge and fitted a S4 Abarth steering wheel! I picked it up for £60 on Fb marketplace which is probably the best deal I’ve ever had!
So to debung the rumours this wheel and air bag was a straight swap, the Abarth airbag was a single connector one and the panda connected clicked straight in, doing a bit of research a few people who had fitted these have said you have to remove a piece of plastic from the wheel for the horn connector to fit but they never said why! Me being silly just fitted the connector straight in as it looked like it was a like for like connection.
It’s only when I reconnect the battery did the horn being stuck on make me release you have to invert the connector, to do this you have to remove a small bit of plastic (green circle) and that gives you enough clearance to fit the connector upside down.
I fitted the wheel back using a new nut, reconnected the airbag the battery and it was all perfect, the buttons don’t work but they didn’t work with the kenwood head unit with the old wheel so I’m not really bothered (but I am in the process of trying to make them work! )
The wheel does feel like a good update to the interior and with the Abarth seats I have it’s really brought the interior up to date.

 

[cooperman]

Well with a lot of help from Wazzer on here I was able to wire in the Abarth wheel to my Kenwood head using the setup he recommends, I’m pleased to report every button now works on the wheel!

 

[Wazzzer]

Not a problem mate, happy to be of service

 

[cooperman]

So the Fiat 500 gear selector is in and wow what a difference it makes! think it
helped the one I got was from 2022, there was a lot of slop and play in the original knob and the bush on the original selector.
Pretty easy swap over 5 bolts and 2 clips and you just swap the complete units over.
I used my gator as it matches the seats so I had to get the sewing kit out.
For £22 it was well worth it and I would recommend the swap.

 

[Wazzzer]

Does the original gear knob fit the 500 stick?

Not keen on the 500 gear knob but I've found a stick assembly without the knob so could fit mine on there instead

 

[cooperman]

As winter is drawing in thought it was time to update the headlight bulbs, reading some reviews I opted for Philips Racing Vision H4’s and matching side light bulbs.
Overall they look a lot whiter, the picture of the front of the car shows the standard lights on the left and the Philips ones on the right and the second headlight picture is both bulbs fitted.

 

[cooperman]

For £20 it was rude not to fit it! Another fb market place find, Abarth fuel cap.
No I’m not turning it into an Abarth but just loving the more updated parts!

 

[lennylump]

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

Hi, Could I ask you to cast your mind back & tell me how you got access to the battery terminals or 12v/GND supply for fitting a usb charger to that round unused vent, My USB charger came wired with an inline fuse.

 

[cooperman]

Hi, Could I ask you to cast your mind back & tell me how you got access to the battery terminals or 12v/GND supply for fitting a usb charger to that round unused vent, My USB charger came wired with an inline fuse.

Hi, I took the power for the original cigarette lighter power feed.