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Panda (Classic) Project Fallout

Introduction

let me introduce to you, the free panda 4x4 which was first spotted >>Here<<.
First off however, here is the plan:

i will (some how) make the panda look "Post Apocalyptic" yet keep it in a road legal state (so no spikes, sharp rusty edges sadly). We have all seen mad max right? all wanted to replicate a mad max style car?
well let me be the first to attempt this with a fiat panda 4x4.

if anyone here has seen the TV program "Defiance", you surely have seen the epic Doge Charger that looks post apocalyptic. i will be trying to aim for the same theme. with such things as an external roll cadge, external metal mesh / grills covering the windows, custom bull bar, reinforced rear bumper made from tubular metal, custom twin output exhaust, and many many more.

this project is going to be undertaken as cheaply as possible (excluding parts necessary for a safe road going vehicle). reusing as many things as i can find (in scrap yards, freebees), true to a real post apocalyptic constructed vehicle. i will also be taking the "rough is best look" (please note, i say Rough not Rat!) the panda its self of course will undergo all the rust prevention Talon went under when i got him.

anyway, i will leave you a few seconds to build up a mental picture of how a panda 4x4 could look in a post apocalyptic landscape while browsing some of these Pictures.......



ok.. that should do.

First off. i need to get the panda all well and good.
a few things are broken... the exhaust, the front suspension on the passenger side, both rear dampeners are rusted out, the doors are shot but i will try to fix them, the gear stick is really loose and all the roller bearings have dropped out, the wiring is a mess (mice attack!), there are no brakes.. and i mean no brakes, and lets not forget the underside rust.

so today i started by stripping out everything inside the car to get a good look at the floor pan and clean it all out (Dragon Man style!) i found the usual rust: the boot floor is a mess, but easy fixable, a seam has gone just behind the drivers seat anything forward of that seems to be OK, and the back of the sills are just gone so i will need to rebuild that.

the engine runs.. the vac advance line has split so its a bit rough on tickover but it seems good. the fuel tank seems good.. all the 4x4 stuff seems good.

i have go a few pictures took free by a professional photographer! (or should i say someone with an epic camera :p)

Here are a few picture, but please check out >This Album<















like i say, check out the photo album.


i will be keeping >Online video logs< of this, so keep a look out on Youtube too.
here are some videos, both are long but the second one is longer!

Project Fallout a panda 4x4 turned post apocalyiptic - YouTube

Project Fallout Panda 4x4 What to do Post Apocaliptic looking Panda! - YouTube


keep watching guys.. the jet wash will be coming out later today!



Edit:

This is how it looks now: :eek::eek::eek: :slayer::slayer::slayer:



Ok, Fallout is pretty good!

new winter tyres are on, huge difference in grip and stopping! so much better.



one issue i do have to try to figure out is the excessive fuel consumption.. i am not sure why but man i am getting down fuel quick. a full tank almost lasted me a month last year got to work and back, now its lasting about 2 to 3 weeks before needing to be refilled.

it also smells like its running really rich and hesitating to accelerate too. wonder if i have some vacuum leaks about.. it was fine on the old pump but i dont think it likes this new one so much.. it pumps such high volume of fuel through the fuel rail i dont think it gets chance to bleed all the excess pressure off.

i may have to do some kind of loop back system on the fuel pump to drop its pressure and volume down a bit. i know the thin return line is also causing a bit of pressure build up.

will have a play and report back.. i want to change the fuel filter anyway... the paper has actually been ripped away inside the filter the flow rate is that high. thankfully i run 2 filters, the other being designed for high flow fuel so any paper bits should have been caught in that.

heres a few pictures i never uploaded when in for MOT. yes i did send it in for an MOT with a smashed side window.. yes the glass was still smashed all inside the car.. yes it STILL is all smashed all inside the car...





I umm.. also added more light bars... they were on offer and i had points that needed to be spent before they ran out..







Till next time!
 
on my p75 swap I ran a uno turbo pump, which is inline electric jobbie and the uno also has a little inline pre pump filter i stuck just before it. I did also change all the fuel lines but it was really cheap and easy tbf. There was probably pics in my old thread of what i used but it was all 8mm ID to and from the tank to the front with the pump mounted where the original coil would normally be mounted. It has been running totally fine since. Don't over complicate it lol
 
i managed to get some photos uploaded at work (the issue seems to be with my home ISP as every computer at home cant upload any photos to the gallery)

ok for those who have not seen, Fallout has undergone some more mods.

first off.. those winter tyres.. so recommended. £230 for four tyres.. and the difference is unbelievable.

Fallout seems good at the moment the fuel pump loop back idea has been working great for a month or two now.

i installed one of those Chinese clone diesel air heaters to the car, made use of the ammo box on the roof. not currently working at the moment but it will eventually.

when installing the heater i found rust under the battery tray. thankfully it had not gone through but it set its self in good under the paint. managed to wire brush it all back, rust convert it then add some brush on metal paint to keep it away!

also added the side marker lights, and some red ones on the back. works well!

heres the pictures you have all been waiting for!







































(oil sensor faulty.. replacement on order)




till next time!
 
Today i thought i would fix this misfire on start issue. now its not been bothering me that much because A, it adds to the effect of the car (make it look rough and neglected, only just running). B, it does clear up after about 30 seconds. and C, i have no CAT to poison on this car. Now i have never changed the plugs in this engine. i have no idea how old they are. they were in the engine when i got it.

but enough is enough. in the name of better fuel economy i have changed the plugs and HT leads.

heres the old plugs!







interesting! looks like the spark has arced down the insulator rather than jump the short gap to the earth electrode cylinder 4 was the worst, the the next was cylinder 2. obviously more tests need to be ran on these plugs to see what it looks like.. out of an engine. ill be back with a flyback transformer and some tasty high frequency arc action soon!

and also here is a few other pictures of Ratchet..








till next time!
 
Well i guess i should break the news.. i have sold Ratchet.

the chap is not on here but i do know him from the facebook group and advised him to come join us here, and hope to continue this thread.

ratchet is going to undergo some how do we say.. undoing. the crazy paint is going to be removed and its going to be more stock. it sounds like its going to be very looked after, and though i am quite upset that i have sold it, i am happy its gone to someone who will look after it.

now my focus shifts back to Talon and my other projects.

Thank you Ratchet for carrying me, to where i needed to go.
 
so some of you know that fallout was involved in a fire while it was undergoing its return back to standard.

sadly this fire proved fatal. i have seen photos of it and i can say theres nothing left of the inside. i could reclaim the engine and i know i could get that to live again if i could get my hands on it. i have all the spares needed to renew the full engine electronics and fuel system.


very sad. ive been hit hard this month with a lot of sadness from all angles this just adds to it.

i only hope that it will be recycled into other useful things.
 
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ok, here is another load of pictures to have a gander through.

so here is the make shift engine hoist, made out of one of those garden swinging chairs. best use ever for one..



engine out!


its a bit mucky in there :/



Jetwash time!



here is the 1.2 ready to go in...




i notice that the timing belt is lovely on it..


lets get a comparison of that...




other than the belt.. the oil looks fresh.. the clutch looks brand new, the oil filter looks good..
i dont have any history with the engine sadly but in terms of how things look, i'd say that new things were done to this engine rather recently. i have no idea what the story is with the cam belt though.. even the water pump looks rather new.

i just need to get it up and into the engine bay. wish i had some help :/
Brilliant work that.i have been told you CANNOT remove just engine on its own from a panda classic. You just showed it can be done
 
Brilliant work that.i have been told you CANNOT remove just engine on its own from a panda classic. You just showed it can be done
Yeah you can.. I must say it's one of the more easy transverse engine cars to do it on, even the 4x4.
You guys need to wait and see what happens over the next year or so. Big engine in a fiat panda ;)
 
Yeah you can.. I must say it's one of the more easy transverse engine cars to do it on, even the 4x4.
You guys need to wait and see what happens over the next year or so. Big engine in a fiat panda ;)
Yep
Would that be a diesel??
 
Brilliant work that.i have been told you CANNOT remove just engine on its own from a panda classic. You just showed it can be done
Having done this myself i also confirm its possible.. Although i would ever bother again myself. It made it so much more hassle than dropping an engine and box i think i could have dropped 2 or 3 engines complete with box in time it took me to get the engine out on its own without denting/scraping the bay up.
 
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