Technical Starting Cinquecento Sporting restoration - some advice needed

[cherrera]

Hi, I'm starting to restore one of these. I had one about 23 years ago, and I always missed it. I'm waiting on the sellers's family, as this one was being restored by an old man that passed away. So far it has been painted (and it looks ok) and it has a valid MOT (or the equivalent in my country), but there is a long list of things to check, fix and replace.

My question is, the instrument cluster needles are very faded. I checked and there is a special fluorescent paint available, but in other parts, some people mention red permanent marker. That should work at least while I got the paint? Someone tried that?

My main issue is with the tyres this Cinq has fitted, they are a from a chinese brand, so I'll change them in the near future. Any brand or model recommendations?

Thanks a lot!

 

[gigadud]

Hi, I'm starting to restore one of these. I had one about 23 years ago, and I always missed it. I'm waiting on the sellers's family, as this one was being restored by an old man that passed away. So far it has been painted (and it looks ok) and it has a valid MOT (or the equivalent in my country), but there is a long list of things to check, fix and replace.

My question is, the instrument cluster needles are very faded. I checked and there is a special fluorescent paint available, but in other parts, some people mention red permanent marker. That should work at least while I got the paint? Someone tried that?

My main issue is with the tyres this Cinq has fitted, they are a from a chinese brand, so I'll change them here in the near future. Any brand or model recommendations?

Thanks a lot!

I think it's not ideal for long-term use. Over time, the marker can smear and fade, affecting the readability of the gauges.

 

[cherrera]

Thanks @gigadud, I'll try the marker while I get the paint.

 

[purf]

You can pull off the needles from the gauges and fit needles from another gauge which are better. Quite a minor thing to worry about though - there may be other issues which require attention

Best of luck with the project

 

[Terry899]

Good luck with the project, any tyres will do, I mean it's a low powered car and you are unlikely to be thrashing it bearing in mind its -5* euro ncap crash rating

 

[cherrera]

You can pull off the needles from the gauges and fit needles from another gauge which are better. Quite a minor thing to worry about though - there may be other issues which require attention

Best of luck with the project

Thanks, I got the paint, applied it and it looks good!

 

[cherrera]

Good luck with the project, any tyres will do, I mean it's a low powered car and you are unlikely to be thrashing it bearing in mind its -5* euro ncap crash rating

Yes, how times have changed, back in the day I made long trips in my Cinquecento (400 kms each way). Today, I think I'll use it only in the city.

And speaking of tyres, I'll get 175/50 R13.

 

[Terry899]

Yes, how times have changed, back in the day I made long trips in my Cinquecento (400 kms each way). Today, I think I'll use it only in the city.

And speaking of tyres, I'll get 175/50 R13.

My tyres are 155.... that's what was on it when I got it so simply followed what was there. They are 6 years old now and with low mileage almost like new

 

[cherrera]

Another question. The front seats upholstery. I found an italian vendor in ebay that sells replicas (just the fabric), but so far it has been a bit shady. First time, no tracking number, so after 2 months I asked for a refund (maybe the package really got lost). I tried again, but the tracking number this time seems invalid.

Anyway, my question is, someone knows alternatives?

 

[cherrera]

My tyres are 155.... that's what was on it when I got it so simply followed what was there. They are 6 years old now and with low mileage almost like new

Another question. The front seats upholstery. I found an italian vendor in ebay that sells replicas (just the fabric), but so far it has been a bit shady. First time, no tracking number, so after 2 months I asked for a refund (maybe the package really got lost). I tried again, but the tracking number this time seems invalid.

Anyway, my question is, someone knows alternatives?

Anyone? So far restoring the seats will be the hardest. In my country about only 700 Cinq were imported back in the day, and as the sun hits hard here, almost every seat upholstery I see is in bad shape.

 

[Terry899]

Have a look at the website rrr.lt and see if you can find a seat there. It seems to be a large number of scrap yards all linked to one site and if they can't help, you are really looking for rocking horse poo

 

[cherrera]

Well, I tried again with an italian seller on ebay (L'Artigiano Tessile) that sells replica fabric for Cinq Sporting seats, but no luck. First time I received an invalid tracking number (1 missing digit). I thought, ok, maybe that was an error, but I got my refund. The second time, I received the same tracking number but with the missing digit. Asked for a refund again after 2 months waiting. Received my refund, but the (now angry) seller blocked my country in his store.

Anyway, I still want to figure a way to restore my seats.

 

[Terry899]

Well, I tried again with an italian seller on ebay (L'Artigiano Tessile) that sells replica fabric for Cinq Sporting seats, but no luck. First time I received an invalid tracking number (1 missing digit). I thought, ok, maybe that was an error, but I got my refund. The second time, I received the same tracking number but with the missing digit. Asked for a refund again after 2 months waiting. Received my refund, but the (now angry) seller blocked my country in his store.

Anyway, I still want to figure a way to restore my seats.

The seller is doing himself no favours, probably trying to con people as no doubt some won't pursue a refund and he's onto a winner
I bought a carburettor from the US deliberately avoiding the Chinese knock offs only to find after a 3 month wait that the seller bought it from China and it was posted to America where it was forwarded to me in Ireland at a bigger margin I could have saved myself agro by dealing directly with the Chinese.
There's some gougers selling stuff on fleabay etc so you have to tread carefully.

 

[cherrera]

The seller is doing himself no favours, probably trying to con people as no doubt some won't pursue a refund and he's onto a winner
I bought a carburettor from the US deliberately avoiding the Chinese knock offs only to find after a 3 month wait that the seller bought it from China and it was posted to America where it was forwarded to me in Ireland at a bigger margin I could have saved myself agro by dealing directly with the Chinese.
There's some gougers selling stuff on fleabay etc so you have to tread carefully.

Exactly!

But the sad thing is that this seller is italian!

 

[Terry899]

Exactly!

But the sad thing is that this seller is italian!

I hope you left a stinging review on his site for all to see

 

[cherrera]

I hope you left a stinging review on his site for all to see

Sure, that's why he got mad! This time he was "really" going to send the seat upholstery but I asked for a refund after 60 days, so it was my fault.

 

[cherrera]

I found a NOS dashboard, for a good price. This is handy as the one the Cinq has several holes made by the previous owner.