General Uno Was My First Car

[Bradforduno]

As a 19yr I passed my test and the first car I bought was a E Reg (1987) 1.1 55 Start ?? I think it was for £1995 in the yr 1995, ok I did not haggle the then Skoda dealer. It was a 3 door in a kind of a dirty gold colour and had sun roof. I had the car 18 months and not once did it let me down, ok it rained in ( not sure where but the passenger seat was wet when it rained) and the handbrake kept slipping but I did not mind, great car. Pull the manual choke out and it started even in the coldest of mornings. I then got a 1.1 S Punto then a 1.2 60 SX Punto. I now drive a Skoda Fabia Elegance Estate 1.9 TDI but I still look back at that Uno with fondness .

 

[Chas Uno]

'Start' models only apply to the mk2 Unos, and I think were only available from '92 to onwards. You probably had an 'S' model, which meant you got a five speed gearbox, two speed wipers, two speed interior fan, a cigarette lighter, tinted glass and a clock in the dashboard amongst other suich luxuries!

The 'S' in the mk1 Unos stood for 'Super'. The model range was:

Base - just a number e.g. '45'
Super - number and 's' e.g. '45S'
Top model - an 'x' added e.g. '70SX'
Performance - turbo - 'Uno Turbo i.e.'

Great little cars and I've been driving them for quite a few years now. Never have any of mine left me stranded either (furious wood touching!)

 

[Bradforduno]

All I remember it was a small engine, it had a sunroof, can't remember if it had two front wipers or one lol. I have pics of it somewhere so will try and find them.

 

[Chas Uno]

All I remember it was a small engine, it had a sunroof, can't remember if it had two front wipers or one lol. I have pics of it somewhere so will try and find them.

Yup, 1116cc ohc 'Lampredi' engine. Same family as the 1301cc engine as used in the mk1 70S/ SX along with other Fiat/ Lancia models, and it was also the basis of the Uno Turbo engine. There was also a 1500 version used in the X1/9, Strada, Regatta and Lancia Delta. The engine was later updated to 1.4 and 1.6 as used in the mk2 Unos and Tipos. The 1100 version was discontinued in mk2 Uno form (except for the Selecta model) and superceeded by the 1108cc FIRE engine.

The tilt and slide glass sunroof was an option on the 'S' and 'SX' models. My 45S has one but my 70SX doesn't! Some models like the Eleganza, Platinum and I think Bianca came with one fitted as standard.

All Unos only had one front wiper. Remember that 'Uno' means 'One' in Italian

Be nice to see some pics of yours if you can find them

 

[Bradforduno]

I have had a look for the photo's but no luck, I think it was a 45S. I will look for the pics tomorrow, any idea what the switches were near the steering wheel, I think the first owner put them on.

 

[salvo's yellow punto]

haha ace. my first car was a red mk2 uno L reg 1.0 was a right laugh. cost about 200 quid.then the clutch went so i sadly scrapped it and bought a ....... another red mk2 uno M reg.it was a 1.7 diesel. so loud and annoyingly loud but it did shift. haha i remember beating my mates 02 reg golf 1.6.chavs looked up at me when i was revving it......they laughed....i beat my mate...and then guess who was laughing

 

[Chas Uno]

I have had a look for the photo's but no luck, I think it was a 45S. I will look for the pics tomorrow, any idea what the switches were near the steering wheel, I think the first owner put them on.

45S would have the 999cc FIRE with a 5 speed gearbox

The switch pods either side of the instrument binnacle were standard. They controlled lights, washers and heated rear window (plus front fogs on SX/ Turbo models). They are also standard and are what makes the mk1 dashboard so funky!

 

[Bradforduno]

These switches looked like DIY jobs like a like light switch, i think it was green.

 

[Chas Uno]

These switches looked like DIY jobs like a like light switch, i think it was green.

Doesn't sound standard! Here's a pic of my 70SX dashboard and you can just see the switch pods either side of the instruments. They light up at night but there's no green ones!

 

[Bradforduno]

If I remember right it was more under the steering wheel where the drivers left knee points to when pressing clutch down. I do wish I contacted the last owner what was the switch(s) were for.

 

[Chas Uno]

If I remember right it was more under the steering wheel where the drivers left knee points to when pressing clutch down. I do wish I contacted the last owner what was the switch(s) were for.

Ejector seat? :chin:

 

[Bradforduno]

I turned it on and off, thinking now it could have been an immobiliser??.

 

[Chas Uno]

I turned it on and off, thinking now it could have been an immobiliser??.

Did you turn it on and then find the passenger seat disappeared?



Seriously, it could be anything. My first Uno had a 'push to start' ignition button on the lower dashboard. Not because it was trying to be cool but more because the previous owner buggered the ignition switch and then bodged in a seperate switch instead. A got another switch from a scrapper and put the wiring back to as it should be...

 

[Bradforduno]

Don't know it could have been for anything. Another strange thing was when it rained in a certain direction the passenger seat got wet but I could not find where it was coming in, checked the sunroof and the windows. The manual choke was really loud when you had to start it up from cold and had to keep it out for about 5 mins before the engine got warmed up or it will cut out.

Best moment in the car was winter of 1995 and I finished work and it just started to get snow heavy and it was getting deeper, going out of Bradford is a few hills and cars were getting stuck. I had to move out of the way of a car which was stuck and I just thought sod it keep on going so I drove in the centre of the road then went past the mile of traffic and through green lights ( how lucky was that ) and home, to say it was my first time driving in snow I did pretty well.

Ok the car had a few rust spots but in 18 months only cost me a service, wiper blades plus the odd visit to the local mechanic to get the slipped handbrake fixed. When my brother passed his test he got a Panda 4X4 which he loved especially in Winter.

Since the Uno I have had two Punto's, Seat Ibiza,Nissan Almera then three Skoda Fabia's a 1.2 followed by a Vrs now a 1.9TDI.

Great site

 

[firstcar-Y10]

Don't know it could have been for anything. Another strange thing was when it rained in a certain direction the passenger seat got wet but I could not find where it was coming in, checked the sunroof and the windows.

brings back memories of mine, G plate 45 mk1. lovely drive, even liked the four speed box, and the only concession to luxury was a pond in the drivers footwell. Did for it in the end more's the pity

 

[Biz]

Mate im on my 10th uno in 5 years!
4th Turbo

I love them more i get know about cars (And serious tuning aspects of cars!) :devil:

The 1st one i drove was a mk1 in red in a car park with the most polished wooden steering wheel i have ever seen! lol

But i will never forget the 1st time i drove a turbo, passed my test at 18 in a 1.0 Nissan Micra.........3-4 months of NO driving..........and then £950 mk2 Turbo in met grey later vvvvrrrrrroooommm pppiiiissttthhhhhh burrble burrble burrble :yum:

Mum was like youll :dead: yourself
Mates were like :nutter:
But i was like :nerner:

I wouldnt be a uni now pursuing my car ambitions if i didnt buy that little heap of itallian rust filled ****e bag! lol

Trust me buy another one and youll never want to get rid of it mate!

 

[Chas Uno]

I wouldnt be a uni now pursuing my car ambitions if i didnt buy that little heap of itallian rust filled ****e bag! lol

Trust me buy another one and youll never want to get rid of it mate!

:yeahthat:

 

[Bradforduno]

No thanks mate my current Fabia Elegance Estate 1.9 TDI comes with heated seats,cruise control, parking sensor plus the air con abs etc etc. I will never buy a car again without abs and air con, plus Skoda's are better built then Fiat's.