Bravo (Classic) Van with a difference!!!.

[m20b25]

I'm being spotted more and more

Today I was in Newry and saw Colinf1, didn't stop and chat as I was crossing a road at the time... A welcome change to see a mk2 Punto in such good condition

While I was up there, I got this...

I'll leave you all to guess what thats for

 

[Butcher]

i thought it was a stack of plastic cups untill i scroled down :bang:

 

[m20b25]

i thought it was a stack of plastic cups untill i scroled down :bang:

Or a collection of cups for cup cakes... :yum:

Well heres an update I doubt anyone was expecting!

On my travels today I picked this up...

With brute force I pulled it straight out of the car :slayer:

On a side note, the car I got it out of is just 3 places before my dads Bravo (xxx49 as opposed to xxx52). Possibly the car before my dads car in the production line The realy sad part is that it has lower miles, a perfect straight body, its in black and is a Trofeo so 5 spoke wheels, elec mirrors, fog lights, 15' spare wheel, GT spoiler and the realy rare Bravo stitched seats. So a minter apart from a puck in the bumper road legal too, taxed and nct'd :bang: Our very first Bravo was a Trofeo, some of it lives on in this van like the mirrors fogs speedo and surround, I nearly puked to think someone would throw such a lovely car in for scrap. Dad was quite annoyed too, stating that he'd have this car any day over his own and would happily trade cars if let. Not good for ones health to see these things

Back to knobs. Of the gear kind Compare time :yuck:

This one has to totally come off. No such luck here. Just kept pulling my knob off (now now no innuendos )

Found out that theyre a crap knob with leather! But feel much better mind you

Out with some big guns :slayer:

And a bit of encouraging down...

Horay!

Heres the old piece

No such thing as a 6 speed Bravo (except this one ) so no 6 speed knobs... Absolutely no to a Stilo or Punto Sporting knob they feel like crap! Alfas don't have lift up. Only other car would be a Coupé LE which is a rare car to begin with and probably none here in Ireland. I've only ever seen 5 Coupés on Irish roads, 3 of which were turbos. People here have poor tastes in cars you see, no excitement mostly sheep

Twas thinking of a Mercedes gearknob untill I saw that one, would that be a crime? I have a BMW knob however its not pull up and reverse is beside first... Not a straight fit either!

Then again would Merc wheels on a Bravo be a crime....?

Stay tuned, you never know what I'll do next...

 

[neddyIRL]

More good work. Where was the black Trofeo Bravo scrapped? Kilcock, must pay a trip up there anyway. Ive seen quite a few coupes on our roads, but most of the sheep tend to stick to the VAG's .

 

[m20b25]

More good work. Where was the black Trofeo Bravo scrapped? Kilcock, must pay a trip up there anyway. Ive seen quite a few coupes on our roads, but most of the sheep tend to stick to the VAG's .

More to come! Yes its in Kilcock, it had just come in that morning. Was there again today, just the gearknob missing so far, lots left to take As for sheep, felt spec springs to mind...

Oversized picture time!

I've spent most of my day driving about everywhere in a not too far distance today. Parking is expensive (€2.90 per hour ) my college is in the background

And then I went to Joes which meant a drive through Dublins port tunnel :tempt:


Words cannot describe the smile that put on my face :worship::worship::worship:

As for the tb? I'll be at that probably wednesday, have other stuff hat needs sorting first...! :yum:

Stay tuned...

 

[wilko92]

awww man, them tunnels get me right jealous haha but it does sound sexy man lovin it always watching this haha!

 

[Puntonick]

ahhhha sounds sooo nice!

Looking good too!
Keep it up

 

[MickeyBravo]

It sounds wicked mate

 

[m20b25]

A pictureless update, more of a state of health....!

No major work done as I have been busy with other stuff...

Driving up the motorway today, overtaking a van, suddenly the car loses power and sounds like a trabant. Speed down to 60mph. We all know what that means

Anyways this was about 40 miles from home. It drove home no problems, bullied up hills despite no power atall

Its sitting at the front of the house. Looking sad and sounding very sick. I'm gone on saturday for a week too and can't find the time to sort it just yet

But I'll sort it

Keep watching, I'm making plans for the future as I go along...

 

[clock34]

why dont you just remove the need for it to be lift up? common on the seicentos,,, that way any 6speed knob will do the job. iirc you only need to lift it up over a blocker if you remove the block it wont need to be lifted

 

[m20b25]

why dont you just remove the need for it to be lift up? common on the seicentos,,, that way any 6speed knob will do the job. iirc you only need to lift it up over a blocker if you remove the block it wont need to be lifted

I tried that with my Punto. The gearknob is missing and I got a Marea knob for it. All was fine untill I went to put it into 5th or reverse Besides its rather fun to know its a 6 speed when the gearknob says otherwise

I have a solution to my engine trouble so stay tuned for an update later this week. As is now probably a favourite saying of mine "If it doesn't fit, make it fit!!!"

 

[m20b25]

What a week! Busy busy busy and still standing still

Oh wee lets crack on with this update

First, 2 videos of my nasty problem


This one concerns me


Methinks the engine is fu*ked after its boiling in March :bang: Great

Back to stripping it again

However, I pulled an engine out of thin air

A very special engine too, back to it later...

So onto this

My right trailing arm is beyond its sell by date. Since its an axle out job, why not use a nearly new axle that was growing in the hedge?

If for some reason the right arm fails again, I'm not taking any chances!

And after a good clout with a sledge :devil:

On my silver car, one such bolt took 2 days and 6 hours to remove this took 5 mins

I stripped the axle some more

And had to go away for the evening...

Back to the engine

To clear things up its from a 1997 Punto ELX. We have it since new, with 141K original miles. No HG, no major faults. Proof these engines last if looked after

Anyways the injection system is a Marelli. I need to swap to my Bosch setup. So out with this rail that was at hand...

The rail needs swapping...This engine was in a corner since 2008. Its not seized

It shows that it was lying up though

Sorry to have disturbed you, spider

And this is how I've left it

I'm gone for a week I'll be back...

 

[Bravo16VSpoonz]

shame bout the bravo man, sounds like slight head damage :/ but then it wouldnt idle too good though

ill sort it while your gone for a week

 

[m20b25]

I'm back! Much better but still no working van!!!

But wheres the fun in that...?

Lets iron out some faults and crack on with this update

First, this is another job I had lined up

The remains of the 2 arms had to come off. What a horrible job

And then I stopped, cleaned up and put it in stores

See, theres a future engine swap in store that requires a few different parts, one being the subframe. But I'll leave it at that and say no more

So back to this engine

Any eagle eyed people notice something missing....?

Since I didn't get pics of the engine out the last time, heres ones from saturday

Nearly there...

With these cars the engine either goes through the top or bottom. I chose the bottom

These valve stems were covered in white powder... :yuck:

So no engine again :bang:

Or rather its to one side...

Compared to...

Did the eagle eyed spot some differences in the block....?

So I'm now in the garage. Ported + polished inlet mani, alternator and engine loom installed

Plugs needed out, in the engine since 2007...

Then I had to go for a short while. As it stands...

Back 1 hour later. A clutch that will have been in 3 different engines

I don't trust belts that have been lying up. This one was new (I put it in when I was 17 ) but swapped it for the new one on my other engine. Tensioner is like new mind you!

Can't have this....

Now the coil pack is another issue. But not a big one

Now its getting into shape

Better.... :yum:

New plugs were needed. So I pulled these out of thin air

And then I had to disappear for the night.... So the engine as I left it

And the 6 speed box

So I'm here with no help for the day. The question now is, will I get it all in and running today? It will be very good to see this engine working again all these years later Stay tuned, you never know what might happen....!

 

[m20b25]

Well now heres an update

First, the box...

Was a nightmare to put onto the engine on the ground

But I got it...

Now some more connecting

This was not going to be easy as the blocks are different. Theres nowhere for the knock sensor. The earth for the loom is different too

But alas, after a good clean and copper grease all connected

Now to move it out. A tall order...

You can see just how tall of an order

Just off topic, anyone know what this is on my tyre?

Nearly there...

Almost....

Just a bit more fiddlin...............

Perfect!

Now the oil has been in there for over 3 years. Needed changing

So out with the old...

In with the new :yum:

Just to plumb it up...

Having a poke around, I found this pipe poorly. Out with another one so!

All ready to go!

Now.....

In with the battery, turn the key, prime the engine. Plug in the coil pack, time to start up! Wont go crank, crank, crank and nothing. Not a nice moment Battery dying, change the battery Same result!!! :bang: Ok, time to jump it. Jump started, starts! But on 2 cylinders crap, must be the coil pack! Out with another one Still 2 cylinders Leads must be gone, out with another set 3 cylinders

So here I am thinking "the ecu is f*cked" :bang: screw it, lets move this into the yard. So I started it, expecting 3 cylinders....



Well it was working on all 4 till the end of the video

So I need new leads, a coil pack and a gasket to seal the thermostat. Then normality can resume

Another thing from this is now 3 variants of the same engine have now been in this car. Its own engine, a 2001 engine and now a 176 Punto engine. Interchangeability win!!!

Stay tuned for an update....

 

[wilko92]

unlucky on the engine man, but nice work on the new one! was in town the other week and got to go threw a long tunnel sound qualitys pretty crap though :/

 

[m20b25]

Is there pops and bangs in that video?! :yum: Sounds great!!!

A small update

Get some of this...

Cut to shape...

Clean infected area....

Refit...........

And no more nasty leak That crappy tube of blue crap is crap, never again!

It drives beautifully, sooth delivery of power, quiet tickover and normal exhaust fumes.... Sort of Not bad for a 141k engine on its original head gasket needs running in again mind you...

More faults to iron, stay tuned...

 

[m20b25]

The most obvious of parts make some of the biggest differences!

I've been having running issues since the swap

However, take a set of these...

Out of the box actually

And when installed... The difference is day and night! :worship: no more missing, hesitance or rough idling

Well worth £35, no need for magnecors here

Keep watching....

 

[Puntonick]

Damn, i wish i had your seats, Would look soo nice in my bravo!, Mine are blue :'(

 

[blu73]

a new part i don't believe it!!