(T) <sob> Looks like it may be the end of the road for my Tipo!

Took it in for its MOT today, and it failed

It needs:

1) new rear wheel bearing
2) exhaust mounting
3) both rigid brake pipes replacing

the 4th point is the one that shocked me though - rust! A hole in my driver's side rear wheelarch, where the support strap for the fuel filler is attached to the arch - because it was close to the subframe mounting, they failed it. Now I've got to decide whether to fix it, or scrap it

Too much expense, and at this time of the year I can do without it

Anyone here got any ideas about prices for the rigid brake pipes?

Cheers

Hellraiser..........>

brake pipes are just a few pounds, it dont sound like much work at all realy.

That's not too bad. £100 would get it sorted.

Eh?

100 quid for the welding, brake pipes and wheel bearing? Where?

Hellraiser........>

where abouts you live?

You've all got to wish me luck for my Marea its the big day for him on friday and its his frist one!

The pipes and wheel bearing you can do yourself with little mechanical knowledge, order the parts buy a Haynes Manual and go for it. If I can do it anyone can. Ask around locally for someone handy with a welder. A few quid should do that job.

You shouldn't be shocked.

Although Tipos were galvanised, Fiat didn't bother galvanising the floorpan and bulkhead, which is why you see so many what look to be good condition cars in the scrapyards that are the consistency of weetabix underneath.

My first Tipo, an 89 DGT, had a load of welding for its MOT, along were the sills meet the floorpan. 2 years later it was pinholes in sills and and a great big chunk of sill came away from under the B pillar. This is a common rot point. I welded repair sections in, then sold it.

My current Tipo started to go there but I welded fresh metal into the floor.

Another common rot point/MOT fail is round the subframe mountings. My friends Tipo got despatched to the Scrappers cos of that. Great condition otherwise though.

In my experience Tipo rear wheel bearings are a bitch to replace, as it's a sealed unit complete with wheel bolt mounting plate. This makes it a bit more expensive too. You also need a 'special' Fiat tool, but I improvised with a Cut down Sump plug, an old wheel brace, and a 10 foot scaffolding pole.

LOL, scaffold pole - I usually do jobs like that after a row with the missus, take out my anger and frustration on the car

Worried about the rust now - what is the point of galvanising a car, then not doing the most-likely-to-rot bit, namely the floorpan? Makes no sense! I think as it's now 15, I might get rid but it seems a shame - it was my 1st car back in 96, so it holds some sentimental value, still....

Hellraiser..........>

I thought that too, but then realised who would ever build a car that, bodywise could last for ever, makes no commercial sense

Don't get to worried though, just have a thorough check underneath and have a poke about with a screwdriver. My Tipo is great underneath, it's just the points under the B pillar were the floor meets the sill. I found the rot in time and welded fresh metal in, but the rest is fine. The only rust on yours could be what has just been found.

Vin

Well, it's been fixed and is back on the road again! The wheel bearing I got from shop4parts.co.uk (cheap!), brake pipes weren't corroded just had surface rust - sanded them up and oiled them to stop the water getting in. Got the wheel arch welded, apparently it was quite badly rusted around there, but is now sorted. Plan for the weekend is to do the cambelt change and to put new disks and pads on the front (11 quid for disks!)

Let's hope nothing else goes wrong now

Hellraiser..........>

Good job! It lives another day.

Nice One

<double sob>

Failed again this year too! Sills and floorpan going their seperate ways. Got to take it to my welder friend to give me a quote, may well be the end of the line this time.....

Hellraiser...........>

I can't believe that a year has passed already... Bad luck.