I have mixed feelings about keeping my Tipo.
First I want to sell and then after driving it a bit, I don't????

It needs things doing and the total cost plus purchase price will mount up.

So do I sell and cut my losses and find another bit more modern (Fiat)??
OR
Keep it, spend the money on it and do it up??

I used to be terrible at making my mind up, but now I'm not so sure!! LOL

Definitely keep it, even if it needs a couple of hundred spending on it. The Tipo has a special feel about it, my Mk2 Bravo is its replacement, it's a bit more modern and economical but it doesn't have the design cleverness of the Tipo, especially the interior which is brilliant on the Tipo. You've even got the really nice blue and red check interior, and the 3-door is very unusual.

The electric steering on the 1.2 Brava is too light and twitchy, but still lots better than current Fiats. The doors seem much heavier than the Tipo, and everything else inside like the switchgear etc. is more ordinary and conventional.

Your original wheeltrims are a nice touch, but they never did the Tipo any favours. A change of wheels or trims can transform the car visually if you want to connect more with it.

Bobbylad said:

I have mixed feelings about keeping my Tipo.
First I want to sell and then after driving it a bit, I don't????

It needs things doing and the total cost plus purchase price will mount up.

So do I sell and cut my losses and find another bit more modern (Fiat)??
OR
Keep it, spend the money on it and do it up??

I used to be terrible at making my mind up, but now I'm not so sure!! LOL

Click to expand...

My view? Keep the Tipo! (but then again I would say that!)

One - You like driving it (understandable, that) and when it's done up it should be sorted for quite a while. You'll still have a cheap car, even when the bills are paid, and that's got to be worth it to cruise those northeastern streets in a bit of cool Italian motor history.

Two - Tipos don't sell for big money, so what would you get with the cash? Whatever you buy will also need doing up, so it's money out either way.

Three - Face it, you're in the cool gang at the moment, but lose the Tipo and the street cred's gone.

Four - Save a rare survivor! My Tipo needs work, but I reckon that's all part of the fun of owning one (that's how I rationalised paying out for a new exhaust anyway). It'll be great to fix up all the little bits and get to the best state I can get it. I like to think I'm doing my bit for the Fiat Group's heritage and expect, one day, that this effort will be acknowledged.

There's squillions more reasons to keep it, but this post's long enough as is!

Hope it works out well, whatever you choose to do.

I do like driving it and it's a rare sight on our roads.

I'm taking it into the garage on Friday (day off) and having looked at with a fine tooth comb.

I'm going to weigh up the pros and cons (what price to sort out mainly) and then make a decision!!!

Camo16 said:

Face it, you're in the cool gang at the moment, but lose the Tipo and the street cred's gone.

Click to expand...

Amen

My Tipo is our second car, only because it doesn't have aircon or power steering, both of which are under consideration for fitting.
My age and a recent health problem is against me, but there's no way I'd sell the old girl, she's much too reliable.
OK, we don't have rust problems down here, so if that's the reason for letting it go ....

So far keeping it is winning!!
Plus I've just spent another £160 on the old girl.
New Brake Pipes front to back and new suspension top bearings, (which was the cause of the slight clunking sound on the steering).

Good to hear it's coming on. I did the top mounts on mine a couple of years ago, they were sticking and twanging loose when manoeuvering. Got an nice Febi Bilstein kit...

These might suit it...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-Brav...781940?hash=item2812a96034:g:7SIAAOSwWTRWzDcr

Glad you're thinking about keeping it!

Yes, I may get some new wheels for it, main thing is sorting it out first.
Next up is the welding and alternator.
Then bodywork to tidy up and then sort the interior out oh and A DECENT STEREO!

Sounds like a plan! How much welding is needed? From the photos, the bodywork looked in pretty good nick - it's probably like mine, though - fantastic if you're 5 metres away from the car; not so handsome up close.

I've been looking at getting the bodywork touched up on mine, because it's really only duff in five or six small places. Because it's metallic, though, apparently it's not an easy job to blend in.

Hope yours comes together nicely. Let's see some progress pics as you go along, eh?

Oh, and my stereo doesn't work at all! There's a non-fitted Blaupunkt in place and seller included a spare Phillips one in the boot. But I'll probably ditch both and go for something newer that doesn't play tapes - who owns tapes these days? Let me know which one you go for and I may follow your lead!

Mine is underneath where the floor meets the cill.
It's gone along that edge and seatbelt anchors.
Been quoted £100 for the welding, so not horrific.

Yip mine is the same looks great from 5 metres away!

Don't know about the stereo yet, maybe bluetooth???

That's not too bad. My sill seams are just starting to go, so I'll be attacking it with a wife brush very soon. All else is sound, thankfully. The only real bummer is the dent on the driver's side front wing, but hopefully that'll pop out OK - there's no paint damage or metal stress, by the looks of things. Next, the stereo (although personally I like just hearing the engine noise).

Mine's got a bump on the bonnet at the top near drivers side wing, a scrape on passender side rear wheelarch and two fairly deep scratches on the drivers side rear panel.
I'm sorting the main bits out mechanically and welding before I start making it look pretty again first. Then I will begin on the interior.
I'm thinking of getting the seats recovered rather than ripping them out and replacing!!

Bobbylad said:

I'm thinking of getting the seats recovered rather than ripping them out and replacing!!

Click to expand...

How bad are they? If it's just the front it makes sense to get them repaired, rather than wait for that elusive donor set to come along, which may take months or longer!

Presumably the side sections are worn through with people getting in and out, and rubbing.

Otherwise I'd say the Tipo seats are great. Does yours have the height adjustment lever? I had one Tipo with and one without...

Mk1 didn't have the height adjustment lever...mine hasn't got it. Shame, I'd like these seats a bit lower!

Don't know about mine?
It's the base that's gone, the sides are OK, only don 63,588 miles!