Discussion
Liquid Knight said:
Took an interesting part exchange.
The Cinquecento obviously. Rolling on the bump stops reminded me of a Mini for the first few hundred miles, annoyed the crap out of me the rest of the way home.
Uncut springs in my shed and I have already brokered a swap from 899cc to 3,969cc.
Are the uncuts at least sporting springs? going straight to the normal ones will make it look like a 4x4
Well here we go again. 
If you have been following my Fiat Coupe 16V turbo thread you will know I was perplexed by the idea of fitting the Coupe's 16V Turbo engine into my Bravo HLX or restoring the car. Even though the fact the car had been clocked it would have been worth while.
Resale wise it would never have been worth it with a black mark in the cars history and without knowing the mileage from 2010 onward a Damoclesian sword hanging over the belts, clutch, and other consumables didn't help motivation as a project goes.
Having addressed several issues including the worst painted engine and most terrible exhaust I have ever seen the project stalled when I was knocked off my bike and a few attempts to get back into it failed.
So I was offered this...
...Punto GT with a 2.0 16V Coupe turbo engine already (mostly) fitted.
I would have never done it to such a nice looking and original GT they are rare as it is but someone already did so no guilt from me at all. Also it opens a few options to me as the car is not original I have carte blanch to do other non-original things.
Wooooo-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaa!
First off the car was for sale at £500 so if the PPC £999 Challenge comes back this year I have £499, an MOT and time limit.
If not I can take my time and make the most of the pile of pure potential I have before me.
http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/...
982Kg plus the difference the Coupe bits make up minus what I can save with 200+ bhp.
As the interior is stripped out due to the last owners rust hunt I'm thinking "why bother putting it all back?". I can either get van panels for the rear quarter windows or polycarbonate the lot.
Before I get going I need to see what I have to start with and make a basic list of stuff I'm going to need. So after a busy day and with ten minutes of daylight left...
20V Coupe 16's with Koni shocks and lowered springs. The brakes are in the previous owners shed. I get those next time I'm in the area.
The 16V engine looks at home in there doesn't it?
The turbo is free and looks reconditioned.
This looks a mess but with no console I don't have to mess about with stereo stuff and things to keep the car focused. Blank canvas interior then.
Carbon wrapped picnic table on the back for some reason. Apparently this is an original Abarth spoiler and worth a bit. That can go to fund other parts.
Old radiator in a new radiator box. Grrrrr! Just as well Alu-Tech are just up the road from me.
Boxes of interior trim pieces and at least two spare ecus so it's not all bad.
I'm going to need a passenger side headlight (may as well get a pair) indicator, side repeaters cosmetically; the interior can go. I have a pair of leather Bravo HGT seats for a touch of luxury if I want to go that way or a pair of buckets and harnesses will be just as good.
I'll take care of the welding and cosmetic side of things first and worry about the mechanical stuff when it's a little warmer and I can crawl about better.
Looks like a good project. With the Guy Croft recipe for 300bhp in my shed potential is an understatement. No rare car guilt and at the point where I can really stamp my ideas to it.
If you have been following my Fiat Coupe 16V turbo thread you will know I was perplexed by the idea of fitting the Coupe's 16V Turbo engine into my Bravo HLX or restoring the car. Even though the fact the car had been clocked it would have been worth while.
Resale wise it would never have been worth it with a black mark in the cars history and without knowing the mileage from 2010 onward a Damoclesian sword hanging over the belts, clutch, and other consumables didn't help motivation as a project goes.
Having addressed several issues including the worst painted engine and most terrible exhaust I have ever seen the project stalled when I was knocked off my bike and a few attempts to get back into it failed.
So I was offered this...
...Punto GT with a 2.0 16V Coupe turbo engine already (mostly) fitted.
I would have never done it to such a nice looking and original GT they are rare as it is but someone already did so no guilt from me at all. Also it opens a few options to me as the car is not original I have carte blanch to do other non-original things.
Wooooo-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaa!
First off the car was for sale at £500 so if the PPC £999 Challenge comes back this year I have £499, an MOT and time limit.
If not I can take my time and make the most of the pile of pure potential I have before me.
http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/...
982Kg plus the difference the Coupe bits make up minus what I can save with 200+ bhp.
As the interior is stripped out due to the last owners rust hunt I'm thinking "why bother putting it all back?". I can either get van panels for the rear quarter windows or polycarbonate the lot.
Before I get going I need to see what I have to start with and make a basic list of stuff I'm going to need. So after a busy day and with ten minutes of daylight left...
20V Coupe 16's with Koni shocks and lowered springs. The brakes are in the previous owners shed. I get those next time I'm in the area.
The 16V engine looks at home in there doesn't it?
The turbo is free and looks reconditioned.
This looks a mess but with no console I don't have to mess about with stereo stuff and things to keep the car focused. Blank canvas interior then.
Carbon wrapped picnic table on the back for some reason. Apparently this is an original Abarth spoiler and worth a bit. That can go to fund other parts.
Old radiator in a new radiator box. Grrrrr! Just as well Alu-Tech are just up the road from me.
Boxes of interior trim pieces and at least two spare ecus so it's not all bad.
I'm going to need a passenger side headlight (may as well get a pair) indicator, side repeaters cosmetically; the interior can go. I have a pair of leather Bravo HGT seats for a touch of luxury if I want to go that way or a pair of buckets and harnesses will be just as good.
I'll take care of the welding and cosmetic side of things first and worry about the mechanical stuff when it's a little warmer and I can crawl about better.
Looks like a good project. With the Guy Croft recipe for 300bhp in my shed potential is an understatement. No rare car guilt and at the point where I can really stamp my ideas to it.
So the first job today was to get the steering column reattached.
The nut and bolt were on the
floor! 
Next was this...
...it's a single bulb headlight so for a Punto 55, 60 or 60S. If that wasn't insulting enough it has some cheap eBay or Poundland LED halo side lights stuck in the way of the low beam so it would never pass an MOT. This took less time than the column to put it in the bin.
I may end up breaking this for parts as the loom is a disaster zone and the engine feels too tight.
The nut and bolt were on the
floor! Next was this...
...it's a single bulb headlight so for a Punto 55, 60 or 60S. If that wasn't insulting enough it has some cheap eBay or Poundland LED halo side lights stuck in the way of the low beam so it would never pass an MOT. This took less time than the column to put it in the bin.
I may end up breaking this for parts as the loom is a disaster zone and the engine feels too tight.
Vitorio said:
Thats a shame LK, It doesnt look worth the effort to get right then?
The original owner has been in touch and it was only ever a test fitting mule. Sold as such to someone and a few different people later the words "scrap" and "parts only" were Chinese whispered away and replaced with "worthwhile project". It does explain a lot of things I spotted wrong with the car. This engine and that platform have the potential to be a 160+mph car. Little things like finding new belts in the back rather than fitting them while the engine was out, about three different wiring looms and other things suggest it was bodged.
Being a test mule makes sense of the chaos.
If the engine is a paperweight then it will make a nice display piece at least.
I'm kind of project-less now. I can't get my Panda in my shed because it's gone from being full of Morris Minor bits to Punto GT bits.
My Bravo is faultless but I may use the rear disc mounts and brackets to upgrade the rear end.
My Seicento Schumacher needs a couple of basic repairs.
My RX8 is also faultless but petrol is now £1.30 a liter so the Bravo is getting to see the road.
All that remains is to pick the carcass of the Punto and get it gone.
If you need anything let me know.
Liquid Knight said:
The original owner has been in touch and it was only ever a test fitting mule. Sold as such to someone and a few different people later the words "scrap" and "parts only" were Chinese whispered away and replaced with "worthwhile project".
It does explain a lot of things I spotted wrong with the car. This engine and that platform have the potential to be a 160+mph car. Little things like finding new belts in the back rather than fitting them while the engine was out, about three different wiring looms and other things suggest it was bodged.
Being a test mule makes sense of the chaos.
If the engine is a paperweight then it will make a nice display piece at least.
I'm kind of project-less now. I can't get my Panda in my shed because it's gone from being full of Morris Minor bits to Punto GT bits.
My Bravo is faultless but I may use the rear disc mounts and brackets to upgrade the rear end.
My Seicento Schumacher needs a couple of basic repairs.
My RX8 is also faultless but petrol is now £1.30 a liter so the Bravo is getting to see the road.
All that remains is to pick the carcass of the Punto and get it gone.
If you need anything let me know.
Ah, shame to hear that LK, a punto with that lump in it would have been great fun allright! Decoration wise it does indeed beat my single 1108 FIRE piston sitting on my desk right now It does explain a lot of things I spotted wrong with the car. This engine and that platform have the potential to be a 160+mph car. Little things like finding new belts in the back rather than fitting them while the engine was out, about three different wiring looms and other things suggest it was bodged.
Being a test mule makes sense of the chaos.
If the engine is a paperweight then it will make a nice display piece at least.
I'm kind of project-less now. I can't get my Panda in my shed because it's gone from being full of Morris Minor bits to Punto GT bits.
My Bravo is faultless but I may use the rear disc mounts and brackets to upgrade the rear end.
My Seicento Schumacher needs a couple of basic repairs.
My RX8 is also faultless but petrol is now £1.30 a liter so the Bravo is getting to see the road.
All that remains is to pick the carcass of the Punto and get it gone.
If you need anything let me know.
Maybe its time to pick up some other old fiat? preferably right on the way back from the scrap dealer from dropping the punto off
Clear the Punto stuff away and add it to my long list of expensive life lessons and concentrate on restoring my Panda.
Not very "Pistonheads" but whenever I waste time, effort or money on something else my Fantasia sits there patiently waiting.
MOT the RX8 this week and maybe shift that as well. I only bought it because I took a new 124 out and was annoyed I didn't fit in the bloody thing. Scratched my rear wheel drive itch.
Not very "Pistonheads" but whenever I waste time, effort or money on something else my Fantasia sits there patiently waiting.
MOT the RX8 this week and maybe shift that as well. I only bought it because I took a new 124 out and was annoyed I didn't fit in the bloody thing. Scratched my rear wheel drive itch.
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