Month to madness
Discussion
So I recently sold my Punto GT, bought a Punto TD, tarted it up with spare GT parts and sold that. I took this 899cc Cinquecento as a part exchange.
Yes it's on the bump stops, yes it was fun for the first mile and yes it's bloody dangerous.
Anyway driving on the bump stops reminded me of my old Mini and got me thinking. There isn't a Mini any more.
BL Mini's are too expensive. BMW ones are either crap or overpriced crap.
Where are all the cheerful little cars that are cheap and easy to get hold of, easy to modify or upgrade from the parts bin and still utilitarian?
The Cinquecento is probably one of the best of the bunch. 899cc so cheap to insure, Sporting parts bin upgrades and more from the family tree. Can be picked up from £50 to £300 on the road and tunable. There are a couple of t-jet Cinquecento and Seicento projects terrorising exotica. Obviously there are more options like the VW Lupo but you have VAG insurance and the pretentious Dub Scene to deal with. Suzuki Alto are a pain to find parts, Ignis is too new, Swift too big. Citroën C 1,2,3 are all terrible compared to the old Saxo but good luck finding a decent base model one of those and the pandemic of VTR/VTS/V6 powered Saxo's that are "Still 1.1 on da log book innit bruv" should all come with a free barge pole. 107's are coffins, CityRover's can't handle the power they have let alone tuning or transplants. That's just about it.
Don't get me wrong for a rushed job the BMW MINI isn't all that bad. It weighed more than the Neon 1.6 engine could handle, as big as an Astra outside but smaller than a Corsa inside, poorly engineered but a good marketing exercise. Apart from that it was a welcome alternative to hum drum euroboxes of the period and gave the "it" crowd something that wasn't French to break down in.
Now you can get a BMW MINI for a lot less than a real Mini it almost makes sense but any bargain BMW is potentially a bottomless pit and the MINI is no exception to that rule.
So if this Cinquecento is going to a homage to what the Mini used to be it will have to stay 899cc for now.
You can almost feel the Pooooooowwwwwweeeeerrrr!
...wer
...wer
...wer
Okay the boot isn't that big.
These...
...will have to go for a start.
So what's the plan?
Two of my nephews are seventeen next year so I'm going to get them involved and show them a few tricks I've learned over the years.
There are a few repairs one would expect from a twenty two year old Fiat, sort the suspension, buckets, harnesses and cage.
All in time for a charity track day November 18th (if I can get the time off work) and auctioned of for the same charity just in time for Christmas.
I'm keeping the 899cc engine standard as just like a Mini you do all the other upgrades first and then make it go quicker.
If the car doesn't sell I have a 1242cc Punto 60S and 75 (866) cam' in my shed for a potential (sort of stage one) transplant later.
Yes it's on the bump stops, yes it was fun for the first mile and yes it's bloody dangerous.
Anyway driving on the bump stops reminded me of my old Mini and got me thinking. There isn't a Mini any more.
BL Mini's are too expensive. BMW ones are either crap or overpriced crap.
Where are all the cheerful little cars that are cheap and easy to get hold of, easy to modify or upgrade from the parts bin and still utilitarian?
The Cinquecento is probably one of the best of the bunch. 899cc so cheap to insure, Sporting parts bin upgrades and more from the family tree. Can be picked up from £50 to £300 on the road and tunable. There are a couple of t-jet Cinquecento and Seicento projects terrorising exotica. Obviously there are more options like the VW Lupo but you have VAG insurance and the pretentious Dub Scene to deal with. Suzuki Alto are a pain to find parts, Ignis is too new, Swift too big. Citroën C 1,2,3 are all terrible compared to the old Saxo but good luck finding a decent base model one of those and the pandemic of VTR/VTS/V6 powered Saxo's that are "Still 1.1 on da log book innit bruv" should all come with a free barge pole. 107's are coffins, CityRover's can't handle the power they have let alone tuning or transplants. That's just about it.
Don't get me wrong for a rushed job the BMW MINI isn't all that bad. It weighed more than the Neon 1.6 engine could handle, as big as an Astra outside but smaller than a Corsa inside, poorly engineered but a good marketing exercise. Apart from that it was a welcome alternative to hum drum euroboxes of the period and gave the "it" crowd something that wasn't French to break down in.
Now you can get a BMW MINI for a lot less than a real Mini it almost makes sense but any bargain BMW is potentially a bottomless pit and the MINI is no exception to that rule.
So if this Cinquecento is going to a homage to what the Mini used to be it will have to stay 899cc for now.
You can almost feel the Pooooooowwwwwweeeeerrrr!
...wer
...wer
...wer
Okay the boot isn't that big.
These...
...will have to go for a start.
So what's the plan?
Two of my nephews are seventeen next year so I'm going to get them involved and show them a few tricks I've learned over the years.
There are a few repairs one would expect from a twenty two year old Fiat, sort the suspension, buckets, harnesses and cage.
All in time for a charity track day November 18th (if I can get the time off work) and auctioned of for the same charity just in time for Christmas.
I'm keeping the 899cc engine standard as just like a Mini you do all the other upgrades first and then make it go quicker.
If the car doesn't sell I have a 1242cc Punto 60S and 75 (866) cam' in my shed for a potential (sort of stage one) transplant later.
Edited by Liquid Knight on Thursday 20th October 21:56
Nice project LK!
I have a soft spot for cinqs, would love to get my hands on one for bargain basement bodging/project pfaffing.
Re the engine swap, i was under the impression swapping an 899 to a FIRE engine is quite involved, considering you need different engine mounts and probably gearbox as well, right?
Looking forward to seeing what you can do in a month to this little box on wheels
I have a soft spot for cinqs, would love to get my hands on one for bargain basement bodging/project pfaffing.
Re the engine swap, i was under the impression swapping an 899 to a FIRE engine is quite involved, considering you need different engine mounts and probably gearbox as well, right?
Looking forward to seeing what you can do in a month to this little box on wheels
Stuck at work today so nothing to report apart from...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300357672740?_trksid=p20...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350248932718?_trksid=p20...
...some eBaying.
Standard size brake discs and good all round pads so I can keep thirteen inch wheels (remember I'm after Mini handling not a tractor) in place.
Cunning plan for suspension already in motion.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300357672740?_trksid=p20...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350248932718?_trksid=p20...
...some eBaying.
Standard size brake discs and good all round pads so I can keep thirteen inch wheels (remember I'm after Mini handling not a tractor) in place.
Cunning plan for suspension already in motion.
Just an upgrade to Sporting shocks and -30mm springs but as the Sporting is already 20mm lower it will be the same as -50mm from standard.
I also have some upper and lower strut braces in mind and it all comes down to wheel and tyre choice. I have a set of phase one Uno turbo wheels...
...that once lived on my Panda Fantasia but I'd rather not need spacers and longer bolts. A set of six X-1/9 wheels I was going to blast, paint and sell for a mark up, again spacers and longer bolts required. My Fiorino steels are an inch wider, have the same offset and look standard. Stealth isn't a consideration this time as I'll be chucking my nephews around the track I will be fitting a cage, buckets and harnesses but they would appear to be the best option. Cinquecento wheels are a premium at the moment and Seicento wheels need a 2mm spacer on the back. I don't mind spacers but some tracks might so it would be better not to have them just in case.
I also have a very cunning plan to get free tyres but more about that later.
I also have some upper and lower strut braces in mind and it all comes down to wheel and tyre choice. I have a set of phase one Uno turbo wheels...
...that once lived on my Panda Fantasia but I'd rather not need spacers and longer bolts. A set of six X-1/9 wheels I was going to blast, paint and sell for a mark up, again spacers and longer bolts required. My Fiorino steels are an inch wider, have the same offset and look standard. Stealth isn't a consideration this time as I'll be chucking my nephews around the track I will be fitting a cage, buckets and harnesses but they would appear to be the best option. Cinquecento wheels are a premium at the moment and Seicento wheels need a 2mm spacer on the back. I don't mind spacers but some tracks might so it would be better not to have them just in case.
I also have a very cunning plan to get free tyres but more about that later.
No nephews today one has a chest infection and the other is at his girlfriends. Meh, he'll soon find out cars are more reliable, fun and cheaper.
Also no parts as yet so I raided my shed and found the bonnet pins from the N/A Coupe 16V and pin cups I bought for Guff II.
1/ Open the bonnet and remove the sound proofing membrane.
2/ Now remove the rubber bonnet stops.
3/ Use the bungholes to test fit the pins.
4/ Mark where the pins touch the bonnet and drill some pilot holes.
5/ Cut the pins to length...
...refit...
...and make sure they do not interfere with the headlights.
6/ Take a hole cutter and use the pilot hole as a guide for the pin hole and draw around the rear of the cup for the other hole.
7/ Cut between the holes with a grinder and place the cup in the hole. Make sure the edges are clean and not sharp with a flap wheel.
8/ Drill and pop-rivet the cup in place and pop-rivet the pin from underneath.
9/ Do the same the other side and you're finished.
10/ The bonnet liner, opening mechanism and steel you have cut away makes roughly 750g...
...and the pins and cups weigh 150g so that's a saving of 600g. Cinquecento Superleggera.
Also no parts as yet so I raided my shed and found the bonnet pins from the N/A Coupe 16V and pin cups I bought for Guff II.
1/ Open the bonnet and remove the sound proofing membrane.
2/ Now remove the rubber bonnet stops.
3/ Use the bungholes to test fit the pins.
4/ Mark where the pins touch the bonnet and drill some pilot holes.
5/ Cut the pins to length...
...refit...
...and make sure they do not interfere with the headlights.
6/ Take a hole cutter and use the pilot hole as a guide for the pin hole and draw around the rear of the cup for the other hole.
7/ Cut between the holes with a grinder and place the cup in the hole. Make sure the edges are clean and not sharp with a flap wheel.
8/ Drill and pop-rivet the cup in place and pop-rivet the pin from underneath.
9/ Do the same the other side and you're finished.
10/ The bonnet liner, opening mechanism and steel you have cut away makes roughly 750g...
...and the pins and cups weigh 150g so that's a saving of 600g. Cinquecento Superleggera.
Liquid Knight said:
...and the pins and cups weigh 150g so that's a saving of 600g. Cinquecento Superleggera.
Surely you can ditch the cable and the lever from the interior as well?Also, back in the day with my sporting i figured out ditching the rear seats, carpet and sound deadening amounted to a good 35kg, which on a 735kg car is quite a decent saving.
Liquid Knight said:
The brake discs have arrived and after making silly noises about how small they are I thought there's no point fitting them until the pads arrive so...
...classic License to Ill tour t'shirt, some chain from my engine hoist and I'm ready to party.
MC Stoppin Powah in tha hizzouse! Drillin and groovin all night yall! ...classic License to Ill tour t'shirt, some chain from my engine hoist and I'm ready to party.
https://youtu.be/WsV4eaYqhxQ
Sorry but this is a guide for my nephews as they missed helping me with it.
Sorry but this is a guide for my nephews as they missed helping me with it.
More weight shaving today.
Take the number plate off.
Open the bonnet and locate the 8mm nut holding the badge on.
Once removed use an old ice scraper to get rid of as much of the double sided tape as possible and wipe with a cloth soaked in thinners. Select a hole cutter that can fit inside the crevice where the badge was.
Use the hole cutter to make eight holes in the number plate recess taking care not to drill into the radiator.
Take one of the disc you have cut out of the bumper, trim it to fit where the badge was and stick it in place with double sided tape.
Next take a number plate sheet and letters making sure the spacing is all legal. Half inch between the first letter and number, an inch and a half between the number and next letter and half an inch between the final letters. Mount this on the lip of the bonnet and you're done.
The number plate, screws, badge, nut and plastic cut away from the bumper were 410g. The number plate sheet was 15g with the backing paper so 400g saved.
That's the first Kilo.
Take the number plate off.
Open the bonnet and locate the 8mm nut holding the badge on.
Once removed use an old ice scraper to get rid of as much of the double sided tape as possible and wipe with a cloth soaked in thinners. Select a hole cutter that can fit inside the crevice where the badge was.
Use the hole cutter to make eight holes in the number plate recess taking care not to drill into the radiator.
Take one of the disc you have cut out of the bumper, trim it to fit where the badge was and stick it in place with double sided tape.
Next take a number plate sheet and letters making sure the spacing is all legal. Half inch between the first letter and number, an inch and a half between the number and next letter and half an inch between the final letters. Mount this on the lip of the bonnet and you're done.
The number plate, screws, badge, nut and plastic cut away from the bumper were 410g. The number plate sheet was 15g with the backing paper so 400g saved.
That's the first Kilo.
Edited by Liquid Knight on Tuesday 18th October 17:38
This is bad.
I finally have the car on ramps to fit the old springs and spare one I found in my shed. To stop the bloody thing grounding out while I waited for new springs and shocks.
The bump stop on the divers side had pushed through the spring mount of the wishbone. The inner sill on the passenger side is filler, driver side inner sill is rust, the floor has rust where all the seat belt mounts are bolted through and best of all the fuel tank is split along the join on the passenger side.
Just as well I took the previous owners advice and didn't put more the £10 in there and also lucky none of the times I ground out made enough sparks to blow me up.
Okay a fuel cell I don't have the budget for and more welding than I have time for.
I'll get the front suspension done and see if it's as bad as I fear.
I finally have the car on ramps to fit the old springs and spare one I found in my shed. To stop the bloody thing grounding out while I waited for new springs and shocks.
The bump stop on the divers side had pushed through the spring mount of the wishbone. The inner sill on the passenger side is filler, driver side inner sill is rust, the floor has rust where all the seat belt mounts are bolted through and best of all the fuel tank is split along the join on the passenger side.
Just as well I took the previous owners advice and didn't put more the £10 in there and also lucky none of the times I ground out made enough sparks to blow me up.
Okay a fuel cell I don't have the budget for and more welding than I have time for.
I'll get the front suspension done and see if it's as bad as I fear.
This is what was left of the bump stop on the drivers side.
Note the lack of top collar for me to fit my spring to.
Lucky I have a shed full of crap eh?
Not so lucky was the passenger side. See if you can spot the two things wrong with this picture.
That's right the top bolt didn't have any washers and the bottom bolt?
Was cheap galvanised M10 from a hobby shop.
If that bolt has sheered whilst driving and with no suspension to absorb any issues like that the car would have pulled to the left so violently it would have rolled if I were going more than 20mph.
Again lucky I shed full of crap. It took a minute to find the right bolt and washers.
There was even less of the passenger side bump stop left.
Right I'm off to buy a lotto ticket.
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