Discussion
Hey all,
This is my first post on here after lurking for a while!
Here is Vinny, my 1982 fiat 126 'brown edition'. Its an aircooled 650cc.
The car has changed alot from standard, in a previous life it had been rattle canned in the two tone brown, fitted the chrome bumper, added the wooden side panels, fiat X1/9 bertone wheels, slightly lowered and fitted abarth punto sabelt seats with harnesses.
Before I owned it, a good friend of mine had it for 2 years where it sat in his garage doing nothing, and the guy he got the car off also had it for 2 years where it sat ready for a bike engine swap, but being completely solid and too good of a shape he decided to sell instead of butchering it.
So, since I've had it all I've been doing is try to get it running. In around 2 years, having covered around 200 miles, 5 trips out and 3 break downs out of the 5.
The last trip out I decided would be the last before undergoing a major transformation.
The engine was taken out, and it went a full rebuild.
This is what I started with, standard fiat 126 650cc engine, I previously installed a Dell'orto FZD 32.28 carburetor but having no other modifications it was a little over kill.
Once the engine was stripped, I had everything aqua blasted, the tin ware was blasted and powder coated also.
I had the head skimmed, ported and larger inlet valves fitted. Got an abarth spec 35/75 camshaft. Also got an abarth 3.5ltr alloy sump to aid in cooling and an abarth alloy rocker cover.
Finally this is the end result...
The engine is back in and running absolutely sweet!
I managed to find myself a set of original seats (rare as poor quality wobbly children's play pony doo doo) in Holland and got them sent over. So new seat rails welded in and the seats installed and we're pretty much done!
I'm going to just enjoy it for a while now, then when I can I'll be upgrading to a stainless exhaust and a decent electronic ignition system. Also I wouldn't mind having the carburetor properly tuned on a rolling road.
Alex.
This is my first post on here after lurking for a while!
Here is Vinny, my 1982 fiat 126 'brown edition'. Its an aircooled 650cc.
The car has changed alot from standard, in a previous life it had been rattle canned in the two tone brown, fitted the chrome bumper, added the wooden side panels, fiat X1/9 bertone wheels, slightly lowered and fitted abarth punto sabelt seats with harnesses.
Before I owned it, a good friend of mine had it for 2 years where it sat in his garage doing nothing, and the guy he got the car off also had it for 2 years where it sat ready for a bike engine swap, but being completely solid and too good of a shape he decided to sell instead of butchering it.
So, since I've had it all I've been doing is try to get it running. In around 2 years, having covered around 200 miles, 5 trips out and 3 break downs out of the 5.
The last trip out I decided would be the last before undergoing a major transformation.
The engine was taken out, and it went a full rebuild.
This is what I started with, standard fiat 126 650cc engine, I previously installed a Dell'orto FZD 32.28 carburetor but having no other modifications it was a little over kill.
Once the engine was stripped, I had everything aqua blasted, the tin ware was blasted and powder coated also.
I had the head skimmed, ported and larger inlet valves fitted. Got an abarth spec 35/75 camshaft. Also got an abarth 3.5ltr alloy sump to aid in cooling and an abarth alloy rocker cover.
Finally this is the end result...
The engine is back in and running absolutely sweet!
I managed to find myself a set of original seats (rare as poor quality wobbly children's play pony doo doo) in Holland and got them sent over. So new seat rails welded in and the seats installed and we're pretty much done!
I'm going to just enjoy it for a while now, then when I can I'll be upgrading to a stainless exhaust and a decent electronic ignition system. Also I wouldn't mind having the carburetor properly tuned on a rolling road.
Alex.
Edited by Vinny126 on Saturday 19th September 22:03
ajprice said:
I have always thought that brown cars should not exist and that with the exception of Morris Minor / Mini Travellers wood should be on the inside of a car, not the outside. But that looks brilliant .
The original brown for this is more a disgusting diarrhoea colour! When my friend first picked the car up it also had a wooden frame and perspex sheet for the sunroof! Looks amazing.
I had a red one for a while as a student. Lethal in the wet as the lack of weight over the front end meant the brakes would lock as soon as you brakes.
And the centrifugal oil filter seal didn’t... seal. Oil used to get thrown all over the engine bay and used to run down the back off the boot lid though the vents.
Would love one again now though!
I had a red one for a while as a student. Lethal in the wet as the lack of weight over the front end meant the brakes would lock as soon as you brakes.
And the centrifugal oil filter seal didn’t... seal. Oil used to get thrown all over the engine bay and used to run down the back off the boot lid though the vents.
Would love one again now though!
595Heaven said:
Looks amazing.
I had a red one for a while as a student. Lethal in the wet as the lack of weight over the front end meant the brakes would lock as soon as you brakes.
And the centrifugal oil filter seal didn’t... seal. Oil used to get thrown all over the engine bay and used to run down the back off the boot lid though the vents.
Would love one again now though!
Maybe you'll find that all the meals you've eaten since your student days improves the weight distribution and braking I had a red one for a while as a student. Lethal in the wet as the lack of weight over the front end meant the brakes would lock as soon as you brakes.
And the centrifugal oil filter seal didn’t... seal. Oil used to get thrown all over the engine bay and used to run down the back off the boot lid though the vents.
Would love one again now though!
AW111 said:
595Heaven said:
Looks amazing.
I had a red one for a while as a student. Lethal in the wet as the lack of weight over the front end meant the brakes would lock as soon as you brakes.
And the centrifugal oil filter seal didn’t... seal. Oil used to get thrown all over the engine bay and used to run down the back off the boot lid though the vents.
Would love one again now though!
Maybe you'll find that all the meals you've eaten since your student days improves the weight distribution and braking I had a red one for a while as a student. Lethal in the wet as the lack of weight over the front end meant the brakes would lock as soon as you brakes.
And the centrifugal oil filter seal didn’t... seal. Oil used to get thrown all over the engine bay and used to run down the back off the boot lid though the vents.
Would love one again now though!
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