Fiat Punto HGT-V (van)
Discussion
I'd like to preface this by saying I personally think small vans are cool. My brother had a Mini van when I was little, my neighbor had a Fiesta XRV in my teens and I have had a few van conversion projects including a Fiat Panda 4x4 and a Mk3 Escort van with XR3 running gear.
I loved my Punto HGT but sadly had to sell the car to help pay for my fathers funeral.
I bought all the Punto van parts to convert a Sporting 1.4 or HGT in the future but my zero hour job that was zero hours earlier this year meant I had to sell those bits as well.
Then I accidentally won this...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-PUNTO-HGT-16V-1-8-...
...rather track tired HGT on eBay. I made an opening bid hoping to get the ball rolling for the seller but won. £200 is a bargain but £300 to get the car recovered makes it right on the money.
I still have the Bravo HLX leather seats in my shed so the tear in the drivers seat isn't an issue. The rear has been partially stripped out to get to the rust that needs repairing, the catalytic converter was stolen and the battery was flat so a few issues to address but for £500 in I could get half that for the wheels if I wanted.
First job. New cat'.
There are four to chose from so a 75% chance this...
...was going to happen. Sorry for the quality of the welding...
...but I'm a little out of practice. Fitted and silent running?
Nope, the cat' nappers split the flexipipe. While I was looking for a replacement I found this...
1248cc Multijet diesel van and I had a plan. Woooooooo-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaa!
Ta-da da da, dee dee da da...
Harvested the parts I needed from the van and used these hooks...
...from a set of VW Beetle shocks to hang the rear quarters in my shed...
...for a coat of primer...
...and colour matched paint.
So the project has begun. New sills on the way and I may cut chunks from the Multijet floor to make repair panels for the HGT-V
I loved my Punto HGT but sadly had to sell the car to help pay for my fathers funeral.
I bought all the Punto van parts to convert a Sporting 1.4 or HGT in the future but my zero hour job that was zero hours earlier this year meant I had to sell those bits as well.
Then I accidentally won this...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-PUNTO-HGT-16V-1-8-...
...rather track tired HGT on eBay. I made an opening bid hoping to get the ball rolling for the seller but won. £200 is a bargain but £300 to get the car recovered makes it right on the money.
I still have the Bravo HLX leather seats in my shed so the tear in the drivers seat isn't an issue. The rear has been partially stripped out to get to the rust that needs repairing, the catalytic converter was stolen and the battery was flat so a few issues to address but for £500 in I could get half that for the wheels if I wanted.
First job. New cat'.
There are four to chose from so a 75% chance this...
...was going to happen. Sorry for the quality of the welding...
...but I'm a little out of practice. Fitted and silent running?
Nope, the cat' nappers split the flexipipe. While I was looking for a replacement I found this...
1248cc Multijet diesel van and I had a plan. Woooooooo-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaa!
Ta-da da da, dee dee da da...
Harvested the parts I needed from the van and used these hooks...
...from a set of VW Beetle shocks to hang the rear quarters in my shed...
...for a coat of primer...
...and colour matched paint.
So the project has begun. New sills on the way and I may cut chunks from the Multijet floor to make repair panels for the HGT-V
Getting busy with hi-viz erm y.
I won't bother with puns from now on.
Something I am well aware of is the fact that bright yellow cars are invisible.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
So this happened...
With the track day past for added lightness the rear wiper was removed. I'm a big fan of rear wipers. Not only are they useful to the driver but also to see how good a driver everyone else is. If you see a dirty rear window chances are they very rarely check their mirrors.
Multijet donor to the rescue.
Side stripes...
...and as debadging is so 1998...
...rebadged.
I won't bother with puns from now on.
Something I am well aware of is the fact that bright yellow cars are invisible.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
So this happened...
With the track day past for added lightness the rear wiper was removed. I'm a big fan of rear wipers. Not only are they useful to the driver but also to see how good a driver everyone else is. If you see a dirty rear window chances are they very rarely check their mirrors.
Multijet donor to the rescue.
Side stripes...
...and as debadging is so 1998...
...rebadged.
While I'm waiting for sills and parts to weld in. Off Topic side project.
I'm using a Beetle as a daily driver at the moment. Took it as a part exchange and wanted to sell it to a "Scene" mug in time for Christmas but it needed more work than I was willing to sell on. Even vapists don't deserve to be ripped off.
One thing I don't like about the Beetle is the side light is integrated with the headlight. So...
Remove the indicator...
...drill a hole...
...fit a side light (these were from a scrap Sport KA but you can use LED's if you're into that sort of thing)...
...wire it in...
...and you're done.
I'm using a Beetle as a daily driver at the moment. Took it as a part exchange and wanted to sell it to a "Scene" mug in time for Christmas but it needed more work than I was willing to sell on. Even vapists don't deserve to be ripped off.
One thing I don't like about the Beetle is the side light is integrated with the headlight. So...
Remove the indicator...
...drill a hole...
...fit a side light (these were from a scrap Sport KA but you can use LED's if you're into that sort of thing)...
...wire it in...
...and you're done.
t handle...
It has been an interesting couple of weeks. Learned that it is the wrong time of year to try and use window film if you want it bubble or crease free. Lifted the carpet to discover...
...previous "that'll do" repairs to the floor for that years MOT didn't do at all.
But! The wait is over.
New sills have arrived. After a couple of weeks of near perfect welding weather they get here just as the wet season is about to start again.
...previous "that'll do" repairs to the floor for that years MOT didn't do at all.
But! The wait is over.
New sills have arrived. After a couple of weeks of near perfect welding weather they get here just as the wet season is about to start again.
Carpets out and the front floor isn't bad at all.
As usual the pattern parts are so far out the return address should be Woodstock.
The Internet and its world wide web of lies strike again. As well as weighing about the same as a small Moon the Bravo HGT/HLX leather seat I have kept in a quiet corner of my shed waiting for a Punto project contrary to information available do not fit and the subframe (sliders) don't swap over either.
So the Uno bucket seat wasn't the plan but may happen...
...and I couldn't mess about with bum holders without trying out the Guff Cinquecento Kirky.
The new sills don't have holes for the skirts so I have a few options.
Stealth - So in the end the Punto looks like a van with Abarth wheels and standard quiet exhaust.
Drill holes and refit the skirts for the full HGT-Van effect.
If I'm going full track mode with buckets, harnesses and so on skirts are ballast.
As usual the pattern parts are so far out the return address should be Woodstock.
The Internet and its world wide web of lies strike again. As well as weighing about the same as a small Moon the Bravo HGT/HLX leather seat I have kept in a quiet corner of my shed waiting for a Punto project contrary to information available do not fit and the subframe (sliders) don't swap over either.
So the Uno bucket seat wasn't the plan but may happen...
...and I couldn't mess about with bum holders without trying out the Guff Cinquecento Kirky.
The new sills don't have holes for the skirts so I have a few options.
Stealth - So in the end the Punto looks like a van with Abarth wheels and standard quiet exhaust.
Drill holes and refit the skirts for the full HGT-Van effect.
If I'm going full track mode with buckets, harnesses and so on skirts are ballast.
Being a bad influence is a big responsibility...
...my nephews first car next to my van.
Also I'll be on the train in the morning to collect this...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/fiat-punto-2002-188-1-8...
...my nephews first car next to my van.
Also I'll be on the train in the morning to collect this...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/fiat-punto-2002-188-1-8...
There is no realistic way I'll get the Punto HGT van ready for the first charity track day of the season March 20th so I have this...
...being collected Thursday in time for my birthday Friday. Hopefully get the HGT-R MOT'd in time as I really don't want to take my low mileage minter round Blyton. Even though my green HGT did a great job and on Uniroyal Rainsport 3's was quick until it died out.
...being collected Thursday in time for my birthday Friday. Hopefully get the HGT-R MOT'd in time as I really don't want to take my low mileage minter round Blyton. Even though my green HGT did a great job and on Uniroyal Rainsport 3's was quick until it died out.
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