Long term Panda project.
Discussion
Liquid Knight said I should put a thread on here about this.
I've just scraped the verbiage from a thread on Retro-Rides...
OK, round up and have a laugh...
SWMBO and I were deliberating what to buy our 8 year old boy for Christmas. I mean even trying not to spoil him, he's got just about everything. A zillion toy cars, console games, Scalextric, train sets and access to a computer. We wouldn't entertain a mobile phone until he's much older.
I had planned on building a motorised buggy of some description next year with him but I can't give him that for Christmas really.
So, what to do?
Coincidentally enough, a good friend of mine who frequents this forum sent me a link which got my gander up.
I ran it by SWMBO and I went and started my Christmas shopping today!
So it's a little frilly aloing the sills and floor and it needs a bit of spannering but I don't think it's too far away from being roadworthy. So that's our spare evening's sorted into the next year!!
It's his car and he can do whatever he wants with it, (under guidance of course!!)
I'll update when I've had the chance to put it in the garage and get under it.
I've just scraped the verbiage from a thread on Retro-Rides...
OK, round up and have a laugh...
SWMBO and I were deliberating what to buy our 8 year old boy for Christmas. I mean even trying not to spoil him, he's got just about everything. A zillion toy cars, console games, Scalextric, train sets and access to a computer. We wouldn't entertain a mobile phone until he's much older.
I had planned on building a motorised buggy of some description next year with him but I can't give him that for Christmas really.
So, what to do?
Coincidentally enough, a good friend of mine who frequents this forum sent me a link which got my gander up.
I ran it by SWMBO and I went and started my Christmas shopping today!
So it's a little frilly aloing the sills and floor and it needs a bit of spannering but I don't think it's too far away from being roadworthy. So that's our spare evening's sorted into the next year!!
It's his car and he can do whatever he wants with it, (under guidance of course!!)
I'll update when I've had the chance to put it in the garage and get under it.
So, with the help of a mate with a trailer, the little car was delivered about a week before Christmas.
The garage door became mysteriously 'broken' and of course I started to need things out of it but muddled by until Christmas Day when all of a sudden it was miraculously fixed...
I was right, he just about burst when we opened the door. One happy boy!
We got it running with some fresh petrol and took it for a spin. Could only get 2nd and reverse and it makes a whole load of odd noises but we managed to drive it up and down the un-adopted road we live on.
So with the intention of having it working by his birthday, (gives us 6 months), we set about finding the grot to repair...
We figured working from the back to front would be the most methodical so we took the bumper off to reveal an almost non-existent crossmember. As you might imagine, most of the nuts/bolts snapped or had to be ground off.
So it was out with the cutting gear and took it back to the best metal I could find.
Templates made of masking tape and the first patch is in place...
But then my MIG sprung a gas leak so I need to fix that before we do any more.
The garage door became mysteriously 'broken' and of course I started to need things out of it but muddled by until Christmas Day when all of a sudden it was miraculously fixed...
I was right, he just about burst when we opened the door. One happy boy!
We got it running with some fresh petrol and took it for a spin. Could only get 2nd and reverse and it makes a whole load of odd noises but we managed to drive it up and down the un-adopted road we live on.
So with the intention of having it working by his birthday, (gives us 6 months), we set about finding the grot to repair...
We figured working from the back to front would be the most methodical so we took the bumper off to reveal an almost non-existent crossmember. As you might imagine, most of the nuts/bolts snapped or had to be ground off.
So it was out with the cutting gear and took it back to the best metal I could find.
Templates made of masking tape and the first patch is in place...
But then my MIG sprung a gas leak so I need to fix that before we do any more.
So, progress is slow but consistent. Getting spare time between work, swimming, Cubs and other associated stuff gets in the way but I'm sure you all know about such things.
I think, other than to fill the gaps with some rust inhibitor and coat with underseal the rear of the car's adequately catered for...
And I'm happy to say that after a considerable hiatus and enduring the use of shonky equipment, my welding is improving...
So now we move on to the sills and floor...
Both sides will need attention and the interior's going to have to come out so I've tasked Boy with removing the driver's seat on his own.
It should just be three bolts and I'll need to give him a hand to actually lift the thing out but we'll see how he gets on under his own steam.
ETA:- That's not his bike in the picture, it's his Sisters! (Just in case!!)
I think, other than to fill the gaps with some rust inhibitor and coat with underseal the rear of the car's adequately catered for...
And I'm happy to say that after a considerable hiatus and enduring the use of shonky equipment, my welding is improving...
So now we move on to the sills and floor...
Both sides will need attention and the interior's going to have to come out so I've tasked Boy with removing the driver's seat on his own.
It should just be three bolts and I'll need to give him a hand to actually lift the thing out but we'll see how he gets on under his own steam.
ETA:- That's not his bike in the picture, it's his Sisters! (Just in case!!)
Been a few weeks but got a bit of graft in on the wee Fiot today. This bit's boring for Boy and he doesn't have the strength to use a grinder or cold chisel so I did this bit myself today.
I'll get him involved when it's time to start making things to fill the holes.
Gimme a paw!!
As we pretty much finished the tail end for now we decided to move on to the off-side sill. I knew it was frilly, but hoped it wasn''t any worse than I imagined. Those hopes faded fairly rapidly...
That's my boot on the floor of the garage...
...OK, it's not as bad as it could be but worse than I'd hoped and because of the seat runners and method of construction it's a bit awkward. There's a sandwich of three sheets of metal where the floor and sills meet so it took a bit of chopping out.
I try and be as sympathetic as I can to the existing steel so I can put it back together the way it left the factory and I'd hoped to be able to save the outrigger/jacking point but it's not worth patching so I'll just chop the thing out and it'll make replacing the floor/inner sill a whole lot easier in the long run.
I'll get him involved when it's time to start making things to fill the holes.
Gimme a paw!!
As we pretty much finished the tail end for now we decided to move on to the off-side sill. I knew it was frilly, but hoped it wasn''t any worse than I imagined. Those hopes faded fairly rapidly...
That's my boot on the floor of the garage...
...OK, it's not as bad as it could be but worse than I'd hoped and because of the seat runners and method of construction it's a bit awkward. There's a sandwich of three sheets of metal where the floor and sills meet so it took a bit of chopping out.
I try and be as sympathetic as I can to the existing steel so I can put it back together the way it left the factory and I'd hoped to be able to save the outrigger/jacking point but it's not worth patching so I'll just chop the thing out and it'll make replacing the floor/inner sill a whole lot easier in the long run.
More choppgage done today on a bit that I didn't think was a problem until I started exploring the nooks and crannies....
...This started off as a hole I put my finger through...
...It's fixable but very awkward. What gets me is having to cut out sound metal to get at the rotten stuff.
Now given that the black pipe in the background is the petrol filler tube and the tank is about a foot away, do you think I should drop the tank or could I isolate it with a fire blanket before I start doing proper sparky stuff?
...This started off as a hole I put my finger through...
...It's fixable but very awkward. What gets me is having to cut out sound metal to get at the rotten stuff.
Now given that the black pipe in the background is the petrol filler tube and the tank is about a foot away, do you think I should drop the tank or could I isolate it with a fire blanket before I start doing proper sparky stuff?
Good luck with the project, hope your boy learns a lot from it. My first motor trade experience was buying and selling Pandas at Uni but unfortunately my spannering skills were crap so I didn't earn as much as I could. Anyway still in the motor trade 20 years later and still as crap with the spanners. Have fun!
jbsportstech said:
looks a great bonding excercise and maybe when he is older he will appreciate his first car having worked on one.
We really enjoy spending the time together and fixing stuff on it. It's small steps but he's learning some practical skills.jbsportstech said:
He is bad need of hair cut though especially if he going to be welder.
Those pic's are a few months old. He now sports a more respectable barnet.boweslion said:
Wow, he's already more mechanical than me.
Haha! Well he's enjoying taking wheels off and such like. He's not quite strong enough to tackle more heavy duty tasks but it'll come.boweslion said:
I LOVE how you think he's much too young for a mobile but old enough to weld his own car! 
Well, the reasons are many, but the bottom line is that this is educational, we get to spend some quality time together and hopefully there'll be a worthwhile outcome.Liquid Knight said:
Great job. 
Thanks! 
Liquid Knight said:
I'm looking at the idea of getting a Panda each for my niece and nephews. Storage being the main issue.
Well, I had to evacuate the garage of an Opel Monza and associated tat before there was space for this little beauty. There's still more to go to make the space comfortable to work in.Unfortunately we've overshot the glass deadline of his birthday for having the welding done but that couldn't be helped.
Other than the sills, I think the little car is actually quite sound which is a relief. The sills and surrounding areas are proving quite awkward to repair so progress is slow.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400526787920?ssPageName=...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221074157662?ssPageName=...
Really nice guys and I've never had any issue with parts from them.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221074157662?ssPageName=...
Really nice guys and I've never had any issue with parts from them.
Brilliant, I think that's a fantastic project for you and your young Lad.
My Daughter has a Panda, same colour but the old cast iron 997 lump. It's faired better than yours generally, just a small rust patch near the rear arch on the boot floor and a bit on the drivers door.
Various bits have gone wrong though and I struggle to find parts for it. Most awkward at the moment is the pedal assembly which has gone all floppy as the bearings and return springs are fubarred.
My Daughter has a Panda, same colour but the old cast iron 997 lump. It's faired better than yours generally, just a small rust patch near the rear arch on the boot floor and a bit on the drivers door.
Various bits have gone wrong though and I struggle to find parts for it. Most awkward at the moment is the pedal assembly which has gone all floppy as the bearings and return springs are fubarred.
velocemitch said:
Brilliant, I think that's a fantastic project for you and your young Lad.
My Daughter has a Panda, same colour but the old cast iron 997 lump.
I have no idea of the difference. Could you fill me in please? My Daughter has a Panda, same colour but the old cast iron 997 lump.
velocemitch said:
It's faired better than yours generally, just a small rust patch near the rear arch on the boot floor and a bit on the drivers door.
Aye, when I decided to 'take it on', it seemed a better project than it turned out to be. I'm not complaining to be fair but it's harder work than I imagined.velocemitch said:
Various bits have gone wrong though and I struggle to find parts for it. Most awkward at the moment is the pedal assembly which has gone all floppy as the bearings and return springs are fubarred.
See, now you're filling me with dread! The more mechanical issues are with the clutch and throttle pedals. I have some bits and bobs in a box that came with the car but am relying on my initiative to be able to put them back together in some sort of meaningful fashion!Big Rod said:
velocemitch said:
Brilliant, I think that's a fantastic project for you and your young Lad.
My Daughter has a Panda, same colour but the old cast iron 997 lump.
I have no idea of the difference. Could you fill me in please? My Daughter has a Panda, same colour but the old cast iron 997 lump.
velocemitch said:
It's faired better than yours generally, just a small rust patch near the rear arch on the boot floor and a bit on the drivers door.
Aye, when I decided to 'take it on', it seemed a better project than it turned out to be. I'm not complaining to be fair but it's harder work than I imagined.velocemitch said:
Various bits have gone wrong though and I struggle to find parts for it. Most awkward at the moment is the pedal assembly which has gone all floppy as the bearings and return springs are fubarred.
See, now you're filling me with dread! The more mechanical issues are with the clutch and throttle pedals. I have some bits and bobs in a box that came with the car but am relying on my initiative to be able to put them back together in some sort of meaningful fashion!To be fair to the Panda, what has gone wrong is mainly down to an old Car which is being driven pretty hard and does a lot of miles, she does over 12000 miles a year and it's all around towns and villages, so it wears things out. Had to replace the front struts and lower ball joints for the MOT and now it needs new rear shockers too. It's only supposed to go 6k between services, but it ends up going longer and finding an Air Filter, points and a dizzy cap proved difficult. It's got a steady Oil leaks from both Gearbox and Engine, but the time involved to solve them would be high and frankly I just can't be bothered so it just gets topped up. The Electrics were fun to begin with and still now and again go all 'Italian', but it's usually silly things like broken wires or loose Earths. As I mentioned the Pedal assembly is a pain though, the bearings which carry the cross shaft holding the brake and clutch are shot, so the sahft flops about. The return spring on the clutch pedal won't stay in place, so if you Brake a few seconds before using the clutch, you find the clutch pedal coming upwards at you. If I can find a new assembly I could change it over, but the whole thing is wrapped around the steering column, so that would have to come out first, along with half the dashboard to get at it.
Still, when it's going it's a cracking little Car, very responsive and a hoot to through around. It feels very much like an original Mini, corners like a Go Kart, but with a bit of body Roll to let you know. We've done a few Car Trials with it, but I found it was a bit light to grip properly, might have a go at Autotesting one day as I reckon it would be great at that. Very underated Cars and perfect as a starter 'classic'.
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