2001 Fiat Seicento 1.1 Sporting - Mongol Rally 2022
Discussion
Hey all,
Having met several PHers and PH staff at the Sandown Park Karting Event last week (which was awesome btw), I discussed sharing details of our recently purchased "rally" car, destined for the mongol Rally 2022 - Poles of Inconvenience.
For those unfamiliar, the rally takes place each year, usually travelling between the UK and mongolia, but this year due to various wars, the finish line will be in Tbilisi, Georgia and the aim is to capture as many checkpoints/"poles of inconvenience"(POI) as possible. We'll be raising cash for the DEC Ukrainian Humanitarian Appeal in the process which makes it all the more worthwhile. The POIs are located in locations such as the top of a very steep, rather difficult mountain path or in the middle of a large mud field. You get the idea. They're also situated in places that make a straight line drive from London to Tbilisi not possible. Here's a map of some of the POIs currently suggested:
In terms of transport, the rules are simple, your car has to be a 1.2 or less and completely impractical for rally adventures. Nothing modern with features like air con or anything that brings comfort. Those travelling by bike are limited to a 125cc and no support vehicles.
More details of the rally can be found here: https://www.theadventurists.com/poles-of-inconvenience/
This is where I introduce our mighty and certainly miniature beast of Italian engineering. The Fiat Seicento 1.1 Sporting complete with Abarth body kit AND sportex exhaust. The exhaust makes all the noises you'd want from 2,100rpm and up. I absolutely love it.
My friend Dan and I bought this wonder from Stan in North London on Sunday and decided it was perfect to enter to the mongol Rally this year. I’m not sure Stan is on pistonheads, I really hope he is so he can follow our adventure.
Already we’re starting off with some awesome mods like these Fiat 500 racing seats, which I’m a big fan of. The Abarth bodykit was the inspiration behind the team name “Need Abarth” and the sports exhaust makes it sound punchy.
Overheating seems to be a “feature” of the Seicento and this one has a manual radiator fan override switch, which I’ve been sure to use driving around London. The aftermarket oil temperature gauge is fun to watch in traffic whilst preying the thing doesn’t start boiling itself over.
You’ll notice it’s had the ‘rear seat delete’, which is ideal and saved us a job. The 6x9s are something teenage me was desperate to install and would you believe, I’ve still not even tried them yet!
Mechanically speaking, it seems to run well. Hot, but well. There’s a small oil leak I noticed before purchasing, which apparently can be fixed with a new rocker cover gasket… let’s hope that’s the case.
The car already had the name Luna, which we are keeping. Those familiar with the crypto world will know that might not bring us the best of luck, but we’re hoping not to fall off a cliff quite in the same way Terra Luna did!
Currently the Fiat is in the garage, having some basics seen to like removing the thermostat, changing the timing belt, replacing the water pump etc. I'm ashamed to say my mechanical knowledge is not up to scratch so my friend Rick is helping us out!
Here's me enjoying the (working for now) electric sunroof:
And here's Dan on our last rally discovering his electrical wiring skills weren't quite what he expected them to be, leading to a small in-car fire.
We're going to be updating our instagram page probably more often than I manage here, so do follow us: @need_abarth
I'll post with an update and higher res pics once she returns from the garage.
Having met several PHers and PH staff at the Sandown Park Karting Event last week (which was awesome btw), I discussed sharing details of our recently purchased "rally" car, destined for the mongol Rally 2022 - Poles of Inconvenience.
For those unfamiliar, the rally takes place each year, usually travelling between the UK and mongolia, but this year due to various wars, the finish line will be in Tbilisi, Georgia and the aim is to capture as many checkpoints/"poles of inconvenience"(POI) as possible. We'll be raising cash for the DEC Ukrainian Humanitarian Appeal in the process which makes it all the more worthwhile. The POIs are located in locations such as the top of a very steep, rather difficult mountain path or in the middle of a large mud field. You get the idea. They're also situated in places that make a straight line drive from London to Tbilisi not possible. Here's a map of some of the POIs currently suggested:
In terms of transport, the rules are simple, your car has to be a 1.2 or less and completely impractical for rally adventures. Nothing modern with features like air con or anything that brings comfort. Those travelling by bike are limited to a 125cc and no support vehicles.
More details of the rally can be found here: https://www.theadventurists.com/poles-of-inconvenience/
This is where I introduce our mighty and certainly miniature beast of Italian engineering. The Fiat Seicento 1.1 Sporting complete with Abarth body kit AND sportex exhaust. The exhaust makes all the noises you'd want from 2,100rpm and up. I absolutely love it.
My friend Dan and I bought this wonder from Stan in North London on Sunday and decided it was perfect to enter to the mongol Rally this year. I’m not sure Stan is on pistonheads, I really hope he is so he can follow our adventure.
Already we’re starting off with some awesome mods like these Fiat 500 racing seats, which I’m a big fan of. The Abarth bodykit was the inspiration behind the team name “Need Abarth” and the sports exhaust makes it sound punchy.
Overheating seems to be a “feature” of the Seicento and this one has a manual radiator fan override switch, which I’ve been sure to use driving around London. The aftermarket oil temperature gauge is fun to watch in traffic whilst preying the thing doesn’t start boiling itself over.
You’ll notice it’s had the ‘rear seat delete’, which is ideal and saved us a job. The 6x9s are something teenage me was desperate to install and would you believe, I’ve still not even tried them yet!
Mechanically speaking, it seems to run well. Hot, but well. There’s a small oil leak I noticed before purchasing, which apparently can be fixed with a new rocker cover gasket… let’s hope that’s the case.
The car already had the name Luna, which we are keeping. Those familiar with the crypto world will know that might not bring us the best of luck, but we’re hoping not to fall off a cliff quite in the same way Terra Luna did!
Currently the Fiat is in the garage, having some basics seen to like removing the thermostat, changing the timing belt, replacing the water pump etc. I'm ashamed to say my mechanical knowledge is not up to scratch so my friend Rick is helping us out!
Here's me enjoying the (working for now) electric sunroof:
And here's Dan on our last rally discovering his electrical wiring skills weren't quite what he expected them to be, leading to a small in-car fire.
We're going to be updating our instagram page probably more often than I manage here, so do follow us: @need_abarth
I'll post with an update and higher res pics once she returns from the garage.
I did this a few years ago, no air-con might get a bit toasty as parts of Uzbekistan were 40 degrees in the sun. Maybe tint your windows?
I would think about a sump guard, roof rack and spot lights (to spot the ridiculous pot holes) at the very least. I cable tied strong but flexible pvc tuning around the fuel lines, not sure if it did anything but it made me feel better.
I would think about a sump guard, roof rack and spot lights (to spot the ridiculous pot holes) at the very least. I cable tied strong but flexible pvc tuning around the fuel lines, not sure if it did anything but it made me feel better.
Took part in this a number of years ago, was ace, though I had to get out early due to a house sale. The rest of our bunch made it the whole way though 
We had a K10 Micra, the rules that year were <1litre/or interesting and less than £1k we paid £400 for it. Route taken was via Baku and the Caspian Sea. Had a front suspension rebuild somewhere in Russia for about £20 and some fags, the mech even threw in some home brewed vodka, different times. Some nutter/genius did it in a Ferrari 456 which required a engine rebuild in Georgia or Azerbaijan (can’t recall which, though I doubt either have a brilliant Ferrari network!).
Turkey was the only place where the team had trouble, nearly being robbed and beaten wild camping in the North East. Good luck taking a cheap Italian shoebox is very brave indeed
We had a K10 Micra, the rules that year were <1litre/or interesting and less than £1k we paid £400 for it. Route taken was via Baku and the Caspian Sea. Had a front suspension rebuild somewhere in Russia for about £20 and some fags, the mech even threw in some home brewed vodka, different times. Some nutter/genius did it in a Ferrari 456 which required a engine rebuild in Georgia or Azerbaijan (can’t recall which, though I doubt either have a brilliant Ferrari network!).
Turkey was the only place where the team had trouble, nearly being robbed and beaten wild camping in the North East. Good luck taking a cheap Italian shoebox is very brave indeed
Light17 said:
I did this a few years ago, no air-con might get a bit toasty as parts of Uzbekistan were 40 degrees in the sun. Maybe tint your windows?
I would think about a sump guard, roof rack and spot lights (to spot the ridiculous pot holes) at the very least. I cable tied strong but flexible pvc tuning around the fuel lines, not sure if it did anything but it made me feel better.
That sounds like good advice. What kind of tyres did you go for? I would think about a sump guard, roof rack and spot lights (to spot the ridiculous pot holes) at the very least. I cable tied strong but flexible pvc tuning around the fuel lines, not sure if it did anything but it made me feel better.
This looks a cool little car, plenty of room in the back for al of your supplies.
You could probably get a new radiator and coolant houses put in this pretty cheaply.
These would be pretty cool to stick on the car somewhere going with your theme. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174361765058?mkcid=16&a...
You could probably get a new radiator and coolant houses put in this pretty cheaply.
These would be pretty cool to stick on the car somewhere going with your theme. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174361765058?mkcid=16&a...
Edited by EdmondDantes on Sunday 5th June 17:03
Cambs_Stuart said:
That sounds like good advice. What kind of tyres did you go for?
We went for a quality set of all seasons, figuring that they would be slightly better offroad without an on-road compromise. At the end of the day 80% is on roads, 15% on dirt/gravel roads and only about 5% is close to off-road. Most other people are just on normal tyres, probably whatever the car came with.1000 Miglia said:
Interesting adventure ahead .
tip , get yourself a spare clutch cable , they can break on these and are also a pain to change apparently .
I don't know where you are but you can have a cable I have ...in Surrey .
Safe driving And good luck .....
Thanks for this! What do you reckon, if we were to change it before we set off, we don't worry so much? I'm near Surrey so will DM you. Thank you for the offertip , get yourself a spare clutch cable , they can break on these and are also a pain to change apparently .
I don't know where you are but you can have a cable I have ...in Surrey .
Safe driving And good luck .....
Light17 said:
I did this a few years ago, no air-con might get a bit toasty as parts of Uzbekistan were 40 degrees in the sun. Maybe tint your windows?
I would think about a sump guard, roof rack and spot lights (to spot the ridiculous pot holes) at the very least. I cable tied strong but flexible pvc tuning around the fuel lines, not sure if it did anything but it made me feel better.
Luckily we won't be going as far as Uzbekistan this time round as the finish line is in Georgia, but it'll still be damn hot in Turkey! I would think about a sump guard, roof rack and spot lights (to spot the ridiculous pot holes) at the very least. I cable tied strong but flexible pvc tuning around the fuel lines, not sure if it did anything but it made me feel better.
We're considering the sump guard for sure, we did that last time and pretty sure it saved us on some of those more challenging "roads".
The pvc tubing around the fuel lines sounds like a fabulous idea. Anything to keep the little Fiat running all the way to the end
jwwbowe said:
Took part in this a number of years ago, was ace, though I had to get out early due to a house sale. The rest of our bunch made it the whole way though
We had a K10 Micra, the rules that year were <1litre/or interesting and less than £1k we paid £400 for it. Route taken was via Baku and the Caspian Sea. Had a front suspension rebuild somewhere in Russia for about £20 and some fags, the mech even threw in some home brewed vodka, different times. Some nutter/genius did it in a Ferrari 456 which required a engine rebuild in Georgia or Azerbaijan (can’t recall which, though I doubt either have a brilliant Ferrari network!).
Turkey was the only place where the team had trouble, nearly being robbed and beaten wild camping in the North East. Good luck taking a cheap Italian shoebox is very brave indeed
Wow, sounds like you all had a hell of a trip! I looked up the Ferrari entry on youtube, I'm soooooo glad they let him take it hahahahWe had a K10 Micra, the rules that year were <1litre/or interesting and less than £1k we paid £400 for it. Route taken was via Baku and the Caspian Sea. Had a front suspension rebuild somewhere in Russia for about £20 and some fags, the mech even threw in some home brewed vodka, different times. Some nutter/genius did it in a Ferrari 456 which required a engine rebuild in Georgia or Azerbaijan (can’t recall which, though I doubt either have a brilliant Ferrari network!).
Turkey was the only place where the team had trouble, nearly being robbed and beaten wild camping in the North East. Good luck taking a cheap Italian shoebox is very brave indeed
EdmondDantes said:
This looks a cool little car, plenty of room in the back for al of your supplies.
You could probably get a new radiator and coolant houses put in this pretty cheaply.
These would be pretty cool to stick on the car somewhere going with your theme. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174361765058?mkcid=16&a...
Yes, loving stickers like those. I'm also really keen for an Italian three stripe sticker from the front bumper to the back. The silver is rather dull, need to spruce it up!You could probably get a new radiator and coolant houses put in this pretty cheaply.
These would be pretty cool to stick on the car somewhere going with your theme. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174361765058?mkcid=16&a...
Edited by EdmondDantes on Sunday 5th June 17:03
I did it in 2009, one of the best things I've ever done. We had a Hyundai Accent; maintenance was....
- 2 flat tyres
- Exhaust blowing (welded twice)
- Roof rack mounts failing
- Bumper fell off
....that was it. Sump guard a MUST. And change the springs to give a bit more ground clearance, IMO...you'll be fine
Turkey was the only place where the team had trouble, nearly being robbed and beaten wild camping in the North East. Good luck taking a cheap Italian shoebox is very brave indeedNorth East Turkey is a wild west of misery, poverty and crooks - we just kept driving until we got to Iran!
- 2 flat tyres
- Exhaust blowing (welded twice)
- Roof rack mounts failing
- Bumper fell off
....that was it. Sump guard a MUST. And change the springs to give a bit more ground clearance, IMO...you'll be fine
jwwbowe said:
Turkey was the only place where the team had trouble, nearly being robbed and beaten wild camping in the North East. Good luck taking a cheap Italian shoebox is very brave indeed
12 DAYS TO GO!!!!
It's been a while since I've been able to update, for various reasons. Most importantly, the rally car has been through so many fixes it's going to be a bit like Trigger's broom. Figured I'd try to write something during the Grand Prix,
Here was the state of play this past week...
Forgive my lack of mechanical lingo, but this is what I understand has taken place. Not only did the rocker cover gasket need replacing, the head needed levelling out so as not to cause issues when being re-placed. On top of that we've had a new timing belt, water pump and coolant flange. The thermostat has been removed to try reduce the overheating issues. From what I've grasped, this means water will be able to flow around the system continuously, rather than building up pressure as it previously was.
At one point I thought I'd purchased the worlds most expensive kettle as it was determined the aftermarket temperature gauge was actually 30 degrees out. When the gauge was reading 80 degrees, the car was actually running at 110 !!!
If you aren't following on instagram, please do - @need_abarth where we've got videos of updates as they are so much quicker to do.
I'm due to collect the car tomorrow, so fingers crossed it's less of a kettle and more of a WRC competitor. I've planned a few fun mods in tune with the Platinum Jubilee, hoping to get them wired up early this week.
Thanks to those of you who've donated to our cause, so far we've raised £405 for the DEC Ukrainian Appeal
It's been a while since I've been able to update, for various reasons. Most importantly, the rally car has been through so many fixes it's going to be a bit like Trigger's broom. Figured I'd try to write something during the Grand Prix,
Here was the state of play this past week...
Forgive my lack of mechanical lingo, but this is what I understand has taken place. Not only did the rocker cover gasket need replacing, the head needed levelling out so as not to cause issues when being re-placed. On top of that we've had a new timing belt, water pump and coolant flange. The thermostat has been removed to try reduce the overheating issues. From what I've grasped, this means water will be able to flow around the system continuously, rather than building up pressure as it previously was.
At one point I thought I'd purchased the worlds most expensive kettle as it was determined the aftermarket temperature gauge was actually 30 degrees out. When the gauge was reading 80 degrees, the car was actually running at 110 !!!
If you aren't following on instagram, please do - @need_abarth where we've got videos of updates as they are so much quicker to do.
I'm due to collect the car tomorrow, so fingers crossed it's less of a kettle and more of a WRC competitor. I've planned a few fun mods in tune with the Platinum Jubilee, hoping to get them wired up early this week.
Thanks to those of you who've donated to our cause, so far we've raised £405 for the DEC Ukrainian Appeal
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