Original Fiat Panda Dash - Genius
Discussion
I was idly looking to see how much an original Fiat Panda is and saw the above photo and thought the warning light panel is genius and I've never seen one like that before. It clearly manages to convey which side of the car the fuel filler is and (if it had had front fogs or front heated windscreen - it doesn't but you can imagine) which of the symbols means front and which means rear which is imo not intuitively obvious. Also if you didn't know what the oil pressure or battery lights meant their positioning again would make it super obvious this was serious.
Just thought I'd share as this is very clever.
Somewhatfoolish said:
I was idly looking to see how much an original Fiat Panda is and saw the above photo and thought the warning light panel is genius and I've never seen one like that before. It clearly manages to convey which side of the car the fuel filler is and (if it had had front fogs or front heated windscreen - it doesn't but you can imagine) which of the symbols means front and which means rear which is imo not intuitively obvious. Also if you didn't know what the oil pressure or battery lights meant their positioning again would make it super obvious this was serious.
Just thought I'd share as this is very clever.
Mr Peel said:
As an aside, I only recently found out Italian buyers were offered the air-cooled engine from the 126 in early versions.
Yep, the Panda 30 (indicating the HP output of the 2-cylinder engine) which was launched at the same time as the Panda 45, fitted with the 903 cm3 watercooled 4-cylinder engine of the 127. They were the only 2 versions available at launch over here in 1980.
I do love the original Panda, they're fantastic cars, in particular the post-85 ones with the FIRE engine.
Also loads of little touches that are stupidly simple, but weren't implemented on many cars until a long time afterwards, like not being possible to accidentally lock your keys in, or leave the headlights on.
Also loads of little touches that are stupidly simple, but weren't implemented on many cars until a long time afterwards, like not being possible to accidentally lock your keys in, or leave the headlights on.
J4CKO said:
In Greece at the moment and have seen a couple of very battered ones, still in daily use by the looks of it, funny as in UK they lasted about three years before going crusty.
Yes and I can't find any for a price I'd be willing to pay, I wanted to pay banger prices for a disposable one. Guess those ones have already been trashed by the scrappage scheme or just rust. Pit Pony said:
Was it Puch that did the system and is it chain driven.
Yep, Steyr-Puch, but not chain driven.There's a normal transverse final drive down to the diff, then the diff also has a bevel gear onto it driving out the back of the diff case, where a lever operated dog clutch sends power down a prop to live axle.
It's a really good system, with the 4x4 engaged they drive like nothing else on a snowy road, and about the only thjng that stops one off road is the lack of ground clearance.
Edited by InitialDave on Wednesday 30th July 16:06
Somewhatfoolish said:
J4CKO said:
In Greece at the moment and have seen a couple of very battered ones, still in daily use by the looks of it, funny as in UK they lasted about three years before going crusty.
Yes and I can't find any for a price I'd be willing to pay, I wanted to pay banger prices for a disposable one. Guess those ones have already been trashed by the scrappage scheme or just rust. https://www.carandclassic.com/search?country%5B0%5...
lancslad58 said:
Somewhatfoolish said:
J4CKO said:
In Greece at the moment and have seen a couple of very battered ones, still in daily use by the looks of it, funny as in UK they lasted about three years before going crusty.
Yes and I can't find any for a price I'd be willing to pay, I wanted to pay banger prices for a disposable one. Guess those ones have already been trashed by the scrappage scheme or just rust. https://www.carandclassic.com/search?country%5B0%5...
biggbn said:
I had two or three of them but the one I loved the most was an absolutely utilitarian 750L with the four speed, no carpet and the hammock style rear seat. I LOVED that car. Flat out everywhere all the time
A 1986 750L was my first car in 1988. I ve now progressed to a 1996 900ie. Still no carpets but folding rear seats, a rear wiper and (gasp) a 5 speed gearbox.Edit to add, western Sicily is full of series 1 Pandas, including a reasonable number of 30’s.
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