The fiat 500 nobody wanted to save
Discussion
It started with a phone-call from mum
"Your uncle has bought another fiat 500 to restore" (there was nothing new here, as an Italian man it would appear they all do this) "but, his plans have changed, are you interested"
now, using all logic, i should have said no. I have a TVR i was in the process of putting back together ( https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... ), i have a race car i still needed to get to the bottom of its running problems, i have a motorbike i was custom building, and most of all, i have a new build house with a single garage. On top of that i was rapidly running out of understanding friends to let me pillage their garage space
"Get him to send me some pictures over" were the words i heard myself saying,
By all rights, i should have said no, i meant to say no, i wanted to say no,
So, a few months later, while i was away in Germany on a stag do, this is how it turned up to my parents driveway
It took a month or two for me to get round to collecting it, to even visit it and see it, the only information i got was "it might be watertight, except for the window that might not be shut" "its bad" "get it off my drive" "just, why"
Just, why
When i got it home, i found it had been partially stripped already, and had a load of parts inside ready to help me, some brand new floors (ominous) and a lot of off cuts of other panels. I finished the strip down and wrote a list, it was bad, but i know a few good body-shops, bodywork is really not my forte so lets leave that part to the experts.
I spoke to a body-shop and dropped it off for them to quote on it, this classic car restoration business is easy isn't it. I agreed i would source all the parts, they would weld them on and then paint it up for me. We didn't have a quote yet, they wanted to get a proper look over the car and get back to me, but i know this body-shop, i trust this body-shop, they've worked on a lot of my cars, they will look after me....
The phonecall arrives
"Errr this 500, are you sure?"
"What do you mean"
"Well, we think, you could buy one, for less than this will cost"
"Well, how much will it cost"
"We've seen a nice one for sale for 12k"
"Thats not the question i asked"
"Theres one here for 10"
"How much will mine cost to repair"
"£20,000"
"You what?"
"Do you want us to sort out scrapping it?"
The car was collected, and sat in my garage while i sorted out a new plan. I had two options really, cut my losses and scrap it, or go further down this rabbit hole
Many, many quick phonecalls later and i had another plan, another garage i could use, with help. The car was moved to my friends garage and we started cutting off the rusty panels, and a shopping list was compiled. The panels for these are so cheap, it makes sense to replace whole panels rather than just patching up minor rust spots. We'll just do the welding, then we'll get a professional to do the finessing, the filler, the paint
I had a couple of body-shops out to quote, i was expecting good things,after all we'd done the hard work.
How wrong could i be. The few panels we hadn't replaced were significantly dented. The quotes i got back were still eye watering.
I hate bodywork
"Your uncle has bought another fiat 500 to restore" (there was nothing new here, as an Italian man it would appear they all do this) "but, his plans have changed, are you interested"
now, using all logic, i should have said no. I have a TVR i was in the process of putting back together ( https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... ), i have a race car i still needed to get to the bottom of its running problems, i have a motorbike i was custom building, and most of all, i have a new build house with a single garage. On top of that i was rapidly running out of understanding friends to let me pillage their garage space
"Get him to send me some pictures over" were the words i heard myself saying,
By all rights, i should have said no, i meant to say no, i wanted to say no,
So, a few months later, while i was away in Germany on a stag do, this is how it turned up to my parents driveway
It took a month or two for me to get round to collecting it, to even visit it and see it, the only information i got was "it might be watertight, except for the window that might not be shut" "its bad" "get it off my drive" "just, why"
Just, why
When i got it home, i found it had been partially stripped already, and had a load of parts inside ready to help me, some brand new floors (ominous) and a lot of off cuts of other panels. I finished the strip down and wrote a list, it was bad, but i know a few good body-shops, bodywork is really not my forte so lets leave that part to the experts.
I spoke to a body-shop and dropped it off for them to quote on it, this classic car restoration business is easy isn't it. I agreed i would source all the parts, they would weld them on and then paint it up for me. We didn't have a quote yet, they wanted to get a proper look over the car and get back to me, but i know this body-shop, i trust this body-shop, they've worked on a lot of my cars, they will look after me....
The phonecall arrives
"Errr this 500, are you sure?"
"What do you mean"
"Well, we think, you could buy one, for less than this will cost"
"Well, how much will it cost"
"We've seen a nice one for sale for 12k"
"Thats not the question i asked"
"Theres one here for 10"
"How much will mine cost to repair"
"£20,000"
"You what?"
"Do you want us to sort out scrapping it?"
The car was collected, and sat in my garage while i sorted out a new plan. I had two options really, cut my losses and scrap it, or go further down this rabbit hole
Many, many quick phonecalls later and i had another plan, another garage i could use, with help. The car was moved to my friends garage and we started cutting off the rusty panels, and a shopping list was compiled. The panels for these are so cheap, it makes sense to replace whole panels rather than just patching up minor rust spots. We'll just do the welding, then we'll get a professional to do the finessing, the filler, the paint
I had a couple of body-shops out to quote, i was expecting good things,after all we'd done the hard work.
How wrong could i be. The few panels we hadn't replaced were significantly dented. The quotes i got back were still eye watering.
I hate bodywork
Edited by christianyoung on Sunday 29th March 12:01
Edited by christianyoung on Sunday 29th March 12:15
Edited by christianyoung on Wednesday 1st April 12:54
Edited by christianyoung on Wednesday 1st April 12:55
Not really got much to add atm, I’ve got the roof smooth, the left rear 1/4 where it joins in (b and c pillar) have been smoothed off, I’ve just thrown some paint on the whole panel to stop it rusting. I’ve now spun the car round so I can get on the right hand side rear now. Still hoping to get a professional to paint it!
As a side bar is this the right forum for this or should it be in the main readers rides?
As a side bar is this the right forum for this or should it be in the main readers rides?
So quick update, car has now been spun in the garage so I can get to the other corner. This side is proving more difficult, the c pillar is dented at the bottom so trying to rebuild that shape, while keeping the same overhang as the other side, is not easy!
I also made a mishap. Where the canvas roof bolts on all the holes were grollied and mis-shaped so I used a step drill to take them up to the next size, with the view of using riv-nuts instead of nut and bolt
Only it turns out, it shouldn’t be nut and bolt, mines just previously been bodged, there should be a metal bar with weld studs then you just put nuts on the other side. Oh well, out with the hole saw to make some sheet metal circles with a center hole. (All the pin holes have also been welded up now too)
I also made a mishap. Where the canvas roof bolts on all the holes were grollied and mis-shaped so I used a step drill to take them up to the next size, with the view of using riv-nuts instead of nut and bolt
Only it turns out, it shouldn’t be nut and bolt, mines just previously been bodged, there should be a metal bar with weld studs then you just put nuts on the other side. Oh well, out with the hole saw to make some sheet metal circles with a center hole. (All the pin holes have also been welded up now too)
The right hand rear 1/4 is now complete
(Don’t seem to have any photos of it fully smooth but have some pictures of it in progress)
As is the b pillar
I still hate bodywork, and this side has been more tricky that the left, doesn’t help that I’m starting to run out of materials. I’m now using random paint cans in the garage, no primer, I’ve got no blue roll left and I’m running out of thinners to wipe the panel down. Also my welder is playing up
Oh well, time to spin it around and get on to the front
(Don’t seem to have any photos of it fully smooth but have some pictures of it in progress)
As is the b pillar
I still hate bodywork, and this side has been more tricky that the left, doesn’t help that I’m starting to run out of materials. I’m now using random paint cans in the garage, no primer, I’ve got no blue roll left and I’m running out of thinners to wipe the panel down. Also my welder is playing up
Oh well, time to spin it around and get on to the front
Edited by christianyoung on Monday 20th April 13:27
The new bonnet I purchased doesn’t seem to fit correctly. I’m not sure if it’s too short or if the front curvature is wrong but if aligned correctly at the back edge the secondary bonnet catch hits the top surface before the bonnet is closed. Short of cutting down the latch I’m attempting to fit the original bonnet back on. I trial fitted this and it seems to fit correctly
At some point in its life it has had a lot of filler put on it, but while sanding it back it isn’t so far apparent why
At some point in its life it has had a lot of filler put on it, but while sanding it back it isn’t so far apparent why
_Leg_ said:
Good man. I share your pain/joy.
I bought this 1967 RHD original Abarth (Papers back to Radbourne Racing) as 'restored' right at the top of the classic market because I wanted it. Around a year later the paint started peeling for some bizarre reason. Decided to respray it and after having it heat stripped realised a few panels weren't ideal so replaced them. Then realised a few bits needed fabricating so had that done too.
Whilst the body was being sorted we stripped the engine to check all was well and some parts were worn so bought all new internals. I was in an 'in for a penny....' mode.
The upshot? Buying the car and sorting it has amounted to £46,000.
Friends think I'm mad but I just liken it to buying a puppy. You might pay £500 for the dog but once it's your dog, if a £5000 vet's bill comes, you've just got to pay it.
On the upside, the car is absolutely superb.
As bought
Restoration
![](https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q90/922/lGqhxe.jpg[/IMG]</a> <a href="https://imageshack.com/i/pmuxaJvrj" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[IMG]https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q90/922/uxaJvr.jpg)
Yours is gorgeous! Hopefully I can get mine into a state close to that! I’m still on the fence with colour choices, every time I think I’ve decided I change my mind again! Decision time is fast approaching!I bought this 1967 RHD original Abarth (Papers back to Radbourne Racing) as 'restored' right at the top of the classic market because I wanted it. Around a year later the paint started peeling for some bizarre reason. Decided to respray it and after having it heat stripped realised a few panels weren't ideal so replaced them. Then realised a few bits needed fabricating so had that done too.
Whilst the body was being sorted we stripped the engine to check all was well and some parts were worn so bought all new internals. I was in an 'in for a penny....' mode.
The upshot? Buying the car and sorting it has amounted to £46,000.
Friends think I'm mad but I just liken it to buying a puppy. You might pay £500 for the dog but once it's your dog, if a £5000 vet's bill comes, you've just got to pay it.
On the upside, the car is absolutely superb.
As bought
Restoration
I’ve had to order different sanding wheels to finish stripping the bonnet and boot, so I’ve moved into the doors
Right hand door is pretty good, it’s solid, with only really one crease in it
The doors hinges had worn out so I purchased a rebuild kit, normally the nylon bushes wear out which allows the door to drop when opened. Mine it turns out were worn out aswell as the hinge itself which meant the locating pin hole was now also an oval. I welded these up and redrilled
I have also decided while I’m doing all this work, makes sense to convert it to rhd (nothing like making more work for yourself
)
So I’ve welded in a flush plate where the old speedo hole was, and welded up the switch holes and moved the bracket. Quick skim of filler and you’d never know
I have also decided while I’m doing all this work, makes sense to convert it to rhd (nothing like making more work for yourself
) So I’ve welded in a flush plate where the old speedo hole was, and welded up the switch holes and moved the bracket. Quick skim of filler and you’d never know
Just a quick update
The 500 is now in the bodyshop, they are sorting out some bits I’ve missed and finessing door gaps etc
I have also tracked down the correct steering wheel for an F, rather than the L wheel I previously had fitted
The 500 is now in the bodyshop, they are sorting out some bits I’ve missed and finessing door gaps etc
I have also tracked down the correct steering wheel for an F, rather than the L wheel I previously had fitted
Edited by christianyoung on Sunday 16th August 15:14
Finally started putting this back together, hopefully updates won’t be as few and far between as they have been so far
I decided to start with the suspension. Everything is either getting replaced with new, or refurbished and powdercoated. I have gone for fiat 500 R rear springs which gives it a 30mm drop over standard, and an Abarth front leaf spring which lowers it about 20mm
Hopefully more updates to follow over the Christmas break
I decided to start with the suspension. Everything is either getting replaced with new, or refurbished and powdercoated. I have gone for fiat 500 R rear springs which gives it a 30mm drop over standard, and an Abarth front leaf spring which lowers it about 20mm
Hopefully more updates to follow over the Christmas break
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