Fiat Panda - Spot the differences...

[Vin]

I've just been going through some old pictures stored on CD and found some that may be of interest here.

 

I took them about 6 years ago, when I got the 750L. After I'd spent a few weekends tidying it up, I decided to take some pictures of it side by side with my MK 1 Panda, in order to compare and contrast.

 

Bodywork differences are obvious. They differ mechanically also - The MK1 has rear cart springs and solid axle, with the 903cc pushrod up front, whereas the MK2 has an 'Omega' rear suspension set up and a 769cc FIRE engine up front.

 

So,

 

Fiat Panda MK1 (1980 to Spring 1986)

 

v

 

Fiat Panda MK2 (Spring 1986 to 2003) Although it was 1994 in the UK - There was a MK2A - but that was mainly fuel injection and grill restyle. Circa 1992.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MK 1

 

MK 2

[trigger]

I much more prefer the front grills on the earlier models, They both look remarkably clean as well!

[Volksy]

I do like the older Pandas, My mum had a 45CL in Red, B367TUA, to replace the 127 my old man wrote off. Sadly it was starting to rot when at 3 years old it got traded in for A Mk1 Ibiza. I seem to remember a book in my local library about the development of a 'Third World Car' which IIRC went on to become the Panda.

[pocket.calculator]

You cars look great - especially the MkI. I really fancy getting an early Panda as a runabout, The model I'd really like is this one... The air-cooled, twin-cylinder Panda 30

 

 

 

Phawwoooargh!

[Spiny Norman]

What a lovely looking pair these are.

Hard to choose between them, but then one of the joys of Panda power is that they cost so little to own you don't need to, you can have both.

 

Always preferred the earlier ones with their simple offset slatted grille and BASF grey painted lower body. An old girlfriend had one and I think it was the best car I've ever driven in the city, I often used to dream up excuses to pinch it so I could scoot about town in that rather than the big Volvo I had at the time.

[Skizzer]

They both look remarkably clean as well!

 

+1 - lovely!

 

Mk1 for me, definitely. When the simplicity of the car is the main point then the simpler the better; also love the grey ribbed flanks. Giugiaro masterpiece.

 

I have vivid memories of riding along from Cardiff to Manchester in a then-new early (D-reg) mk2 with the FIRE 1000. Not what you'd call a relaxed motorway cruiser, but a very jolly thing nonetheless.

[Wilko220]

Lovely examples - and, like others, I'm a big fan of the Mk1 front end treatment.

Went on holiday to Rome last year and was surprised by how many millions of Mk1s still seem to be running around there.

[Spiny Norman]

Went on holiday to Rome last year and was surprised by how many millions of Mk1s still seem to be running around there.

 

Weren't they still selling them well into the 'noughties' in Italy? I'm sure they're not that long discontinued.

[Wilko220]

Indeed - but I meant very early ones. Tons of them. Although, there's a good deal of original 500s around still as well, along with various other Fiat chod, so I guess it shouldn't be that surprising.

[Mash]

They both look great, I certainly prefer the purity of the Mk1 in much the same way as early Minis look "right".

 

I saw an M-reg one in Beverley this afternoon, locally registered and elderly woman at the wheel so probably long term ownership.

[Negative Creep]

I'm going to buck the trend by saying the later one looks nicer

[hairnet]

early ones are so basic they rock

 

need to do the roadtrip to italy and get one

[Father Ted]

Deffo the Mk 1 for me.

[Lankytim]

WHat about differences between the late panda and Seat Marbella? (or whatever it was called)

[Lacquer Peel]

The SEAT Marbella is based on the Mk1 Panda.

 

Interesting comparison. What's the 'Omega' rear axle, is it just a torsion beam?

[M'coli]

I did a bit of work on a colleague's Marbella and it had a 5-speed gearbox, did the mk1 Panda have these?

[Vin]

I'm glad the pics are of interest

 

Unfortunately, although I still have the 750, it's 6 years since I took those pics and it's now a bit shabby. I use it as a 'weekend weapon' mainly during the winter. It's battery is currently flat though and I have to start it using the 4x4...

 

As regards the Seat Marbella - As has been mentioned it is pure MK1. It has a different bootlid and front end, plus all the plastic trim, which hides all the corrugations. This was all due to the court case with Fiat which also affected the Strada http://ranwhenparked.net/2011/03/01/the ... the-ritmo/

 

The Marbella was introduced to the UK in 1987 on an E plate. I have a road test from 1987, in a compilation book, comparing the Marbella with the then MK2 Panda, so essentially it was old against new... This was a benefit as Marbellas have been a source of certain MK 1 spares...

 

A case in point...The drivers door on my MK1 is actually off a Marbella. It was originally a purpley/pink colour. I welded up the holes for the plastic trim and also rectified the seat logo stamped on the insde of the door. I cut it out with a dremel and transferred the corresponding Fiat logo from the original door and welded it in (anal I know, but it had to be done...) All the interior mechanisms from the Seat door (window winding gear, locks etc. all had Fiat stamped on them)

 

As regards a MK1 with a 5 speed box...I don't think this was ever an option. It was with the MK2 and the FIRE engine though.

 

Here is a Marbella that a lad I know owns. It's fitted with a turbo engine out of a Lancia Y10. Frikkin Ace

 

Pics taken at 'AutoItalia' at Gaydon in 2010.

 

[Lankytim]

Wow, I want a Panda now, bet they do about 765 to the gallon, too!

[Vin]

As there appears to be a lot of MK 1 love, here is a 14 page thread from Fiatforum about the restoration of a MK1 in Northern Ireland...

 

http://www.fiatforum.com/panda-classic/ ... panda.html

 

The Chris Watson mentioned at the beginning of the thread is the 'Blue Forum's' very own 'Pandaselecta'...

[lovejoy]

Brilliant thread Vin, thanks ! Pandamonium

[ifc63]

 

As regards a MK1 with a 5 speed box...I don't think this was ever an option. It was with the MK2 and the FIRE engine though.

 

 

 

 

Ahhh, now a subject I'm almost an expert on !!!!

Between myself, my mother, the wife, her mother and my nephew we've owned about 10 Pandas in various forms.

My pride and joy from c.1987 to 1990 was a Mk 1 Panda 45 Super which was the 903cc OHV engine with standard 5-SPEED BOX.

It also had extra padding on the deckchair type seats and confusingly had the black grille with the chrome trims as per the later cars. This was not retrofit but was meant to distinguish the Super from the Comfort models.

RIP TMF 547Y, I have some photos somewhere, I'll dig them out.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I enjoyed reading about the red one gettng fixed up, nice one. That forum rivals 'passionford' for having ridiculous sig pics/bannersflashing lights and other guff filling up the page, theres only room for hald a dozen posts per page! Good read though.

[ProgRocker]

Nice Pandas. I do prefer the cleaner lines of the facelifted version but the metal grille on the earlier models gave it a sense of 'utilitarianism'.

 

These would make a great classic/2nd car though. Minimal running costs and they won't take up much driveway space.

[boobydoo]

I enjoyed looking at those...the later ones looked more of a 'proper' car though. I remember when they first came out, thinking they were horrible boxy things and very basic, but in hindsight...what great little cars.

 

I was tempted by a Marbella for sale near me only recently. A J plate with 42000 miles...a minter for £450. I thought it was a bargain but somebody beat me to it!

[pompei]

I remember overtaking you a few years ago, Vin, in my beige Alfasud when I was very late for a wedding ....

[Morgan84]

A couple of friends had Panda's in the past,My friend in wales bought a new red Panda 'Dance' new H138RAW which died a few years ago now,but despite all the abuse it took,it didn't give up in a hurry ! Another friend had a D plated pale green Sicicily,and one of the local doctors had a metallic blue one,which I think might have been a H plate.It's funny how they all seemed to have slowly vanished from popularity - rust the biggest killer

[MK5 Escort]

I too preffered the front end of the later mk2 examples. There was something about that offset grille on the early cars which I can't put my finger on why I wasn't fussed with them. Grown to like them over the years though – probably because they're so rare now.

 

However, I did prefer the rear end of the earlier cars with the slightly cleaner looking, simpler rear light clusters.

 

I've always wanted to know what these were like on longer drives given the simple design of the seats. An old neighbour of ours (I say neighbour – he lived about five doors up but we used to talk to him regularly) had an E reg Panda in red. Unfortunately in the mists of time I've forgotten what model it was now. It would have only been two or three years old at the time and I wouldn't have been much older…! I remember my parents saying he was off, with his wife, to visit their son down in Worthing! He moved down there for about eight months with his job. I'm sure they done this trip a couple of times too.

[mk2_craig]

Wasn't there an intermediate 'mini-facelift' about 1985, with the original back end but a revised grille with the five bar badge?

[ProgRocker]

Wasn't there an intermediate 'mini-facelift' about 1985, with the original back end but a revised grille with the five bar badge?

 

Early 1986 I think, on a C plate. I did a bit of research into Pandas when I was 18 when I considered one as a replacement for my ubershite '79 Mini.

 

My parents' friends bought a pale green D reg Panda 4x4 at auction. Think they paid £800 for it so this was probably mid 1990s. Don't know what happened to it but I guess it was sold when they didn't need a second car.

 

A girl I was at college with in the late 1990s had an E reg Panda 750L. She was a larger lady so it was quite amusing to me watching her drive to/from college in it, especially when it was 4-up!

[ifc63]

Wasn't there an intermediate 'mini-facelift' about 1985, with the original back end but a revised grille with the five bar badge?

 

Early 1986 I think, on a C plate.

As I posted earlier it wasn't a facelift but was the Super or S model. This was the early car with the 903cc OHV engine but with the five bar grille, a 5-speed box and double padding on the seats. Mine was 1983 on a 'Y' plate and was very comfortable on long runs compared to the basic models I'd also had.

The vehicle details for TMF 547Y are:

Date of Liability 01 04 1990

Date of First Registration 20 04 1983

Year of Manufacture 1983

Cylinder Capacity (cc) 903cc

CO2 Emissions Not Available

Fuel Type PETROL

Export Marker N

Vehicle Status Unlicensed

Vehicle Colour BROWN

Vehicle Type Approval Not Available

 

Have a Google image till I dig my old photos out