Sold Sold

[dollywobbler]

How strange, how did that come about?

 

I suspect they're a lurker. If you're interested in selling it, let me know and I can pass on details. No commission.

[Zelandeth]

Of course doing that the other way around means you jump into a modern and end up with an imprint of the steering wheel on your forehead.

I totally did that a couple of weeks ago getting into the Activa.

 

Been driving the van a lot, and it currently has a load of travel in the pedal (drums probably need adjustment, but I know the pads need doing so am just going to do the lot together - it will lock all four wheels if so stamp on the pedal, so not panicking about it).

 

Cue me getting to the end of the drive, then going to take up the inch or so of slack on the ped...Ooof! Yeah, there's about 1/2" of travel from off to emergency stop in the Activa...as with any proper oleopneumatic Citroen.

 

I've never seen one of these little Seats in person before.

 

Got any photos of the interior? Curious to see how it differs to the Panda.

[phil_lihp]

 

Of course doing that the other way around means you jump into a modern and end up with an imprint of the steering wheel on your forehead.

 

I've been known to do that when jumping into one of the pool cars at work if I haven't driven a 'modern' in a while,

[RobT]

Another vote for lack of servo being a possible explanation. My Metro needs a good old stamp, to the point where my sphincter gets some action if someone in a modern decides to brake suddenly for no reason. I try to leave space to account for such things.

 

Chod speed for tomorrow Phil!

[phil_lihp]

It's a great morning to be on the wobbly train from Barnstaple to Exeter (I'm in two minds about whether it has derailed, always hard to tell on this line). Midday rendezvous with a man in a Celica is on track (figuratively speaking).

[phil_lihp]

160 miles and 3 hours after leaving Stanky's office car park...



She's home!

It was great to finally meet Stanky, he and Slartibartfast are Autoshite heroes. Aside from quite a lot of oil escaping from the rocker cover gasket and the exhaust developing what sounds like a very large hole at some point early on, it was an uneventful, if quite loud, journey.

Proper update and assessment tomorrow but I'm pleasantly surprised by it so far. It does make me smile, it's a cheerful little car.

[Parky]

My old Renault 5 had abysmal brakes. So bad that when I tried to sell it, interested parties walked away after the test drive. Usually ashen faced with their hair standing on end, such was the terror of trying to stop the thing.

 

The rear brakes were the culprit. The self adjusters had seized up so even with the handbrake on, there was very little resistance. Once I manually adjusted them to take the slack out, the handbrake locked the wheels on the 4th click and the pedal felt so much better. It actually slowed down on demand which was a novelty.

 

Your comment about the lack of retardation from the handbrake immediately made me remember having the same problem with pedal feel and effectiveness.

 

Air in the system could be worth checking and some new brake fluid wouldn’t do any harm anyway. At least then you know it’s done and let’s be honest it isn’t expensive. Get plenty of Plusgas on the nips first!

[Stanky]

Glad you got home safe and sound phil_lihp, was great to meet you and I'm glad you like the Marbella - it was certainly a happy little thing on the drive back to the office the other week. How did you find the cruising speed on the way back? 

 

I wonder if Parky may be right and the rear brake adjusters or cylinders may have seized. As we discussed I'm pretty sure the handbrake cable hasn't snapped because there is progressive resistance, and it does stop at about 45 degrees, rather than just pointing skyward as I'd have expected if the cable had gone completely.

 

Keep us updated on your adventures, and thanks very much for letting Slartibartfast and I have a go, its a great little car! You've done well with it.

[HMC]

Great little thing!

 

Ps keep the bull bars it suits its utilitarian charm.

[Slartibartfast]

The only photo I took the other day. It's such a happy little thing and the interior is functional but surprisingly comfortable.

[phil_lihp]

I really do like this car.  It made the trip home with no grumbles - in fact the long drive's probably done it the world of good.  The seats are very comfy, if a bit lacking in support and the engine's lively and willing.  It's a 4 speed so as Stanky advised, anything past 60MPH means it's starting to strain.  I did briefly get it up to 70MPH downhill once, but it clearly wasn't comfortable so I didn't push it.  Apparently the top speed is 78MPH but I kept it at a steady 60MPH on the main roads and it seemed perfectly happy.  

 

The handling is odd - steering is very light and responsive but there's absolutely no feel to it and it tends to wander about a bit.  I will check tyre pressures but the tyres themselves are 2014 M&S tyres which look brand new - not perfect of course but probably no worse than whatever it was wearing when it was new.  It's not very stable in windy, exposed areas where its flat sides and light weight don't do it many favours but generally it can hold its own on a busy A-road and it does get a lot of attention.  Whilst driving through a town with the window open I did almost have to stop in the middle of the road and run over to correct a passer-by who I heard saying the words 'Fiat Panda' to their mate but resisted the impulse.

 

Anyway, I had a bit of time spare this morning so decided to have a poke at the Marbella's less endearing features.  First off, the important bit: brakes.  They are not great but as Stanky said, they pull the car up straight, don't pulse or make horrible noises and with a bit of encouragement on a loose surface they will lock the front wheels up.  The first thing I spotted when bombing around the car park prior to leaving was that most of the braking effort happened way down the pedal travel, which was a problem seeing as the car has a very chunky set of aftermarket floor mats in it and the driver's one was rucked up under the pedal.  I removed it and I reckon this has probably helped.

 

On my drive home yesterday I did notice that the first couple of inches of pedal travel didn't actually do anything, so I had a poke around today and found that the brake pedal was way out of adjustment - the brake light sensor screws in and out to line the pedal up with the master cylinder's piston and it was wound way out, it looks shiny and new so perhaps whoever installed it didn't think to adjust it. 

 

 

I wound it in about an inch until the pedal just touched the piston and this means the clutch and brake pedals are now at the same height - the brake pedal did feel way too high.  Success!  I also broke one of the wires off its spade connector whilst unplugging it but mended this to factory spec* as well.  Double success!  A quick test drive has confirmed the brakes do feel more responsive now as it starts applying the brakes as soon as you press the pedal.

 

Next, rear brakes.  The handbrake doesn't travel too high and will hold the car on a moderate hill but then it does weigh the same as a packet of Quavers.  The car's mighty engine can easily override it though so they're clearly not right.  Up she goes, tiny wheel off, tiny brake drum off.  Ah ha.

 

 

That'll do it.  The wheel cylinder is incontinent and the pads are soaked in fluid.  

 

The other side was much the same (also, here you can admire my sophisticated rear leaf springs).

 

 

I haven't got the parts to hand so gave the whole lot a thorough dousing in brake cleaner and scrubbed it up as best I could.  

 

Next, exhaust blow - she's LOUD.   It sounds like it has no back box on it at all and it pops and farts on overrun, which seemed odd as the exhaust looks brand new from tailpipe to manifold.  However, turns out the joins are very scabby and one behind the back box where the hanger is attached has rotted through and there's a hole.  Having nothing useful to hand and seeing as the tyre centres are all closed on Sundays, I tried a fairly terrible bodge using gaffer tape - this worked as well as you'd expect.  I'll get someone to patch it up next weekend.

 

Then on to the noisy interior fan - it sounds like it's full of leaves and the car is festooned with leaves, tree debris and seed cases in every joint and cavity so I guess it lived under some trees for a good part of its life.  I pulled the lid off the air intake box under the bonnet and found the problem.

 

 

This was swiftly excavated and all is now well.  Also, hats off to SEAT for providing a little plastic bung at the bottom of the plastic intake box which can be pulled out so that all the dirt in the bottom can be swept out without having to try and pick it all out by hand.  Good thinking.

 

While I'm thinking of it, have an interior shot as someone asked for it. 

 

 

Some modern cars distract the driver with hundreds of buttons, switches, touchscreens, LEDs, beeps, bings and bongs.  We do not have this issue here.

 

 

That said, it has tunes - it even sounds moderately OK through the two Phillips speakers wedged on the shelf.

 

 

The blanking plate is for a decadent rear wiper which I do not possess.  It is also not equipped with a power/cigar lighter socket, clock or anything else of note but who needs all that? It has lights, a single front wiper and wash and a heated rear window.  It does also have in-built ventilation for the driver's right leg which I'll need to get repaired, but aside from a few scabby bits under the bonnet this is the main extent of the car's rust, she's really not bad at all.

 

 

Behold, 850cc of classic 1960s Fiat propulsion.

 

 

The engine developed a fairly significant oil leak on the drive home which looks to be coming from the rocker gasket so I'll get one of those ordered when I get the wheel cylinders and brake drum pads in but the oil level hasn't dropped so it's not that bad. 

 

 

The oil is clean, the spark plugs look brand spanking new and although the dizzy cap and rotor look ancient they're clean enough.  The plug leads look clean but are very stiff so probably not in their first flush of youth.  The car runs exceptionally well, asking for a tiny sniff of choke when stone cold but otherwise not needing it at all.  It's obviously been well looked after.

 

I finished off the day's activities with a bit of Super Resin polish on the flat, smeary paintwork which I'm guessing the seller wiped over with some cheap wax, so it was both flat and covered in swirly smudges and white smears all over the plastic trim.  I had a quick go at the driver's side and early indications are that it'll come up pretty well. 

 

 

 

I took the white wax residue off the plastic trim with white spirit and will follow that up with some linseed oil but the whole car needs a proper wash before I go any further with the polish.

 

I know some of you like original dealer stuff, this car doesn't disappoint with original number plates and keyrings.  The rear window sticker has long since disintegrated.  I wonder if this dealer's still trading?

 

 

Anyway, that's enough for one post.  I'll leave you with this Greek car rental site, which seems to think it's still 1997.  

 

http://d-mito.narod.ru/cars.html

[Parky]

It’s just so full of win. The world would be a better place if we all had one of these. Let’s be honest, unless you drive 60000 miles a year for business, what else could you possibly need?

 

And as for the rear brakes - yeah, all that fluid probably isn’t helping matters! I assume the parts are standard Fiat?

[500tops]

Incredibly cool!

[Parky]

The cylinders and shoes are pretty cheap - provided they are the right type of course....

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PAGID-Rear-Wheel-Brake-Cylinder-Seat-Terra-Marbella-Fiat-Uno-Ritmo-Panda-More/332530611220?fits=Car+Make%3ASeat%7CModel%3AMarbella&epid=1937510780&hash=item4d6c5e7414:g:W58AAOSwxZNbWeBl

 

And Quinton Hazel shoes are almost half the Euros price

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rear-Brake-Shoes-set-of-4-for-SEAT-MARBELLA-1986-to-1999-Quinton-Hazell/222659460549?fits=Car+Make%3ASeat%7CModel%3AMarbella&hash=item33d789bdc5:g:C64AAOSwACZZzLjM

[phil_lihp]

Thanks Parky, that's brilliant - delighted at the low prices too!

[loserone]

That is amazing. Top buy!

[spartacus]

Ace, I had a few Pandas in the day and still have one in the garage, they're just ace. Dead easy to work on too.

I know this is a Seat, btw!

[phil_lihp]

This thing does seem dead simple to work on, everything's so easy to get to.

[Parky]

I remember the 1987 Earls Court motor show. Of all the exotica there, my fave car of the day was the Fiat Panda. Always loved basic cars, I think they are the hardest to design and build. After all anyone can design a sexy body and Chuck a V8 in it, but something light, cheap, and efficient....well that takes a Frenchman or an Italian

[pandamonium]

I love reading about this car. I wish I'd kept my Marbella.

[Zelandeth]

Assuming the rear brakes are shared with the Panda, once you've sorted the leak you want it set up so it will just about hold the car on a moderate slope. If you adjust it aiming to be able to do handbrake turns, you'll be looking for a new handbrake cable after you've applied it a few times.

 

My old local garage used to test Pandas by seeing if the handbrake could hold on the hill outside, they knew taking them near the rollers was futile.

[phil_lihp]

Thanks, the rear brakes might have to wait a while until I have time and spare cash but at least they're functional for now.  On the plus side, it's so light that it doesn't need much bite on the brakes to achieve reasonable stoppage,  It's certainly acceptable at the moment but will be a priority once the exhaust blow's been mended.

[Zelandeth]

I do love how they've taken the Panda's dash and made it even more basic...

[phil_lihp]

Oh dear. A bad morning for the little SEAT fron the moment I got in it to get the exhaust patched up . First of all, I now have a wet bum as the sunroof leaks like a sieve and the drivers seat is soaked.

 

Secondly it turns out it needs a new exhaust system as the local centre can't mend it, it's too far gone.

 

Thirdly, I'm now stranded in a car park in town as one front brake caliper has seized solid. I thought it seemed a bit gutless.

 

 

Ah well. I'll give it a few minutes to cool down and see if it lets me get the 2 miles back home.

[phil_lihp]

The brake pedal is now rock hard with no give to it...boiled brake fluid? Seemed as fine as it ever can be when I left home.

[Skizzer]

Bugger. I have nothing more helpful to say than that I’m afraid.

[3VOM]

The brake pedal is now rock hard with no give to it...boiled brake fluid? Seemed as fine as it ever can be when I left home.

Has a piston popped out and jammed? Or jammed out of line and stuck?

[bramz7]

Similar thing happened with my 164. Solid pedal and smoking disc! I then called the AA out and it of course released in that time...

[phil_lihp]

Yep, I got back OK in the end - it let go enough to limp it the 2 or so miles home through town, trying hard not to touch the brake pedal and instead rely on the rather useless handbrake.  By times I got to my house it had seized solid again and wasn't keen on being persuaded to back up hill onto my driveway but we made it in the end.

 

So that'll be a full front brake rebuild as well then!  Ah well, it hasn't seen much use in many years, if ever, so these issues are to be expected.  On the plus side, my local decent tyre & exhaust place could actually get an exhaust for £125 - I was surprised it was even available, and the price didn't seem too horrific.  That said, although I understand why they wouldn't do it themselves, I'm going to have a go at bodging the hole at least until the MOT next month, even if just to quieten it down a little, otherwise I'll get an exhaust in and fit it myself, I've already had the front part off to reseal the manifold joint and it could not be easier to do!

 

One way to attract attention to yourself: turn up at a tyre centre on a very quiet Saturday morning with no other customers around, driving a bright blue SEAT Marbella with a very loud exhaust blow.  I got the undivided attention of all four staff, I don't think I could have raised much more interest if I'd turned up in a Ferrari.  They said they'd never seen one before and the youngest lad was keen to have a go in it to get it back off the ramps, something it struggled with as by then the sticky brake had started to jam up.  It certainly gets a smile wherever it goes.

[phil_lihp]

I found a little bit of paperwork with the car, although most of the history, if it ever existed, is gone.  I have the owner's manual, a Direct Line Rescue letter from 2001 and a handwritten receipt from Southern Garages who appear to have sold the car new, from 1991 for a belt, which is probably the one which is still in its packaging in the boot to this day.

 

The V5 came through and confirmed I am the second owner from new, so the previous chap owned it from new in 1991 until earlier this year, quite remarkable.  He covered just over 47,000 miles in that time and appears to have looked after the car well.  I know it was a 'he' because his name and address are on the letter - I googled it and found one result from a deceased estates public notification, sadly he passed away in July this year.  Although I guessed before that this was probably why it was up for sale, it was quite sad to read the public record and see confirmation - for some reason I feel particularly responsible now for making sure this little car is preserved for future owners.  It definitely deserves to be kept going.