Saving the Panda (TLC for the road warrior)

[Ian_Fearn]

Following on from my Classic? Or modern classic? question in the ask a shitter section, welcome to Gingo, my 56 plate 1.2 Panda. 

Called Gingo because as some know, the Fiat 169 was originally supposed to be called the Gingo until Renault got all excited about its similarity to Twingo. Useless facts now over.

In my heart I wanted a Panda. I’ve wanted one since I first saw the pictures back in about 2003 but despite owning far more glamorous* cars in the meantime, the timing was just never right. In hindsight of course, I should have bought one new when I had the chance.

Bought from my friends over at the local MOT station for £600 with 11 months test, 42k, just serviced and driving like new, it really does, no knocks or bangs, warning lights or running issues. Even has 2 keys! Unfortunately there literally is only 1 straight panel. The bonnet. Every other panel is dented or scratched, including a miniature crease on the roof. It was also really grim inside.

It has ZERO history except for the last month. I looked at a few around this money and this was one just fell into my lap by pure coincidence.

If I were to replace both rear doors, the drivers side front wing and touched up other bits, I reckon it would look really presentable. 

The other issue of note is that notorious rear axle, it’s rusty, but i’ve seen far worse. 

Gut feel says, for another few hundred quid I could have this looking really tidy with a new rear axle, I think that makes sense right?

[Ian_Fearn]

A little initial progress..... a quick clean outside and the start of a clean inside.

So far, i’ve done the boot, headlining, rear seats and rear footwell carpets. Looking far more inviting now ?

[fatharris]

A few hundred quid to square it away?

Daft not to.

[Jds1]

I have a panda as well but mine has more problems but nothing that detracts from it driving ok. My rear axle is scabby as well, mot on Saturday I'm hoping it's not an issue, but a brand new one is only £125 https://www.imaxle.co.uk/new-fiat-panda-axle

[Aston Martin]

They're shit.

[Jim Bell]

Looks lovely!

We are seat material twins. Really need to try a pez version. 

I love 169s now. They're such good cars. Well bought indeed. Theres getting to be enough Pandas on AS that we could have a (small) Pandas only meet. 

[ETCHY]

Nice little car, I rather like them.

I do wonder how interiors are allowed to stay that dirty. Do people not care that they're sitting on shitty dirty seats?

[egg]

2 minutes ago, ETCHY said:

Do people not care that they're sitting on shitty dirty seats?

Probably the same people who use a blackcurrant fruit shoot squeezed at the windscreen from the driver's seat while travelling at 40mph instead of actually lifting the bonnet and filling the reservoir with screenwash (spotted this week).

Anyway, a digression. Good luck with the Panda. 

[DoctorRetro]

9 minutes ago, Jim Bell said:

Looks lovely!

We are seat material twins. Really need to try a pez version. 

I love 169s now. They're such good cars. Well bought indeed. Theres getting to be enough Pandas on AS that we could have a (small) Pandas only meet. 

I'd would be Pandamonium! 

 

I would like to try one at some point but I fear it wouldn't be as good as a Suzuki Wagon R. 

Anyone tried both for comparison? 

[Eyersey1234]

I like that shape of Panda, the one we had was a hoot to drive. 

[Ian_Fearn]

10 minutes ago, Jim Bell said:

We are seat material twins. Really need to try a pez version. 

I really hated this seat fabric until today. I had honestly never seen one in clean condition. It really is a lovely sparkling blue fabric, I much prefer it now to the black/blue in the later 169s. 

The back seat has come up like new. Fingers crossed for the fronts.

[Ian_Fearn]

2 minutes ago, TheDoctor said:

I would like to try one at some point but I fear it wouldn't be as good as a Suzuki Wagon R. 

Anyone tried both for comparison? 

Yes, and seriously they are in utterly different leagues...... a bit like comparing ball room dancing to sumo wrestling.

[Ian_Fearn]

@Jim Bell you’re more than welcome to try this one.

[Broadsword]

Nice. The colour makes it extra nice. Is the engine on these still non-interference?

[DoctorRetro]

1 minute ago, Ian_Fearn said:

Yes, and seriously they are in utterly different leagues...... a bit like comparing ball room dancing to sumo wrestling.

I'm intrigued, which is which? 

[Ian_Fearn]

1 minute ago, Broadsword said:

Nice. The colour makes it extra nice. Is the engine on these still non-interference?

I hope so..... otherwise the cam belt roulette might not be quite as risk free as I hoped.....

[Aston Martin]

5 minutes ago, Broadsword said:

Nice. The colour makes it extra nice. Is the engine on these still non-interference?

 

Yes, the eco 1.2 isn't I don't believe.

[Broadsword]

4 minutes ago, Aston Martin said:

 

Yes, the eco 1.2 isn't I don't believe.

I tried looking it up, but people on the Fiat forum seem very confused. I guessed the 1.2 eco might be interference since it's lower tax (i.e. more efficient), but wondered if the earlier 1.2s like the one here still are still safe engines.

[Aston Martin]

8 minutes ago, Broadsword said:

I tried looking it up, but people on the Fiat forum seem very confused. I guessed the 1.2 eco might be interference since it's lower tax (i.e. more efficient), but wondered if the earlier 1.2s like the one here still are still safe engines.

They could be listed as interference, but they're not.

 

Also Fiat Forum is a thing...?

[Ian_Fearn]

@Aston Martin any idea what I should be paying for a wing or door in good condition?

Found a chap in Walsall that has one for breaking in the right colour. He wants £100 for the genuine roof bars. Seriously, they can’t be worth that much, who wants them these days? I suspect he might want an unrealistic amount for the panels.

[Aston Martin]

4 minutes ago, Ian_Fearn said:

@Aston Martin any idea what I should be paying for a wing or door in good condition?

Found a chap in Walsall that has one for breaking in the right colour. He wants £100 for the genuine roof bars. Seriously, they can’t be worth that much, who wants them these days? I suspect he might want an unrealistic amount for the panels.

 

Have you tried https://www.facebook.com/groups/fiat.panda.uk/

And do you want the roof bars, or the roof rails?

[Jim Bell]

10 minutes ago, Ian_Fearn said:

@Aston Martin any idea what I should be paying for a wing or door in good condition?

Found a chap in Walsall that has one for breaking in the right colour. He wants £100 for the genuine roof bars. Seriously, they can’t be worth that much, who wants them these days? I suspect he might want an unrealistic amount for the panels.

You can get OEM nos roof bars on eBay for £80. 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F271602767612

 

I've not seen new rails for a while though. 

[Ian_Fearn]

I’ve not tried on the FB group, maybe I should. 

It’s the roof rails as standard fit on the higher spec models I wanted.

[Aston Martin]

OK, don't get the bars. They make a noise above 3 feet an hour.

 

The rails are usually priced a bit high. But people want them.

[Ian_Fearn]

I think i’ll just keep an eye out at the local scrappers. I was thinking 30 quid.... shows I live in a galaxy far far away....

[Jim Bell]

59 minutes ago, Ian_Fearn said:

I think i’ll just keep an eye out at the local scrappers. I was thinking 30 quid.... shows I live in a galaxy far far away....

I thought the same too. Then saw what they sold for and thought fuck that for a game of conkers. 

[Ian_Fearn]

Having given this a clean, in an ideal world I’d replace all 4 doors, both front wings and have the passenger side sill dent removed and painted. It really would be truely excellent then.

I’ve found a guy that has the panels in decent condition but he wants 100quid per door and 80quid each for the wings.

Nothing doing over on the FB Panda page.

Surely 2nd hand Panda panels aren’t worth this much? If so, it’s staying as is....

[Jim Bell]

Run it as it is. Panels can only get cheaper and you can't see the dents from the inside. 

That particular seat fabric does seem prone to wear and tear on a specific section of the driver's seat so good to see yours is still solid. 

Patches are a regular sight on this interior style. 

 

 

[Kiltox]

1 hour ago, Ian_Fearn said:

Having given this a clean, in an ideal world I’d replace all 4 doors, both front wings and have the passenger side sill dent removed and painted. It really would be truely excellent then.

I’ve found a guy that has the panels in decent condition but he wants 100quid per door and 80quid each for the wings.

Nothing doing over on the FB Panda page.

Surely 2nd hand Panda panels aren’t worth this much? If so, it’s staying as is....

If you think that’s expensive try finding a 100HP front bumper!

[Ian_Fearn]

Jim is of course right..... i’ve just totally fallen in love with it and want to give it love.

Am hoping to get the front cleaned up later today. My new dehumidifier arrived yesterday so i’ve managed to suck the moisture from the back seat and carpets.