Jump to content

Saving the Panda (TLC for the road warrior)


Ian_Fearn

Recommended Posts

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?

58726C39-9D8B-49BB-815C-6836BC3F5B0A.jpeg

64C20A46-8050-49DE-B7F5-FC2829B4315C.jpeg

A8A38203-58FE-4592-848F-E3FB24696F6B.jpeg

F9126D43-83DD-4752-8715-FC3D7B1FEBF6.jpeg

0355CB78-D66D-40C4-BB9E-AC8D6AAA1A62.jpeg

8F6155EE-3A1A-4395-8E37-9001F224A937.jpeg

B09DB969-2577-412D-B979-CD9028BFC05C.jpeg

34DB68DF-B1A9-410A-80E4-5C8B0EA8C34F.jpeg

82A91593-F5C1-4BDD-BA81-41EF2D30CB86.jpeg

F87857F1-DFD9-4ADC-B5C0-EF99E84013D2.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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...?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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. 

Screenshot_20200127_173604_com_ebay.mobile.thumb.jpg.be01cad4546f935e5a804287e6474db0.jpg

 

 

IMG_20200122_130708.thumb.jpg.2ce5c95e659c5b0d340f53b8663c6959.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...