UK POPULATION OF FIAT ARGENTAS INCREASES - THOUSANDS JOBLESS

[504GL]

just an advisory on the rear tyres, which are ancient and need replacing really although theres plenty tread on em.

 

Definitely get them replaced ASAP. My dads 504 had some really old Michelin's on it and once on a really smooth bit of tarmac I noticed that there was a small vibration and wobble that increased with speed. turned out that one of the tyres had a bulge in the tread and was in the process of delaminating! I know a lot would disagree with me, but there really should be a use by date on tyres.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Any ideas where I might find a wiring diagram for this thing? I've got a haynes but the wiring diagram in it is complete bo*lo*k.

 

I have not had any time to look at the indicators on it, i suspect I am gonna end up copping another £35 hit to re-test it when I finally get it back there.

 

I'm defo gonna fit some new rear tyres BTW, theyre the wrong size anyway

[flat4alfa]

Argenta Forum

 

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Argenta Forum

 

 

I bet Mr Boll can't be arsed reading through all those threads in order to find the diagram!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

This old crate is now a paid-up member of the UK car fleet!

 

 

I got the reg plates through on Friday and took it for a spin, all seemed well so today i did my daily 100-mile round trip commute in it.

 

 

I must say, it is great to drive. Pulls really well, the engine is smooth and very eager, its about 120bhp I think and quite low geared (75mph is 4000 rpm in 5th!) so its really keen to press on. In fact if you try and drive it slowly its pretty rubbish TBH - clunky gearchange, bit of driveline shunt, a few bits of creaks and rattles, but if you just give it some welly it starts to make more sense. I caned it down the A50 today at 80mph or so and it was a joy. The suspension is decent - although these things were panned in the mags for having wallowy suspension, if you 'give it some' it all seems to gel together quite well, even the box-type power steering is nice to use, the creaks and rattles go away and the whole lot feels 'of a piece'.

 

 

However, i'm the first to admit, this car looks seriously ASS. I looked at it lined up in my works car park today amongst all the normal car park fodder and just thought 'Jeezus'. Even by my low standards its not a looker. The flaky black paint on the plastics looks terrible straight off, and the bits i cleaned the paint off, have now faded badly. I'll have to find a good back-to-black type product to clean them with and hopefully give them some colour back. Obv I need to clean the black paint off the side trims and rear bumper.

I think though, that even a mint one of these, is always going to look rubbish. They look just like what they are - a cack-handed effort tyring to bring an early 70's shape into the 80's, simply by clagging on loads of crummy big grey plastic trims. The wheelbase and track look too small for the size of the body and the whole thing looks about as stylish as a late model Lada Riva thats been bummed by a Commodore Vic20 if you ask me.

 

However, thats not a real criticism is it. It is what it is and i'm glad to own it still. i'm going to commute in it again tomorrow and am looking forward to it! Jobs to do are: blatter waxoyl everywhere, get some new rear tyres, refit the front arch liners and give it a good clean and wax polish. The dilemma is, its been dry-stored off road for 16 years and has survived this long, now its on the road it will get rained on so is likely to disintegrate much more rapidly. I havent got anywhere to keep it under cover as my workshop is full of other toss.... whats a shiter supposed to do?

[dollywobbler]

Fabulous. It does indeed look absolutely dreadful. A bit like Joan Rivers really. Slap a load of plastic on, hope for the best. Oh. It didn't work.

 

Great to see it in use. Not sure what to suggest about keeping it dry. Just enjoy it for the summer then try and find somewhere to stash it before things get salty?

[RoadworkUK]

It's weird. I totally disagree with the whole "looking dreadful" thing, but, then again, I agree totally.

 

132 to Argenta was a restyle move comparable to Marina to Ital. Probably worked on by the same team, actually! Mind you, that is one of the best early 80's dashboards you're stting behind.

 

It looks terrible in the same way that a British Telecom "Viscount" phone looks terrible (especially a beige one with orange buttons). Personally, I absolutely adore it, shabbiness and all. If it was mint it wouldn't exude such a sense of "miracle survivor against all odds".

 

Also: Somebody make Bollo a pair of window stickers; "My other car is a Maserati Biturbo" for the Argenta, and vice versa....

[eddyramrod]

Can you buy one of those fabric gazebo things and park it underneath?

 

Like this, you mean?

 

They're not quite as weatherproof as you might think, you know, but in the climate we have here, they'll do.

[nigel bickle]

Excellent Mr Boll -looks great. Modern low profiles -perhaps on slightly fatter shiny rims, might help -a little. Tis what it is though..

 

Waxoyl & polish is the only summer time answer. Chances are you're going to have your hands full in the short term as all those small 'unexpectedly'' niggly things fail/misfunction.

 

Tis a Fiat, after all.

[boobydoo]

It doesn't look rubbish at all! It's pure class is that! I'd be donning a flat cap , slippers and brown cardi to drive it ...the 'I've had it from new' look.

 

I do however think the 132 looked a better car ...it seems that they made it look more bland when they Argenta'd it.

[trigger]

That is the bee's knees Bo1! It looks very classy and I much sooner be seen driving that then that blue X5 in the second picture.

 

So's what's next to get the Bo1 treatment?, The Avenger or the Bi or are you having a break?

[Guest Len H]

Superb, great to see it on UK number plates. Where did you get them?

[Anglevan]

That looks ace, and looks a damn fine motor. referance the plastics, i'd clean the black off, use a grey scotch pad with some some degreaser and rub they down so they are a milky white colour. Then spray with transparant plastic primer and straight on top with Halfords grey (they do 2 colours) I did this on my Talbot Express grille and light surrounds 5 years ago and it still is holding up and no signs of flaking.

I dont have much success with those adatives etc..

 

anyways glad you've got another shitter on the road, now lets see some updates on that Avenger

[andrew e]

What he said with the plastics, or I think autosmart do stuff called "concept" that is a paint on. Good stuff on using it as a daily Boll, 10.777 recurring out of 10.

 

However, own up: now you have got it legal and running your bored of it no?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Hey Len, the plates came from eBay seller 'Designaplate', theyre pressed ally and cost £24/set inc p+p. I like em cos theyre in the old wider font, theyre always really nicely made, visibly VOSA-friendly and you dont have to piss about proving who you are when buying 'em. My Subaru wagon, this Fiat, the Xsara and my trailer board have all got this guy's plates on.

 

Andrew E, you're right I do enjoy the fixing and rehabilitating more than the driving, (although this does drive well) I will potter about in it and hopefully get it to a state where I think it will have a decent chance of long-term survival, then probably try to re-home it at some point. The problem is, none of these old snotters are anything like as nice to drive as the Rover 220 - if I have to go somewhere, i'd rather go in that!

 

As for the avenger, i'm currenlty prepping the front end for a respray, its taking freakin weeks to fill/sand it all as it always does, just about finished wobbing it up now though. Off to France next week so nowts gonna happen then, but when i come back i'm gonna get a new steering rack for it and get it driveable again so i can get it out the shed and wash it down properly prior to finally slapping some paint on.

[eddyramrod]

Boobydoo, couldn't agree more, the Argenta did look toned-down from the 132. However it's still a treat to see one survive.

 

Nigel, couldn't agree less! Modern low-profiles? WTF have you been drinking? There is NO older car on the planet that can be improved by such a fitment. Way back when cars had suspension (instead of "Active Ride" software) the tyre, with squashy sidewall, was designed into the system as an integral part, which is why big old cars (especially) had that lovely soft ride. Modern cars are designed to shake your fillings out and batter your kidneys (step forward, BMW 5-series), and the low-profile tyre is again an integral part of that system. I'm disappointed, I thought you of all people would know better.

 

Bol, top work all round. What that car needs now is a clipboard you can leave on the rear shelf, bearing the crest of the Carabinieri...

[Guest]

I reckon it looks ace, but then I always was fond of 70s designs with 80s facelifts - I view it as a "best of both worlds" scenario.

[RoadworkUK]

I reckon it looks ace, but then I always was fond of 70s designs with 80s facelifts - I view it as a "best of both worlds" scenario.

 

Well said.

 

A case in point:-

 

[flat4alfa]

Excellente!

 

Using as the daily? Legendo!

 

Handy getting a two-digit reg - thought they stopped letting us pick from the list. There must be Argenta-fanciers up in DVLA tower. Argenta Turismo Veloce settantatré Ypsilon. Or something.

 

Ditto a Sì for big comfy tyres and No No for big moderns though. Pirelli P6 from new, wasn't it? Does look like the rear pair are lower profile than the front or is the camera fibbing? Up a size for comfort and sub-4k rpm commuting

[Mr_Bo11ox]

You're right F4A, the rear tyres are 195/55's or something, theyre old and the wrong size, so need changing.

[Spottedlaurel]

Great to hear it's finally sorted, having been reading about it for so many years!

[nigel bickle]

Ed -not modern low profiles- doah!

[worldofceri]

I wonder where this thing is now.

Didn’t seem to spend much time on the road after @Mr_Bo11ox got it all imported and mot’d etc.

Have a soft spot for it as I borrowed it for 6 months back in the day and did over 2000 miles in it. Had a great time razzing around and it was faultless apart from the starter motor occasionally sticking.  Wish I’d had the funds/space at the time to buy it from him.

[DSdriver]

Here it is on the way in to Chumley in 2012