My 1978 Fiat 900T van. And the rest of my fleet...(3 years later!!! ...Updated 11/12/23)

[Vin]

Where on earth did you find that blue fuel line?  I've never seen coloured fuel lines before.

 

The originals had all turned brown, but were originally green. There are two sizes on the engine and they were stamped 'Cavis 5x9' & 'Cavis 7x12'. So I had a google and found some new Cavis pipe of both sizes at Ricambio...otherwise it would have been America probably...

 

http://www.ricambio.co.uk/2596-cavis-fuel-hose-7x12mm--classic-fiat-alfa-romeo--lancia

[Guest Xenon32]

Hello. There are analogues of semi-axis for fiat 900 t ? 

[Vin]

Update.

 

I haven't got the engine running yet. As per usual, other events and whatnot have conspired against me...

 

One of those events was repairing the gear linkage on the 45CL...As you may be aware from my MITCAR picture thread, I lost all my gears when I got off the A1 at Stamford. I was able to do a roadside repair using zip ties and wire. This got me to MITCAR and eventually back home...

 

Basically one of the 30 year old polyurathane bushes collapsed, so I got replacements and last weekend put it on ramps and took it all apart. I realised the gaiter was split so got one from Italian Ebay (seller had 173 of them in stock!!!) I repainted the rods with POR-15 and then replaced both bushes. The gaiter arrived today, so after tea I put I put it all back together...

 

It's the MOT at the end of the month, so it was a good reason to replace the blown bulb in the side repeater. It's a sealed unit so normally you would replace the repeater (which are the same as an X1/9...) Previously I have carefully removed the lens and changed the bulb and superglued the lens back on...This time I bought a pair of two piece units from an X1/9 parts bloke on E-bay...whole lot easier...

 

 

Side repeaters...

 

[vulgalour]

Sealed for life side repeaters is a new one on me.  That's the sort of stunt I'd expect Audi to pull, not Fiat, and certainly not a Fiat of this vintage.

[mat_the_cat]

(seller had 173 of them in stock!!!)

 

More gaiters than actual Pandas left in the wild?

[Guest bartvandebroek]

Nice 900T restoration. Lot of similarities...

 

Bart

Fiat 900t amigo

[Guest bartvandebroek]

Some pics

[Vin]

Nice one 'bartvandebroek'...Have you anymore pictures?...

 

 

I'm finally getting round to doing an update!!!

 

I've done quite a bit of stuff since I last posted. I replaced the handbrake cable on the 4x4 (it was temporarily held together with jubilee clips), replaced the window winding mechanism and the window runners in the drivers door and replaced a knackered number plate light. It then got another 12 months MOT...

 

I only have pics of the window repairs...

 

 

The other thing that cropped up (I mentioned it in the News 24 thread) was the Skoda Fabia that drove into the back of my Marea when I was waiting at a roundabout...Long story short, I got a 'cash-in-lieu settlement' from her insurance company. This allowed me to get a tailgate and bumper from a friend, get them painted and have enough left for my inconvenience...

 

I replaced it all during the week before Christmas...

 

 

Replacements...

 

 

Fitting...

 

 

Looking better...

 

 

 

And now to the van...

 

I bled the brakes and I finally repaired the wiring loom for the cab and put the correct block connectors on. This meant I was able to get the instrument stalks connected and also the ignition...

 

This was my wiring work bench...

 

 

With the loom back in, I filled the engine and box with all the appropriate fluids, then my mate and I finally had a go at getting it started...It would turn over, but wouldn't fire and the starter motor started smoking. We also couldn't get an oil pressure light. We did a few tests and found the switch was kaput. SO we got a light by other means and managed to extinguish it with turning the engine over. A good sign...so we left it there until I got a new starter motor and pressure switch. We did get the wiper motor working and the indicators and sidelights...

 

So after getting the starter and the switch we resumed we left off...I fitted the switch and starter. Oil pressure light came on and went off and the engine turned over strongly. A bit of adjustment of the distributer and it finally fired up!!

 

I did a video of it running, but it's upside down(!!!) and I'd probably have to host it somewhere, so here is a picture of it running!!!

 

 

I was then able to adjust the clutch and was able to test it all went into gear while still sat on stands...

 

I have since then got the brake lights working and have put all the newly painted engine cooling trays back in place.

 

Over the past couple of weeks, while I have been off work for Xmas, as well as fixing the Marea, I put the wheels in my mate's blasting cabinet and cleaned the surface. I then painted them and then had tyres fitted. I have also put the rear engine covers back and the rear hatch. I have also fitted the loading door, although it needs a replacement handle. I also fitted the bumpers which were NOS replacements suffering storage scrapes and scratches. I painted them black replacing the rotten originals.

 

I still have to put the front doors back on, but I need to get some replacement door handles first (Italian E-bay should sort that...) I will also wait until I have the loom and the steering column all back in place. I can't get a left hand main beam or 'dash tell tale' at the moment...I think there is an earth problem somewhere...we will sort it, my mate is a better spark than me...I also need to put the screen back in which will be easier with the doors off...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[320touring]

Superb, just superb!

[barrett]

Great stuff, you're on the last leg now. Gonna be so satisfying when it's finally back together (and you can crack on with the Lombardi...)

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I would cheerfully spend the day tucked up in bed with this van

[dollywobbler]

Amazing as ever. Is it a Manx van then?

[stripped fred]

Top work! It looks gr8.

[worldofceri]

Enviable tinkerage skillz.

[lovejoy]

MAN1Y Congratulations, V1N       Brilliant

[omegod]

Van looks great mate, I spotted this in my local salvage place last week, looked like it had just come in, pretty rotten though

 

http://www.robcliffe.co.uk/

 

 

 

[lincolndanny]

Van looks great mate, I spotted this in my local salvage place last week, looked like it had just come in, pretty rotten though

 

http://www.robcliffe.co.uk/

 

 

 

Hmmm mk2 Scrote rear arch panel. INVIZABLEZ REPAIR

[Felly Magic]

Camper versions were once commonplace, now they must be rocking horse teeth rare. This resto will make your van eleventy times better than when it left the factory. Top work

[Vin]

Thanks for the kind words people. Much appreciated...

 

Amazing as ever. Is it a Manx van then?

 

It is Ian...It came with laminated plates with the 'triskelion' coat of arms and 'Ellan - Vannin' on...Last summer I got hold of a big box of plastic plate letters through a mate and was able to get the letters (for free...) I needed to create the plates it would have had in the Isle of Man in 1978. I got hold of the correct reflective alloy backings (cheaply...) from a Landrover bloke on E-bay. I've just glued them on after cutting the tabs off. Will get through an MOT and then I will have to register it with the DVLA...A 'T-plate' beckons....

[f1fan111]

Did you get the manx logbook? or just an export certificate? as it may still be on there system as only changed from the old style logbook to paper one maybe 5 years ago now

[Vin]

Short update...

 

I've been doing little bits on the van. I got some new door handles. All the electrics now work. The horn works. Have fitted the column switches and shroud along with the steering wheel. I also fitted the windscreen as well. I was a bit nervous but we took our time...

 

Short on pics I'm afraid...here is one of the installed screen...

 

 

One other job I did on the Marea. When I put the tailgate and bumper back on the centre hole on the drop down section that the bumper shroud screws too was out by a centimetre or so. It had obviously took a bit of a bash...

 

When I went to retrieve the engine and box from the Marea weekend that provided the tailgate and bumper I came away with the drop down from that car. I then cleaned up the replacement and gave it two coats of black POR-15. I fitted it last weekend. It was fairly straightforward as the hinges are held to the body by four 13mm bolts...

 

Drop down removed...

 

 

Once it was off, I cleaned the rear and painted all of that area where the towbar mounts in POR-15 too...

 

You can see the dent near the hole on the top one compared to the replacement below...

 

 

 

I was supposed to be going out on a collection mission today. But looking at the Saturday weather forecast yesterday, I arranged to postpone it by 24 hours so is happening tomorrow...I thought if I was able to it would be best to avoid the task of collecting, loading, tie-ing down a vehicle and then towing it back North in a downpour and gale force winds. It pissed it down here all day today. Better weather tomorrow...

 

 

There will no updates on the way I'm afraid, as my phone is old and is not very smart...

 

 

All will be revealed when I get back...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Vin]

Well I got back this afternoon from a successful collection mission. It was to Burntwood in Staffordshire...

 

Some of you may have guessed what it is that I have acquired. To be honest it is something I have wanted for years. Ever since I started driving in fact, but there were never any really decent ones around in the early nineties...

 

A 1981 Fiat 127 Fiorino...

 

It was the one that 'Benno' first posted pictures of on his thread. The chap I bought it off has spent loads on the bodywork and running gear. It has a replacement engine in (I've got the original) but isn't running yet. It needs properly prepping for a full respray too...

 

Now safely tucked away in my lock-up...

 

[Asimo]

Calendar!

[trigger]

Yes! That's such a sweet looking van!

[crapcarcollector]

Sweeeet! I loved this when Benno posted it a while back and made noises to acquire back then. I didn't put any effort into it, I'm glad it's on the up!

[Dick Cheeseburger]

I honestly don't think I've seen one of those since the early nineties. The 900t looks brochure fresh as well - wig doffed as I've only just spotted this thread.

[plasticvandan]

Soooo glad the fiorino is in the shite family,I have very fond memories of being bundled in the back of a c reg fiorino as a child that my dad owned c.1997 it was rotten and rare then.how many left list 7 on sorn,and none whatsoever on the road.I always said I'd get one for sentimental reasons ( I cried when he sold it) but thastrs never going tyo happen now as they are virtually extinct.

[plasticvandan]

I've promised many times,but here at last for your fapping pleasure,is a photo of a photo of my dads van,I'll try and get a scan of it soon.check out the rot on that door!

 

C295XVJ , untaxed since 1998.

[Felly Magic]

A Fiorino now too in matching turquoise! WINNAR LEVEL ELEVENTY BILLION

[Sudsprint]

Fantastic 127 Vin… and the 900 is coming along superbly.