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

[Vin]

Bit of an update on this.

The engine and gear box are back together.

They are also now back in the engine bay.

The engine runs too!! (without pissing any fluids anywhere...)

 

[Fumbler]

Just went back a few pages and did a full read- utterly amazing stuff you've got and done in this thread. Surprised that I didn't click on this before! Excellent progress on the Fiorino.

[Grumblespeed]

On 11/19/2016 at 12:21 AM, Vin said:

It was a 'dual badged' beast Ian, so I don't know what it's correct identity is...It was great to see though, and I wasn't the only one taking pictures of it...

 

I thought it might have been one of those that belonged to the Alfa/Fiat hoarder in the North East that Scaryoldcortina had crossed paths with once...

 

That character had a white one that I saw at an Alfa show in Yorkshire about 10 years ago, although it was rougher than the one at MITCAR...

Brings back memories, I discovered this chap too when I was living in Durham and procured a Y10 anti roll bar from him for Panda purposes. Amazing lockup and loads of these cars were sitting outside slowly dissolving away.

Some great reading here, bit of inspiration I need to get the grinder/welder out.

 

[Grumblespeed]

On 6/27/2019 at 8:20 PM, Skut said:

Great work. Like reading the Panda section on FF in days of yore. Tumbleweed over there now. 

Your autocorrect seems to have changed that, think you meant Grumbleweed😁

[lanciamatt]

Excellent work ,been a Italian car fan myself , really liking work on fiorino ,not seen one for years in 127 variation . All the rust your dealing with on marea is exactly same that happens to lancia dedras (I know it's same floor pan ). They can look fine from top but be in a right state . Keep up the good work 

[Vin]

Well it's been quite a while. I intended to have a short break from here (and other forums...) Usually I was logged in all the time, but when I came back it asked me for my password and i couldn't find it!! I tried to reset but it didn't like it and I didn't fancy setting up a replacement account and starting from scratch again, so I left it at that...until a few weeks ago I found the piece of paper with my AS login details in the laptop bag full of crap (you can't fit the laptop in it...). Hooray.😀

So in the three years that I haven't been able to update this thread the Fiorino has been coming along a treat...

I'll let the pictures do the talking...

The painting stage...

[loserone]

Love it.  Glad to have you back!

[Vin]

After it returned from the paintshop I set about putting it back together. I hoped to get it and the 900T to FOTU 2023 ...but that didn't happen 🙁 so my Panda 750L went in it's place...

 

 

 

[Vin]

After taking ages to sort out electrical gremlins to the rear lights it finally got an MOT,  but it wasn't running properly so I trailered it to a friend in Hull who is a Fiat and Alfa specialist, who worked on these vans when they were new and used as workshop hacks. He did some carb adjustments and set it all up correctly and it now runs really well...

I've still got some interior bits to sort out (put new fibreboard in the back, make some replacement headrests etc) but they will be done over the next few months...

Here are some photos of it with my 900T...

 

[wesacosa]

Brilliant. great to see an update 

[wesacosa]

Brilliant. great to see an update . The vans look stunning, and I remember your Panda from FoTu

[Hertz]

Marvellous! Glad to see the update and you back posting again. 

I always say Rory McGrath when I see your avatar.

 

[bigstraight6]

Nice to see you back Vin, the vans are looking fab.

[Matty]

I was wondering the other day what happened to this. Both vans look brilliant, looking forward to reading more!

[Jon]

Absolute number plate HEAVEN within these photos. Excellent stuff!

Was the roof addition a bit of a nod at modernising/styling the 127, when it became a Fiorino? Looks like it could be a roof rack but I doubt any were ever utilised. But they somehow make the van look a lot more purposeful, a la Talbot Rancho.

Here's hoping the duo can make it to FOTU in 2024. If these don't make it to the winner's stage, I'll be shocked.