Fiat Panda 100HP Project

[Pete.]

Following on from my picking up my new wheels earlier this week my son and I have been a little bit busy making it look a little bit different.

This was how it looked on Wednesday evening:

Day One

Team Heko Wind Deflectors fitted:

Stubby Carbon Fibre Aerial:

Day 2

The obligatory Silvervisions all round:

Small Abarth badges on door posts:

Day 3

Abarth badges to replace the Fiat ones:

Day 4 (Today)

Brake Calipers painted and stickered

Wheels painted:

100HP badge carbon insert:

So after 4 days of ownership the Panda now looks like tghis:

Waits for comments on Fiat never did an Abarth version of the Panda but I already knew that just thought that this was the right look for my car.

 

[leeds_182]

Looks alright to me but needs lowz.

 

[RDH]

Mint! Absolutely love that!

 

[TimR26]

Looks like you've been busy Pete

Wheels look good in the close up.

Where did you get the aerial from?

 

[Christopher.]

Looks awesome Pete, really like it. Cant wait for next weekend I feel a European road trip-esque photo diary coming on about our trip to Castle Combe !

 

[Ash87]

looks mint pete, will have to take a peek round it at combe

 

[ColinG]

Cool, but cooler on the original silver rims..

The black wheels give it that "nothing there" illusion

 

[alex-avfc]

Looks wicked. Enjoying it? Were the wheels a pro job or DIY?

 

[-J-]

I like that, think loosing the GB plates would help tidy up a bit.

 

[Russ_16v]

Lol you don't hang around do ya mate!

 

[Ian_182]

I just dont like these one bit.I dont know why but i dont.

 

[geordieracer]

I just dont like these one bit.I dont know why but i dont.

I am with you on that.

Havent driven one, so i am basing my opinion purely on looks, but it just screams motability vehicle to me.

 

[Šįk]

These cars are so cool! and so cheap! I love em! Really does need a slight drop though.

 

[banderson]

Looks cool...but you have your days messed up you painted the wheels on day 4 (or so write-up seems) but they were on in the pic for day one

 

[Pete.]

Cheers for all the comments. My son says that it's a joy to work on compared to the Clio. The stubby aerial was an ebay special. The wheels were a home job but my son was a paint sprayer once.

I believe everyone's entitled to their opinion and we all make choices based on experience. I chose the car after driving it and having to go beyond the initial looks. The car is a grower on me and gives me a grin whenever I pull away from the traffic lights and people going wtf? It corners like it's on rails and weighs nothing. Reminds me a lot of the original Mini Cooper I had in the 70s.

The lowering springs and shocks have been ordered which should drop it by about 25 mm.

Well spotted Banderson the photo was taken today, just wanted to show what the first mod was.

 

[PP200t]

Looks really good, great progress and mods you've done there! I've said it before and I'll say it again, what epic, fun little cars these are. I truly miss mine, like no other car I've had!!

 

[chriscummins7]

abarth never did a pan.... just kidding

Looks good... for a panda!

 

[VeinAST]

Shame you had to get rid of the R27 Pete but needs must!! Never been a huge fan of these but I'll be eager to have my mind changed when I do see it!

 

[Brian]

So if this is what happens after 4 days, what will be done in 4 weeks/months!? Anything else planned or is it a secret? 'clean' plates are a must, I assume private plate eventually

 

[mr_n]

That looks awesome pete!

 

[jesus]

Not a fan of the wheels in black :dapprove:

 

[Bluebeard]

Clean plates, silver wheels and that would be very nice. Black wheels are a bit too try hard for me.

I love them though. Absolutely love them. I so wish I could pursuade my wife to have one.

 

[Hixle]

Great work Pete, glad you're enjoying it mate.

What springs have you gone for?

 

[daydotz]

Abarth engine next

 

[jesus]

Abarth engine next

There's quite a few turbo conversion'd ones knocking around in Fiatforum I was contemplating it for mine at one point.

 

[Christopher]

Love it.

I'd prefer the wheels in silver though.

 

[Craig.]

Cool little cars these & nice in white.

 

[EllD90]

A Fiat tech that lives round the corner to me, he used to work on a Punto of ours at home..
He's got one of these with a 500 Abarth exhaust on it. Looks smart....not sure if he's put the 1.4T engine it too. I'm sure that would be fun!

 

[jesus]

Is it a grey one? I may have seen that on Fiatforum. I personally think it doesnt suit the Abarth exhaust, it's a bit of a poor fit too from what I've seen.

 

[EllD90]

No it's a red one and looks OEM.

 

[jesus]

Ah he has probably done a better job then I don't like the standard 500 exhaust anyway because of the stupid ring things inside it. You can get a Ragazzon dual-exit exhaust that looks (and sounds) much better for the Panda.

Standard with straight-through centre section ftw :approve:

 

[dalla]

Love it. Awesome car. I want one of those next.

 

[Jonnio]

Some light speed progress there! Looking awesome, I'm not a fan of the door badges though.

Might have to do similar to my calipers as those look great!

 

[Lal B3N]

Love these! Almost got one of these instead of the 182.

Straight through centre section off one of the Fiat sites for about £90, takes like 20 minutes to fit and sounds epic like the above video.

 

[si_hartlepool]

I really like these Pandas. Always walk past a red one on the way to the pub and give it a good eyeballing

 

[welshname]

Love it. Preferred it on silver wheels but it's your car at the end of the day.

I also think they look miles better badged up with the abarth badges.

 

[percy555]

Hi, I realy like these and been thinking about one for some time. I allways think of myself as the oldest boy-racer being 63 but i think its time to change to something more comfy. Can I ask where you got the front/rear Abarth badges from? I thing you have done a great job and look foreward to seeing it with ride dropped.

 

[danzel]

Awesome little cars, I went through a stage a couple of months ago of really wanting one of these, and actually went to see an identical white one like that! Was inches away from trading in the TCE for it!

 

[Pete.]

Hi, I realy like these and been thinking about one for some time. I allways think of myself as the oldest boy-racer being 63 but i think its time to change to something more comfy. Can I ask where you got the front/rear Abarth badges from? I thing you have done a great job and look foreward to seeing it with ride dropped.

I got the Abarth Grille and bootlid badge from a trader on Ebay and they are originally meant for a Grande Punto. The rear one was a straight forward swop but the front one was a bit harder and we had to put some washers in as it was loose in the holes for the lugs on the badge. It's nice to hear from a fellow older boy racer and it is certainly a lot easier getting in and out of than the 197. The wife actually wants to go out in it as she doesn't hurt herself on the bolsters of the old Recaros.

 

[Naith]

never thought i'd see the day i'd prefer silver over black.

look forward to progress regardless though.