About this time a year ago my Fulvia arrived from Italy. I chose to buy a really good example that had been restored to a good standard so that I could concentrate on using it rather than fixing it. Due to delays at DVLA and life in general, it wasn't used until the end of August. Despite that I've clocked up 4500 miles since.
I knew I'd have to sort a few minor bits out as the car hadn't been used much, if at all, since its restoration. The test drive in Italy highlighting poor brakes and super heavy steering.
For those interested, I thought I'd list the bits and pieces I've done to the car/ had done. In imperfect order:
1.New battery with rubber mat under. Was supposed to have been done before delivery from Italy.... 2. New spark plugs (2023) and leads. Lots if interference on the radio, so thought suppressed leads may help. 3. Fix interior light. Earth path blocked with paint. Took ages to sort this. 4. Dinitrol all cavities/ doors/ sills/ outriggers/ enclosed areas and under body. Schutz in wheel arches. Big messy job. 5. Replace N/S outer cv boot. Omicron did this during a day trip. 6. Brake servo (looks new) had a huge split in the rubber diaphragm. Omicron replaced this for me. 7. Steering idler was almost solid. The bushes had been replaced previously but were way too tight. Omicron fixed this the same time as the servo. 8. Whilst looking for the cause of the stiff steering the centre tie rod was replaced due to a stiff ball joint. 9. N/S track rod had two left hand threaded ball joints......so no adjustment was possible. Two new rod ends and another track rod adjuster sorted this. Then a trip to my local tyre place for alignment. 10. Soon after arrival from Italy, I changed the oil and filter. Also the coolant. 11. Replace all lamps with led types and led type flasher units as required. Classiccarleds.co.uk supplied. 12 Replace the door edge lamp holders to overcome a previous bodge. 13. Replace door speakers. 14. Fit bluetooth car stereo to enable music, phone and navigation instructions. 15. Replace tyres all round. Fitted Falkens. The high profile copes admirably with the potholed roads around here. 16. Fit retractable seat belts. Wasn't happy at all with the static belts. 17. Full service just completed ready for 2024. Oil, filter, air filter, gearbox oil, coolant, plugs etc. 18. New rear shocks fitted in Italy before delivery. 19. Recent job to remove the gearchange remote mechanism from the car and refurb it, reason being that the gear shift buzzes/ resonates at 3500 to 4000 revs. New bushes, grease seals, external return spring, plastic wedge in lower pivot fork, ring around ball. Very difficult, dirty job working on my back under the car in my drive. 80% sucessful as there is still a buzzing, albeit lesser and a bit different. 20. Fit hazard light circuit. New switch/ relay/ panel. 21. Clean fuse box/ Replace fuses. 22. General tidy of wiring, not that it was bad at all. 23. Have fitted 123 electronic ignition at Omicron. 24. Fit centre rear brake light. 25. Remove rear screen to attempt repair to heated screen....no luck. Filaments seem to have corroded/ burnt out adjacent to the aluminium border strip. Still looking for ideas as to how this can be repaired. 26. Replace charging regulator with a solid state type. 27. Improve door glass weather seal with much adjustment and fiddling. Add some neoprene rod inside the door seals to fill them out.
Have thoroughly enjoyed working on the car, almost as much as I love driving it!
Thanks to this community for much help and advice, Norm, Tim, Colin and Omicron imparticular.
Looking forward to another year of messing about.
Good job I bought a good one, eh?
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