Welcome to my sprinty project.

I’ve owned the car for 18months now and must admit im getting a bit bored of the power even though it puts a nice smile on my face!
I’ve done oil changes every 6 to 9 months with 15/50 Mobile 1 and im currently using Bosh super 4 plugs.

To cut a long story short my aim is make a track and road weapon to take to TOTB next year (2011)

So to bring every one upto speed of the car and what’s been done to it.

When I got the car I got a rolling road done and to my shock horror it came out with 204.7bhp….
So I started searching for the problem and found the manifold had cracked badly and the turbo was mullered.

So I started spending….

I replaced the manifold
Re-furb Hybrid turbo (from turbo technics)

I then went back to Red dot and it pulled 241bhp but the fueling was going crazy… so I brought and fitted the following….

g-tech 2 chip
FMIC
Bleed valve (set at 1 bar)
Super sprint de-cat

With this set up it pulled 250 bhp at Red dot rolling road which I was happy with with perfect fueling!

Then the clutch started slipping on the way home from Red dot so I decided to do it on my drive…. Which ended up with me taking a trip to A&E to have my for arm X-rayed as the gear box trapped my arm between the diff and the sub frame.

Once that was done it had been a year of happy motoring until the gearbox went bang…

So ordered a new box off Joe (county cursing) and got to work…
8 weeks later I’ve finished the car and done the how to guide for others!

http://www.fiatcoupeclub.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=971401#Post971401

I then brought a miltek cat back system and a forged re-cuirc DV, I’ve wanted to put it on a RR to see what power increase (if any) I have achieved from the miltek but I’ve not had time yet.

But then I went and front ended it….
Very upset
but life goes on so I stuck a new bonnet, bumper, grill and lamp on it and I was back up and running within a week!

so since then I’ve been thinking and talking to various forum members about doing something different with my coupe.

So I’ve started stacking up tuning parts to fit over the next few weeks/ months to fit and take the car to flea to let him work his magic!!

How I will not spoil this but there is something else in the pipe line that will be reviled later on!

just finished re-rubing my rocker cover for the second time!

.

ok, time to let poeple know whats going on!

my brother brough a spinty 20vt, i came to a deal with him to use his for a while and take mine off the road, well lady luck has sold me out...

one night of driving it has peoved to much for it and the head gasket has gone....

so my car is goign to be on the back burner untill i do the head gasket on the other sprinty.

i will keep this updated with 2 coupes now!

i will start work on the 2nd this weekend if possible!!

what was i thinking buying a second coupe?!?

As my new brakes arrived i decided to fit them along with the Frodo DS2500 pads



after a little time driving about there working brilliant and im very happy with them!!

next is to replace the rear discs and pads and also sort out the rear compensating valve!!

also found it was a right mission to fit the pads so it looks like a brembo re-furb kit needs to be ordered up and also think i may change the colour of them also!

well after a few weeks of not doing a thing to my coupe i decided to pull my finger out and get rid of most of the surface rust under the bonnet!

i removed alot from the front end and sanded, primed and re-sprayed it all!

makes the engine bay look SO much better!!

i also replaced a few thing that where broken / damaged in the crash.

but im very happy with the way it turned out!






Now the the finished pics!






next thing on the list, Fit my new seats and the Front mount intercooler!

Oh also fitted the Mk4 Widget!

well, little bit of an issue..

i lost injector No4 on Friday but yet again Joe (CC) has come in to save the day and he got me a new injector and rocker cover gasket!

so while im there im redoing the rocker cover (again) and spraying the injector rail Sprint blue!!

thanks Joe for coming to my rescue!!

Will put an update later with pics!

Well, ive had fun! new inector fitted, injector rail painted in sprint blue, rocker cover re-sprayed and new gaskets and O rings replaced!

looks so much better under there now!

while the car was apart i found that the 5 rudder rings on the inlet have split so there next on the list!






Dirty...
Sprinty!

All done!

well i have not done much, just chasing faults at the monet...

have a starting issue and still i have a gearbox leak from the Visco.

Well some good news!

I've fixed the gear box leak!

That's a result!!

As for the starting issue, chased it down to being a damaged FPR... Got to Change that once I get a new one form Joe
Or some one breaking a coupe!

BUT there is a lot coming up in the next month or so!!

Thanks to Nigel I will be taking his
Bonnet and Zender kit off him!

Also have secured some nearly new top mounts, just need lowering springs then I can fit the suspension!

So next month...
Zender kit
Bonnet
Koni shocks
Eibac Springs
Rear brakes
Lower arms
Track rods
Drop links
Fit new fpr!

Can't wait!!

well, still havent done any thing but cleaned the car...

just making every thing look sweet as possible!!

also managed to get a SIP and Walbro!!

few pic's of the dirt in the engine bay.

Before



After


Polished!



done both sides but this was the worse!

and just for a nice reminder...

the photo shoot! Giggady...






(i know this had nothing to do with my project... but it does make reading this more interesting!!)

i collected my Zender kti from Nigel on Thursday!

what a lovely kit!!

i spent all day Saturday fiiting the new kit along with a de-badged bonnet and a drivers door (all parts supplied by Nigel!! Thanks again! )


i have loads of photos, there going on to photo bucket now.

i cant stress how good my car looks, its changed the car and made it look like sex on wheels!
and i will admit, i do let out a bit of sex pee when i look at it! lol

there where a few "issue's"...

i found rust on the rear quater..



but i fixed that.


also, im not sure if any one else gets this problem but when ever i do ay thing to my car, some thing has to happen... randomly the hand brake cable fell down while i was fitting the bonnet.



now all th good photos!



hmm...


any way, now the body work is all sorted i can now focus all of my cash onto tuning and a forged build!

also, thanks to Nick, LashesLE199,Adam,pink boy...
and to my brother (Luigi) and to Alex..thanks for your help guys!

Update!

more work carried out!

finally got round to fitting my front mount!
had plans to fit the SIP and Walbro..but didnt have time and it was getting very cold out side!

happy with the job! Pics will follow later tonight!

Front mount is fitted, all is well but i have a small boost leak some where.



when i fix the boost leak i will fit the SIP and Walbro!

.

Update!

The car passed MOT! Only a few minor things to sort out but all is well!

While the MOT was taking placed I noticed the suspension was looking a bit tired...

So the car is under going a big refresh... (well over due tbh)

Finally fitted the new textar rear pads + new discs


Also, I recently fitted new rear hubs along with a few poly bushes exhaust rubbers also!
Now I need to adjust the cat back system ad it's bloody knocking on the bumper.

Currently in the process of fitting the following..

OE Wish bones
OE Drop links
OE Track rod ends
OE Shocks and springs

Got a few other nice things to fit so full update shortly!

Really shocked at the condition of my old shocks/ top mounts/ wish bones and drop links...

I will be changing a few thing later in life once I buy the poly bushes...
Just a bit skint at this moment in time!

well, its all done!

loads of work has been carried out and my GOD it feels like a new car!

after fitting the following parts....

OE Wish bones
OE Drop links
OE Track rod ends
OE Shocks and springs
OE Top mounts + Bearings
Red Brembos
Pagid Blues
Textar rear pads
Rear wheel bearings
Front wheel bearings
Re-furbed wheels + Toyo proxys

Photos


not sure if you can see the top mount bearings but they are 100% mullered.

also found a split drop link on the driver side, all bushes on the lower arms had seen better days 10 yeatrs ago.
we managed to work out that the lower arms where at least 8 years old.

also this makes me look quite bad but i hide nothing.


things to do now to make it nice a neat is...
paint rear calipers red, then get it ready for the re-spray with in the next 2 months.
i wanted it in the spray booth around Christmas but he was far to busy to fit me in.

still need to buy and fit the polybush's then who knows what next!

and here she is!

oh for got to add, i need to do an outer CV joint as i seem to have a CV boot gone.

doing some more work other the weekend, planning to go see mario to get the rear quater sealed and rust free!
(scared to look in there)

also, the Konis and Eibach's will arrive saturday too so depending on time, i may fit them also!

also, decided after this thread to go for a 24mm rear arb, that is getting order asap!

getting excited as im nearly there on the suspension set up!

a good test will be at the first track day since ive touched the suspension!
im praying i dont end up like this..

well, as you know some one went into the back of me!

the car is now going to see Joe (CC) for a repair and the re-spray.

as my body shop guy was taking to long to fit me in i decided to give it to some one who will take better care of it and a person i trust!!

the car is going up to Joe's Wednesday!
in the mean time im going to change the drivers door with Nigels old sprinty doors!

main reason, my drivers door has had a door skin done on it and sounds "empty" when you close it, and as for the passenger door.. well when it was keyed, i got stressed out and punched the door in anger...
i managed to hit it on a the curve of the door..
idiot award goes to... ME!

So next update should be in a few months...

Well, the coupe is with Joe at the moment.
where it will stay till it looks nice nd all is sweet with it!

it will be having a few more bits done to it before its back in my hands...


* C/V boot replaced
* Visco drive gear box leak fixed

cant wait to get her back, i know its in safe hands with Joe!

well, the long awaited update!

the car has been at joes for well over 2 months now!

porgress?

a bit..

The car has decided it does not love me any more.
(think it got wind of the GTA and had a bi*ch fit.)

the cam phase sensor decided to stop working.

after a long think about it, ive decided to keep the car going so now the list of work as grown.

Me & Mario went to see Joe and start work on the car...

a few before shots!



now the fun part!


this is the N/S rear quater pini badge..
thats day light...

but little rust..


O/S rear quater has been replaced before... odd...


Mario nice and busy! (WORLD FIRST)


We even got Jake to help!


as my doors are not in the best condition, i decided to fit the ones off Nigels old sprinty!


thats a sad site really....:(
but soon to be back in one peice again!


the old idiot owner put a pop up ariel drilled into the rear quater... thats going staright away!!


The rest of the pics!


the Joe loaded her up..



also, a handbrake test any one???

it works!!!!

i will see her again in 3/4 weeks to re fit the car and do a massive amount of work...

full cam belt kit
water pump
Cam phase sensor
Aux belt
thermostat
temp sensor
few water pipes
sticky starter motor
CV joint
small oil leak (possibly oil filter leaking)

so now, i sit and wait....



need to thank Joe, Mario and Jake!!
thanks guys!

Oh also, i arrived at Joes early and was summonded into his office...

where he pointed this out to me...



he said i was not allowed in there....

some people said he had proccy chained up in the nude..... other said it was hovedan... but he turned up an hour later...
only time will tell..

well, i come back from Joes with a boot full of stuff, managed to give Mario the slam panel for him to spray as he has a make shift spray booth in his garden!!

in the mean time, ive got the following to clean and pain and polish...

rear lights to clean up
petrol cap
Strut brace
Grill
skuttle panel to clean + paint
Wing mirrors
B pillars
wing sponges (they need a bloody good clean!)

started work on all of them yesturday!

so far so good!
Rear lights

cleaned + Polished


Petrol cap

dirty
clean (ish)

still a working progress, need to get the wire wool and auto soul on it!

doing the other bits this week!
Mrs Marco20vt is going to be annoyed when i start slowly moving the coupe parts into the house!!!
its a process, a few bits at a time and she will never no

well, made a bit more progress with the parts i have had sitting in the living room

spent ages sanding the wing mirrors, surprising, they looked fine before i started picking at them... then 2 hours later i managed to get the spot on.

there looked like a small amount of corrosion, which then turned into a very stubborn bit of corrosion that did not want to come off... but it did in the end!


i managed to get rid of it... at the cost of my thumb.

also, the stone chips made life hard also...



other that that, i've re-furned my B-pillars, door handles & wing mirror's.

i cant stress how much i looking to have my car back to put these parts on!!!

Also, more photos of the work done to the parts...


Ready for paint!


2 coats of grey primer...


light blast with satin black


second coat


then i made a mistake... my mrs cooked me a well deserved fry up.. and i left the parts out die to dry, when i went back to check on them, i noticed there was all sorts in the paint and i was not please....
but the fry up...10/10

so i gave them another light sanding to remove the grit/crap in the pain and gave them a 2 light coats of satin black then moved them to the kitchen!

the results..

Brilliant!!!!!



still got the strut brace + scuttle panel to do next!!

then fingers crossed i get the call from Joe and i can go see the car with the new paint!

well, the post man arrived...

i like the post man today... he brought me HKS goods!!!






cant wait to fit the SIP with the HKS filter!!
should sound epic!

Also, Joe is going to see the car this evening, they have done a lot of prep work on it so there should be a load of photos this evening!!!

well, my car has been sprayed...

still not seen it yet..

going up on monday to see it for the first time...

cant wait!!!

As the car is ready i better start finishing the random parts brought home!

Gave the scuttle panel a good clean...

The mrs was... Speechless...


But it scrubbed up nice!


Gave it a quick light sanding, cleaned it again and then gave it a few coats of satin black!

It has come out a treat!


Next is the strut brace.
Bees to pick it up from the sand blaster's place as I could not get the powder coating off.

So tomorrow after the F1 I will be painting the brace!

It's all coming together!!!!
Must say... I'm excited!!!!

Managed to paint the brace.

It was ment to be sand blasted but the guy just didn't have time so the work is not great.

Chipped away the cracked paint, gave it a bloody good sanding then started painting.
One coat of grey primer


One coat of zinc primer


And a few coats of red!


All I need to do is get now is get this stuff up to joes and fit it all to the car!!

Well...
what can i say?

Joe is THE man.

this guy does not just go the extra mile... he goes the extra 50miles to make sure your a happy customer.

and he has made me the happiest one EVER
i arrived at Joes monday to fine my car already on the ramp!

just managed to catch a glimpse of the coupes nice arse.

run over to it...

words do not do the car justice.

its stunning.

for once, i was speechless!!!

now, the photos are not brilliant due to it being the iphone, a few people with high res phones have some better shots but just WOW.

also, while we where there, Joe changed the cam phase sensor, all the belts, sorted a few other issue, replaced a few missing parts and over all, the guy is just great!!!

now...

the moment you have all been waiting for...

Introducing the first metallic sprint blue coupe


Just need to thank....
Joe
Jake
Alex
Shineyshoes
Barnacle

Thanks guys!!!