After reading Circolo's post I thought I ought to post my experiences of getting my car back on the road, so.....

After 6 months of my Sprinty being off the road and a run of bad luck with one thing or another taking priority with my finances, I have been squirreling away parts and I am now well underway with getting her back on the road again.

List of things that needed attention:

Cracked manifold
Badly corroded oil cooler pipes
Non self centering gear leaver
Noisy rear wheel bearing
Service - plugs, filters, oil.
New battery

"To do" list whilst her guts are all over the garage:

CHOD and other coolant hoses - silicone replacements
Exhaust manifold gasket
New radiator
Refurb of the framework housing the fans

Everything is going back together nicely, except I had a tug on the CHOD earlier to make sure it was on securely and it slid off - engine end not thermostat. Can I get it back on.... can I heck! Don't even know how I managed to get it on in the first place! - Ongoing battle

Any way, that aside, oil cooler and pipes, manifold, new gasket and bolts/studs - £50 for 10 of each - were fitted today. Took a bit longer than anticipated thanks to dropping a manifold bolt while trying to fasten it to the difficult to access stud on the top left as you look at it. Fell down somewhere near the belts so downed tools until I found it.... eventually found it on top of the oil filter????

Next Saturday... refit heat shields, air con compressor and belts, radiator, fans and if time, take a look at the gear centering mechanism and no doubt have another slanging match with the CHOD.

New clutch and belts were fitted by Johnnybarvoturbo about 300 miles before I took her off the road.

With only 1 spare day a week at the moment, I hope to have her somewhere close to MOT ready by early February. I really cannot wait - might be an excuse to use up some holiday!

Once the mechanicals are sorted and it is through its MOT, I will be looking to refurbish the suspension and probably fitting billies and eibachs whilst I am at it... then an LE body kit later in the year all being well.

Hope to be back on the road soon and attend some meetings!

Sounds like you're going to be busy for a while yet.

Good luck with it all

yeah good luck with nthis matey, wouldn't mind a meet in chezvegas when it's ready

How hard can it be? 2 hours tops!


I'll be up for that! Although I wouldn't mind getting to a few meets a bit further afield once I am confident that all my work doesn't fall off!


New battery, oil and oil filter removal tool due to arrive on Saturday, in the mean time, I have got the gear self centering to sort out.

My parts haven't arrived!

Never mind, at least I now have a gear stick that self centers!

Im still pleased with the progress though, I put a couple of coats of paint on the battery tray while it was removed, followed the "How to" instructions but skipped step 5 ( removal of the selector ).

Great help Nobby, Thank you.

nice one, keep it going!! she'll be great for spring

When does spring officially start?

Setting a realistic date of getting her MOT'd in early March, even if it means using up the rest of my holiday days! Might even get one of those "on a mission" stickers for the garage door!

21st march, so looks like an april chezzie meet then

Pressure's on!

Not much of a test drive for me though! I am sure you could sort a Saturday meet out somewhere close to you so I can give my handy work a sporting chance of falling off!

we'll get porkypaul to get something sorted and run through the small tunnel in stoke....or even better, the underpasses in brum

Ooooooo! Been through those tunnels in a Morgan running a full stainless exhaust!

Might need to borrow your exhaust for the journey home if that's OK with you? I'll bring it back.... Promise!

Quick update....

Aircon compressor and aux belt back on, pulley tightened up, manifold bolts torqued up - what a PITA!!!! - access issues with 2 bolts!, new battery in place, still awaiting oil filter removal socket but oil and filter standing by plus another few bits and pieces.

Radiator and fans to be installed tomorrow, oil cooler to be bolted into place, then put the air ducts and bumper back on.

After that, new fuel filter and rear wheel bearing then MOT time!

Loads to do on mine to get her back on the road and through the MOT. Working like a mad man but keep finding rusty bits that need respraying

See blog below.....

There was a thread somewhere with lists of what people have got to do on their cars.

Found it..
http://www.fiatcoupeclub.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=70201&Number=854073#Post854073

Well she is almost there, everything done in the engine bay aside from the re-fitting of the bumper and an oil change - STILL awaiting the filter socket!

Started first time too.... I've missed that sound!

I will get the garage to fit the wheel bearing when they do the MOT as my torque wrench doesnt go upto the 280nm setting needed...

However, when I flushed the coolant system, I got bored waiting for everything to cool down in order to drain and refill with coolant so.... I started taking out the interior in preparation for the fitment of my 6x9's!

Since I only have one day a week when I can work on the car, I can see the MOT being delayed until the sound proofing is done and cables routed for an amp. I got lost in the ice section last night and now I am fancying some kind of boot installation.... This place is no good for the wallet!

The good news is there is NO rust in the cavity where the Pininfarina badges are supposed to let water in, I silicone sealed them anyway though!