Updated project thread here

Great work, that's a lot of effort and I'm sure it'll be fun when finished. I can't remember the last time I saw an Uno, let alone a turbo.

Great work.

Been a long time since I worked on one.

Was the first "fun" hatchback I drove.
Great laugh.

Awesome work!

Great job. I had solid alloy front top mounts on mine. You may find the rear standard top mounts don't last long. Updated ones used to be available. front bump stops need shortening with lowered springs. I had M3 ones on mine.

Great job!

Has anybody used a "rotisserie" when working on the underside of body shells? I have seen an X1/9 in one and my son-in-law has one for his 900T van restoration. Certainly a lot easier than lying on one's back!

Thanks for the comments guys It's been SO long since I drove one (2001 I reckon) I'm not sure what it'll be like other than considerably less ergonomic and refined than my Coupé! But then I've not got it for its abilities, just a nostalgia thing really. It will probably spend most of the time in a garage under a cover when it's done.

AP1 - I vaguely recall seeing solid alloy front top mounts around back in the day, some were eccentric if I remember correctly? And yeah now you mention it I had a problem with standard rear top mounts 'popping' out when using my Spax adjustables on 'firm' setting

I didn't know the car had front bump-stops? Only gone 40mm down and there's still plenty of room for movement on the rear with the standard bump-stops in, albeit without the car fully loaded, so I'll review the situation once everything's in

Make sure you use some serious heat deflection from the manifold.

Or else you'll never start it again once its warm.
They implemented a fan on the punto gt to prevent this.
Needless to say it Didnt work.

Wow, great work looking forwards to seing more progress

There is a plate that sits between the exhaust & inlet manifolds that I guess is a heat-shield? I've seen this replaced with some shiny chequer-plate so might do the same if you think it would help? Even the mk1 Uno turbo had an 'anti-perc' fan fitted as standard to blow air into a tube above the injector rail & in turn onto each injector, although I think temps rarely get hot enough in our climate for it to kick in & a lot of people binned it to save weight. My original '86 Uno turbo (rip) was always slow to start whether hot or cold

looking good

80's turbo cars always are - I remember a mate of mine with a S2.5 Escort RST and it took an age to start, infact I was better at it than him!

Good work though - you starting on the coupe once this is done

Wow, it looks great! I really have a soft spot for these, they are such fun little cars. I owned 4 over a few years but then decided it was time to move on to Tipo platforms.

My Plus has had a fair bit of attention in the last 12 months (preventative stuff mainly) but I don't think my bank balance could take the hit of a Coupé nuts & bolts rebuild! Despite its relative rarity, Uno turbo parts are pretty cheap compared to Coupé stuff


Thanks and me too on the soft-spot front. My original one was a 1986 model that I bought at the tender age of 18 and was the envy of all my Nova SR and Fiesta XR2 owning friends for being turbo'd Had many adventures and great times in it over 7 years of ownership but I've never forgiven myself for neglecting her towards the end (not helped by a missus who loathed me even looking in the direction of the car never mind cleaning and working on it) and letting her deteriorate so much body wise such that she was only fit for the scrap yard by the end °(, so my current project is an attempt at redemption. After being off the road for 15 years I'm pleased to have put her back on 4 wheels recently and look forward to firing her back up in due course

i remember seeing a good conversion it was a Lancia Delta HF turbo ie 1.6 engine fitted into a uno .... everything bolted straight in and it went like stink 135bhp standard for the lancia engine and 175 bhp chipped ..... not bad for a car that weighed less than a balloon filled with Helium

and if i remember from my Lancia owner club days ... the apprentices at Abarth fitted a 2.0 integrali engine in a day

Lovely stuff, right down my street!

Love these little cars !!!

I had a E plate MK1 in white & would love to have one now, shame the floor rotted

Awesome work jas_

Does your other half help

the 'other half' referred to above as hating me working on my old Uno is long gone, boy she had issues...

The current mrs_jas_racing is fully supportive of the new Uno project, is happy to store parts in her shed & spare room for me and even helps me with certain jobs. On that basis alone she's a keeper

"Jas?"
"Yes dear?"
"Er, did you happen to use my face cream jar for holding bearing grease? Just askin'..."

Oh lovely Uno Turbo.. Unsung hero compared to the usual 205GTI.
Wonder where my old one is now..? http://www.garaget.org/?car=113840
Had to sell it when I bought the Coupe in 2002.

I've updated my project thread (a couple of times) if anyone wants to see the latest:

http://fiatunoturboowners.forumotion.co.uk/t47-mk1-minter

Well done, absolutely cracking work!

Please keep us posted on here, thats going to be one of the best around, like new!

Brilliant work Jeremy.
Attention to detail is impressive.

Really enjoyed reading your project thread and the level of detail you are taking this to. I would love to have your abilities to take cars apart, correct and then put back together again. I had a Slate Gray Mark 1 Uno Turbo back in the mid 80's and loved every minute of it. Bet you can't wait to drive her!!!

You ought to stick your project up on Detailing World. They have a special section for this. There are some great restorations in there to keep your motivation up and the members would love to see a car like yours put right again.

Just to keep it Italian take at look at this 130TC Abarth.

I've got your forum bookmarked so I'll check back to see how your doing. Keep up the great work.

All the best

Steve

Such a brilliant Build!

Well done mate!

Dear Sir

I want to take exception at your Uno rebuild. I patiently looked through all the amazing rebuild progress photos. I must say, after seeing some of the paint jobs, I was dribbling.

Moving forward through the project, my blood pressure increased to 170/95, and I had to loosen clothing. My eyes began to goggle at the sight of machined metal, and POR-15.

Now sweating profusely, I began to reach a crescendo, only to have my ecstasy thwarted by the lack of a "money shot." No finished article to relieve my pent up tension. No glistening bonnet, upon which to expose my innermost desires, no hint of turbo or big end.

In the words of Sally Bercow, wife of the Depty Speaker
"To say I’m surprised and disappointed by this is an understatement."

I can only hope that you find it in your heart to complete the project at your earliest convenience.

Yours Sincerely

Mr Robin Thringpiece

Come on Jas, just read this, really great work, get on with it so we can see more!!

All my effort and not even a titter from the audience. Franky Howard might have.

Ooh missus!

I was feeling the same disappointment myself, and was too distressed to write.