Fiat Coupe Forum
- Founded by Kayjey & James Northam
- Funded by the Club for the benefit of all owners
Fiat Coupe Club UK
join the club
Fiat Coupe Forum
 
» Announced
    Posting images


» Related sites
    Main club site
    fiatcoupe.net


» External data
    owners listed
 
Who's Online Now
1 registered members (Edinburgh), 204 guests, and 3 spiders.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums69
Topics113,543
Posts1,340,417
Members1,785
Most Online731
Jan 14th, 2020
Top Posters(All Time)
barnacle 33,520
stan 32,122
Theresa 23,294
PeteP 21,480
bockers 21,070
JimO 17,917
Nigel 17,366
Edinburgh 16,659
RSS Feeds
Club Events
Club Information
Track Events
Rolling Road/RWYB
Social Events
Non-UK Events
Coupé Related Chat
Coupé Spotting
Coupé News/Press
Buying/Selling Advice
Insuring a Coupé
Basic FAQ's
How to Guides
Forum Issues
Technical Problems
General Maintenance
Styling
Tuning
Handling
ICE and Alarm
Coupés for Sale
Coupés Wanted
Parts for Sale
Parts Wanted
Group Buys
Business Forum
Other Vehicles for Sale/Wanted
Other Items for Sale/Wanted
Haggling/Offers
Ebay links
Other Cars
Other Websites
General Chat
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
What lurks beneath! #1640702
21/04/2020 18:18
21/04/2020 18:18
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 227
Leeds
growlingbear Offline OP
Making a profit
growlingbear  Offline OP
Making a profit

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 227
Leeds
X Reg 20VT six speed in Moondust silver.
The engine fired up on the first turn - great sounds from those five cylinders.
Pulled it out into the open and those lines are still stunning especially in the golden light of evening.
The job on hand: sand off some rust from the wheel arches.
Good news it looks worse than it is. Most of the rust drills off to leave shiny metal underneath hooray.

Paint some Hammerite on the bare metal as a botch ahead of getting it done properly at some stage (along with the belts etc and replacing the heater matrix which some forum friends help diagnosed was leaking).

Everything works. Not bad after being dry stored for six years or so.

Then I look underneath. Quite shocked actually for a car to look so smart in the cabin and around the bodywork, that the underneath is so darn ugly with corrosion. Crispy coil springs. Surface rust everywhere. I’m not technical but the rails that run parallel to the sills (chassis rails?) have layers coming off. Bits of floor pan coming away. Its a bit of head scratcher as to how bad its got. I’d welcome observations on how much work is involved in simply getting an MOT?

Pics attached.

Rear suspension tower from below; jack hole at the back; floor pan where I peeled away a bit and exterior (obvs)

Attached Files
Last edited by growlingbear; 21/04/2020 18:19.

Moon Silver 20vt[6]
Previously: Speed Red 20V (growled like a bear)
Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: growlingbear] #1640708
22/04/2020 07:12
22/04/2020 07:12
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 338
Camberley, Surrey
J
jonnyboy54321 Offline
Making a profit
jonnyboy54321  Offline
Making a profit
J

Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 338
Camberley, Surrey
Rear beam can be swapped over - I just refurbed a spare for one of my projects.
Get the filter cover off that osr jacking point and have a good poke around.
Keep getting the underseal off to see what its hiding.

Check front inner wings/chassis rails behind liners near where the subframe mountings are. Get boot floor carpets out and check where boot floor meets inner wheelarch - if any signs at all get the seam sealer out of the joint and havea good poke around, be prepared for it to escalate.

Most of it is fixable and not too difficult for someone competent.


Always seem to have too many 20VT's to count......
Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: jonnyboy54321] #1640709
22/04/2020 07:18
22/04/2020 07:18
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 227
Leeds
growlingbear Offline OP
Making a profit
growlingbear  Offline OP
Making a profit

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 227
Leeds
That’s encouraging thanks. I did have a look under the boot carpet and thankfully its all pretty clean under there. Also checked the fuel tank restraining straps. They have surface rust but still look strong enough. I’ll crack on with removing some more under seal. Funny I thought that was a layer of metal initially but I see the floor pan underneath (above really) is metal.


Moon Silver 20vt[6]
Previously: Speed Red 20V (growled like a bear)
Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: growlingbear] #1640718
22/04/2020 15:49
22/04/2020 15:49
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,994
ation
szkom Online content
Club member 2000
szkom  Online Content
Club member 2000
Forum is my job

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,994
ation
Those pics look encouraging thumb

I think the basics were covered above, but to reiterate, I'd lift the boot carpet and look carefully around the edges. Very common to rot there. Take the rear quarter cards out and look in the cavity above the sill. The badge pins can let water in. The last place (from experience) is behind the front strut. You'll need to check the seam sealer is all in good order. Of course being an older car you may still get a surprise.

Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: szkom] #1640721
22/04/2020 16:48
22/04/2020 16:48
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 227
Leeds
growlingbear Offline OP
Making a profit
growlingbear  Offline OP
Making a profit

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 227
Leeds
As a matter of interest, what counts as terminal corrosion as far as the Coupe is concerned?


Moon Silver 20vt[6]
Previously: Speed Red 20V (growled like a bear)
Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: growlingbear] #1640723
22/04/2020 18:39
22/04/2020 18:39
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,994
ation
szkom Online content
Club member 2000
szkom  Online Content
Club member 2000
Forum is my job

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,994
ation
Originally Posted by growlingbear
As a matter of interest, what counts as terminal corrosion as far as the Coupe is concerned?


When your pockets run out of money laugh I don't think I've ever seen one that couldn't be fixed, but it all boils down to cost

Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: szkom] #1640724
22/04/2020 18:43
22/04/2020 18:43
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,659
Auld Reekie
Edinburgh Online content
Club President, member225
Edinburgh  Online Content
Club President, member225
Forum veteran

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,659
Auld Reekie
Originally Posted by szkom
Originally Posted by growlingbear
As a matter of interest, what counts as terminal corrosion as far as the Coupe is concerned?


When your pockets run out of money laugh I don't think I've ever seen one that couldn't be fixed, but it all boils down to cost


Yes I can vouch for that....


BumbleBee carer smile
Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: growlingbear] #1640726
22/04/2020 20:19
22/04/2020 20:19
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 338
Camberley, Surrey
J
jonnyboy54321 Offline
Making a profit
jonnyboy54321  Offline
Making a profit
J

Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 338
Camberley, Surrey
The 'worst' places that I can think of are as szkom reiterated, the inner wing area near chassis rail/subframe mounting, and the rear of the sills - which when its going pear shape escalates dramatically - as he said (and I forgot to), take rear trim panels out (speaker area), take a deep breath, and pray. I am very lucky that three of the four coupe's here are spot-on in both areas, not checked the fourth one (yet) as its a daily driver.


Always seem to have too many 20VT's to count......
Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: Edinburgh] #1640727
22/04/2020 22:00
22/04/2020 22:00
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,090
highlands
jimboy Offline
Club Member 857
jimboy  Offline
Club Member 857
Forum is my life

Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,090
highlands
Originally Posted by Edinburgh
Originally Posted by szkom
Originally Posted by growlingbear
As a matter of interest, what counts as terminal corrosion as far as the Coupe is concerned?


When your pockets run out of money laugh I don't think I've ever seen one that couldn't be fixed, but it all boils down to cost


Yes I can vouch for that....

Me also, I've spent a significant amount of wedge on my sprinty getting rid of the dreaded tin worm.


I'm an old git & happy with it,most of the time
Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: jimboy] #1640731
23/04/2020 12:42
23/04/2020 12:42
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 227
Leeds
growlingbear Offline OP
Making a profit
growlingbear  Offline OP
Making a profit

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 227
Leeds
I get it so the BIG REVEAL will be taking the rear trim panels off. Fingers crossed. Is that screwdriver leverage and some pop plugs?


Moon Silver 20vt[6]
Previously: Speed Red 20V (growled like a bear)
Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: growlingbear] #1640732
23/04/2020 14:16
23/04/2020 14:16
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,994
ation
szkom Online content
Club member 2000
szkom  Online Content
Club member 2000
Forum is my job

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,994
ation
Rear bench, front seat belts, and some trim. Not the hardest job, but you do want to be careful pulling the rear cards about as they can split

Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: growlingbear] #1640734
23/04/2020 15:17
23/04/2020 15:17
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,659
Auld Reekie
Edinburgh Online content
Club President, member225
Edinburgh  Online Content
Club President, member225
Forum veteran

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,659
Auld Reekie
Yes, as above - when you're ready to take the card off (don't miss the small black phillips screw at the very bottom), pull off the vertical part of the door seal then introduce your jemmy at the B pillar edge gradually to release the plastic poppers that secure the cards.


BumbleBee carer smile
Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: Edinburgh] #1640768
25/04/2020 08:17
25/04/2020 08:17
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 227
Leeds
growlingbear Offline OP
Making a profit
growlingbear  Offline OP
Making a profit

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 227
Leeds
Thanks guys 👍


Moon Silver 20vt[6]
Previously: Speed Red 20V (growled like a bear)
Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: growlingbear] #1641007
08/05/2020 14:15
08/05/2020 14:15
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,833
Brisbane, Australia
Boosted7 Offline
My life on the forum
Boosted7  Offline
My life on the forum

Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,833
Brisbane, Australia
At the front, take your plastic inner wheel arch liners out and have a good poke around. I've just finished doing a fair bit of welding around there including a hole in the passenger side inner arch that I could put my fist through! All repairable, just time consuming.

Last edited by Boosted7; 08/05/2020 14:15.

1998 Steel Grey 20V Turbo
Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: Boosted7] #1641009
08/05/2020 15:00
08/05/2020 15:00
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,621
Leicester UK
Ballypete Offline
Club Member 1578
Ballypete  Offline
Club Member 1578
My life on the forum

Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,621
Leicester UK
Originally Posted by Boosted7
At the front, take your plastic inner wheel arch liners out and have a good poke around. I've just finished doing a fair bit of welding around there including a hole in the passenger side inner arch that I could put my fist through! All repairable, just time consuming.
I had one of those!

Attached Files

Doris the 1998 Portofino Blue 20V and Zoe the 1999 Alfa Romeo 916 Spider
Bog standard needn't be boring...
Re: What lurks beneath! [Re: Ballypete] #1641016
08/05/2020 23:04
08/05/2020 23:04
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,833
Brisbane, Australia
Boosted7 Offline
My life on the forum
Boosted7  Offline
My life on the forum

Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,833
Brisbane, Australia
Yep that's the one! Bad design... the plastic liner rubs against the inner arch, mine has a sunroof and the drainage pipe is directly above keeping it nice and wet

Attached Files
Last edited by Boosted7; 08/05/2020 23:07.

1998 Steel Grey 20V Turbo

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.1
(Release build 20190129)
PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.018s Queries: 18 (0.007s) Memory: 0.8224 MB (Peak: 0.9642 MB) Data Comp: Off Server Time: 2024-03-28 08:46:15 UTC