Over the winter I've:

• Painted and fitted a new passenger wing mirror as the old one was vandalised.
  
• Removed two dents from roof.
  
• Fitted Eibach uprated rear anti-roll bar.
  
• Retrimmed front seats in leather as the old leather was cracked.
  
• Fitted leather gear and handbrake gaters made from the same leather as the seats.
  
• Fixed oil and water leaks from engine.
  
• Fitted new oil filter
  
• Changed oil.
  
• Removed B pillers again, filled badge holes and repainted.
  
• Refitted rear window surround.
  
• Removed slight overspray from rear side windows rubbers.
  
• Fitted new door stay on drivers side.
  
• Changed fuel filter.
  
• Fitted new fuel filter cover.
  
• Fitted new handbrake cables.
  
• Fitted ECU diagnostic display in drivers air vent.
  
• Fitted H&S downpipe.
  
• Fitted custom made cat bypass pipe.
  

So as you can imagine once all this was done and the weather improved I was very keen to get it back on the road and drive it around. Getting lots of attention again. More stories to come...

Cheers

John

Hi John,

There is no stopping you is there ?

I'm sure the car will be a joy to drive when its back on the road.

By the way. When are you next back in Abingdon ??

Rgds,

Sean

Last night was like various scenes from the film The Fast and the Furious!

Had met a few good guys and a little meet and they’d made me aware of meets some have on a Saturday night at Tim Hortons in an industrial area of the city. Thought it would be fun to check it out tonight! Arrived and there was about 50 vehicles of all shapes and styles, pick up trucks, low riders, ricers, skylines etc. Mine was the only Euro style car and it stood out as if it had a big neon sign above it saying “Look at me!”. Everyone poured over to look at it. They absolutely love it. It sounds like nothing they’ve ever heard before. They love the lines and the fact that the whole bonnet lifts up including the headlights. Most still haven’t got a clue what it is, only a handful of Eastern European guys knew what it was. Some recognised it from Gran Turismo 4! They all wanted to know how much it cost, how much it was to ship it, what year it is etc. If Fiat had sold them here they’d be a huge hit. I’ve a feeling when the cars get to 15 years old they’ll want to import their own. Mine is only here on a temporary basis which means it can be newer than the 15 year age restriction.

Anyways, small groups kept heading off for some cruising and friendly racing. Then word got around that they were heading for a more formal venue. We all headed off in search of a quiet industrial area, a large procession of cars going around in ever decreasing circles. We found what we thought was a quiet area and lined up the cars down the side of a industrial road that was about 3 lanes wide. There was a large grass verge between the cars and the road. About 4 pairs of cars/trucks lined up, the full works, burnouts and a guy standing between them waving his arms. The problem was that all the noise and large number of cars that had been driving around in search of a place had not gone unnoticed. Sure enough a police car turned up and just sat there in the middle of the road as we walked/ran back to our cars and scattered in all directions, meeting back up at Tim Hortons.

I then got a message from someone who's friend wants a race, he has a Mustang GT, claiming it has just an air filter and exhaust so I thought it would be a bit of fun, just to compare, just a little something between the two of us. We arrange to meet at another venue and drive off. When I get there I find that most of the crowd had got wind of it and there were about 20 cars there waiting for this race! We head off to another spot, with a stream of vehicles following. We then wait for the road to be completely clear and drive out, again with a guy standing in the road to wave us off. It’s all a bit rushed as we want to race then get the hell out of there. Arms go down and the Mustang nails it, hooks up really well. Mine on the other hand just bogged down, he’s 2 car lengths ahead before I can get any power down. This isn’t the sort of launch I normally do so my technique is abismal but very clutch friendly! I still have traction control switched on which didn't help things. Right through to the end of 3rd gear I’m keeping up but still two car lengths behind with the clutch slipping in 3rd. I turn around at end and head back to Tim Hortons. The guy of course is full of it, he was only out to put my car down but I kept my distance and spent the rest of the night talking to my friends. I’m annoyed with myself for not getting a better start. I really need to get a new clutch. I also had a full tank of fuel and was two up with a passenger weighing 240 lbs. It was such a rushed start he didn’t have time to get out! At least I have a witness to prove that the Mustang didn’t muller me completely.

We are 1km above sea level here and my car doesn’t feel as quick as it did in the UK. I now have a good contact though of someone who can map the car here. I can then make the most of the new cams when they are fitted and get the fuel mixture spot on, it’s a tad on the rich side.

I’ll leave all future racing to the drag strip here but it was a fun and exciting night. On a final plus note the girls love the car.

John

Tipoboy aka Brian O'Connor Sounds like a fun and interesting experience if a little wacky!

Sounds like a good laugh, reckon i could take my rented Grand Caravan to one of these

I reckons you need to get a walkers clutch on there and the mapping and show mustang boy what its really like

I've checked out the specs of a 2001 Mustang GT, it's no wonder it was a close race (well apart from the start!)

4.6 Litre V8
260 bhp, 302 lbs/ft
0-60 5.4
1/4 mile 14 seconds
Weight 1411 Kg

He was bitching that I can't have 300 bhp as I wasn't gaining on him! There isn't going to be much of a difference between 260 and 300 especially as his car is putting out a reasonable 302 lbs/ft of torque.

I'm talking to Barbz about a clutch so I can have a more brutal start.

John

You'd have had no probs with a decent clutch John.
With 265bhp/270lbsft from 20-120 and I had to back off.

Me vs 00-01 GT thread here

It'll get away sharpish but you'll reel him in

I was driving to the cinema tonight and someone actually recognised what kind of car it was on the way there. I guy in a new Land Rover shouted over "Nice Fiat", I said "Thanks", he said "I bet they haven't got a clue what it is", I said "Yes and how come you know what it is?" to which he replied "I'm Lebanese and used to own one!".

Also a couple of ladies in a Jeep TP pulled up along side and asked what it was, told them, twice as usual to which they replied, lovely car

John

I love reading this thread! I think it's amazing that you've taken the Coupe over there.

My parents went to the USA to visit relatives a couple of years ago and took over a picture of me standing in front of the Coop (with the idea being to show the relatives what I look like all grown-up). Apparently the car caused more of a buzz! The first thing my 2nd cousin said was "Cool car! What is it?"

All hail the Fiat Coupé

Nice work on educating our North American brethren.

Not sure the old shed I'm picking up this weekend will get so much attention, but it does have an 8.2l 500ci V8, making ooooh about 190bhp...

You'll have to take my word for it, if I go out for a drive then I'll get at least 3 people, depending on the time, pull up along side either whilst stationary or moving, reverse back at the lights, or just yell, "What kind of car is that?" No hot hot babes have done it yet , however some have turned around to look whilst their partners have pretended to ignore it I usually have to tell them twice as Fiat isn't a common brand over here.

John

So I pop out Friday night to take some shorts back to a shopping centre for a smaller size! I park in the car park and when I come back there are 4 young teenager kids just about to walk over to it. They ask what it is and say they love it. Then when they clock the iPod in it's holder on the dash their knees go wobbly!

On the drive back a guy in a Ford F350 Heavy Duty shouts over from the right lane asking what it is. We start having a chat as we're driving along at 40 km/hr in a 60 km/hr zone. The people behind are chilling and not getting annoyed. This goes on for a block and I suggest we pull over and talk. I spot a disused petrol station so we pull over. He can't get over the car, asks if he can take some pictures gets his camera out and starts taking pictures. He's showing me what he wants to do to his truck, 8" lift and 46" tyres. It's already a monster without the lift. They can't work out how the bonnet opens or how big the engine bay looks when the whole bonnet lifts up. We're chatting away when a Honda Prelude also pulls into the garage with a young guy and girl in it. She'd clocked the car as they drove past and made him turn the car around so they could come and find out what it is. No mean feat as it's 3 lanes in each direction.

Then heading back into town a knackered old red Jeep Cherokee with 4 young student types in it stop next to me at the lights. I sense they are looking at me and turn to look at them, it made me laugh so much, they're all giving me a W sign, I think that's what you call it, middle two fingers bent, outer two straight, nodding their heads and just going "yeah", and "You know it". Cracked me up. That's all they said! I couldn't help but grin back at them. The one had a massive ginger beard and side burns.

Then a slow drive down 17th Avenue, not intentional of course, just tons of traffic at that time of night, 9:30pm then back home.

Just a regular trip to the shops then

John

Fair do's John, I don't think any supercar would have got you the same level of attention, as the yanks would know what it is more thank likely. Great times

Some pictures from my drive through Kananaskis County today.

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Awesome pictures

Nice pics, always thought there was a coop at the end of the rainbow
BTW Do you not need a front number plate out there?

Looks amazing , and great stories - keep 'em coming

Nope no front number plate and no tax disc holder required Just stickers on the rear numberplate.

John

Great pictures, they almost look photoshopped!

Looks sweet john Love the roadkill as well!! the odd small rock in the background as well lol.

I certainly think getting rid of front number plates and having tags is much better than tax discs and silly front number plates restricting airflow

Better than Post Cards!

Gorgeous.

Pity each photo is ruined by some insensitive git parking their car right in the middle...



Joking!!

They are all direct from the camera, no photoshopping Used a Canon 30D with 17-85mm lens. In some of the shots I used a 2 stop graduation filter to even the brightness so that the detail in the sky isn't lost. The wide angle lens up close gives some good angles as well.

I did also spend 6.5 hours cleaning and polishing the bodywork

John

Those are absolute stunning beautiful pics ...

Glad I came into this part of the forum (I don't usually, too much to read!). Great to hear you're doing well and enjoying the car over there John... superb pics...

wwwoooo! what colur is your car?

Hello again,

I took the car to a tuners car show in Edmonton (a bit like a Canadian versino of a UK Max Power, music, fast cars, hot women, competitions, breakdancing etc). Edmonton is about 300km North of Calgary so about 3 hours drive in the Jeep or 2.5 in the Coupe Entered it into the competition but didn't win any prizes on the day. Shame as they had a top model there to present them, photographs and everything. Car looked great at the show:

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Had lots of positive comments. Anyway I was at home on Sunday and the phone goes, it's the organiser of the event and I did win two trophies!! They lost my registration document that I filled in on the day so didn't know my name and didn't want to award the prizes to the "Owner of" rather than "John Lee'. I won peoples choice (the visitors to the show vote on the best car there using SMS) and best exotic. Chuffed. They'll send me the trophies in the post.

John