Fiat Coupé 2.0 16v Plus '95 - the discussion

The beginning of the discussion about my June '95 «Chamonix Green» 2.0 16v Plus. Have your say!

http://www.fiatcoupeclub.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1312116#Post1312116

What is the big hole/vent in the front bumper??

DIY cold air intake :-/

Lights are a big improvement, how did he do it, does he have a polishing machine?

That's right. The problem is that the (previous) owner didn't give it much thought before doing the hole. First, he drilled the bumper and made that round frame, which was actually well finished. But then he realised that (with the bonnet down) the inner part of the headlight didn't leave room for the tube he wanted to put as an intake...

Well, that's definitely something that I want to take care of since I own the coupe. But either other things came up, or I could't afford to when I wanted. Life's still not helping, but now the round frame is starting to break apart. Maybe soon I'll have it repaired...

Thanks for you comments.

No, he actually did it by hand, no polishing machine. If I do recall, he used two types of sand-paper, polisher and a great deal of persistence. It took him a while to get that result. A bit tough, but a cheap way to make old healights look newer, at least for a while.

One of the headlights (since they're not the original pair) is actually in need of a new polishing. I won't dare because I'm not too handy with that kind of things, but I'll find a way to sort it out...

Thanks!

With regard to the air intake - on the non-turbo 16 it's important to keep the oem air filter box and resonator stubs/boxes on the intake side. Without those (e.g. with a cone filter replacement) there is a serious loss of low-end torque.

Thanks for the input, I didn't know that. Never expererienced it. All those parts were (are and will be) standard in my 16v.

Well, if one can consider that the engine is already a bit "lazy" below 2,000 rpm (let's say "enough for the job"), to lose torque could mean to "fall asleep" or having to rev more the engine to escape that low-end.

Thanks, Barnacle. I won't mess with perfection.

Don't ever buy a turbo model!

Yeah, I heard that the turbo lag is awful ...... !!!

Why do you call it a plus?

In Europe the "plus" was a package of options, eg: leather and A/C, IIRC

Yes, I believe it's the equipment. I'm not sure what items are part of the first versions' Plus package, but my 16v has all options and extras available at that time:

- leather seats, AC, double airbag, 205/50/15" tires (while the owners' book indicates 195 for the "normal" version), headlight washers, sunroof... and that's it. It also has drilled brake discs, but I guess that was one previous owners' decision.

I'm watching this with interest, as I'm planning a bare metal rebuild on mine - but I fear it will have to wait another year, so it might spend some time in storage.

Thanks for your interest. Coming from a huge FCCUK contributor like you, it sure is a compliment and a responsability for me to do well.

The next photos that I'll be posting in my Project may interest you more. They're from the bonnet repair. The quality is poor (mobile phones'), but they do show some coupe metal.

Off-topic: you've a very interesting website! Cinquentas?

Regards!
CJ

Ah, yes. Some good ones there; I'm rather fond of the ghost in the thorn tree.

Am i right in saying That new colour isn't chamonix green? It looks like the 20v later green to me is there a reason for this?

Daniel, I know it doesn't seem so, but it's the same colour in all the photos. The reason might be the camera used: mobile phone in the first ones, 35mm Nikon F60 camera in the second post, and yet another mobile phone (a friend's) in the garage photos.

Still, it's chamonix green. I've been in a painting garage recently, to get a budget to repair the hole in the front bumper and paint it. Using the Fiat code (sticked under the hood) and a colour catalogue, the painter confirmed: it's chamonix green.

I like it, but it's not very apreciated here.

Thanks for your inquiry.