fiat 500

Fiat 500 Engine

Jonn has been stripping the engine of our 1963 Fiat 500. When looking to fit a new starter motor, Jonn found that a suspected missing

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A New Arrival

We have recently welcomed our 1966 Fiat 500 into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. After its owner took this beautiful classic car to a garage

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Fiat 500 Clutch Adjustment

Here is what Jonn has been up to with our 1963 Fiat 500:

Investigate clutch issue. Has been fine but clutch went over the weekend. Inspect. Found clutch cable adjuster out of adjustment. Re adjust cable and check. Fit lock nut to clutch cable. Remove cover and inspect while John operates. All looks OK now adjustment correct. Carry out test around yard and all seems fine. Refit cover. Quick spanner check on starter and gearbox bolts. Carry out another drive around yard. Ok. Let customer take and try.

Number Plate Light

Jonn has been investigating why the rear number plate light on our 1963 Fiat 500 was not working. He found that a small wire had been twisted around a screw as an earth. Jonn removed the light, made an earth wire, and attached it to the bulb holder.

Once everything was refitted, it all worked perfectly.

Fiat 500 Engine

Jonn has been stripping the engine of our 1963 Fiat 500.

When looking to fit a new starter motor, Jonn found that a suspected missing bolt was actually only half missing! The remainder of the bolt had broken off in the block.

He went on to strip the engine – removing the head and barrels, studs, sump, and pistons.

The crank journals and big ends were checked before Jonn went on to remove the flywheel, which he thoroughly cleaned in the degreasing tank.

1963 Fiat 500 Transformable 

A good friend of ours came to see us at the workshop this morning and this is what they arrived in – a 1963 Fiat 500 Transformable!

Finished in Fiat Celeste Chiaro 461 (or light sky blue if you don’t want to be technical) this is one stunning classic and it certainly caught the attention of everyone in the workshop.

As a side note…this is actually Molly’s dream classic!

A New Arrival

We have recently welcomed our 1966 Fiat 500 into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.

After its owner took this beautiful classic car to a garage for some welding work, it has since been running badly and consistently sitting at high revs.

While it is in the workshop, our team of experienced classic car technicians will be investigating the running problems and finding the best way to resolve them ready for the vehicle to be returned to its owner.

Fiat 500 In The All Clear

Our Fiat 500 has passed in MOT with flying colours and has now been completed and awaiting collection. We’re delighted to see this little Italian Fiat back on the road.

Fiat 500 Awaits MOT

Our Fiat 500 Abarth has now been finished and is awaiting an MOT. We’ve soldered the wires to the bulbs in the rear lights to resolve the poor condition, repaired the number plate light, choke, fitted a fiddly gear stick head, completed the steering rack conversion, amended the electrics and brake master cylinder reservoir.

Fiat 500’s Steering Correction

We’re on the home straight with the steering correction on our 1969 Fiat 500 Abarth. The new column is now in with new bearings and strengthening plate. We’ve modified the existing shaft to facilitate a new one. We’ve then patched up the holes. The steering has changed from a box to a rack during this conversion.

Fiat 500’s Recent Modifications

We’ve made some more modifications to our 1969 Fiat 500. The demister diverter heater control for the floor and windscreen has been modified and moved to accommodate the new steering rack.

Fiat Abarth Prepped For Surgery

Our 1969 Fiat 500 isn’t doing too well. It came in a few months back for a steering rack replacement to fix a dangerous modification that had caused it to lose steering, however the parts were stuck oversees and it had sat in the workshop awaiting repairs ever since. Now that we have the parts, we can get started on making this little classic safe again.

The aim is to fit a new steering rack and column however it currently hits against the clutch pedal and universal joints, so we need to take apart the brackets that hold in the rack and column, move the bracket over by 10mm or so, and then refit the steering components. A big job of tearing apart the brackets and mounts, rebuilding them and fitting them back in is on the horizon.

The surgery has begun…

Fiat 500 Parts Finally Arrive

We’ve bene waiting on the parts for our 1969 Fiat 500 Abarth for many months as they were stuck abroad due to a shipping error. Now, finally with us, we can get started with replacing and modifying the steering rack.

Fiat 500 Off The Rails

We’ve had a quirky 1969 Fiat 500 Abarth come in recently for some care and attention. One of our technicians soon found a dangerous issue with the steering column that we are now making top priority to correct. It seems there is a Fiat 126 steering rack fitted with fiat 500 elements, meaning the components in the steering rack didn’t match up, making steering and driving unsafe. James has removed the potentially dangerous steering rack conversion from the steering box so that he can re-design and refit the steering to make it safe.

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New In At The Workshop: Fiat 500 Abarth

Our 1969 Fiat 500 with Abarth styling has come in to have its steering column addressed as well as some other small mechanical faults. We look forward to working on this interesting little classic.

Classic Fiat 500’s were built and designed for small Italian roads. Made with practicality and reliability in mind, these tiny classics are a similar size to a modern-day smart car. James may describe it as a “potent symbol of Italian utilitarian chic, the Latin driving temperament and creative solutions to everyday parking problems.”