[madhokritesh]

We owned a NE in the 99-2000, was a kool car except for the the rusting issues mine had the co fitted AC with tinted glass was a joy to drive in those days. The last 118 NE were sold as the Viceroys and were produced by Peugeot and had a much better finish and were rust free, try getting a Body and parts frm the Viceroy if ur able to find one (hey come real cheap 10-30k max for the Viceroy)

[heavy_foot]

Looking forward for the pictures and all the best for the restoration. This used to be such a common car when i was a kid and now there are hardly any on the road. Have lot of good memories with the NE.

[Rudra Sen]

Thread starter first posted in May and no sign of him since.

I think he has abandoned the project.

[rjvora_2000]

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

Thread starter first posted in May and no sign of him since.

I think he has abandoned the project.

he is vanished. please post some pic if you are there.

[badboyscad]

A friend of mine had recently bought this premier :



It has a diesel engine(the RC book says 138d). Can somebody please identify this engine and post some details about it??

(SORRY for the really crappy pics, will post better pics tomo)

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear all - this car is known as the Premier 1.38D (for some reason there is a point after 1) and is the diesel version of the 118NE. The engine is a 1366cc IDI diesel developing around 48BHP. The axle ratio of this car is 4.3:1 as against 3.9:1 for the petrol version, to aid acceleration / gradeability. This engine is originally a volkswagen design used in the VW Golfs of the early 80s. The name of the company from whom PAL got this engine is FNM of Italy (something like - Fragreti Negri Machine). The first prototype fiat car in which this engine was fitted was MRH9082 which was done in Walchandnagar Industries in Satara. Then the project came to PAL. The first car in which it was fitted in PAL was MMY5039, a white car. The second car was MMY7128, a yellow car which was displayed at the India Engineering Trade Fair in New Delhi in January 1985. I drove it from New Delhi to Mumbai in February 1985, demonstrating it to dealers in Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Anand and Baroda. You will be surprised to know that there is a turbo version of this engine also. It was fitted in MAM8158, a black taxi specification Premier Padmini from outside. I outran a Volvo between Pune and Mumbai on my way out of ARAI. This car was a bomb. The first 118NE in which it was fitted was MH05C588, a dark blue car on which we finalised the change of axle ratio. This engine has 2 major issues, one, the bore wears out very fast due to some problem in the material of the block and two, the timing belt is open from the back and the FIP is not supported fully so the belt moves forwards and backwards on the pulleys, thus affecting reliability. The belt breaks, ruining the engine. That's why none of my fiats are diesel. Acceleration however is very decent and the car gives some 18 kmpl. I used to test it between Mumbai and Pune for fuel consumption every day of the week. When it was introduced, the Mumbai taxiwallahs went gaga over it. Sadly, manufacturing issues led to its downfall.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[badboyscad]

@Dhabhar.Behram : Wow, thanks for the quick reply sir. Really appreciate it a lot.

[headers]

nice car..lovely gearbox..sadly bad marketing and quality issues killed it!

[abhi1309]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear all - this car is known as the Premier 1.38D (for some reason there is a point after 1) and is the diesel version of the 118NE. The engine is a 1366cc IDI diesel developing around 48BHP. The axle ratio of this car is 4.3:1 as against 3.9:1 for the petrol version, to aid acceleration / gradeability. This engine is originally a volkswagen design used in the VW Golfs of the early 80s. The name of the company from whom PAL got this engine is FNM of Italy (something like - Fragreti Negri Machine). The first prototype fiat car in which this engine was fitted was MRH9082 which was done in Walchandnagar Industries in Satara. Then the project came to PAL. The first car in which it was fitted in PAL was MMY5039, a white car. The second car was MMY7128, a yellow car which was displayed at the India Engineering Trade Fair in New Delhi in January 1985. I drove it from New Delhi to Mumbai in February 1985, demonstrating it to dealers in Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Anand and Baroda. You will be surprised to know that there is a turbo version of this engine also. It was fitted in MAM8158, a black taxi specification Premier Padmini from outside. I outran a Volvo between Pune and Mumbai on my way out of ARAI. This car was a bomb. The first 118NE in which it was fitted was MH05C588, a dark blue car on which we finalised the change of axle ratio. This engine has 2 major issues, one, the bore wears out very fast due to some problem in the material of the block and two, the timing belt is open from the back and the FIP is not supported fully so the belt moves forwards and backwards on the pulleys, thus affecting reliability. The belt breaks, ruining the engine. That's why none of my fiats are diesel. Acceleration however is very decent and the car gives some 18 kmpl. I used to test it between Mumbai and Pune for fuel consumption every day of the week. When it was introduced, the Mumbai taxiwallahs went gaga over it. Sadly, manufacturing issues led to its downfall.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

That was good information. I have been a fan of the 118NE and did not know this historical bit about the engine in 1.38D. I just remember it was very noisy but the sound of the petrol 118NE muffler was something I miss these days. It was a great car in my opinion.

[canonball]

You can I suppose legaly retrofit one of those faster rebuilt toyota turbo into it she will be a bomb and relaible at that. That green car looks hot

[KkVaidya]

I own a '89 model 118NE restored in 2007. I have retained everything stock right from the looks to the engine. Only exceptions are the white walled cross-plies (Still have on of the original Ceat DR84 as the spare tyre) which had to be replaced by Bridgestone radials.
Also there's this stock replacement K&N airfilter and NGK Iridium plugs which i beleive do not consider as a modification. It's just like replacing the parts with better performing parts.
HOW DO I UPLOAD THE PICTURES. WHENEVER I TRY TO LOAD THEM SOME SILLY ERROR POPS TO CONTACT THE ADMINISTRATOR !

[GTO]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear all - this car is known as the Premier 1.38D (for some reason there is a point after 1) and is the diesel version of the 118NE. The engine is a 1366cc IDI diesel developing around 48BHP.

The world cars magazine had titled the 138D as the "slowest sedan in the world" in the mid-nineties. Basically a 118 with the Fiat 137D engine shoehorned into the bay. What a terrible product! One of my uncles bought it over the Maruti Esteem; my cousins give him a earful for that decision to this day. Definitely one of the worst cars we have ever had in the family.

Originally Posted by KkVaidya

HOW DO I UPLOAD THE PICTURES. WHENEVER I TRY TO LOAD THEM SOME SILLY ERROR POPS TO CONTACT THE ADMINISTRATOR !

Firstly, please avoid typing in FULL CAPS. It is considered rude. Second, it would help if you visit our highly detailed FAQ section first.

[master uio]

I have a 1997 118NE which has all 4 factory fitted tyres. It has done only 24,000 kms till now. The car has people stop on the road and compliment it all the time. The A.C is superb. Gives 17.5 KMPL on highways. It needs to be driven calmly - no way you can rush anywhere in it.

Sateesh
Hyderabad

[sgiitk]

I wish you all the success. I remember the NE118 (we owned two of them around 1991-95) fondly. I think it had the slickest gearshift of any car in India then and now. It was ruined by the atrocious rust problem and the very poor QC of Premier. May they RIP.

[master uio]

It was Fratelli Negri Machines - Awful engine, billows black smoke, fir to be a Diesel Generator in a molasses mill.