[autocrat]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Gowtham - now the real game will start! . Now do as follows:

Now that you have put everything to specification, run the car continuously and spiritedly fast for at least 200 kms (more is better) on good but slightly winding roads where you will need to use 3rd gear sometimes to maintain good speed. The last 50 or so kilometres of this stretch must be done really fast (without being rash) as compared to the initial 150 kms. Stop after completing this circuit and take the photograph of the ID of the exhaust tail pipe, immediately after stopping, within one minute. Come back by the same route and repeat with another photograph. What is important is the color of the ID of the tail pipe. This result will determine where you are in the performance bar and whether any further attention to the finest nuances of what we call "engine tune-up" is still required or not.

Do this and let me know. .

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

Ok Sir, will need to fix electronic fuel pump (fuel leakage near tank will be addressed automatically as well). The radiator will be fixed and fitted tomorrow.

Also, after a light rain, I took the car out last night, and the car kept fishtailing as the rear tyres are totally losing grip in wet. Need to do something on the tyres asap.

If the conditions are dry, on saturday I will take the car on the 200 km fast trip

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Originally Posted by autocrat

Ok Sir, will need to fix electronic fuel pump (fuel leakage near tank will be addressed automatically as well). The radiator will be fixed and fitted tomorrow. Also, after a light rain, I took the car out last night, and the car kept fishtailing as the rear tyres are totally losing grip in wet. Need to do something on the tyres asap. If the conditions are dry, on saturday I will take the car on the 200 km fast trip

Dear Gowtham - don't take chance with bad tires, do this test on good tires only, bad tires will ruin the performance anyways. Take your time, go step-by-step but do what is correct.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[sidindica]

This is a 1996/97 make standard model padmini S1 lying unused in the bylanes of my colony. Is it worth buying it and giving an old car charm a head start? What price does it deserve to be bought?

[autocrat]

Originally Posted by sidindica

Is it worth buying it and giving an old car charm a head start?

Dear Sir,

Yes!

Buy it, restore it, love it

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Originally Posted by sidindica

This is a Padmini S1 lying unused in the bylanes of my colony. Is it worth buying it and giving an old car charm a head start? What price does it deserve to be bought?

Dear Sidindica - hello to you. It seems to be a decent enough car in need of a decent enough lease of life. Your biggest problem will be Delhi, check whether you will be allowed to use it, mostly not! If so, I would not mind picking it up and driving it down to Mumbai, it should start and the brakes and the clutch should work, that's all! Check and let me know by PM. .

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[funkykar]

Sid, going by the looks and being unused, you would get it at a throw away price if owner is willing to part it. The budget you would need is mainly on restoration.

Behram sir, this being UP registered car shouldn't have any issues plying in Delhi(As I have heard from many in Delhi and NCR that they don't bother non Delhi cars with checks like they do in Karnataka and few other states). Moreover, even before the NGT thing going on in Delhi, they wouldn't register 15+ year old cars from outside of Delhi.

One of my older S1's was sold to a person in Delhi. There was no way to re-register the Karnataka car into Delhi. Luckily, the person's roots were from Karnataka and he could transfer into his name in Karnataka itself and took the car. His worry now would be how to renew the 5 year fitness certificate when it expires.

Good luck!

[autocrat]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Sidindica - hello to you. It seems to be a decent enough car in need of a decent enough lease of life. Your biggest problem will be Delhi, check whether you will be allowed to use it, mostly not! If so, I would not mind picking it up and driving it down to Mumbai, it should start and the brakes and the clutch should work, that's all! Check and let me know by PM. .

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

I am not sure, but from the photos I think the S1 tail pipe dia is more than that of my car, 1990 Deluxe BE.

Can we still get custom stainless steel exhaust components made somewhere sir?

Goutham

[samsag12]

Originally Posted by sidindica

This is a 1996/97 make standard model padmini S1 lying unused in the bylanes of my colony. Is it worth buying it and giving an old car charm a head start? What price does it deserve to be bought?

You can get the car at fairly less price ranging anywhere from Rs.18000-25000. Scrap value in today's market (in UP) for old Fiats/PP is somewhere around Rs.15000-20000

Originally Posted by autocrat

I am not sure, but from the photos I think the S1 tail pipe dia is more than that of my car, 1990 Deluxe BE.

Can we still get custom stainless steel exhaust components made somewhere sir?

Goutham

If i recall correctly, S1 tail pipe diameter is 1.75" whereas in non S1 cars its 1.5"

[autocrat]

Originally Posted by samsag12

If i recall correctly, S1 tail pipe diameter is 1.75" whereas in non S1 cars its 1.5"

Dear Sagar,

Thanks a lot for the input, I just cross checked, the 1.75" dia translates to 44.45 mm tail pipe dia, that Behram sir mentioned earlier

So the S1 had a better exhaust note as well?

[samsag12]

Definitely, it has a better growl

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Originally Posted by autocrat

I am not sure, but from the photos I think the S1 tail pipe dia is more than that of my car. Can we still get custom stainless steel exhaust components made somewhere?

Dear Gowtham - Fiat 1100 / Premier Padmini exhaust system is designed with pipe diameter of 38.1mm (1.5 inches) from day one. S1 exhaust system is designed with pipe diameter of 44.45mm (1.75 inches) as the cylinder head intake port geometry is changed to improve the scavenging to meet the target of 48BHP so that the powertrain could be rationalized with reduced final drive ratio and non-engine driven fan. The final resultant of lots of weight reduction exercises was also introduced with the S1.

You can certainly get a custom exhaust system made, come to Pune, all my exhaust system work gets done here, my good friend who has this factory knows exactly what I want and does an excellent job. Stainless steel is also possible. Besides very high cost, it requires argon arc welding, which is a specialized process.

Dear Sagar - your answer to Gowtham was correct, thank you. The S1 front end with a custom built expansion chamber and muffler gives very good growl without being too loud.

Dear Karthik - Some places in our country are very unpredictable as far as more than 15 year age cars go. It is always better to be careful with paperwork.

Dear Dr.Kannan - your query to me on two Autolec water pumps which you bought, the pump with the blocked thermostat bypass hole is manufactured for aftermarket application, the pump with the clear thermostat bypass hole is manufactured for OE application. The OE application pump has a step on the OD of the pulley mounting flange to accommodate the corresponding ID of the OE supply 4 blade plastic fan supplied by Excel Industries. You need to check the ID of your car's fan and use correctly. In OE application, 3 numbers M8*1.25 size 8.8 grade bolts are specified for pulley and fan mounting. In aftermarket application, spacer with 3 holes is used to provide more bearing area for locating the fan. You need to check your car's aggregates accordingly and decide to use correctly to ensure reliability. I suggest, please locate the Excel Industries fan and the OE pulley, and use the whole thing as a set.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[sidindica]

The owner still seems confused on whether to let it go or keep it. And yes, this damn NGT issue. But, I have a query-why does the standard model have the 8 vents below the radiator grille? Wasn't this specific to the AC model? And this has a coolent system, right?

[samsag12]

Originally Posted by sidindica

The owner still seems confused on whether to let it go or keep it. And yes, this damn NGT issue. But, I have a query-why does the standard model have the 8 vents below the radiator grille? Wasn't this specific to the AC model? And this has a coolent system, right?

IIRC these extra vents were introduced in some early models of PP too prior to the introduction of S1, mainly to aid better airflow. These were present in all models of S1. Btw there are 12 vents not 8

S1 has a degas tank type of pressurised cooling setup and coolant was one of the highlights advertised by PAL when PP S1 was introduced.

[autocrat]

Fellow Fiatians,

I managed to get an aluminium grill for my car finally

The grill comes with an early PAL badge (FIAT metal badge style), which feels like plastic to me.



I tried to remove the badge for cleaning, but the single mounting screw freely rotates inside the badge body, and the bolt and nut have rusted into each other. I liked the grill, and I will use it on the car once all the mechanicals are sorted out. I will not disturb the badge, I will clean it as it is and paint the insides dark red.

Goutham

Question:
How many kinds of metal grills were made by Fiat 1100D / President? I have seen:
1) Flat grill plate with oblong holes, with quadrangular FIAT badge (similar to above pic)
2) Flat frill with square holes, with quadrangular FIAT badge.
3) Corrugated grill with rectangular holes with PAL badge (what I have now)

Any other design was there?

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Originally Posted by sidindica

I have a query. Why does the standard model have the 8 vents below the radiator grille? Wasn't this specific to the AC model? And this has a coolent system, right?

Dear Sidindica and Sagar - the front center panel with 12 vents was tested by me in 1985 and it was introduced in Premier Padmini Economy model cars in 1986, as these cars were equipped with a two core radiator instead of the usual three core radiator, to save cost. The vents were carried forward to the S1 and the 137D applications to meet the additional airflow requirements due to higher heat output in both these platforms. The registration number of the R&D prototype cars on which these panels were tested were MMY5038 (1221cc prototype, it was an absolute missile to drive, I used to smoke the tires very regularly ), MMY6058 (1089cc prototype), MMY5039 (137D prototype) and MMY6465 (995cc prototype to meet the Maruti challenge). MMY5038 and MMY5039 were arctic white, MMY6058 was brown (the official name of the paint was "Eattu", whatever that means) and MMY6465 was light pink (the official name of the paint was "Polynesian Beige")! I think I had given this information in the past also.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar