[ilangop]

Originally Posted by ilangop

Guys. Like some of you here I too wanted to go for 165/80r14 tubeless tyres for my PP.

Hi folks. With the engine still running in, I am gaining a better confidence over the engine work and decided to buy a set of new tyres that may go with the Punto rims. Got those rims painted aluminium silver and installed a pair of Firestone FS100 165/80R14 for the front alone. Will swap the rear ones also soon.
Didn't do any deep dive into the technical aspects of FS100. Bought them as the deal was good. Took the car to tyre changing facility. Insisted to tighten the wheel bolts by a wheel spanner only, and not to use the pneumatic nut runner.
The steering and suspension seem to feel the same with the new tyres. Will post a review after doing a longer drive with all 4 tyres changed. Does it give a Spyder look?
And yes, the car needs a wash

[vishy76]

Drove a 1990 Padmini belonging to a mutual friend and fell in love with it. However, the car I drove was quite battered up. Needed a grounds up restoration almost.

I was looking for something that was 70-80 percent there and just needed basic TLC in the form of running repairs and some cosmetic touchups.

Rejected numerous cars. Some slipped through. Finally found a diamond in the rough. I will keep the longer part of this story for my ownership report, but for now, here's my 1972 Fiat President. She's a single owner car.

Mechanical work done so far:

- Oil and oil filter change
- All fluids topped up including differential and gear oil
- Entire cooling system was flushed. Radiator had a crack on the neck. Welded. And the core was cleaned
- Spark plug and plug wires changed
- Carb tuning done and tappets set
- Exhaust system was changed excluding the manifold since it was all rusted
- Suspension greased and the car washed
- Fuel tank sender changed since it was always reading wrong. Left me stranded once thinking I had enough fuel
- All the electricals were brought back to working condition. Couple of light weren't functional before
- Got new wheelcaps (Original President ones cost an eye watering amount. I got Padmini ones for around 1/4th the cost)

Work pending:

- All four shocks are bust. Will change them with the bushes and spiders if I can get hold of good quality spiders
- Cross member needs to be changed
- Timing chain in the future sometime

Water pump and fuel pump can run as is. Will stock them up and change if needed. The tyres are 20 years old. They will also need to go next month.

Coming to aesthetic mods, I don't want to screw with the originality of the car. Having said that, I don't want to pay through my nose for minor cosmetic parts either. Would much rather invest that money in mechanicals and enjoy driving her. Thankfully, 90 percent of the trims and cosmetic parts are original. Still a few aesthetic changes I plan to make:

- Already removed the roof carrier and fender mounted radio antenna. Both looked ugly

- Get the bumpers rechromed since they were painted black

- Get clear lens indicators rather than the orange ones. They don't suit the car in my opinion

- Will be putting whitewall inserts shortly

Sharing a few pics clicked by my friend and trusted mechanic in Pune. He's done a fabulous job bringing her back to former glory.

[sheelRP]

Congratulations dear mate for premier president…even we own one 1973 model with the vehicle in mint condition … credit goes to my father who always serviced this car for 49 years now all by himself…will write someday…I would just like to know whether you can get the solex carborater kit as it is becoming difficult in noida …just let me know.

[vishy76]

Originally Posted by sheelRP

Congratulations dear mate for premier president…even we own one 1973 model with the vehicle in mint condition … credit goes to my father who always serviced this car for 49 years now all by himself…will write someday…I would just like to know whether you can get the solex carborater kit as it is becoming difficult in noida …just let me know.

Hey, great to come across another fellow President owner!

Hats off to your father for keeping the car in mint shape. The owner of this car also did the same for 50 years before selling it off due to age.

I am also on the lookout for a Solex carb kit, but all I am getting are cheap knock offs. My carb has an issue where the butterfly valve has very minute play which leads to the idle staying higher than it should and not settling down after letting go off the gas. My mechanic is ready to work on the carb only after I buy him a good repair kit.

Will keep you posted if I find a good carb kit

[sheelRP]

Thanks. Also enquired few years back from Opera House area Mumbai ..but no luck.

[karlosdeville]

A question for the experts - see the engine number on this 1984 Premier Padmini Deluxe BU (floor shift, bucket seats). It has an HC prefix, which I'm told was High Compression. Any more details known by anyone?

[ajay99]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

A question for the experts - see the engine number on this 1984 Premier Padmini Deluxe BU (floor shift, bucket seats). It has an HC prefix, which I'm told was High Compression. Any more details known by anyone?Attachment 2440932

Although i am not a padmini expert, HC prefix should be denoting High Compression since it was around this period that Padmini introduced the High compression engine (with better mileage) in the Deluxe(BE and BU) models. The standard model continued with the old engine.

[justin.das]

Originally Posted by vishy76

Drove a 1990 Padmini belonging to a mutual friend and fell in love with it. However, the car I drove was quite battered up. Needed a grounds-up restoration almost.

Exactly the same story as mine, I just took a friend's car for a drive and fell in love with it

Originally Posted by vishy76

here's my 1972 Fiat President. She's a single-owner car.

Mechanical work done so far:

- Oil and oil filter change
- All fluids topped up including differential and gear oil
- Entire cooling system was flushed. The radiator had a crack on the neck. Welded. And the core was cleaned

Please refer to Behram sir's post on engine/gearbox oil grades and follow it strictly don't follow what your mechanic says

Originally Posted by vishy76

- Spark plug and plug wires changed

Which plugs are you using now, Champion L92YC is still available, don't use plugs with R ( Resistance ) on their model No

Originally Posted by vishy76

- The exhaust system was changed excluding the manifold since it was all rusted

The permanent solution is to go for SS pipes, I am using SS pipes now

Originally Posted by vishy76

- Got new wheelcaps (Original President ones cost an eye watering amount. I got Padmini ones for around 1/4th the cost)

Replica wheel cups were available which look exactly the same costing around 4k.

Originally Posted by vishy76

Work pending:

- Timing chain in the future sometime

Water pump and fuel pump can run as is. Will stock them up and change if needed. The tyres are 20 years old. They will also need to go next month

Buy the Rolon Timing chain kit with sprockets as soon as possible they are getting tough to source and expensive

Originally Posted by sheelRP

Congratulations dear mate for premier president…even we own one 1973 model with the vehicle in mint condition … credit goes to my father who always serviced this car for 49 years now all by himself…will write someday…I would just like to know whether you can get the Solex carborater kit as it is becoming difficult in noida …just let me know.

Please post some photographs of your car. Solex carb repair kits are not easy to find but kpacco kits are available which are an exact match but low on quality

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

A question for the experts - see the engine number on this 1984 Premier Padmini Deluxe BU (floor shift, bucket seats). It has an HC prefix, which I'm told was High Compression. Are any more details known by anyone?

I am seeing this for the very first time.it's been 10 years am seeing these 1100 series cars and it never stopped amusing me, learning new things even today is very interesting.

Originally Posted by BeemerBug_06

Attachment 2441534

A question to the experts - Is this the original meter for a 1990 model or does it belong to an older car? A lot of bits on this car seem to be swapped from other Padminis, hence the confusion.

The meter as you can see in the image is of a 1979 model.

[BeemerBug_06]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

A question for the experts - see the engine number on this 1984 Premier Padmini Deluxe BU (floor shift, bucket seats). It has an HC prefix, which I'm told was High Compression. Any more details known by anyone?

Attachment 2440932

This should help answer your question

[vishy76]

To all the experts here,

I have been piling on some miles on the President. All is well and I am really enjoying driving her. Have already bought a new cross member and have started saving up for a full suspension overhaul.

I was facing an odd droning noise when I used to let off the throttle in 3rd and 4th gears without pressing the clutch. I had the UJ cross changed but it doesn't seem to have solved the issue. When I press the clutch, the noise goes away. Here are the symptoms:

- It comes from somewhere between the front and rear seats. The exact location is slightly behind the front bench I would say

- Only comes when the car is allowed to coast in 3rd and 4th gear with minimal throttle input or no inputs. As soon as I push the clutch, it disappears

I am suspecting the gearbox now but would want to know if anybody else has faced this issue before attending to it. Thanks

[Babyhindusthan]

A desk calendar on classic Fiats featuring Karl Bhote's Safari.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by Babyhindusthan

A desk calendar on classic Fiats featuring Karl Bhote's Safari.

Hi. I remember seeing these scale models on Amazon or Flipkart. Could you please comment on their quality? Are they metal?

[tharian]

Originally Posted by dhanushs

Hi. I remember seeing these scale models on Amazon or Flipkart. Could you please comment on their quality? Are they metal?

They are made of plastic. Although not as perfect as a proper scale model made of metal, this is good especially at what prices they sell at.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am looking for a engine breather pipe for a 72' Fiat 1100D as the existing one is falling apart especially after rats started chewing on it.
I don't expect to find replica ones of the same length and size. Is there an equivalent thick rubber pipe that I can use instead.

[Babyhindusthan]

Originally Posted by tharian

They are made of plastic. Although not as perfect as a proper scale model made of metal, this is good especially at what prices they sell at.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am looking for a engine breather pipe for a 72' Fiat 1100D as the existing one is falling apart especially after rats started chewing on it.
I don't expect to find replica ones of the same length and size. Is there an equivalent thick rubber pipe that I can use instead.

I may have one, that can be used

[ilangop]

Originally Posted by vishy76

I was facing an odd droning noise when I used to let off the throttle in 3rd and 4th gears without pressing the clutch. I had the UJ cross changed but it doesn't seem to have solved the issue. When I press the clutch, the noise goes away. Here are the symptoms:

- It comes from somewhere between the front and rear seats. The exact location is slightly behind the front bench I would say

Didi you check the condition of the flexible coupling? May be it about to give away. Vulcan make ones are available these days and seem to do a good job.