Seat_Terra_002.JPG

Panda (Classic) Terra van, the quick one.

Introduction

Introducing what will be my new works van.









It's a Seat Terra with the 903cc ohv engine and 43,000 miles on the clock. I've had it a few years now but it's been off the road for the last four.

I need it to fulfill two purposes, Carry larger parts and be a general runaround, and act as a mobile advert for the business. With all of this in mind I have a few mods planned.

Firstly I want it to be fast :devil:

The 903cc engine just won't cut it so had to go, anyway I'd already sold the cyl. head to a Mk1 Panda owner. Once removed the engine bay was thoroughly cleaned and came up amazingly well.......









Then it was time to fit the new engine.......



It's a 500 essesse engine :D Very easy to fit when you haven't got a gearbox or even thought about making it run. :rolleyes:
This really is the engine I have planned for it but there are major issues to overcome. It may be a fire engine but with all the added paraphernalia it takes up alot of space. I'm going to have to think about this one. :confused:

Once installed there is the question of engine management. This is way beyond my level of expertise with modern engines. I have asked a company more familiar with that kind of thing if they could do the job for me using aftermarket ecu's etc and they said yes, and it would cost around £3k! That's alot of money that I'm not prepared to spend unless the rest of the van turns out well enough to make it worth it so for now the plan to use that engine will be put on the back burner. In the mean time a 1242 16v engine will have to do.

While running it around with the 16v engine I will be able to make sure the brakes and suspension are up to handling the more powerful unit.

I've already got the wheels sorted......



Bodywise I'm converting to Mk1 Panda front end and keeping it red. This alone is not eye catching enough, it has to be a mobile advert don't forget, so I'm fully restoring the o/s only while making the already tatty n/s tattier. The idea is to have a before and after effect which will include the interior. As the under bonnet area is not normally seen and needs to be reliable that will be completely done.

The engine bay is great just with having a wash so no need even for paint here, but the floorpan on the o/s is not so good.......









The Seats don't rust at the back of the sills like the Pandas but there are issues further forward as the pics. show. So first job is to cut out all rusty metal, make repair panels, and weld in place......











I haven't needed to cut into the corrugated area of the side panels so can replace the outer sill section using a Mk2 Panda panel.

This is how things currently stand, and until it's done I shall continue to run around in my diesel Terra.

Will finish this first post with a couple of pics of them both together......



Vehicle information

Category
FIAT Cars
Added by
VmanC
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