Panda (Classic) Charmanda(er) The Panda

[Didge3]

As a side note to that, how mad is it that a really old classic beetle has an auto choke of sorts, i was pretty surprised to find this out when i had beetles.

I have only heard horrible things about automatic chokes.

 

[blu73]

i dunno if you could really call it an auto choke tbh.. you fully depress the go pedal and there is some notches on the bit that moves at the other end of the cable that holds the butterfly open a tad then you start it. Thats all there was too it from memory - but both beetles i had never failed to start, whatever the weather. They were both later beetles though (a 1973 & 1972) so vw had had years to perfect the design by then i guess.

I have a massive soft spot for old veedubs, if it wasn't for being associated with all the vw scene junkie types i'd probably still have an aircooled vw of sorts. One of my ultimate dreams cars is a fridolin (or type 147), which basically is a postman pat van - originally designed as a swiss postal van iirc.

 

[Didge3]

i dunno if you could really call it an auto choke tbh.. you fully depress the go pedal and there is some notches on the bit that moves at the other end of the cable that holds the butterfly open a tad then you start it. Thats all there was too it from memory - but both beetles i had never failed to start, whatever the weather. They were both later beetles though (a 1973 & 1972) so vw had had years to perfect the design by then i guess.

I have a massive soft spot for old veedubs, if it wasn't for being associated with all the vw scene junkie types i'd probably still have an aircooled vw of sorts. One of my ultimate dreams cars is a fridolin (or type 147), which basically is a postman pat van - originally designed as a swiss postal van iirc.

My sister calls my Panda the postman pat van
To be fair, Char' has never not started, some days just takes a little longer than usual, I'm glad she has quite a strong battery

The Panda choke is a little weird, I've driven an old Civic and an old Polo with chokes, these you basically just pulled the choke all the way out no matter the weather, turned the key, pushed the choke back in to whatever suited the weather and feathered the throttle, within about 10 seconds they'd idle with the choke off. Char' is strange, if I start on full choke she'll flood, and pulling the choke out opens the throttle a little bit (the throttle pedal moves as you pull the choke out) she certainly won't idle with the choke off until the engine temp is around 60/65C either, she'll just splutter around 500-600rpm or just completely die, I don't think this is all too abnormal though, all chokes are quite different as far as I can tell

 

[Palio]

I have only heard horrible things about automatic chokes.

The 127's had auto chokes on the 1050 engines. A sort of spiral of metal which expands and contracts. Everyone swore they were impossible to use (from cold you stamp hard on the accelerator a certain way & different for every one - once for the CL, twice for the Palio, no more or it will flood - different techniques when warm or it floods!!) and converted them to manual.

Being obtuse I converted my Palio from a broken manual choke back to automatic when I first had it. Both my 127's are on auto chokes (I quite like these, but there is a REAL knack to using them correctly without flooding the carb or failing to get any choke!!), so are potentially 2 of the last unmodified ones

When working they work great, but in all honesty I can see why Fiat went back to manual for the Panda/Uno

 

[Didge3]

Both my 127's are on auto chokes (I quite like these, but there is a REAL knack to using them correctly without flooding the carb or failing to get any choke!!), so are potentially 2 of the last unmodified ones

When working they work great, but in all honesty I can see why Fiat went back to manual for the Panda/Uno

I would kill for a 127, especially a Palio, in bright orange :worship:
I think my Mum would kill me too though

 

[Didge3]

*dribbledribbledribble*

 

[blu73]

all sounds standard didge, nout to worry about for sure.. Last manual choke i had was on a vauxhall nova. Please don't disown me for that, it was free and i needed a car - and in my defense it was like a brand new car, had lived in a garage all its life and had 15k ish on the clocks, anyhow i digress - that had a really specific choke you had to get just right depending on prevailing weather conditions and in winter i found even once warmed it up it worked much better with the choke pushed right in but with a rizla packet holding it out a tad - this was my technical measurement at the time and worked a treat, but had to be a full pack.

 

[Palio]

I would kill for a 127, especially a Palio, in bright orange :worship:
I think my Mum would kill me too though

A man of taste, but please don't kill me! :worship:

The Palio only came in metallic dark blue, or metallic bronze. If you want a blue one you may have to kill me though, as we don't know of another & it's not for sale.

If you want orange and original, the 127 Sport is your car. You can get them with the optional folding sunroof (like the Palio), and most are on Palio alloys these days (which was an option for the Sport originally). When I say most, there are around 9-12 Sport's left, so you have a chance! I'd guess 3/4 orange, and 6/7 black - they also came in silver, but apart from a replica in Ireland I don't think there are any others left here.

Edit: I see you've found a pic of an orange one!

 

[Didge3]

The Palio only came in metallic dark blue, or metallic bronze. If you want a blue one you may have to kill me though, as we don't know of another & it's not for sale.
If you want orange and original, the 127 Sport is your car. You can get them with the optional folding sunroof (like the Palio), and most are on Palio alloys these days (which was an option for the Sport originally). When I say most, there are around 9-12 Sport's left, so you have a chance! I'd guess 3/4 orange, and 6/7 black - they also came in silver, but apart from a replica in Ireland I don't think there are any others left here.
!

Oh I thought the Palio and Sport were essentially the same

Back on topic a tad, checked insurance for post engine transplant on Char' and its reasonable if I bag another years no claims
Now just got to find myself a P75

 

[Dragon Man]

i know all carb engines all have there different personalities. talon loves the cold. in fact the colder it is the better he starts! since the frost has come he now starts without any issue what so ever, but raise the temp up just a little and he then becomes a bit harder to start.

you may find this with the 750 engine. like i say all are different but try this method:

get in the car, 2 pumps of the accelerator pedal, choke full out and turn the key. see how well it starts. that never fails with talon. he even runs smooth cold too!

its a shame i cant have a summer and winter carb setup

 

[Palio]

Oh I thought the Palio and Sport were essentially the same

Back on topic a tad, checked insurance for post engine transplant on Char' and its reasonable if I bag another years no claims
Now just got to find myself a P75

Ask me one day when you're bored!

Didn't Vernon have a 75 kicking around? If, sorry when, Panto! is proven to drive brilliantly, I think Vern's more likely to put the 16v into whichever car the 75 was originally going in. I'm not sure that made sense, but Vern might have one he ends up not using.......

 

[Didge3]

i know all carb engines all have there different personalities. talon loves the cold. in fact the colder it is the better he starts! since the frost has come he now starts without any issue what so ever, but raise the temp up just a little and he then becomes a bit harder to start.

you may find this with the 750 engine. like i say all are different but try this method:

get in the car, 2 pumps of the accelerator pedal, choke full out and turn the key. see how well it starts. that never fails with talon. he even runs smooth cold too!

Char' is pretty good in the warm, about 1/4 choke every time and she starts more or less instantly, if I use full choke she normally floods, I usually do one pump of accelerator, pull choke half way (in current temperatures) crank and feather the throttle till she catches. Sometimes she'll start and just splutter at about 500rpm but she won't actually cut out, doesn't sound very happy though, all part of the fun :slayer:

 

[Didge3]

Ask me one day when you're bored!

Didn't Vernon have a 75 kicking around? If, sorry when, Panto! is proven to drive brilliantly, I think Vern's more likely to put the 16v into whichever car the 75 was originally going in. I'm not sure that made sense, but Vern might have one he ends up not using.......

He mentioned having a 75, but I think he has plans for it VmanC
I need like everything rather than just an engine though, fuel pump/loom/ecu/manifolds/throttle body, you know the deal so I was going to buy a complete car. Its a bit tricky finding P75's though....

 

[panda1408]

Procedure for me is full choke when starting, then push it in half way, set off and push it in all the way after a mile or so. As John says though, they all seem to be different, just about getting used to it, I often got it wrong on my Sisley when I first had it, usually conking out at a set of traffic lights or similar

 

[purple haze]

Lots of cars in the 70's had an auto choke. I just wait awhile for the panda to warm up...good for the engine/oil.

 

[blu73]

there is age old question of whether is better for your engine to let it idle to warm up or to just drive gently while it warms up.. I have heard may views on it but still no idea which is best (if one is better than the other).

I suppose the only difference i can see is when driving you got higher oil pressure and it warms up faster. Myself, if its icy i let it tickover to warm up and melt the ice on the screen but if not i just keep under 3k revs in the cinq until at operating temp. Bu tbh you don't really ever need to go over that in the cinq, 3k rpm in 5th is 60mph.

discuss.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Start, idle for 20-30 sec to make sure oil fully circulated and then drive gently until hot.

Only exception is courtesy cars, them you start and rag as soon as you've turned the key

 

[Didge3]

discuss.

Not in my MM thread you wont

Start, idle for 20-30 sec to make sure oil fully circulated and then drive gently until hot.

Only exception is courtesy cars, them you start and rag as soon as you've turned the key

Generally keep Char' under 3k until the temp at least shows up on the temp gauge (50C), sometimes this is quite hard though if you need to pull out onto a busy road with any sort of pace in a 750, you get to about 4000rpm in first by the time you've hit about 8mph

We had a Hyundai Accent once as a hire car on holiday, the procedure was, start it, floor the accelerator, dump the clutch at around 4000rpm and redline it before changing to 2nd, that was just how you set off everyday :devil:

 

[Didge3]

Because I'm not very cool I want yellow headlights, will these fit Char' (yes I know they'll be about as bright as a candle in a jam jar )

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Because I'm not very cool I want yellow headlights, will these fit Char' (yes I know they'll be about as bright as a candle in a jam jar )

Yes they will fit but before you do think of the safety of you and others around you!

I'd avoid, if you want not so bright headlights stick to the OEM 40/46 watt tunstung units they came with from factory