Mr FIAT - Your #1 source for vintage car parts

Tuning HIGHFLOW CAT exhaust system

Currently reading:
Tuning HIGHFLOW CAT exhaust system

i see, makes sense really now that it's explained. I was going to say there must've been an ulterior motive for the debadging but still an awesome looking car and very unique :D

Are you keeping the other outside trim dark gray or are you planning anything to them i.e chrome?
 
Diesel500Roger said:
yes would be brilliant if you could, £150 sounds reasonable. Im after the same lowering as your photoshop... also regarding the picture you posted, have you taken the diesel pillar from between the side windows?
Click to expand...

As RUI pointed out before, that car looks so low because he's played around with it in photoshop and made the wheels much bigger which means a smaller arch to tyre gap which makes the car look very low.
 
even if you can get it that low it will not look as low because of the small wheels
 
Diesel500Roger said:
i could still get it that low though, couldnt i?
Click to expand...

:bang:

You don't get it. It LOOKS that low, because RUI has made the wheels bigger which creates the illusion of the car being slammed. If you're going to get it to look that low you would almost certainly need new dampers to go along with some lowering springs. To make a car which was visually that low you are then going to suffer with speedbumps, potholes and the like.

Feel free to chuck some lowering springs onto it, but any attempt to make the car look that low will more or less ruin it as a car to drive on the road.
 
I don't think it will ruin it to drive. i have had lowered cars and they have been fine.
 
I get the point your trying to make, but in argument my friends lowered mx5 isnt uncomfortable at all and to lower it even just 30-40mm on what i have now just straight down without doing anything with camber should be nice i think.

On the other hand, what I think you're trying to say is that i'd need to get larger wheels or it would look stupid/lost in the arches?
 
Diesel500Roger said:
I get the point your trying to make, but in argument my friends lowered mx5 isnt uncomfortable at all and to lower it even just 30-40mm on what i have now just straight down without doing anything with camber should be nice i think.

On the other hand, what I think you're trying to say is that i'd need to get larger wheels or it would look stupid/lost in the arches?
Click to expand...

Here is a link to how lowered springs would look.
In the Eibach range there is the Pro and the Sport.
http://www.gazzellaracing.com/home.php?cat=2279
Sport is reckoned to be too low with the Pro being the preferred choice.
Other option to get a set of springs of an Abarth that has been esseesse'd.
Maxi's post about getting better shocks is advisable - the standard ones are not great but it is possible to upgrade the rear shocks seperate to the springs.

It is important to work out what you looking to achieve and what you are looking to spend.

If it was me with a 1.2 I would look for a bit more power - hence the ITG CAI which I have already mentioned.
http://www.nuova500shop.com/productview.aspx?PID=139
Generally Panel filters are recommended with 'small' engines like the 1.2 but this CAI was apparently the most successfull of the Nuova range in the 500. I reckon it sacrifices some low end for a higher up 'power' output. I haven't used this so I cann't recommend it.

Eibach pro springs will drop the levels to 30mm. Generally if the ride height is dropped the recommended wheel sizes should be 15 inch - but I take it that you are not too bothered about ride comfort.
http://www.gazzellaracing.com/product.php?productid=17784
(Note only for demonstration - not recommending the above supplier)

Wigits input on the a 'less silenced cat back' sounds good but a tweeked ECU sounds like a re-map but I would be unsure of the cost of this. A sports cat 200 cell might be an option - here's one for a 1.4 - I'm imagine you could get one for a 1.2
http://www.dcperformance.co.uk/uprated/janspeed-exhausts-sports-cat/fiat/500.html

A back box would give some nice sounds. Few threads on here for exhausts. RUI would have a better idea on the cost of this.
 
Last edited:
Diesel500Roger said:
I get the point your trying to make, but in argument my friends lowered mx5 isnt uncomfortable at all and to lower it even just 30-40mm on what i have now just straight down without doing anything with camber should be nice i think.

On the other hand, what I think you're trying to say is that i'd need to get larger wheels or it would look stupid/lost in the arches?
Click to expand...

But that is an MX5. We're talking about 500's.

To get the look of the photo RUI did, you would need at least 17" wheels and lowering an 09 500 as much as you want and putting 17" wheels on it is just silly.
 
which is what i re-iterated... nothing is set in stone and thats why im asking what people think/how other people have done things. If I knew what I was after from my car then I wouldn't be asking the questions, as before I came onto this forum i'd never seen a tuned/modified 500.

So maybe what I want to do is a bit silly to you but in my opinion the ride is too high and it's not firm enough in the corners, hence why getting rid of ground clearance as much as possible without sacrificing my bumpers to road humps is one of the first things I want to do, but if your saying it'll look "silly" can you show me a picture of one, so I can see how silly it will look without changing the wheels? Also what difference would it make as a 2009 model?

As a final remark can I say thanks to "loveshandbags" as what I want to do is there and as a shopping list that looks like everything I want to do. :D
 
Diesel500Roger said:
which is what i re-iterated... nothing is set in stone and thats why im asking what people think/how other people have done things. If I knew what I was after from my car then I wouldn't be asking the questions, as before I came onto this forum i'd never seen a tuned/modified 500.

So maybe what I want to do is a bit silly to you but in my opinion the ride is too high and it's not firm enough in the corners, hence why getting rid of ground clearance as much as possible without sacrificing my bumpers to road humps is one of the first things I want to do, but if your saying it'll look "silly" can you show me a picture of one, so I can see how silly it will look without changing the wheels? Also what difference would it make as a 2009 model?

As a final remark can I say thanks to "loveshandbags" as what I want to do is there and as a shopping list that looks like everything I want to do. :D
Click to expand...
Yes, but you were asking if it were possible to make you car look like that photoshop......

As for merely lowering the car, of course you can do that.
 
Diesel500Roger said:
i could still get it that low though, couldnt i?
Click to expand...

RUI said:
I don't think it will ruin it to drive. i have had lowered cars and they have been fine.
Click to expand...

One thing to mention here is that the rear bump stops are quite large and even at standard ride height don't allow an awful lot of travel before touching. It might be a good idea to look into fitting some smaller aftermarket types whilst fitting the springs otherwise the ride be compromised by limited suspension travel. I know that some people have removed them altogether but personally I wouldn't go down that route.

ps. I remember one of our members, Badger I think who was fitting 18" wheels and also lowering his car to get the effect you want so it might be worth having a look in his gallery/posts to get his perspective. RobW also had a bespoke Spax kit fitted so it might be worhwhile looking him up as well.

Good luck with the mods and it will be interesting to get your feedback after it is done.
 
A coil over kit will set you back £900 ish plus fitting
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

topcat5
Technical Best price for a full exhaust system for a 2013 500 1.2 inc cat.
Replies
2
Views
712
jrkitching
J
gadb
Technical Exhaust fitting kit
Replies
5
Views
231
gadb
gadb
L
General Twin Air exhaust
Replies
1
Views
266
varesecrazy
V
szamat2012a
Technical Euro 5 CAT replace to euro 6?
Replies
4
Views
445
szamat2012a
szamat2012a
N
General How easy is it to up-grade the radio system, to a smart system ?
Replies
0
Views
256
norspeed
N
Back
Top