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Panda (Classic) John Dragon Man's Seat Marbella Fun

Introduction

Well guys and girls. i could not help my self when i saw this come in to our local scrap yard.

1994 Marbella with 20,079 miles on the clock. looks like it has not gone around the clock as the interior and parts of the engine and gearbox still look like new.

heres some pictures of how i came to it at the scrap yard:


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here you can see the melted wire:
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Stand by for some more pictures, and of course online video logs via Youtube!


bit of a story of how i found the car:

A few days ago (on the 23rd) me and a friend, went around another friends house. i parked up and used his (the friend we went around to see's) car to go down to the scrap yard (he is not far from it).
we had a good walk around and my friend found some more sound proofing for Talon (as he is very good at this) and some other odd bits (which i was told i could have for free - best scrap yard ever!).
on leaving the scrap yard a lorry came down the driveway looking for a way through to a business place. we told the lorry driver to follow us to where he needed to go as my friend knew the way to it.

on the way we passed a place i use to work at. as we went past the friend i brought with me noticed a seat marbella parked up in one of the car park bays. i didn't see much of it and only the back of the car, but noted the unusual reg number.
anyway. a day or so later (on the 26th) the same friend who spotted the car went to the same scrap yard we visited on the 23rd to get some bits for his car, and what car just so happens to be sat in the row of cars ready to have all of there vital fluids / environmental hazards removed? the little seat marbella. so he gets on the phone and rings me up.

I then ring up the scrap yard and ask them to hold the car and not to put it through the scrapping process as i would like to know if they would sell it.
they told me that it came in late on the 24th and i was lucky to catch it just in time. they gave me a price of £350 which was quite a bit for me so i was not really that bothered. my friend told me it was in good condition with no rust.
so i was just going to go down after they processed it for scrap as i wanted the rust free doors off it. (i know Sisley owners and Marbella doors.. :rolleyes:)

anyway. this morning (27th) i got a phone call from the scrap yard.
"you were interested in the marbella? i've stuck it to one side for you if you want to come down and have a look at it..."

well i could not resist.. even if it was just to see how good them doors were.. (ohhh those marbella doors..:yum::p:p). i drove right up to the gates and parked up. walked in and was greeted by this happy.. yet sad looking little red marbella.

well i looked around it found i could not get the bonnet open, would not pop up when i tried to open it. i did in the end get it open and soon spotted the "causes of death fault".
a really melted wire leading from the alternator that should of been connected to the starter motor, it somehow worked free and arced to the engine block causing the alternator to lock up and burn the diode bridge out. it also had short run issues like quite a bit of water logged oil in the oil filler (these engines get that, its normal), a smashed front headlight, on the inside the drivers side seat belt has been worn by something causing it to fray, and it is also missing a wing mirror.

inside the car was a notice saying that the car will not start and it was to be towed for scrap at 13:00 on the 24/04/13. i also found some paperwork with the previous owners name and address. (i was later able to track down the previous owner using this and retrieve the super rare parcel shelf! :D)

well despite the niggles that it had.. i just could not help myself... the car was rust free, solid as the first day it was put together.
so i end up talking to the guy on the weigh bridge and he said that i could take it for £325... delivered to my home address.:slayer:

and so, i now own a 1994 Seat Marbella "Fun" :D

it just so happens that my brother is taking driving lessons and i think that it would make the perfect car to welcome him into the life of driving a car.
keep this hush hush.. he does not know yet that this will be his car. ;)

Edits:
As of 17/08/2013 the car is now back on the road after its scrap yard rescue!!! High Five!
soon after the car was put in my brothers name as it made the insurance go down a lot.

Edit: This is a photo of the marbella when my brother sold it:
thanks for all the help, the panda 900 here is quite a rare car.. and even harder to find with electronic injection. sadly i think i will be limited to cinquecento parts.

dont forget that over here we are right hand drive so most things do not have to be as long.

i will be good with the head light, as another forum member has a set for me.
also unless the head lamp glass is from a right hand drive car it wont be good in the UK and not pass our vehicle roadworthy test :(
 
i'm sure i can retrofit it.. lets face it. the 899cc engine the cinquecento uses is the same as the 903cc engine the panda and marbella use.

if i was to get the ECU from out of an older (pre 1994) cinquecento 899cc it would not have the key code system the more modern ones have.

it may be the same system used in the fiat panda...?
 
I suppose it will fit, but, as said, most of the cables are way too smal to fit a Panda or Marbella.. So you'll have to find a rhd throttle cable (which is longer then the LHD version) for a Panda 900 with injection, of try to make the Cinq cable a lot longer :)
 
well guys i am happy to say this is one marbella saved!

i have a few pictures of a very happy brother and his new-ish (all be it 19 years old) Seat Marbella.



and it would not be complete without a video!



happy brother!

You will all get to see it at Mitcar! (if you are going.. :shrug: )
 
I've also got a full socket set permanently installed in Pippin's boot! :eek:

See y'all there...! (y)

Maybe that's what's blunting Pippin's performance :idea:

Will be sans Panda tomorrow as Mum's back is bad & she was unconvinced that mk1 Panda's had adequate padding :(

Should be the Coupe, but I hope the Panda's will still speak to me - it's just a glorified Panda after all - well ok, actually it's nearly the antithesis of a Panda tbh, but it's got the same badge (y)
 
Hey Dragon Man,

The car looks great!

So it turns out that it is the Lambda sensor causing the ECU warning. Any recommendations on what kind of sensor can I use to replace it?

I'll have to put a few pics of mine :)

A
 
On de video on page 10 I noticed that the switches on the dash are illuminated! Never seen THAT before! All the Marbella's I know just have the switches without any possible illumination. Maybe something due to UK regulations?
 
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