General Rebuild plan?

[Pouch]

I need a plan
I have my restored rolling shell in the garage & boxes of parts.
Its a 1965 LHD car, i’ve kept it in its original Fiat grey, all the bodywork done by a pro.

I have downloaded a manual, but am not sure of the best order to reassemble,
I built a Caterham a few years, but that had an build guide

Can anyone point me to a plan, blog, or video playlist as a guide?
Im not sure which bits to start first?
The pic is of the finished shell before the wheels and suspension were temp fixed to move it about.
Thats my old Alfa in the background

 

[Goldnrust]

Bodywork looks lovely there in grey The good news, is that the bodywork is definitely the hardest bit, so with that done you're in a good place.

I don't think you'll necessarily find a guide as such. You could read through some of the build threads on here for ideas as to how people tackle it.

There's no particular order necessary, though it makes sense to work on one sub-system of the car at a time, then when it's done you can bolt it on to the car and it wont get lost/damaged. As you've already got suspension on temorarily, maybe starting there makes sense? A rolling shell is easier to live with than one on blocks!

To me it makes sense to get all the mechanical bits sorted before you start on the shiny bits of interior and trim. You'll need to run the various control cables gear linkage, brake line and fuel hose through the centre tunnel in the car, so it makes sense to do all of that before you consider carpets / floor mats. Likewise you'll want to get the wiring loom run through the car before you fit the engine and fuel tank, as it runs behind both of these. It's perfectly possibly to do it with them in situ, but its just easier without.

 

[the hobbler]

Bodywork looks lovely there in grey The good news, is that the bodywork is definitely the hardest bit, so with that done you're in a good place.

I don't think you'll necessarily find a guide as such. You could read through some of the build threads on here for ideas as to how people tackle it.

There's no particular order necessary, though it makes sense to work on one sub-system of the car at a time, then when it's done you can bolt it on to the car and it wont get lost/damaged. As you've already got suspension on temorarily, maybe starting there makes sense? A rolling shell is easier to live with than one on blocks!

To me it makes sense to get all the mechanical bits sorted before you start on the shiny bits of interior and trim. You'll need to run the various control cables gear linkage, brake line and fuel hose through the centre tunnel in the car, so it makes sense to do all of that before you consider carpets / floor mats. Likewise you'll want to get the wiring loom run through the car before you fit the engine and fuel tank, as it runs behind both of these. It's perfectly possibly to do it with them in situ, but its just easier without.

A copy of an ORIGINAL (Fiat Factory) work-shop manual would help you a great deal---there are about 4 available on e-bay at the moment. "Goldenrust's" suggestion of making a sound, rolling-chassis first, and then getting all the bits down the centre, followed by the wiring loom, is a good way of going about it.

 

[motorworxmarket]

This looks like a great project, I would love to see how it progress's.

Are you going to document the build on here?

 

[fiat500]

View attachment 453325I need a plan
I have my restored rolling shell in the garage & boxes of parts.
Its a 1965 LHD car, i’ve kept it in its original Fiat grey, all the bodywork done by a pro.

I have downloaded a manual, but am not sure of the best order to reassemble,
I built a Caterham a few years, but that had an build guide

Can anyone point me to a plan, blog, or video playlist as a guide?
Im not sure which bits to start first?
The pic is of the finished shell before the wheels and suspension were temp fixed to move it about.
Thats my old Alfa in the background

If you have a few days to spare, and you want to read about the approach taken by two intrepid Fiat 500 restorers who have gone before, try these links. The first is to a restoration that really started with a bodyshell, by Tony, who used to be "Vitesse" on this forum. The scond is by me, and is still going on.
They will roughly follow the timelines we adopted.

1966 Fiat 500F Restoration

Classic car, van and pickup forum

www.oldclassiccar.co.uk

1969 Fiat 500F Restoration Resolution

Classic car, van and pickup forum

www.oldclassiccar.co.uk

 

[telemike4]

My suggestion is that before you put the fuel tank in make sure all the dash lights, wiring, wipers, knee bumper, speedo cable etc are installed because it is hard to do anything with the tank installed. Also carpet and upholstery last. I think other than that you can do it in whatever order makes you feel like it is progressing, but it is good to get it on its wheels first as it gets a bit cumbersome with all that weight on a little trolley.

 

[Pouch]

Thanks all for the suggestions.
Im building a list and will post here and also do a bit of a build thread.
Im not sure my rebuild will make great reading, but hey lets give it a go.
I can see already that im going to be spending lots of time getting the parts ready for each stage.

 

[Pouch]

Fiat 500 build plan - suggestions welcome


Running gear

• suspension, bushes, dampers & springs
• Brake lines
• Wheel Hub builds, brakes
• Steering box
• Steering Column
• Control arms
• Tracking?

Centre tunnel

• Fuel lines
• Wiring loom
• Handbrake
• Handbrake cables
• Pedal box
• Clutch cable
• Accelerator cable
• Speedo cable
• Starter cable
• Choke cable

Glass

• windscreen
• Rear screen
• Rear quarters

Wipers

• motor & spinal instal
• Switch

Instruments & Lights

• Speedo
• Headlamps, rear lights, sidelights
• Lights switch
• Indicators, switch install

Doors

• Dynamat
• rubbers
• Quarter lights
• Door handles,
• Locking mechanism
• Winder & mechanism
• Window rubbers
• Door cards

Interior

• sun visors
• Rear view mirror
• Knee pads
• Dynamat
• Seatbelts
• Seat runners
• Centre console
• Carpet
• Rear seat
• Front seats
• Roof lining
• Soft top

Engine & gearbox

• source syncro gbox
• Engine

 

[the hobbler]

Fiat 500 build plan - suggestions welcome


Running gear

• suspension, bushes, dampers & springs
• Brake lines
• Wheel Hub builds, brakes
• Steering box
• Steering Column
• Control arms
• Tracking?

Centre tunnel

• Fuel lines
• Wiring loom
• Handbrake
• Handbrake cables
• Pedal box
• Clutch cable
• Accelerator cable
• Speedo cable
• Starter cable
• Choke cable

Glass

• windscreen
• Rear screen
• Rear quarters

Wipers

• motor & spinal instal
• Switch

Instruments & Lights

• Speedo
• Headlamps, rear lights, sidelights
• Lights switch
• Indicators, switch install

Doors

• Dynamat
• rubbers
• Quarter lights
• Door handles,
• Locking mechanism
• Winder & mechanism
• Window rubbers
• Door cards

Interior

• sun visors
• Rear view mirror
• Knee pads
• Dynamat
• Seatbelts
• Seat runners
• Centre console
• Carpet
• Rear seat
• Front seats
• Roof lining
• Soft top

Engine & gearbox

• source syncro gbox
• Engine

The 500's "dog-clutch" gearbox (i.e.no synchro) is the stronger box-----my reccomendation is that you keep it if you can and get the hang of 'double-de-clutching'.Once you have learnt to do it slowly (and you only really need to go it on"down" changes) you will soon speed-up and wonder what all the fuss was.
If you are planning to up grade to a 652cc(126) engine, the 126 bellhousing will fit onto the 500 gearbox---not a difficult job. If you are planning to retain the 500 engine, like-wise, the 500 bell-housing will fit the 126 gearbox. If your engine/bell-housing has a "2-bolt" starter mount (the later 500s had a "3-bolt" mounting) I would suggest that you obtain and fit one of the starter 'braces' which does help prevent the starter falling off and taking a chunk of the bell-housing with it!
The starters for the 126 and 500 are different, and one won't fit the other. Whichever gearbox you decide on, remember, NEITHER has synchro on 1st gear, so it is unwise to try and select 1st gear unless the car is stationary. One source of '126' gear-boxes is Lucasz at L.P.Garage (they are 'on-line'). If you think mentioning my name (Tom Montagu) will help as I have done a lot of business with Lucasz, feel free to use it. His gearboxes are all 2nd hand, so you do take a bit of "pot-luck", but I have not had a problem with any boxes that I have bought from him.

 

[Pouch]

The 500's "dog-clutch" gearbox (i.e.no synchro) is the stronger box-----my reccomendation is that you keep it if you can and get the hang of 'double-de-clutching'.Once you have learnt to do it slowly (and you only really need to go it on"down" changes) you will soon speed-up and wonder what all the fuss was.
If you are planning to up grade to a 652cc(126) engine, the 126 bellhousing will fit onto the 500 gearbox---not a difficult job. If you are planning to retain the 500 engine, like-wise, the 500 bell-housing will fit the 126 gearbox. If your engine/bell-housing has a "2-bolt" starter mount (the later 500s had a "3-bolt" mounting) I would suggest that you obtain and fit one of the starter 'braces' which does help prevent the starter falling off and taking a chunk of the bell-housing with it!
The starters for the 126 and 500 are different, and one won't fit the other. Whichever gearbox you decide on, remember, NEITHER has synchro on 1st gear, so it is unwise to try and select 1st gear unless the car is stationary. One source of '126' gear-boxes is Lucasz at L.P.Garage (they are 'on-line'). If you think mentioning my name (Tom Montagu) will help as I have done a lot of business with Lucasz, feel free to use it. His gearboxes are all 2nd hand, so you do take a bit of "pot-luck", but I have not had a problem with any boxes that I have bought from him.

Thanks,
I already have a 650 engine that the car came with.
It came with a Dog box, i’d be happy with that, but my wife wont be, we may use this as a general driver in Spain in the distant future, so it needs to be easy to drove.
She wont drive our VW bus, which is like stirring porridge

 

[Ziffa]

I personally would go with the wheels and steering, to make it mobile if need be, then the electrics, cables and fuel line, once it's "naked" then everything else.
I love that color, if I had the luxury of building a second 500, it'd be ether that gray or the dark blue, and a white stripe on the shoulder.

Regarding the non-synchro woes, I learnt how to double clutch when I had just bought mine, for 10Lm off my gran . It sounds a lot more intimidating than it actually is. My personal recommendation is don't shift into first unless you are stationary, that's the hardest gear to find when down shifting. I just used to imagine I'm playing a drum . Slower is always better.
If I had to be in your situation, I'd tell your wife to simply look at your legs and hands, to get a sense of the process, then tell her to try it out for a short drive..... then try come up with a situation where she NEEDS to drive it, for a day or two. I'm pretty sure she'll get it.
Don't stress about it, you did get it to have fun after all.