ditchdigger
ditchdigger Reader
6/1/10 12:59 a.m.

After almost 2 years I finally collected enough parts to de-federalize the front end of the eight and a half.

For some reason the US government in the late 60's decided that a 2"X4" turn signal just wasn't large enough and that it needed to be closer to 3X5. Since the Fiat 850 was pretty much the cheapest car you could buy at the time they didn't go to too much trouble to comply.

Before Photobucket

The gaping holes in the body were covered by a ribbed aluminum coverplate that I didn't have all the pieces to attach.

Now! Photobucket

The bumper came from a so-cal Fiat collectors personal stash. NOS fiat ricambi with the stickers still on the back bragging about Fiats 45 micron thick chrome plating. The Turn signals were again NOS units from a seller in greece. I had to bodge together bulb holders to fit using universal parts store pieces but it all came together nicely. I am well pleased. A much cleaner look.

Photobucket

CaptainSpaulding
CaptainSpaulding New Reader
6/1/10 1:01 a.m.

Sweet.

orphancars
orphancars Reader
6/1/10 1:15 a.m.

That is a hawt looking ride (runs off to research and add yet another car to the bucket list)......!!!!!

mndsm
mndsm HalfDork
6/1/10 1:17 a.m.

Wow. That is a really clean look..... I'm actually kinda smitten with that little bugger.

integraguy
integraguy HalfDork
6/1/10 4:07 a.m.

I don't know, I think it still needs a badge of some sort/size on the front end.

Way back in '1975-76 I had an Audi Fox that was "disabled" indefinitely due to a needed part that was heavily back-ordered. I was visiting a Chrysler-Plymouth dealership with some friends and saw an 7-8 year old Valiant sitting WAAY in the back of the used car lot...which I decided to buy as transportation for all of $400. When one of my co-workers saw my "new" car, he asked why I hadn't mentioned I needed some "wheels"...he was looking to sell his car, an 850 Coupe. If only I had known, I used to think 850s were some of the neatest small cars. I rented a 127 for a week, when I was stationed in Sicily, as a 850 or 128 was the next most expensive size of rental car

pinchvalve
pinchvalve SuperDork
6/1/10 7:05 a.m.

Panasports make any car look better.

914Driver
914Driver SuperDork
6/1/10 7:45 a.m.
pinchvalve wrote: Panasports make any car look faster.

Fixed.

ditchdigger
ditchdigger Reader
6/1/10 8:29 a.m.

The car did have a huge emblem up front that some one decided to steal the badge from so I took it off.

I like the look of nothing better than the original but I agree it does need something there. Just not the mustache my buddy thinks it does

spitfirebill
spitfirebill Dork
6/1/10 8:45 a.m.

When I was a student in college, one of my future wife's suite mates had an early 850 with the glassed in headlights. The car looked good at that time. She was pretty much a stoner so she probably could have been talked into selling it.

81gtv6
81gtv6 HalfDork
6/1/10 10:11 a.m.

That car just keeps getting better and better.

dean1484
dean1484 Dork
6/1/10 10:40 a.m.

I really like the car but for some reason it looks like something you would see on PBS kids cartoon show. Or or about 25 clowns should be getting out of it.

No really. . . I like clowns. I really like the car but.. . .Well It is what came to mind.

It almost looks sad. I want to bend the bumper (ya I know NOS and all) to make it into a smile. It looks like it needs a hug.

16vCorey
16vCorey SuperDork
6/1/10 10:50 a.m.
ditchdigger wrote: The car did have a huge emblem up front that some one decided to steal the badge from so I took it off. I like the look of nothing better than the original but I agree it does need something there. Just not the mustache my buddy thinks it does

You're right, it definitely needs a bigger mustache than that one.

SillyImportRacer
SillyImportRacer Reader
6/1/10 10:53 a.m.

Cool car.

EvanB
EvanB Dork
6/1/10 10:54 a.m.

[Hammond] You've given the car a moustache!? [/Hammond]

angusmf
angusmf Reader
6/1/10 11:00 a.m.

It looks bitchin without the moustache. Leave it.

81gtv6
81gtv6 HalfDork
6/1/10 11:11 a.m.

Maybe fill in the holes and paint it a contrasting color?

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