Practically Classics Forum

Wow, you are brave! Good luck with it!

Anyone who restores an 80s Fiat is brave. Rust has claimed many of these. One of my neighbours had a 1981/82 Strada (RHG432X) and it was starting to rust back then and it was less than 10 years old. One spot in particular that I remember was on the tailgate just beneath the glass right on the edge. There was a palm sized hole which had been bridged with P40 (fibreglass filler). In the late 90s I saw a later model being worked on and one of the A posts had been repaired. In 1994 I had a 1985 Regatta that was starting to rust (the engine bay was spotless) in the A posts. Being Italian cars, rust isn't a problem there so there was minimal protection applied (this was in the days before galvanizing and other such measures) but here in the UK where salt is put on the roads in winter these cars had terminal corrosion within 10 years.

This is a great thread for me, i am restoring a 1993 fiat uno turbo, I purchased it with 13 owners and modifications of all ridiculous types, it had a front bumper with a massive external intercooler cut into it,it had black window tints, an exhaust you could put your head inside, I've spent years stripping it rewelding and making panels,in between moving house,babies, but to know im not just the only loon is good to know,keep goin

If you like a Strada, you will love February's issue. Start a thread on your Uno, they are a fun little car. I'm sure most members would be interested in seeing it

Still got this car and have done nothing with it.
It's currently in my garden under a car cover.
However have collected many new genuine old stock parts including roof skin £500 from Italy , both inner rear arches, boot, doors, bonnet, A post, grille, headlight, bumper fog lights, bumper mounted headlight washer jets as well as some second hand parts.
Have also got another Strada project which is a non runner but has been fitted with the 2litre turbo engine from the Lancia Delta.
Will try to mak a start on one next year once I have finished my son's Fiat Panda.

Great to see that you're still with us. Good luck with this, please keep the news and pictures coming as you progress, we love a good dose of rust.. In other folks' cars.

That's a really rusty car, only way to get it all is to strip it down to the shell and send it to the sand blaster.
Great effort and best of luck.

Talk about eating an elephant one bite at a time! I commend your optimism with this one. I'm yet to see one in the wild, as much as I'd like to, they're a cracking bit of design.