131mirafiori forum

Does anyone know the paint colour code for standard sport grille, like on Theo's lovely sport.

Thanks for the complement!? :D ;D (http://images.bravenet.com/common/images/smilies/12_smile.gif)

I am sure that Sport grills were painted at the factory in a gunmetal grey colour (lighter than the gunmetal grey used on the 131 Sport). My silver Sport certainly had a painted grill. But the grill on my current grey Sport is not painted. It is as it came out of the bag in its plastic grey colour without any paint.

Thanks Theo

Personally you have the best looking sport. I am also after advice on what and where to get standard sport front disc and pads??

It was black !

Miro

What was the size of the disks ?

Hi Miro

standard 131 sport grille's where never in black from the factory, they are as theo says a slighlty lighter grey than the gunmetal grey on the sport cars. I want to try and find out this colour code if possible.

Surprise, surprise , you learn something every day, but .. I have two spares and both are black.

Can you tell me why?

Both taken off scrapped cars which were crushed before they were modified...

Any idea?

Miro

Hi Miro

I have the same problem i have 3 grille and they have all been sprayed black. This photo will show you what colour they should be from factory if brand new.

Sport/Racing grills were never black from the factory but most people paint them black. The grill in the photo above is unpainted and the same as the one on my car. That's how the new grills come, unpainted grey plastic. But I think the cars (Sport/Racing) used to come from the factory with a metallic grey paint on the grill. Incidentally, when years ago I had to buy a replacement front wheel arch trim ("eyebrow") it also came unpainted but was a lighter grey plastic. As we all know the trims on these cars were painted in various colours (although only black was available in the UK). I wonder if the Gunmetal coloured Racings with Grey trim had the trim simply fitted unpainted.

Hi Theo

I am looking at the same 131 racing brochure as the picture you have just posted. On the last page it states that the front disc are 227mm and 228mm - am slighlty confused on this as its in foreign language.

I can't remember the size of the standard 131 Sport discs. A good place to get good quality standard discs and pads is Mintex. They do "brakes in a box" which is a matched set of discs and pads. I have Bravo discs and callipers at the front of my car and have used the "brakes in a box" from Mintex and can confirm that they are very good (and certainly much better than the other type that I had smoking in Ireland in 2007!)

You can contact Mintex on:

TMD Friction UK Ltd.
PO Box 18, Hunsworth Lane
Cleckheaton
West Yorkshire
BD19 3UJ
Tel: +44 (0)1274 854000
email: marketing@tmdfriction.co.uk

Now I understand why the "black"  I was referring to on my two spare ones is so weathered as to look gray.

Thanks Theo for the explenation!

By the way, is there a list of all the 131 models ever made.

I am most probably confusing them, and it would be nice to have a reference list with pictures maybe even some technical data. I have seen many sites which try to describe some, but none would contain comprehensive model information.

I you agree we could start a new topic that everybody could contribute, and this way we could get it quickly. Also it would be very useful reference to all of us.

What do you think ?

Miro 

By the way what about these photos from an original German sales brochure , do I see a black there or what ?

 

       

Re disks :

To the best of my understanding, all 131's sold by dealers, including the 1976-1980 131 Abarth Stadale versions had standard front disk size of 227 mm and drums in the rear (except for independently suspended Abarth).

Please correct me if I am wrong.

M

Yes it does look like a black grill but that is a Walter Rohrl version which was a limited edition available only in Germany. I believe the conversion from "standard" Racing to "Walter Rohrl" was done after the cars left the factory so they would have left the factory with grey grills.? ;D


Have a careful read of the articles in The 131 Story (http://www.131mirafiori.com/131story.htm) and you'll get a very good insight into the 131 model range. We are still waiting for someone to write Part 3 for the Series 3 cars but you'll still get most of the models made from reading what's already there.

I stand corrected!

Thank you Theo!

By the way, I thought I have read the 131 story, but evidently I either just thought so, or already forgot.

This is a great resource indeed.

Thanks again.

Miro     

This is a subject that has caused me some conjecture as well and to answer some of the questions posed to the best of my knowledge (and confirm some of the others)..

I believe that all Sport grills left Fiat painted a light colour grey. Why do I think they were painted? - Because when I bought a new one, still in Fiat wrapping (although not sealed), the colour on the outward surface was darker than the other side. Of course I could have been swindled by a restored one but it's such a good job and bears no sign of weathering or wear anywhere, the chances are that it is as Fiat intended.

The WR versions? I agree with Theo that they were most likely painted in Germany - I would say that from the photo provided, that the black version is the only one not painted a non standard colour.

On the arches sometimes referred to silver or light grey - I believe that they were painted - See attached picture of the blemishes on this car for illustration.

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Fiat131RacingTC2000030.jpg)

I will check this out for you over the next week or so as I have some of the old Fiat tech books but one of them is a very rare body, trim and tech spec book, It list every series of 131 the differences between all models including colour of trim for each model as it was used to help define models for warranty payments  ;) ;) ;)

I almost agree with that Kevin. I bought two new grills in sealed Fiat wrapping (still have one in fact) and the reason the outer surface is darker is because it's smoother. The inside looks lighter because of the rough texture of the plastic. But the 131 Sport when new had a metallic grey paint on them. By the way, the reason I bought a new grill all those years ago is because it was cheaper to buy a grill complete with the badge on it than to buy the badge on its own!

Regarding the trim, I would agree that Silver trim as seen on Orange Sport/Racing must have been painted but I wonder if the Grey trim on Gunmetal cars was unpainted. We only had black trim cars in the UK so I've never seen a new or nearly new car with trim other than black.

look kev black a gold sport 8)

Hey guys, i was wondering if any of u fantastic gentalmen want to sell any of your spare racing grills and light set ups, if so how much $$$

I live within 5 minutes of this place, thought they had moved to Leeds  ::)