131mirafiori forum

Now that the garage is finished I can concentrate on our upcoming annual event and what is one of the most enjoyable times of the year for me.

First and most important job is to get the latest sticker on the windscreen. These only arrived last week and 3MA would not be the same without our stickers!  ;)

(http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx305/kev132/GarageDoor006.jpg)

The cars are back home then ;)

I hope they won't start fighting with each other as to who wants to go to Germany ::) ;D ;).Eugene

you taking the sport this time Kevin?

I dont think so Nick. The journey is hard on the cars and passengers and for 3 main reasons I plan to take the Super.

It's an easier car to live with - Smoother controls, electric windows for the toll booths, non vibrating & big door mirrors, quieter engine on the long motorway stints, better ventilation, etc etc.

If there is a disaster and I had to abandon the car or leave it to be collected later, I am less emotionally attached to that car and it is more easily replaced.

My Sport is in such good cosmetic condition ....and I have added 15000kms since I bought it ....that I dont want it to deteriorate - It's a keeper!  :)

The downside is that when I get there and the 2 litres come out to play.... I will be left behind on the twisty bits!! :(

If only I had a 2000 Super - Best of both worlds!!  ;)

Come to Holland and take my silver Super 2000 Kev ;).

Or come together with Eugene and kidnap Marko's Racing ;D

I'll have one less cam than you kev, so ill still be behind you ;D

That's true - Maybe we can have a division 2 group made up of yourself, Eugene, Heini and myself!  ;)

Yes Kevin, i wouldt like to take part in the devision 2 group....

and as i am always saying - power is nothing without control - ;)

greetings
Heini

After just buying the series 1 & taking the trip to Italy in it for last years 3ma Eugene aint no 2nd division player he is premiership material all the way deffo ;D ;D ;D

Div 2 refers to power output and cubic centimetres ...not bravery Nick...I agree... hats off to Eug for his adventure last year!  ;D

Kevin i know what you ment no worries

Good news and bad news,
first the good news, the car is up and running all be it a little lumpy engine at the moment.
Bad news we cant make 3MA10.
To be honest the timing was just too close to me having to return to work on the Monday, i work a 27/29 rota in the middle east and have to be back in Doha on the Tuesday so attendance at 3MA10 was always doubtfull, i did explore some options and thanks to those that did offer storage etc.
Ill take this opportunity to wish you all a safe and sucsesfull event and hope to see you next year (depending on dates).
Looking forward to the photo's.
Regards
Steve/Dawn.

That's a big shame Steve  :-\ - Can you (and Dawn...or just Dawn maybe..? :) )....not make just one or two days of the event..?

Last minute panic - Need a radiator switch for the fan - Not sure where I can source one in a hurry - Any ideas? I'll ring Ricambio tomorrow but suggestions welcome please...! :)

Have you looked on Ebay? They often pop up on there.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RADIATOR-FAN-SWITCH-TO-FIT-FIAT-124-127-128-131-132_W0QQitemZ380223071171QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item58870fa3c3

This should be it yeah..?  :)

Looks like that should fit the bill ;)

Well I bought that and then discovered that I already had one in a box of spares I picked up off Ebay a few years ago!  ::) Now I have a spare!

I should change the title of this thread to "Ready for 3MA" but I dont want to tempt fate!! ;)

Got my car back from where it was being checked over & serviced before the big trip.

Usual service items like new engine oil and filter (thanks Dave), plugs and a clean of the air filter. New aforementioned fan switch (checked at a traffic hold up on the way home), brakes cleaned and copper greased along with a replacement rear cylinder and a general tune up.

The biggest thing though was a set of replacement Girling front shocks purchased over a year ago on Ebay for ?1 plus postage!  :) I wasn't sure if they were worth fitting as the car was likely to be still on original Fiat shocks and having only done less than 35000kms! However I'm delighted they have been changed. The front end seems significantly better planted and combined with the wider and lower (185/70/13) Pirelli 2500s fitted last year, I can throw the car into bends with a lot more confidence than before. Where the improvement has been most noticed is mid bend and when an imperfect surface is encountered - The car is less likely to be thrown off line now.

The car also has a new 2 year NCT and a working cigar lighter (important for the Sat Nav across Europe) so the only thing left is to tax the car from 1st May.

Having driven the car home today (approx 120 kms) I enjoyed it so much I can't wait for the off on 3MA10!  ;)

Now now Kevin dont be declaring non use when you driving it ;D ;D
sure it was in good hands,
only joking Kevin best of luck with her on the trip to Germany.

Cheers Nick - Can't wait...sure there will be loads for pics for everyone who couldn't make it!  :)

On the road this time next week!!!  :)

Quick update from Bristol where we arrived at 3pm today- Met Mark last night in Waterford to see his latest acquisition namely the silver Sport - Thanks for the coffee and biscuits and for sharing the news of an expanding household! Congratulations to you both. ;)

Left for Rosslare via the East Passage ferry (the route home taken by the 2007 3maers) and met Mccabe131 on the road...who really wishes he was coming at this stage - It's not too late Mick!.

Couple of txt updates from Eugene as he tours France, Spain, Italy and Switz before he arrives in Lossburg tomorrow - Small rear brake problems but still truckin' on!

Our 131 is steaming along keeping up with the motorway traffic on the M4 - Jacquie shopping in Cribbs Causeway right now and we hope to set off for Dover at 5pm - Hope to miss the rush hour car park on the M25 as a result! Our backs are still doing their job but plenty of stopping and stretching is good.

Thats all for now - See y'all tomorrow hopefully...as long as the alarm clock works!! ;)