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[Diamond Black Geezer]

Friend of mine is having a mad Stag do this autumn. We're flying out to Poland having the days-long Vodka drinking session and returning Top Gear Challenge-style driving back. He's bought (in Poland) a Fiat Maloo/126, and will be one of the cars. Possibly his Focus and my Omega as support vehicles. (be great to do a pan-European trek in her) anyway, I'm the mechanic for the trip, while working on cars since a boy and enjoying and being fairly handy I've no experience on rear engined and aircooled machines, and certainly not specifically 126s.

We'll be loaded up with as many tools and spare parts as possible, but aside from that what should he be looking at by way of mechanical'servicing prep before the trip? and also if anyone has any pointers as what are the worthwhile /priority spares to bring?


Oh, and I have told him he should be buying an old Omega but not having it. Ah well, some people won't be told 

Much appreciation in advance 

[Kevin Wood]

My advice:

Take the Omega

Leave 2 hours after he does on every journey.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

 

He was making jokes about my poor old 1996 Omega and how it'd be hard taking bets on which would break first etc. Then he learned she has had rocker gaskets, timing belt/kit done, entire front suspension refurbished or replaced, and a new exhaust. Still cometically looks raggedy and rusty, but mechanically I'd pitch her against a car half her age any day 

[Kevin Wood]

Yep, got to be better than driving a tupperware lunch box with a mower engine.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Yes, its far from the rear engine Italian car you might desire....

Who ever drives that for any distance will be begging to be shot after an hour or two!

[EMD]

Easy to work on underneath 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Replacement for the original 500......apparently.

[Nick W]

Check out www.tazracing.co.uk for some well proven upgrades!

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Will pass that all on.... especially the less kind comments 

[Vamps]

Replacement for the original 500......apparently.

Indeed it was.............

[the alarming man]

This one seems to go pretty well (.. .................https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRuG94s3DjQ

[Nick W]

This one seems to go pretty well (.. .................https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRuG94s3DjQ

That's Chris Skinner, one of the Taz Racing cars I mentioned. Now running mid 9 second quarters, on street tyres, and still street legal. It's local to us, so you might see it out and about. His brother's is a bit slower, and he built another with an MR2 engine for his daughter.

[the alarming man]

This one seems to go pretty well (.. .................https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRuG94s3DjQ

That's Chris Skinner, one of the Taz Racing cars I mentioned. Now running mid 9 second quarters, on street tyres, and still street legal. It's local to us, so you might see it out and about. His brother's is a bit slower, and he built another with an MR2 engine for his daughter.

it is indeed Chris's car .. I have seen it (well the back it) a few times on the A2

[2boxerdogs]

Had one in 1987 when we first moved to Fakenham Norfolk, I still worked in the London Ambulance Service & used to drive from Norfolk to Croydon regularly in it , our other vehicle was a 2.8 LWB Nissan Patrol (petrol) so the 126 was bought for its economy & it was mainly only occupied by me .Regularly wound the little thing up to over 70mph never let me down once, quirky little car remember it fondly..

[Marks DTM Calib]

If you design anything so small it can barely fit the driver in, then make it light by using the finest southern European steel its going to go like the clappers with almost any engine in it.....well they struggle on the little air cooled lumps fitted as standard.

I recall with fondness driving one whilst perched on the rear of the drivers seat with head out the canvas roof.