- 6 hours ago
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00:00Ah, Lake Como. Is there a better way to arrive here than this?
00:13Hope Mike got my message about travelling in style.
00:21Come on!
00:23Come on!
00:25I wonder what he's coming to pick me up in.
00:28An Alfa, perhaps, or maybe a Maserati?
00:42Hey, buongiorno.
00:43How you doing, mate? You alright? Italy.
00:45Si, Italia.
00:47Right, I've got the wheels lined up. Follow me.
00:50Ah, there she is.
00:52Right then, fella. Do you want to drive, or shall I?
00:56Are you joking? This linen goes nowhere near that car. Are you kidding me?
01:00So Italian.
01:02Mate, you didn't pack much, did you?
01:04No, mate, I don't need much. I just need my knowledge and that's all up here.
01:08We've packed our bags and our spanners for another glow-trotting car-fixing adventure.
01:14Vamos!
01:16You see a photo?
01:17Yay!
01:18Sorry!
01:19We're hunting down some of the world's most iconic cars.
01:26Does it get much better than this?
01:28Oh, I can't believe we're standing here in front of an SP2.
01:33Leaning on local wheeler dealers.
01:35Because he really wants it, would you take €30,000?
01:38No, impossible.
01:39That's my way to do it.
01:41To rescue these national treasures on a wheel and a prayer.
01:45Please let me find a set of wheels, that's all I'm asking for.
01:48And make a few euros, pesos.
01:51I think we have a deal.
01:52Yes!
01:53And Real as we go.
01:55I absolutely love it!
02:12Right, mate, so this should be a good one.
02:14And there's a lot to love about the place we're heading to, Turin.
02:17Because they are absolutely obsessed with cars in that city.
02:23Yeah, they really are.
02:24Italy in itself has made so many great cars.
02:27The really fast ones are the famous ones.
02:29But they also made some really good affordable cars.
02:31Yeah, and Fiat did a car that's so special to me.
02:34I cut my teeth on it in my formative years in the motor trade.
02:37I chased them all across Europe.
02:39And it's a car that was only ever sold as a left-hand drive.
02:42So that meant I could sell them in the UK.
02:44Yeah.
02:47With a name meaning little boat,
02:49the brilliantly styled Fiat Marchetta was launched in 1995.
02:53It may have used the chassis from a humble Fiat Punto,
02:56but the Marchetta's 1.8-litre engine featured variable valve timing for a decent turn of speed.
03:02Over its ten-year production run, Fiat produced nearly 60,000 of these fabulous little cars.
03:10And now the classic car market's falling in love with them too.
03:19I'm going to have to try and remember what to look for with a Fiat Marchetta going back over two decades,
03:26because I haven't seen one for that period of time, you know.
03:28The reason you haven't seen one for 20 years is because the ones you took back to the UK, they've all rusted away.
03:35It does look, in the pictures, like it has been messed around with.
03:39So, you know, just hold on to your app, OK?
03:43Right.
03:44It looks like it's been sort of just, you know, maybe slightly modified.
03:48So, red flags already.
03:49It's a red car, I can tell you that.
03:51Well, that's good.
03:52Yeah, that's good.
03:53Sports cars, I think, should be red, especially in Italy.
03:55I think so, yeah.
03:56We're meeting the owner of the car, Claudio, in a town of Calciotto, Villadora, near Turin.
04:10Hey, how are you doing?
04:11You must be Claudio.
04:12Claudio.
04:13This is my son, Matteo.
04:15Yeah.
04:16Lovely.
04:17You speak English, I don't speak English.
04:18You speak perfectly.
04:19You're doing OK.
04:20You're doing OK.
04:21Do you have a look at the car?
04:22Yeah.
04:23It looks great.
04:24It's very nice.
04:25Why are you selling it?
04:26We're selling it because we don't use it.
04:29We have another car and there is no time to do this.
04:33Oh, right.
04:34To enjoy it.
04:35It does look good, doesn't it?
04:36It looks great.
04:37I mean, it'd be great for us to have a little bit of a closer look around it, if that's OK.
04:40OK.
04:41If we like what we see, is there any chance we could take the keys and maybe take for a little
04:46drive as well?
04:47OK.
04:48Yeah, OK.
04:49Is that OK?
04:50And we'll come and find you after.
04:52OK.
04:53OK.
04:56I spotted one thing straight away.
04:58The roof.
04:59The roof, yeah.
05:00It looks like this rear screen is trying to leave the building, doesn't it?
05:03It's not great, is it?
05:04And it also, I mean, looks like someone's had a go at trying to stick this back down again.
05:07Is that bathroom sealing?
05:09It could be.
05:10But that's all faded as well.
05:12So it's got to be replaced.
05:13So that's not going to be cheap.
05:14No, and you can't just go to your local Fiat dealer and order a roof for a Fiat Marchetta.
05:19No.
05:20They just don't exist anymore.
05:21Do you want to pop the bonnet?
05:23Yeah, no worries.
05:24Let's fire it up and have a listen, see what happens.
05:29Ready?
05:30Hands clear?
05:31Yeah, go on.
05:32The Barchetta's 1.8-litre engine uses a variator system to control valve timing and it's a notorious
05:42weak point.
05:43When it did first fire up, there was a little bit of a ticking, which can be a red flag.
05:49I'm not going to read too much into it at this point, but it's something to keep an eye on.
05:52You can turn it off now, Mike.
05:54I'm going to be honest with you.
05:56I think the seats look like they've come from a different car.
05:59They just don't sort of match the interior.
06:01The black doesn't seem right.
06:02The grey sort of checker houndstooth just doesn't seem right.
06:06It needs to be lifted in some way.
06:09And it's not just the seats that look wrong for the car.
06:12I don't think I like these.
06:13These are not original wheels.
06:14They're clearly an aftermarket wheel.
06:16Black wheels on a red car can look good, but I don't know, don't quite sit right with
06:21me.
06:22With the hood, seats and wheels that all need changing, we're already into a four-figure
06:27spend and we haven't even driven it yet.
06:29I guess the next thing is to get it out on the road, isn't it?
06:37Ciao!
06:40Great seats.
06:41Look at this.
06:44First on the checklist is that variator.
06:47I'm just going to put my foot down and get it above 3,500 RPM.
06:54If it's working, the variator should alter the valve timing at higher revs.
06:58You should get a little punch, almost like a little mini turbo effect.
07:03That's not happening, is it?
07:05It's not very clear.
07:07Changing the variator will mean major engine surgery.
07:11I hate to break it to you, but that's not the only problem.
07:14It doesn't feel sharp.
07:15The suspension feels, dare I say, just tired.
07:20You're right, this is a little bit soft and wallowy, isn't it?
07:23It's one of the things that let this car down.
07:25It's got sporty looks.
07:26The suspension was just never quite that good.
07:30The jobs list on this car is getting alarmingly long.
07:34Yeah, I'm sharing your nervousness, but I'm optimistic at the same time because the car's got no rust.
07:40Yeah.
07:41The engine actually does sound really good, although there might be a slight issue with it.
07:47It's okay, this car.
07:48You know, it's not too far from being a brilliant car, which I think is what we can make it.
07:57You could really lean upon the legacy of Ferrari because, be it owned Ferrari, it does feel like a little baby Ferrari and being in Rosso Red as well.
08:05In many regards, it is a baby Ferrari, isn't it? It's the Ferrari for people who can't afford a Ferrari.
08:14Well, look, he's asking 6,000 euros for it. I think at 6,000 euros, that's being a bit cheeky.
08:21Yeah, I mean, if we're going to do the kind of things we'd love to do to it, I think we need to try and get a little bit off that, don't you?
08:27Right. Let's see if we put a deal together then.
08:29Right. You know, it's a nice car. We think we're nearly there with the price. You want 6,000 euros.
08:46Yeah. We were thinking a very fair offer would be 5,500 euros.
08:53That was a yes? No.
08:55It's a no. No, no. We think 5,900.
09:00It just doesn't give us much wiggle room, does it?
09:03Some of the problems that we know are with this car, we don't yet know how much they're going to cost to fix. That's our issue.
09:08I'm a little bit worried about how much money the roof is going to cost to repair. Maybe we go up 100 euros, 5,600 euros and we do a deal?
09:175,700, the last offer.
09:21I think, mate.
09:23Yeah.
09:24Yeah?
09:25Yes.
09:26OK.
09:27You got yourself a deal, thank you very much.
09:29Claudio, well done, guys. Well done.
09:33With the very best bar chapters selling for 10,000 euros, I reckon we bought ourselves a decent profit.
09:41Well, I hope you're right, because there's a mountain to climb to turn this into a baby Ferrari.
09:48Slightly nervous about what it's going to cost to do all the things we need to do to it.
09:52I don't know how rare the parts are. If they are rare, as we both know, the price goes up.
09:57Yeah, I'm sharing your nervousness, but it's not too far from being a brilliant car, which I think is what we can make it.
10:04Maybe we can lean upon this lovely little family-run business, which is where I'm going to take you right now.
10:10Excellent.
10:11Alright, the guy's name is Luca Parasino, his son is Mattia.
10:14OK.
10:15They specialise in Italian sports cars.
10:18Well, that sounds perfect, mate. Let's go.
10:27Hey.
10:28Hi, Elvis.
10:29Hi.
10:30How are you?
10:31Nice to meet you.
10:32This impressive-looking workshop is home to Luca and son Mattia, and their dog, Jack.
10:44Yeah, and just look at the cars. There's some serious racing machinery in here.
10:48So, are you a racing family?
10:50Yeah, yeah. I drive the car. He is a pilot. It's not the same team, but two pilots.
10:57Two pilots. So, rivals.
10:58Rivals.
10:59You have experience with the Barchetta.
11:02OK.
11:03I experience this from Mark.
11:04See, see, see.
11:05I think it's a nice car. Yeah.
11:06Yeah.
11:07The 1.8 motor is a difficult engine, but it's good.
11:11Well, it's funny you say that, because it does have a little bit of an issue.
11:15Yeah.
11:17He tells me it's for sure the variator.
11:19It's a famous problem with this engine.
11:21Ah, OK.
11:22All right.
11:23Please don't say the words, it's a famous problem.
11:25That's not the kind of words I was looking for.
11:27Yeah.
11:28What I don't know is how we get a new one, how much they're going to cost, or what's involved.
11:30We might need a few phone calls from you guys to help us. Is that OK?
11:35It's OK.
11:36I love you boys. I love you.
11:40Well, before you jump on the phone, we need to have a good look underneath to see if there's
11:43anything else to add to the list.
11:47Right.
11:48Let's really see what we bought.
11:50Take a deep breath.
11:52There's a tiny little leak, isn't there? Look.
11:54A little bit of oil.
11:55Yeah, it is weeping.
11:57The leak seems to be coming from the gearbox and needs further investigation.
12:01So let's get the car down.
12:04But my first priority is the variator.
12:06So while I start stripping down the engine, I need to source a replacement.
12:12No?
12:13Really impossible.
12:16But it turns out that might not be as easy as I'd hoped.
12:19I've gone on to the Fiat website here in Italy and across Europe, and the part doesn't exist.
12:26I've also discovered it's the same part that's used in the Alfa Romeo 145 and 156.
12:34Right, so that's the coil cover off the top.
12:37I'm now going to remove the coil packs themselves.
12:41I've been on the Alfa Romeo website, and guess what?
12:44It doesn't exist.
12:45You can't buy it.
12:46I don't think Elvis is going to be very happy.
12:50There must be another way.
12:52There has to be another way.
12:54Right then, fella.
12:55How are we getting on?
12:57Yeah, I mean, I've revealed it.
12:59That is it.
13:00That is the variator.
13:01Oh, right, okay.
13:02How are you getting on with finding me a new one?
13:03Right, so take a deep breath.
13:06Can't find one.
13:07Unfortunately, they don't exist.
13:10Blimey.
13:11That's right.
13:12Is there anything you can do without one?
13:15Well, I mean, the answer to that is I don't know.
13:18It's that I've never taken one apart.
13:20I've taken them out of a car.
13:21So, I suppose the answer is let's try and keep our fingers crossed.
13:25Scenic route?
13:26Yeah.
13:27Why not?
13:28It's our second day in Italy and today we're going to divide and conquer.
13:31I've got plenty to get on with at the garage.
13:44Hello, mate.
13:45Yes, I know.
13:46I have got lots of work to do.
13:47So, I'm focusing on how to make our Barchetta look like a baby Ferrari.
13:48Ask any kid to draw you an Italian sports guy.
13:50I would have drawn you a bright red car with a tan leather interior because that's what I'm
13:53looking for.
13:54It's our second day in Italy and today we're going to divide and conquer.
13:56It's our second day in Italy and we're going to be able to get on with at the garage.
13:57Hello, mate.
13:58Yes, I know.
13:59I have got lots of work to do.
14:01So, I'm focusing on how to make our Barchetta look like a baby Ferrari.
14:10Ask any kid to draw you an Italian sports guy.
14:15I would have drawn you a bright red car with a tan leather interior because that is exactly
14:21what an Italian sports car should be.
14:24Now, unfortunately, Fiat never offered our little Barchetta, which is Rosso Red with
14:29a tan leather interior.
14:31And I just want to correct that wrong.
14:37I'm pretty sure there's going to be springs and seals and washers and all sorts in here.
14:45With replacement variators unavailable, fixing our one is the only option.
14:50Let's take it apart carefully so that we know exactly which order things go and what we've
14:56got inside.
14:57Trouble is, I've never taken a variator apart, let alone tried to repair one.
15:03There's the big spring.
15:05I mean, I guess that is one component inside here that will deteriorate over time, right?
15:10The spring could weaken.
15:12A variator relies on the perfect spring rate to ensure its moving components return to their
15:16correct positions.
15:18A weak spring is one potential source of the problem.
15:22Oh, look at this.
15:24Oh, yeah, there's a little bit of damage, a little dent in it, isn't there?
15:29Well, that's clearly not good.
15:31But Mattia has spotted another problem.
15:34The variator's movement is controlled by oil pressure and a nylon washer, which also acts
15:38as a seal, is damaged and worn.
15:40If oil's leaking past here, we're not going to get the pressure required to give us that
15:45movement, are we?
15:46I think that's going to be the issue.
15:49The way it works is this.
15:51The car's ECU activates an electronic solenoid at around 3,500 RPM.
15:57And that opens an oil valve which sends oil pressure along the length of the camshaft
16:03and out of this little hole here.
16:06That oil pressure moves this component, giving it that kind of movement there.
16:10Now, the clever part of all of this is that on the outside of that component are a set
16:15of helical splines.
16:16They've got a twist in them.
16:18So, as that component is shifting back by just a few millimeters, because it's twisting
16:23on those helical splines, it's actually rotating the camshaft in relation to this wheel.
16:29And in doing so, changes the timing of when valves open and close inside the engine itself.
16:35But it crucially relies on having the exact oil pressure.
16:39This seal is a critical component in that.
16:41And this spring, being able to return that component along its splines in exactly the way it should.
16:47The good news, Mattia has both the spring and the washer in stock.
16:52Bad news.
16:53Yeah, amazing. Bring it down.
16:55The bad news is that even with Mattia's help, getting this mechanism back together is seriously fiddly.
17:01We need to compress that up there and then get the next piece on and then somehow then get this on top.
17:09Yep.
17:10OK, now try and slide the housing.
17:12Oh.
17:13Your fingers.
17:14Yeah, this is where it's going to be a problem, isn't it?
17:19We could be here a while.
17:21Oh, it's difficult.
17:22It is difficult.
17:24I've come to the centre of Turin, where I'm hoping master trimmer Claudio can make my tan leather seats dream a reality.
17:37This is a family run business.
17:39And look at this.
17:40They've got a shop window display.
17:42So let's go and meet them.
17:43Your legend goes before you, sir.
17:48What an amazing looking little shop.
17:51Claudio's trim shop has been going for 50 years.
17:55In the true Italian tradition, everything is handcrafted with Claudio's work ranging from motorbikes to luxury yachts.
18:03And now, our barchetta.
18:05I kind of don't like the seat.
18:08I think...
18:09Pele.
18:10Yeah.
18:11Pele.
18:12Pele.
18:13Is leather.
18:14Yes.
18:15I think it is, yeah.
18:17Mucca.
18:18Leather.
18:19See?
18:20You don't think like me.
18:22I don't know much Italian, but when it comes to our barchetta's interior, Claudio and I are speaking exactly the same language.
18:31Marrone.
18:32Oh, now we're talking.
18:33That is perfect.
18:34Imagine that with a red car.
18:36Rosso.
18:37Rosso car.
18:38This colour interior.
18:40Bella.
18:41Bella.
18:42The red and tan combination is vital for our baby Ferrari look.
18:47Carry on.
18:48I like it.
18:49But quality craftsmanship doesn't come cheap.
18:52How much is it going to cost for two seats?
18:54900 euros.
18:56900 euros.
18:58I mean, it's more than I want to spend and I know Elvis is saving money elsewhere.
19:03So, hey, you've got to do it.
19:05Absolutely.
19:06Okay.
19:07Yes.
19:08Let's do it.
19:09Using templates, we need to cut out the shapes for our backrests, seat cushions and headrests.
19:14You want me to do it?
19:15Not at all.
19:16Oh, right.
19:17Okay.
19:18No pressure.
19:19So, 50 years of a family run business and he gives me the pen.
19:23Right.
19:24Let me take a deep breath.
19:25Oh, hello.
19:26Okay.
19:27Okay.
19:28He's standing there.
19:29He's studying me like a hawk.
19:30And I'm actually quite, I'm shaking.
19:31I'm quite nervous.
19:32Using my wobbly templates as a guide, Claudio's daughter Marina starts cutting out the shapes.
19:49I said it's a family run business.
19:52Then, after Claudio tacks the pieces together with staples, it's time to fire up the sewing machine.
20:01His sewing machine isn't a little four cylinder.
20:05No, he's got a V8 sewing machine.
20:08It's incredible.
20:14I've been in the motor trade all my life.
20:17When people say their car's got Italian leather, that's a sales technique.
20:22It's for moments like this where you just see Claudio do it, where you can see that absolutely fancy stitching around the edge and how precise and neat it is on this lever,
20:34that you realise why people say that and you just witnessed it.
20:38That is genius work.
20:42In less than 20 minutes, our first headrest cover is ready to be offered up.
20:47Oh, my goodness.
20:48Look how good that's looking already.
20:52Claudio uses a heat gun to make the material more pliable, so he can manipulate it into its final shape.
20:59I just...
21:04Honestly, you make a man so happy.
21:07A little bit more work required.
21:10At the workshop, I'm tackling our next problem.
21:13An oil leak where the drive shaft enters the gearbox casing.
21:17The problem is we've got a leaking seal all the way buried deep on the innermost part of this drive shaft,
21:23which means I've got to take the whole drive shaft out to get to it.
21:26Unfortunately, the only way to do that is to take apart the suspension.
21:31We've got to pop the lower arm out of the upright.
21:35Like that.
21:37And then I can get the drive shaft out of the gearbox.
21:41With the hub assembly free, there's room to remove the drive shaft.
21:45I then need to try and prise out the seal itself.
21:49This is where there could be oil.
21:51The transmission oil's fine to reuse as long as my container's nice and clean.
22:01The offending article.
22:05The rubber seal wears down over time, but replacing it is pretty straightforward.
22:10Nice, shiny new seal.
22:11First, I need to get the old leaky one out of here.
22:15Using an appropriately sized socket to sit flush inside the mounting flange, I can gently tap the old seal out.
22:22All right.
22:24Just a little bit of lubrication.
22:27And then I'm going to pop it in using pretty much the same method.
22:32But what is absolutely key is that it goes in absolutely square.
22:37So I just want to be very careful that it's all lined up.
22:41I tap it in gently, a bit at a time.
22:44If the new seal isn't square on the base, I'll have another oil leak on my hands.
22:49I'm just going to slot this in.
22:54Right, there we go.
22:56Right, the new seal is in.
22:57Everything's oiled tight, so no more leaks.
23:00I've just got to put this lot back together and then we're good to go.
23:07After getting our hands dirty all day, I reckon we deserve a little slice of La Dolce Vita.
23:12The Dolce Vita.
23:18Mate, just watching your fella make your pasta chotti.
23:22Look, it's like it's got an oil leak.
23:25Like our Fiat Barchetta.
23:27Well, it doesn't look like a Fiat anymore because I fixed the oil leak.
23:30Oh, you've done it now.
23:31We no longer have an oil leak. That's done.
23:33Thank God. Okay, so we're not leaking on the floor.
23:35All right, well, how are you getting on? Because we need an interior.
23:37I'm on that, trust me.
23:39And then you need to find us some wheels and a roof.
23:41Right, okay, that is going to be a little bit tricky.
23:45You can't just go down the high street, knock into your local Fiat Barchetta store and say,
23:50give me a roof.
23:51They don't exist anymore, so I'm going to have to try and find somebody that can do something with a roof
23:56because it is going to be a problem.
24:11A few kilometres from the shores of Lake Como, the local Fiat Barchetta club are having a get-together.
24:18We're hoping these sun-loving enthusiasts can get us out of a tight spot.
24:23Because finding someone who can supply and fit a new roof is proving nigh on impossible.
24:28Ask around if you know anyone that can help us with a roof.
24:31Also, we need a set of wheels.
24:33We aren't going just to have our selfies taken and all that kind of stuff.
24:38I promise to buy you a coffee on the way home.
24:41Great.
24:43Get in.
24:46The Barchetta Club Italia organises regular meets and rallies for its members.
24:52Divide and conquer?
24:53Yeah, let's split up, mate, yeah.
24:56If anyone can help us with our roof, it's these guys.
25:00That's why his hair is constantly being blown back this way.
25:05What are you, two metres?
25:06Yeah.
25:08What are the things that fail, that go wrong, quite common on these?
25:12The variator.
25:13Yes.
25:15What, this is for me? Seriously?
25:17For me, really?
25:19How good is that?
25:21This was your wedding car?
25:22My brother, too.
25:23And your brother.
25:25And three years ago, my son.
25:27Same car?
25:28Well, you can never sell this car.
25:30The love for the Barchetta is clear to see, but can anyone here help us in our quest?
25:36Do you speak little English?
25:37No.
25:38No.
25:39We're trying to replace the roof on our car, and Mike's really struggling to find someone to do it.
25:45Our roof, we're going to replace it. I'm really struggling to find anyone.
25:50And there are some parts we need. We need to fix the roof. We need some new wheels.
25:54Do you know anyone that can do a roof on one of these?
25:56Yes, I know a very good guy. His name is Romano.
25:59Romano?
26:00Romano.
26:01Okay, that's okay. That's good.
26:03Do you know anybody that does this?
26:04Ah, yes. Romano.
26:07Romano?
26:08Romano.
26:09Somebody else mentioned. So this is the guy that does roofs?
26:11Yes.
26:12Okay, thank you. We need to track him down.
26:14See? And it's Romano.
26:15Romano.
26:16Okay, I'll give him a call. I really appreciate that. That's very kind of you.
26:19Grazie.
26:20Grazie mille.
26:21Grazie mille.
26:22Yeah, there you go. See? My Italian is on point.
26:24Perfect.
26:25All right.
26:26Now, that's what I call a promising lead.
26:28Yeah, and there's some nice looking alloys on display here too.
26:32That's called a margarita wheel.
26:33Which I think looks quite good.
26:34I'm so pleased you said that.
26:36There's quite a few cars with that wheel here, aren't there?
26:38It's obviously quite a popular upgrade. I like it.
26:40I like it.
26:41So I think that I should try and find a set of margarita wheels.
26:45Is that what I call it?
26:46Margarita.
26:47Margarita, like a pizza. It's good, isn't it?
26:48Or like the drink.
26:49Or the drink.
26:50Yes.
26:51Ibra do with me.
26:56This friendly bunch of Barchetta fans have been a huge help.
26:59You look amazing, the pair of you.
27:02And it's great to see the passion they have for this brilliant little car.
27:06Mission accomplished.
27:10It's back to the workshop where I'm starting to feel like a local.
27:16We're in Italy, so nothing happens until they've got a coffee.
27:20I literally run on this stuff.
27:24With my caffeine levels topped up,
27:26Mattia and I are tackling the car's worn out suspension.
27:30When you're in at the top, we can take the car up if that's easier.
27:34OK.
27:36To make our Barchetta handle like a proper sports car,
27:39Mattia has helped me source a complete new suspension kit.
27:43There it is.
27:46Oh, yes.
27:47I love it.
27:48Oh.
27:50Oh, beautiful.
27:52Shall we get them on the car?
27:53Yep.
27:55The kit includes upgraded springs and adjustable dampers.
27:57At €900, it's not cheap, but it should transform the handling.
28:03Much of this car was built on the Fiat Punto platform,
28:07and that probably wasn't the most sporty car that Fiat ever produced.
28:10So I think a suspension upgrade is an absolute must.
28:14First, we need to remove the old springs and dampers,
28:17which are bolted in place.
28:18Well done, mate.
28:19Nice one.
28:20At the rear, the new springs are pushed into place and located onto a rubber pad.
28:27To fit the new dampers, we need to push the suspension arm up until the bolt holes line up.
28:38These are what's known as a progressive rate spring.
28:41If you're out on a gentle drive, the top end of the spring here actually compresses really easily,
28:46giving you that comfort feel behind the wheel.
28:49But if you want to push the car, that's when you start to lean on this end of the spring.
28:53It gives you much more support and a much sportier feel inside the car.
28:56Right, I'm clearly in the right spot. Look at that.
29:08Wonderful looking Fiat Barchetta.
29:11Our new friends from the Barchetta Club have given me a lead on a set of margarita wheels just outside Turin.
29:17I gather this is the underground car park.
29:23Okay.
29:25I'll be honest with you, I get a little bit worried with things like this.
29:30Let's hope there's a set of wheels down here.
29:33Why do I suddenly feel like I'm in a spy movie?
29:36Hey.
29:40Single mic.
29:42Nice to meet you. How are you?
29:44You don't speak any English?
29:47No.
29:48Okay, that's going to be a struggle.
29:50I really have to work on my Italian.
29:55Oh!
29:57Oh, like this?
29:59But for now, I've got a clever solution.
30:02You have a wonderful collection of cars.
30:06Is this your hobby?
30:08You have a wonderful collection of cars.
30:10Is this your hobby?
30:11Yes, I have the passion for Fiat Barchetta.
30:15I also have other ones besides this.
30:18Yes, yes.
30:19It's like being in Star Trek, this.
30:21Using the translator.
30:23Combined with the red paint and tan leather seats, these wheels will help our car look less boy racer and more baby Ferrari.
30:31Yeah, they look amazing.
30:33They're really nice, aren't they?
30:34Just check the others.
30:36This one here.
30:38A slight bit of damage to it.
30:40A little bit on the edge.
30:41I mean, the tire would still work on that, but we could tidy that up.
30:44You said that you would take 250 euros for all four.
30:48Is that still the deal?
30:49Yes.
30:50I agree with the verniciatura, 250 euros.
30:54Done.
30:55Grazie.
30:56Grazie mille.
30:57Grazie a te, Mike.
30:58That's very kind.
30:59That's brilliant.
31:00Yeah, very happy with that.
31:01Not only is that an absolute bargain, we'll be able to sell our existing Blackwells for at least the same.
31:07If not, a little more.
31:09That's wheeling and dealing, Italian style.
31:12Right, let's go.
31:16You happy?
31:17You in?
31:18Yep.
31:19Okay.
31:20For the Barquetta's front suspension, we're fitting combined spring and damper units known as coilovers.
31:25This one actually uses dual springs, so a gentler one on top, slightly stiffer one underneath.
31:30It has exactly the same effect of making this feel more like a sports car.
31:34Do you want to just buzz it up in the air a bit higher?
31:41It's okay?
31:45Yeah, perfect.
31:46Perfecto.
31:47Perfecto, Nico.
31:48I like Matthias.
31:51He seems like a good guy, but also very good at what he does.
31:55When he's only 23, he's off to a good start and he can pedal.
32:00That's him up there in that car.
32:01He can drive this boy.
32:02He's got it all.
32:04How's it having your dad as the boss?
32:07It's okay?
32:08It's here, yeah.
32:09Does he crack the whip?
32:11Yeah.
32:12He's the boss.
32:13Angry boss.
32:14Is he?
32:15Every day.
32:16The new suspension system has certainly put a big dent in our budget.
32:22So let's hope it does the job when we get the car out onto the road.
32:26Now, of course, different cars have different requirements from their suspension setup.
32:30If you're driving down the road in a Rolls Royce, your primary concern is comfort.
32:35But in a sports car, you want to try and keep the suspension stiff, allowing you to go through
32:40that corner quickly, particularly on a race track, but also on the mountain roads of Italy
32:44here in a sports car like this.
32:46And what we've just done to this car is going to give us exactly that kind of effect.
32:50How you doing, fella?
32:51Good.
32:52As well as wheel shopping, I've managed to book a hood fitting appointment with the famous Romano.
33:04There's just one small catch.
33:06I've got to get the whole car up to Lakecoma.
33:08I'm going to go and see the man about the roof.
33:10You need the whole car, then?
33:11I need the whole thing.
33:12Er, okay.
33:13Well, yeah, we can do that.
33:14I mean, if you're taking that, that means a nice afternoon off for me, then.
33:17Well, unfortunately not.
33:18Look at them.
33:19Period correct.
33:20That one.
33:21Oh.
33:22Need your afternoon off to repair it.
33:24Er, yeah.
33:25Okay.
33:26Yeah, we can't paint that, so we do need to do some work.
33:28Right, well, I've got this guy's contact details.
33:41Romano, hopefully he can help us because a roof on a little sports car hasn't only got
33:47to look good, it's got to perform well.
33:51Romano's workshop is just a few kilometres from Lake Como.
33:55The reason everyone at the Barchetta Club knows him is because he founded it.
34:01So what do you think?
34:03I think that obviously we need to work on this roof, replace it.
34:07Right, of course.
34:08Clearly replace it.
34:10Luckily, Romano can both supply and fit the elusive Barchetta hood.
34:16This looks nice, lovely material.
34:18And it's got a new screen in the rear.
34:20As I'm here, I've offered to help Romano with the job.
34:24We have here one for you.
34:26Oh, it's a little baby one.
34:27Well, I've got the long one.
34:28I've got the long one.
34:29We are Italians, you know.
34:30You get the big daddy one and I get the little one.
34:32We're starting by removing the old hood from its frame.
34:36Here you go, look at me.
34:38What?
34:39I've got it, I've got it, I've got it, I've got it Romano.
34:42Look at that.
34:44Well, you're so good you can do this side also.
34:47On the back of this car there's about 20 different radius, different curves.
34:53Yep.
34:54All joined together to make this, what we call the best rear end of Italy.
34:58To keep the hood nice and taut, it's fitted with a tensioner cable.
35:02Is it running through, does it actually run through the front?
35:04It's here.
35:05Oh, it's here.
35:06Yes, look, that's the cable.
35:07Once we've removed that.
35:08And out it comes.
35:09We can peel away the old and tatty roof covering.
35:12So why do the Italians love the barquetta so much?
35:19Imagine summertime, end of spring.
35:21Yeah.
35:22Me and my wife driving top down Lago di Como.
35:26On Lake Como, top down.
35:28You know, to smell at noon what people is cooking.
35:32Yeah.
35:33To listen and to look at the sky and to look at the stars.
35:36Yeah.
35:37And here we have mother nature that helps us a lot.
35:39Of course.
35:40We have a lot of beautiful things.
35:41Our new roof is made from a high quality triple layered material with an impermeable rubber
35:48centre.
35:49I consider that a proper upgrade.
35:51That's a really nice addition to the car.
35:54It's got a better quality feel to it.
35:56The new hood is €450 plus fitting, which is a small price to pay for something that will
36:02completely transform the look of the car.
36:05We have to get this cable.
36:07Put the cable in and that is going to be a tricky job.
36:12Along with the tensioner cable, there are scores of fiddly screws and gaskets to put
36:16back in place.
36:17I don't mean I want to put another one back on.
36:19We just leave it as a barquetta open top.
36:22I'm starting to understand why Romano is the king of these roofs.
36:26What an old man has to do for a living.
36:29You told me that you don't charge for this.
36:32You just do it because of depression, which is the reason I found you Romano.
36:36OK.
36:37Just because I'm cheap.
36:38Remember, I'm keeping another one of these cars on the road for Italy.
36:41Uh-huh.
36:42Well, Mike's done really well to find us a great set of wheels at a great price, but before
36:53it gets painted, it has got some curb damage.
36:56Quite common, easily done.
36:57But what I'm going to do first is I'm going to take a file and just take off the high
37:02spots all the way around this flat surface.
37:06And then after that, I can apply a special alloy wheel filler and reshape it in the way
37:10that it should look.
37:13So now you get a real clear view of exactly where the low spots are and it's those bits
37:18that we need to apply the filler to.
37:19It comes with a hardener like any other.
37:21It's about one golf ball size amount of filler with about a pea size of hardener.
37:26Brought it up just above those high spots so that we can then sand it all back down.
37:35It's fairly quick hardening, but just to help the process, I'm going to stick it out in the sun.
37:49I didn't bring my glasses with me.
37:51You want to draw mine?
37:52I forgot to bring my own, so I've had to borrow Romano's.
37:55Oh, that's better. I can see it now.
37:57To ensure our hood looks as good as new for as long as possible, Romano has come up with a unique innovation.
38:04We have created a little sausage.
38:06What?
38:07A sausage.
38:08Like your breakfast.
38:09How does that work then?
38:10Well, you know, I'll show it to you.
38:11I just brought it with me.
38:12Yeah, yeah, yeah.
38:13This is what we have created.
38:14And we use it to preserve the proper curvature of the PVC.
38:17I get it.
38:18So you put that in there?
38:19We put it here when we close the room.
38:20And then fold up the roof.
38:21And then we can close it.
38:22And then you get no creases?
38:23Absolutely.
38:25All for that?
38:26All for that.
38:27For a big piece of sausage.
38:28I love it.
38:29I absolutely love it.
38:30So it's just gluing and screwing now?
38:32Now we have to do gluing and screwing.
38:35It's been a slog, but the roof is finally complete.
38:38Look at that.
38:39Yeah.
38:40It's drum-tied.
38:41That is fantastic.
38:42It's drum-tied.
38:43Yes.
38:44And it's got such a quality feel to it.
38:47I absolutely love it.
38:56Right, that is looking loads, loads better.
38:59I started with a coarse grit, a P80, then moved on to a 180,
39:04a much finer grit to give it that lovely, smooth finish.
39:07So it's now ready to go to paint.
39:12Turning a tired and tatty fear into our perfect barquetta
39:15was always going to be a challenge.
39:21Come on, my son.
39:22Look at that.
39:23Mate, that is incredible.
39:24Isn't it fantastic?
39:25It just screams luxury, doesn't it?
39:27Plus, he even knocked us up a couple of cheeky mats.
39:29That is so good.
39:31There's one more thing.
39:32You haven't seen this yet.
39:33Oh, this is all like Christmas coming together.
39:35Check this out.
39:36Oh, yes.
39:37How about that?
39:38They've just come back from the painters.
39:39I think they look amazing.
39:40They look incredible.
39:41So now we've got the wheels, got the roof, got the interior,
39:44all the engineering's done.
39:46This is the final piece of the jigsaw.
39:47So literally all we've got to do is put those in,
39:49bolt these on, and the car's literally ready to drive out.
39:52Let's get it on the road.
39:54You know, when we was at that bar Chetameet, people were saying how nice they are when you roll back the roof and just relax and take it all in.
40:17Yeah.
40:18I'm actually feeling that right now.
40:19Our time in Italy is almost over, and with the bar Chetameet back at the workshop, the car is coming together.
40:32But looking at it now, I have just one word.
40:38Bellissimo.
40:39Against the red paintwork, those tan leather seats bring some prancing horse flair.
40:45And the upgraded suspension system should give the car some sporting pedigree.
40:50We've spent just under €2,500 on our bar Chetameet.
40:54Not bad for something that looks this good.
41:03It sort of almost takes your breath away just how far this car has come,
41:08and how different it looks from when we first bought it.
41:10It's just fantastic, isn't it?
41:16Right, here we go, mate.
41:17Mate, this is like the hairpin at Monaco.
41:20This is good.
41:21Look at that.
41:22Hey, how does that feel?
41:29I know the seats are a bit better, but I think the suspension is really good, isn't it?
41:33Yeah.
41:34Into these roundabouts, out the roundabout.
41:36It handles it like a racing car now, doesn't it?
41:39It does, doesn't it?
41:40Yeah, look at that.
41:41That's nice, isn't it?
41:42It just handles the road so much better.
41:44There's not the body roll that we had before.
41:46It felt like a sort of family saloon car, which is not what it looks like on the outside.
41:51So go on, then.
41:523,500 RPM.
41:53Here we go.
41:54That's what we're looking for.
41:56Repairing our Barchetta's variator was no easy task.
42:00Question is, has it worked?
42:04Oh, there it is.
42:05There it is.
42:06Hey!
42:07Wow!
42:08Wow, that has got something, hasn't it?
42:09Wow!
42:12You can really feel it, you know, and that's what was missing.
42:14That's why there was a surprise when we drove it last time, that you couldn't feel that.
42:17Wow, that is really quite impressive.
42:19Oodles of power, but it's quite simple and on tap and a nice fit, so well done.
42:35Mate, what can I say?
42:36I think we've absolutely nailed this.
42:38It's just been an amazing experience.
42:40The car looks great on the outside and the inside.
42:43The driving experience is just spot on.
42:45I love it.
42:46I also have fallen in love again with Italy.
42:49It's such a great place.
42:50So much so, it got me thinking about the past two decades and the relationship that Wheeler
42:55Dealers has had with Italy and all the fun we've had here and the amount of profit that
43:00we've had out of this place.
43:02So I was thinking maybe the right thing to do in this instance with this little car is
43:07let them have it.
43:08So why don't we let the Barcetta Club just have the car?
43:11They can use it as a club mascot or whatever.
43:14Give it back to Italy.
43:15Give it back to Italy.
43:16Do you like that idea?
43:17I think it's a great idea.
43:18Alright, well before we give it back, let's take it one last spin.
43:20One drive, but look after it.
43:48Auto Cancara-1
43:52.
43:53Don't forget this one is everything inside the house.
43:54All right!
43:55A PAP EYEstê² ï¿½
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