[james]

I remember my dad's '87 PP had a horn ring on the steering wheel that would keep malfunctioning and finally had to be taken off. Surprisingly, i havent seen a single PP with that horn ring in my town. Was it from an older model or was it supplied for a limited period?

Cheers!

[saket77]

Originally Posted by james

I remember my dad's '87 PP had a horn ring on the steering wheel that would keep malfunctioning and finally had to be taken off. Surprisingly, i havent seen a single PP with that horn ring in my town. Was it from an older model or was it supplied for a limited period?

Cheers!

In our Fiat 1100D, the steering was replaced by a 2-spoke newer model. It was a complete rip-off from a Maruti 800 steering during the early 90s with 2 horn buttons at each spoke and was grey in color. Compared to the stock model, it was a tad bigger in circumference, I guess. There was a 'PAL' badge in italics. I am sure that it was a genuine part because newer padminis & probably S1s came with that kind of steering only.

The old fiats had a smaller, not so meaty steering with a round button in the centre which made the horn sound on press. This button had the famous 'Fiat' word written in the famous old longish font.

Regards.

[samsag12]

Originally Posted by james

I remember my dad's '87 PP had a horn ring on the steering wheel that would keep malfunctioning and finally had to be taken off. Surprisingly, i havent seen a single PP with that horn ring in my town. Was it from an older model or was it supplied for a limited period?

Cheers!

Horn rings were period accessory fitted for convenience by the owners. IIRC they never came factory fitted on cars.
Sweet trade was one of the manufacturers who used to make them.

Originally Posted by saket77

In our Fiat 1100D, the steering was replaced by a 2-spoke newer model. It was a complete rip-off from a Maruti 800 steering during the early 90s with 2 horn buttons at each spoke and was grey in color. Compared to the stock model, it was a tad bigger in circumference, I guess. There was a 'PAL' badge in italics. I am sure that it was a genuine part because newer padminis & probably S1s came with that kind of steering only.

The old fiats had a smaller, not so meaty steering with a round button in the centre which made the horn sound on press. This button had the famous 'Fiat' word written in the famous old longish font.

Regards.

The steering you are talking about (with 2 horn buttons on either side) was an aftermarket design available during late 80s & early 90s, which was almost similar to M800 ones. S1 or for that matter, any later model didn't came with that steering wheel design as OE. Though some later models ( S1 & 137D) did came with 2 spoke Polyurethane (thick wheel) ones from factory the pics of which are below.



Hope this clears the confusion.

[saket77]

The Steering I was talking about, although its an 800, but the one in my car was exactly the same, albeit with the words 'PAL' on them.

Regards,

[samsag12]

Originally Posted by saket77

The Steering I was talking about, although its an 800, but the one in my car was exactly the same, albeit with the words 'PAL' on them.

Regards,

I am aware of this type but these never came as OE. I have posted the 2 designs ( thick spoke ones) that came as OE from factory.
FYI aftermarket steering wheel designs based on old Maruti 1000/ early Esteem OE ones were also available for Fiat/ Padmini.

[rajeev k]

There was another for spoke steering wheel which made its appearance first in the Deluxe BU edition. see picture link :steeringl

[KkVaidya]

Originally Posted by saket77

4. No handbrakes!

At the end what happened was easier predicted than any other thing. Died a disgraceful death. As a company which sold lakhs of cars, to die this way it unacceptable. Without giving out a try.

As far as I remember, it had the handbrake lever just near the passenger leg area (Near the Axle bump).

As for the disgraceful death . Really feed sad even this day. Just compare it with how VW stopped the production of the old Beetle in Mexico some 10 years back. It was a huge celebration & people were lucky to book their cars in the last lot!

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by KkVaidya

As far as I remember, it had the handbrake lever just near the passenger leg area (Near the Axle bump).

This was because Premier did not bother to shift it to suit the RHD configuration like the wiper orientation which was corrected much later on.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by KkVaidya

As far as I remember, it had the handbrake lever just near the passenger leg area (Near the Axle bump).

Just compare it with how VW stopped the production of the old Beetle in Mexico some 10 years back. It was a huge celebration & people were lucky to book their cars in the last lot!

Couldn't agree more to it. As a car of as good as a maker FIAT or having as successful run as PAL's Padmini, it deserved a better adieu. But the maker's of that time, PAL dug its own grave. Maruti was like the last solid nail on its coffin!

Reg. handbrake, I have seen handbrakes in the area that you mention in Padmini's but my 1100D did not have it! May be other owners of 1100D can tell if their cars had hand brakes.

Regards,
Saket

[KkVaidya]

Dear All,

Yesterday I discovered a Treasure, literally. An old authorized stockist of 'PAL-PAR' parts has decided to part with his unused junk of spares for Padmini & 118NE. Actually, he has a 6' x 6' room full of parts for both these vehicles that have been lying idle since last 7 years!
Now he has decided to sell them on as-is-where-is basis. I checked them yesterday & it was mind boggling. I could find wheel caps, Muffllers, body panels, doors, pistons, suspension parts, rubber parts & the list goes on (all OH-REE-GI-NAL). The light was too dim & the parts too many for me to check properly. I am thinking of striking a deal with him but first need him to make a list of all the parts as he himself has lost track of his stock!

Best regards,
KKVAIDYA

[saket77]

Originally Posted by KkVaidya

Dear All,

Yesterday I discovered a Treasure, literally. An old authorized stockist of 'PAL-PAR' parts has decided to part with his unused junk of spares for Padmini & 118NE. Actually, he has a 6' x 6' room full of parts for both these vehicles that have been lying idle since last 7 years!

Ah!! The Padmini lovers have hit a goldmine! Double check the rubber parts as the rubbers must have deteriorated with time, though unused.

[Karthik1100]

Originally Posted by KkVaidya

Dear All,

Yesterday I discovered a Treasure, literally. An old authorized stockist of 'PAL-PAR' parts has decided to part with his unused junk of spares for Padmini & 118NE.

Best regards,
KKVAIDYA

Do let us know the parts available!! It would help many of us.

[funkykar]

Definitely a treasure KK Vaidya! Hope the enthusiasts struggling for parts make good use of this

[rjalihal]

Think I missed this thread. Fiat/PAL have a special running in our family. Here is why:-

Dads 1st car: Fiat 1100 (MYZ 1375). The same one on which I learnt driving. It was forest green in colour.
Uncles 1st car: Premier Padmini (TSF 3589). Also we fitted a National brand car A/c. So it was the first car I sat which was luxury to me! It was white in colour.
My relatives in Belgaum had 2 Premier Padminis, both black. One was MZO 7889 & the other was MH-12 2829. First trip to Goa with dad, uncles and cousins - a boys trip was done with these two cars. I still remember the look on the women's face (mom, aunts et all) after we got back!
In the mid 90s, they bought a 118NE (forgot the plate, but it was MH-12) and used it in Belgaum till the mid 2000s before finally scrapping it.
I know have a reason to go through our family albums and hunt for those pictures! Ah good old memories. In fact on one trip from Belgaum to Bangalore, I remember the temperature gauge shooting all the way to the max for no apparent reason. We stopped at Chitradurga, Davangere and Tumkur to rectify it. I was too young to know what the problem was! It was a 14 hour journey thanks to the mechanic stops!

Cheers!
Rohan

[Karthik1100]

This is the first time I'm getting to see a FIAT being manufactured at the kurla plant!

Behramji: Kindly tell us about this pic and do you also have any pics of the plant?

Source : Centro Storico Fiat