Are TV Car Restorations As Good As They Look? (ft. For The Love of Cars FIAT 500)

We've all seen those shows and TV programmes where they rebuild classic cars, things like Fast N Loud, Wheeler Dealers and For the Love of Cars. They always make it look like the finished cars are pristine, but how good is the work they do really?
Fiat 500 100 Mile Journey Playlist: • Sofia! Classic Fiat 50...

[@eddieconnor9352]

I wasn’t expecting this car to have held up so well after 6 years. Hats off to the restorers as you just wouldn’t expect this sort of workmanship from a TV project.

[@Doughman888]

I wonder if FTLOC might not be representative. Ant did a small number of detailed restorations for sale in a public auction (and broke a few auction records) so there wasn't really much room to hide like there is in other shows.

[@mmdirtyworkz]

Keeping it in a garage helps a lot

[@SuperAlbino1]

Ant is seriously good at what he does, lightyears above Edd 😂

[@Shoult55]

The restoration was so true to the original that they installed the factory original Fiat corrosion. Good job Ant!

[@petekovacevic3241]

Its much more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow

[@mikeh2006]

Quite true. Throughout my 20s I progressively bought quicker cars. The quickest being an e46 m3. I found I couldn't really use it to it's potential on public roads, at least certainly not in a safe manner, which was frustrating. In the following years i've had alsorts of cars, but one of my favourates was a 1.4 16v corsa D. Not quick but you could really use the engine and throw it about. Currently I have an e36 328i and I merc c320cdi.

[@tihspidtherekciltilc5469]

Out of the hundreds of cars I've had the $50 1971 Datsun with three on the tree manual transmission was the most fun to drive with my 82 manual Toyota Supra L.

[@kyler12345]

My wee panda 100hp is testament to that👍

[@Titan604]

Agree, My first car was a mini 1000. It is more fun when you have to work the gears to get the performance you need rather than just pushing the accelerator a bit more, which in the mini did not increase speed much, just made the engine a little louder! You could still overtake anything if you dropped a gear and used the "charging the tailgate" technique. A slow car with excellent handling must be the ultimate in fun!

[@whichwasher2007]

Very true. My favourite car I had most fun driving was my 86hp yaris 1.3 SR. But unfortunately rust had gotten the better of it. Engine didn't burn oil. Despite me ragging it. Always wanted one of these original fiat 500's.

[@francoisdvanderwesthuizen6772]

I would disagree and say that this beauty has not been sitting in a garage after it's restoration, because the clutch and steering won't go out of adjustment by just sitting there, whoever had it enjoyed it a lot after it's restoration...

[@RobertNES816]

The steering would get that much slop in it though even from driving it? I could see high mileage producing that kind of slop but even so a car thats been maintained shouldn't have steering like that.

[@tonysilliker5977]

Can agree on the fact it hasn't been a dust collector in a garage... But a beauty,🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔... How much you had to drink... It's a FIAT!!!!! 😂😂😂

[@MURDOCK1500]

That's old rust coming back through on the windcreen scuttle panel. The rust wasn't probably cleaned off sufficiently before it was painted. Or it's rust that's coming from between the windcreen spot welded flange. But to be honest I still think it's pretty good after 6 years

[@ryanlukens9280]

Looking through the comments, I didn’t see anyone mention the lack of safety with vehicle on the floor jack. I have been pulling wrenches on my own junk for years and have been watching friends and family wrench all my life. We always put a jack stand under the vehicle before we put any people under the vehicle. I didn’t see any stands or cribbing under that car before the host crawled under it. I enjoyed the show until that point. Please always exercise caution when working on cars, you only live once.

[@mknight702]

At 7:35 you can clearly see a yellow axle stand behind the rear wheel and chock behind the other rear wheel, yes, there could have been an axle stand under the front too, but I think you are worrying unnecessarily.

[@jeffreyfreeze2472]

That car is so small it probably wouldn't even hurt

[@ryanlukens9280]

I retract my earlier comment. I have been corrected, there is a jack stand (some call them axle stands) under the rear axle. I make comments about safety because, while I watch these videos for fun, some may watch these videos for information and instruction. I don’t want to see a novice get injured, or worse, because they tried something they saw on KZbin and didn’t use proper safety. If they get hurt early on, they may give up on the hobby instead of learn from their mistakes. I want to see this hobby grow as much as possible.

[@robedmunds7163]

Ha, 6 years is not bad, they rusted quicker than that from new.

[@SURENITY]

That is fast!

[@MGR99]

Yea, with no protection for the metal from the elements, i.e. thick anti rust paint, plastic lining, etc. It's no big surprise even on a garage kept car.

[@johncollins5552]

My neighbour bought a brand new fiat ritmo in the late eighties and his feet went straight through the floor when he sat in one day, it was only 2 years old and had just 4,000 miles on roads that were never salted!

[@MGR99]

@@johncollins5552 more likely a manufacturing issue, such as the bare chassis sitting outside in the elements. Most likely due to a strike or something. xd

[@drewbase]

@@johncollins5552 yeah or a blown up story

[@cbturner]

Finding rust on a Fiat is like finding bananas in a supermarket. Believe me, I know.

[@peterschmidt1453]

The Acronym (F)ix (I)t (A)gain (T)ony was a well known saying in the 1970's / 80's.

[@t44e6]

As someone who restored cars for many years, I knew the answer before I watched the video.

[@stevenmoran4060]

Back in the seventies I had a 3 year old mini that was falling to bits with rust. All cars of that era fell to bits very quickly because there was no rust proofing or wheel arch liners or anything. Just a coat of paint on untreated mild steel.

[@AmigaA-or2hj]

Renault, Citroen, Hillman and Datson were rust rotters, too.

[@stevewalker7290]

In the '70s, my father visited a steelworks in Wales and saw coils of rusty steel, marked up "For BL. Rejected by Ford".

[@dracofenix3860]

I'm always surprised that car companies from the UK, one of the most humid countries in Europe, didn't put more care on rust prevention. Then you have the Alfa Romeo Alfasud, built right next to the mediterranean sea, with the unpainted bodies stored outside during the night and painted by underpayed, low experience workers. Did i mention they were built with low quality scrap metal bought from the Soviet Union? There were tales of the windscreen falling off by pure rust while leaving the transport truck at the car dealership.

[@cheetahgamerz9448]

@@stevewalker7290 doesnt surprise me. My great grandad got 2 capris new when they came out and within 2 years they were scrapped

[@stevebishop4926]

They were quite bad for corrosion, I was there.

[@ThorneyedWT]

No matter how good old car was preserved or restored, all rubber parts will turn to bricks or just fall apart. Replacing all the seals, sleeves, pads etc can be painful and costly, but it will make night and day difference.

[@terrygoyan3022]

Driving over Mt. Blanc would be fun for the driver of the Fiat 500 but not so fun for the 50 cars stuck behind him!

[@melvinphillips786]

It’s a six year old restoration and though kept in a garage it wasn’t kept in a climate controlled environment I’m guessing. The mechanical issues tell of use but little or no maintenance, with this in mind, it’s in the condition I would have expected.

[@macman6107]

I actually agree with you. A lot of non-car people (I know nothing about the owner here) tend to believe if the car is new it doesn't need anything done to it.

[@johndilloway9762]

I'm surprised that he's surprised to see tell tale mark's of possible rust, on a fiat!! l'm surprised any of them made it this long.

[@bertiewooster3326]

Not used enough!!

[@patrykrog8121]

@@macman6107 well usually for the first 3 years its just gonna be oil changes but then the problems will start after 3-5 years

[@carfreakjim]

I don't totally agree with that. It should definitely not be rusting already, thats just a sign of either bad body work or bad paint preparation

[@tonycamplin8607]

I agree with you that the TV crew seems to have made a really good job of the restoration, they certainly seem to do a lot of work on the cars featured in their programmes. The bodywork "faults" are nothing that I wouldn't have expected, garaged or not, the rest, steering box for instance are just normal routine repairs on a car that old.

[@bloccoaspirale1867]

Chop Shop consistently set the low-end benchmark for TV car builds.

[@salvofarnia8046]

30" wheel spacers lol

[@bloccoaspirale1867]

@@salvofarnia8046 Oh yes!

[@LOTPOR0402]

Those cars must of had rust bubbles under the filler like an aero bar in no time at all

[@AmigaA-or2hj]

I wouldn’t trust any of their cars. It reminds me of Scrapheap Challenge.

[@infrasleep]

When the mechanics main tool is an angle grinder it's wise to steer clear XD

[@derekhastings8481]

It’s difficult now to remember who rusty older car were - even when new! My dads 1980 Ford Escort, always washed, polished and garaged, was showing rust after 3 years and significantly at 5 or 6. My friends dad has a Lancia a few years later. It basically disintegrated as you looked at it. The wee Fiat is looking good.

[@Number27]

Cheers Derek! Can’t believe the escort only lasted 3 years before showing rust

[@derekhastings8481]

@@Number27 my dad paid extra to get wax injections to prevent rust. Ziebart was the brand. I remember smiling when I found the rust at the injection points 😂

[@neutronalchemist3241]

The '70s and early '80s had been especially bad. In the late '80s the galvanic processes started to improve considerably.

[@Yvolve]

It was mainly down to low quality steel alloys, because they were cheap. There are only a few companies that can make steel that doesn't rust but works for a car. Stainless is too hard and brittle for example, on a daily driver, you would start seeing cracks. Low carbons steel is cheap, easy to work, but rusts like crazy. Not until large scale, high quality galvanisation became profitable, did cars start to last longer. Now they're acid and etch-primer dipped. VW messed up with the T3 though, thinking they would protect the seam welds by using a silicon. Turns out it attracted water and rusted even faster. By the time it was noticeable, it was a big problem.

[@andywright1634]

I want to see Ant Anstead review your restoration of a Ferrari 308. 6 years later: "yeah, it's still not f***ing running right".

[@juangouveia8098]

lmao

[@markwilliams8901]

😂😂

[@Number27]

Don’t know what you mean Andy, the InfluEnzo is already basically perfect.

[@happyknightinternationalma116]

How old is the infamous influenzo again!!! It has personality that’s all. Give the guy a break 😁

[@rickyfenn3995]

🤣

[@davidthomas1424]

Sweet! I ran a Fiat 126 for a while (cost £126) that I referred to as my "sporty, red, little Italian 2+2". Everyone else referred to it as my fridge magnet 😁🤸

[@shanedebarra4986]

My mother had three Fiat 126 (at once) in the eighties ... why three? ... because it took 3 cars to keep one on the road 🤣 ... they were a hoot though 👍

[@stalincat2457]

Nice! Someone told me that my car (Subaru M80) only had seatbelts so instead of parking it you could wear it as a backpack :D

[@johnandersonjjr]

Hard to tell ( on my cell phone but the left side issue looked like a (paint) run to me but assuming it wasn’t and is rust coming through it may be that it wasn’t removed when the on was done. If however the situation is the same in Britain as it is in Canada , the primer used was insufficient that is because the environmental nazis have legislated zinc chromate and lead out of the primers ingredients . Governments wants your car to rust away anyway,so you’ll take the bus

[@LOTPOR0402]

A classic will always rust in the end used or not especially if it's in a damp garage

[@Strider9655]

I've seen classics kept under a car cover for 12 months, the owner thinking it was the right thing to do, then they remove it and there's mold on the interior, rust in the engine bay, rust on the chassis and everything but the paint is wrecked.

[@themessenger5868]

@@Strider9655 Car covers are like a body bag for cars...

[@Strider9655]

@@themessenger5868 IKR, and you try to inform people, but they never listen.

[@jamesjack6769]

If it's dry when it goes in a well ventilated garage and you take it out for a spin once a month, should last forever.

[@davidcoleman6032]

I find these shows a farce,to do a proper restoration takes time,money, patience and there are 'restorations' and then there are restorations, anyone who has done it properly will know, not many people have a clue what's really involved, these shows give the wrong impression, it's not the case of waving a wand.Then it also depends on how many parts are repaired/replaced.I found that alot of so say new parts are of poor quality/fit,don't last long etc.The best parts are new old stock(NOS)-if you can find them!

[@AnonymousAndy2]

I did various work on WD both on & off camera and they actually did amazing work. They often did say they were not doing full restorations but saving cars from the scrap yard to hopefully live on to fight another day. You also have to remember that behind the camera they had several cars all on the go at the same time.

[@Number27]

Yes of course.. plus the demands of filming deadlines! Thanks for watching Andy!

[@AnonymousAndy2]

@@Number27 I was surprised by how much work went on behind the scenes to make just one show. Really enjoyed doing my bit for the show.

[@jeremy3998]

I think this car was restored just fine. The underneath looks like it was done well and it was all taken apart and painted and put back together with care. From brand new, they would be showing rust bubbles and having problems after 6 years and probably much worse if used in bad weather conditions a lot. And people forget that old cars had bad panel gaps when they were new. The only way to make this or any restored car last a long time is to keep it in a garage and only drive it on dry days.

[@Number27]

It is def one of the better car programs!!

[@claudioperotti9439]

That's not restored.That's badly assembled with wrong spares from different versions and years.

[@peterschmidt1453]

All cars before the 1990's rusted like crazy, especially around windows and wheel arches so no surprise it's resurfacing on this one.

[@jehl1963]

I think that Jack feels so restored now that he's been able to have a video about a classic Italian car which is not full of woe and suffering.

[@Number27]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@rivolinho]

Classic italian car and not full of woe and suffering is a slight contradiction in terms!

[@UKMike2009]

You have to love a 500. Someone should spend some time getting the panel fit correctly adjusted though.

[@lrich8181]

Yes,the doors are pretty far out of adjustment.

[@the1beard]

The carb gasket is a service item They always start to leak after 5 years Worth checking with a squirt of easy start around the Base of the carb to see if the engine revs up

[@tcpnetworks]

A rebuild kit for them is about $12 including delivery :) Yep - it's going to sit - it's going to leak.

[@nippynidge]

Thanks for the links to your epic Italy to England journey in the Fiat 500 - brilliant!

[@shapesart2701]

I owned a Fiat 126 from 1988 for 5 years and you may know it was just a facelift of this little fellow. What I do remember all mechanical components used in 126, mainly 126p (polish version) were the same. No surprise : these cars were airworthy the other way - when you try to fix one thing , the one you've fixed previos already returns to it's former state. or like some used to say : you tend to spend more time under this car then inside. My was slightly modified for rallying purposes and , in fact, gave me a lot of fun !

[@andrewdonaldford]

I owned a W123 Merc featured in Wheeler Dealers. Great restoration, great car.

[@highpath4776]

@@gordwesty6299 WD is basically a flip show, with a heavy service and the easier welding jobs. Its not (with a couple of exceptions) a total nut and bolt restoration. CarSOS is not too bad, engine work and drivetrain generally subbed out, but the welding is fairly heavy , but with space and the useful tools, ramps and 6 chaps working on it its generally doable, doing integrals with trifold original floor to cill is always going to be difficult, but separate chassis ones are more straightforward.

[@johncross8834]

I really injoy watching these shows as I have restored a few Cars myself. They basically do a good job. But never seem to do any form of rust protection ie cavity wax ,underbody protection this in my opinion ensures against future rust problems

[@jabezhane]

A friend of mine bumped into a chap who had appeared as the buyer on Wheeler Dealers and actually bought the car that week. Apparently he paid nowhere near the price they said he paid on the show.

[@terrymofmich]

What was the reported price ? What did he actually pay ?

[@georgivanev7466]

Did he paid lower or they asked for higher price?

[@jabezhane]

@@georgivanev7466 oh much lower. I don't know the figures.

[@georgivanev7466]

@@jabezhane Interesting, thanks.

[@chukzombi]

Yeah, i heard they practically give the cars away, sometimes they cant even give them away. The tv show has no use for them after filming and they dont run a used car lot.

[@marcushull12]

You should do one off Wheeler Dealers but I suspect you would have to go to a scrap yard to find one they had done .

[@dphotos007]

I like Edd China when he was on the Wheeler Dealer show. He tended to sort out all the cars on the show. He always took care of the clutch and the steering box. This reminds me of my 1967 Triumph TR4A IRS. My car is not fast but it is a blast to drive. I restored my car and love it. My car has always been a California car and it had zero rust when I bought it.

[@TerryClarkAccordioncrazy]

Can't be any worse than TV house renovations. Now where did I put that staple gun?

[@sholehan]

Many years ago there was an MX-5 on Wheeler Dealers, this car used to pop up every so often for a few years on the owners forums and groups, it was a complete shed. I think (as I suspect you were hinting at!) there is a big variance in quality between the shows over the years!

[@glennpowell3444]

Edd China parted company with WD,s one of the reasons being that due to demand a compromise had to me made in quality of final product.He was the show and I lost interest after that.

[@MrGts92]

Also you don't know hows it been looked after in between WD and further ownership. My Eunos had various rust spots. Fixed it all, looked after it, sold it to a friend, within 4years back with the rust, poor brake condition, tyres, needed service , interior cleaning. I know it wasn't my car at that point, but you still feel gutted.

[@geoffmower8729]

@@MrGts92 There is a big difference when cars are garaged or left out in the elements. But there are people who buy cars and just run them into the ground within a few years. My wife has a 96 Toyota and I have a 97 Australian Ford Fairlane both bought from new and they still look almost as fresh as they left the factory. Every time we take them in for maintenance we get phone calls from people wanting to buy them. The secret is keep up with any maintenance and use a good car polish but most importantly house it in a garage or shed!

[@MrGts92]

@@geoffmower8729 that was kind of my point lol. Although tbf, you've been more detailed.

[@wigs1098]

The cars on Wheeler Dealers are generally not restored, just repaired as necessary for sale for a profit as one might do in a home workshop, that was the premise of the show which many do not seem to realise. They therefore, cannot be compared to cars that are supposedly restored on other shows. The condition of any car after a few years is down to how it is looked after, stored and used. Many high dollar restorations will look terrible if the vehicle is not looked after appropriately after restoration. People always harp on about Edd China and how good he was, but as someone who has been restoring and working on cars for nearly 40 years, Ant was actually a good find for the show. He explained how things worked, made tools and parts as necessary and in fact highlighted many of the skills required to do this kind of work successfully. I didn't like him initially, but he actually told us stuff you need to know when working on such vehicles. Edd did too, but I found Ant to be more convincing in what he actually did most of the time. I would suggest many who only see Edd as the reason for the show existing probably do not do any kind of practical repair or restoration of the cars themselves and are interested in just the show as entertainment. Having said that, from the little I've seen of the current series, even less work on the car is shown now and I can't take to the current mechanic no matter how good he may be. He does not have Edd's charm or Ant's ability to explain things using good analogies. Just my opinion.

[@stephensmith3018]

Nice job on the Fiat! I am not surprised by the rust in new places it just waits till you least expect it and then comes bubbling out!!

[@time2kickarse]

Love the carpet cruise control 👍

[@FoxSpeedshop]

As a fellow restorer of fiat 500s i enjoy seeing someone elses work, nice one

[@FoxSpeedshop]

Though that pedal cutout in the carpet is pure butchery!

[@panchopuskas1]

I love how polite this guy is......"I'd prefer not to see that"........

[@pdtech4524]

Brilliant little cars, full of character and Italian style.👍😎

[@Number27]

Agree, l love them!!

[@woodrimcars2324]

What a Great idea and a nice video. 6 years post restoration I think she looks Good for an Italian car from that era. Here in France we have Vintage Mechanic and the car to be restored is shown to several professional garages and even the tech college has been used for a NSU RO 80 all with Great finished results.

[@paulrandles5249]

When I was seventeen and just after passing my test I bought a 2 year old 8000 mile 500L (XUN572K) with 8000 miles on the clock from my mother, the gearbox would crunch if you drove it like a plonker, my dad taught my to double declutch and driven properly it was as smooth as butter , few things are more satisfying than a perfectly matched clutch less shift. A friend had an almost identical car and his was exactly the same. I wouldn't let anyone else drive my car, as I loved it and didn't want it to be broken by someone who wouldn't drive sympathetically. Unfortunately one day I found the limit of my abilities and rolled the poor thing.... one of the most emotionally painful things to happen to me.

[@davidbarnsley8486]

I think to say it was done 6 years ago it looks incredible

[@AntBangBang]

First of your videos that I’ve seen. Love it.

[@leytonthomas2043]

Jack this video is a refreshing change to the norm. I fully understand the restoration side of things and it would be good to see more videos of how very much " professional " jobs have withstood time. In defence of anyone buying a restored car, looking after it and maintaining it is a full on job ( Remember.....cars of this era started to dissolve as soon as they left the Quality control section of the factory where they were made.) And is key to keeping them looking as fresh as the day they were completed. I have seen some truly awful restorations over the years, It never ceases to amaze me how people excepts them. More videos like these please!!!

[@alanpickering4497]

I enjoyed this thanks. I often ponder these very questions about TV cars and just how comprehensive are the restorations ...one montage later and the car is painted and back together. There were often horror stories about house makeover shows so I guess time is the enemy and things are probably not tested as well as they could be.

[@Number27]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks Alan!

[@joebutlersnr7017]

I had the car that followed this one , the 126 water cooled and I was amazed at how good to drive it was , hustle it around town and city it was great using the momentum , I loved that thing and it would make a great classic.

[@Number27]

Great cars and many 500s now have 126 motors and gearboxes. Big improvement

[@onastick2411]

I think a lot of the confusion comes from these shows saying restoration, when they mean refurbishment. To me restoration is a complete engine rebuild, with the replacement of every component, whether it's functioning at the time or not. A refurbishment (like Wheeler Dealers often do), is identify what's wrong and repair replace it, then sell the car. Anyway, four years, that's about twenty years in classic car years.

[@kevthebusman4768]

Held up better than I would expect as they were nothing more than rust buckets when new , Great car would love to have it.

[@XB10001]

Excellent video. And very interesting review. I always wondered how good those restorations were. 👍

[@Number27]

Thanks buddy!! I think the ones on this program are some of the best..

[@f4zetw0]

I have never heard of for the love of cars and I love these type of programs!

[@Laz_Arus]

@@adeburton4885 2 seasons and a special actually. Definitely worth the watch 👍 ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_the_Love_of_Cars

[@Number27]

It’s probably one fo the best to be honest!! Presenters are great and the work is usually pretty good!

[@Valisk]

The MR2 MK1 they did on Wheeler Dealers was a shed. IIRC, it failed its next MOT and was sold on as spares or repair due to rust.

[@2702simmo]

If I was loaded I’d get one of these. They look so good

[@paulwright7551]

Excellent review!

[@michaelpegasiou4531]

Nice little car and a lovely colour for it.

[@gizmo6164]

Really interesting change of tack with this video Jack. I enjoyed it and too would be interested in seeing how cars made over by other programmes stack up. Hopefully some of your subscribers can help with tracking them down.

[@Number27]

Lassi.. that 4 year old 500 would have been used daily, kept outside and used in winter. This wasn’t !

[@simonbeer5259]

That’s a great idea for another show 👍

[@AlexLR]

I can only speak for Wheeler Dealers when Ed China was doing it but just about everything was faked, from the mechanical problems to the sale. Most of the cars were just abandoned after filming apart from valuable classics which went to a real dealer for real cheap. They had generally decided what repairs they wanted to film before even buying the car, patch them up to look decent on camera, get some poor sod to pretend they bought it, claim to make a profit (ignoring man/workshop hours and all the little bits that really add up). And Mike Brewer only over ‘held out his aaand’ for a pay check! Don’t believe a thing you see on reality tv 😉

[@mikewilson631]

@@AlexLR Out of curiosity, I started looking up the registration numbers on DVLA. Haven't found one yet that was still on the road.

[@lucian6395]

@@mikewilson631 the mx5 they did in one of the first series is abandoned in Manchester i think

[@julianbrown1331]

As an ex-technical advisor to the X1/9 owners club (scarily 20+ years ago) I was quite intrigued with the fact there's been two restored on popular tv shows in the last year and in both cases, having watched the I was frustrated and appalled in equal measures with some of the things I saw (or didn't see) but equally they don't show all the detail of everything going on otherwise it would be way more than a single episode - would love to check them over up close but worried that all illusions would be shattered

[@irvb9881]

This was how I first found Number 27 a couple of yrs ago, when I bought a 500 and was looking for tips. Good to see one next to the Influenzo 😀.

[@XB10001]

Two Italian machines of equivalent reliability meet!

[@jakubtomaszewski5137]

@@XB10001 I'm sure the Fiat would go much further :D Back in the years when they were common in Europe, if they broke down on the way you could do a major repair on the side of the road which would take you home or at least to the nearest garage.

[@XB10001]

@@jakubtomaszewski5137 yes, I think so. Same as the VW Beetle. Simplicity has its advantages.

[@67daltonknox]

I had a '59 500. Many things failed. The most spectacular was the front transverse leaf spring which rusted through, dropping the front of the car onto the front wheels. When the throttle cable broke, I ran some fishing line from the carb through the trunk louvres to the roof and down through the sun roof. It was too elastic, so it was either full power or nothing, but given the amount of power on offer, it was good for 50 miles. Another time I went to start it and there was the sound of gravel hitting the floor pan. The starter motor had fallen off and was spinning on the ground. After this, a Beetle felt solid as a rock.

[@Number27]

Absolutely brilliant!! Thanks for those stories!

[@markpirateuk]

I am not surprised to see rust bubbles after 5 years, my Alfasud had rusted through in under 3 years, Italian cars always had rust issues!

[@Number27]

Yes but this one had been garaged.. shouldn’t really already be rusting

[@markpirateuk]

@@Number27 So was my Alfasud! I had a couple of Fiat 126's back in the day, they also rusted away at an alarming rate. As for that 500, a proper restoration would involve cutting out any rust & welding in new metal, I doubt this was done, also worth noting that the rust is in the windscreen area, water can seep under the rubber & sit there, hence the return of rust.

[@MadisonTen]

@@Number27 you take a car out once in the rain or damp. Park it back in the garage with no air flow and leave it there a few days. Things will rust. Garages are not the be all. It must have got damp some how to rust.

[@alanduncan9204]

3 things. Paint takes a lot longer to dry than a couple of days. I also hate when they put new parts on with old rusty nuts, bolts and greasy old screws. Edd China did this all the time. Not cleaning all the crud and muck off befoer starting to work on a car. This can hide all sorts of damage or problems.

[@mitchd949]

Edd still does the same to this day. His youtube vids feature him working on Range Rover that is coated with filth, rust, dirt, oil, grease. Spend a few quid at the self-serve car wash and pressure wash the dam thing down, Edd!

[@johnprince5931]

Haha, I'm not the only one. Brand new bumpers put on with cruddy nuts.

[@sainta2667]

Correct - Pathetic , and they used to even show it , the show was ok , but buying a car they did , never.

[@alanduncan9204]

@@mitchd949 Yeah, I just don't get it working in that mess. He would spray stone chip on a refurb part to make it stand out from the mud and crap round it.

[@andicog]

Actually 2k paint is dry with a booth within half an hour and can be buffed and polished if necessary once cooled off, if done properly there should be no sinkage , nearly all body shops will use 2 pack now, older cellulose would take literally years (hence all the old american hotrods being in primer for so long so it sinks back), cellulose can always be wiped off with thinner as well, even ten years on.

[@lmoore5264]

A very well done video. Your great personality makes it very enjoyable to watch. This is my first Number 27 video, but I look forward to seeing more. I live in the States and own a Smart Car. I found I have a love for small cars from Europe. I would love to find a 500L like this to restore. Thank you!

[@Number27]

WoW, thank you 🙏 sir, always really satisfying when I get feedback like this from new viewers! Big wave to The 🇺🇸!!

[@richardwollocombe6793]

That's not looking too bad for a 6 year from restoration Italian car. The rust is inevitable and easily fixed. Poor engineering tolerances on parts back then always result in leaks. Nice video, Jack, good to see you adding variety.

[@Number27]

Thanks Richard!

[@grahamnutt8958]

Never owned/driven one but my Mum used to have a Fiat 650 in the late 70s/early 80s. It's about the only thing I can think of that goes "putt, putt, putt........." apart from a very bad Golfer ⛳ Fair questions about how well, or badly, tv shows restore the cars. A lot goes on when the cameras are not filming but it doesn't tell the whole story. Good vid Jack.

[@ManinaGarage]

Does everyone in your neighborhood have cool cars?? Awesome video Jack, thank you 🙏

[@thegearknob7161]

I've seen some crap TV restorations before, but this one looks really nice to me. Underneath is perfect which is great to see. Sometimes rust will come back through on body panels even if you treat them as best as you can. It's particularly common on cars that were acid dipped. It's still treatable at this stage though, it's not likely there's big holes there, and after 6 years it's not entirely unexpected for there to be rust somewhere.

[@MrAndRob]

I think you were a bit harsh Jack on a few things. 6 years since a full restoration, they will have used reconditioned parts etc...so expect to have some faults. Unless the garage was heated, they still get damp etc...so think its typical of older cars to rust

[@AlainHubert]

Yes, I agree that this "review" was a bit harsh. When these cars were bought brand new, after 6 years they would look in much worse shape than this!

[@FridgeProductionsLtd]

@@AlainHubert but with everyday use.

[@SiGainey]

Completely agree. The criticism of a restoration that was done 6 years ago, really irritated me. “This was worked on 6 years ago, and now it’s leaking” . Yes mate, it was 6 years ago, stop being unreasonable 😡

[@Number27]

Guys, respectfully, this has hardly been used and kept garaged. It should not be showing signs of rust so soon.. they rusted quickly in the old days but were used daily, in winter salt and left outside.

[@goawaytours]

@@Number27 Kept garaged doesn't necessarily mean kept dry I've seen a few damp garages where the contents are unusable due to storage conditions

[@ianbeale2527]

I fear most of the UK Wheeler Dealer cars have been scrapped by now. I used to check the MOT status of the cars they "refurbished" and most used to have a horrendous MOT history before the refurb, then failed the next MOT miserably following the show, or never MOT'd again - and I don't mean the ones that were MOT/Tax exempt following the show. Also, there was no mention of Mr Brewer crashing the XR2 into the camera car, then by the magic of tv , shows up to view it with broken spotlight and bent bumper - and passes the damage off as being done by the vendor to "knock a few more quid orf".

[@MrMaxeemum]

They definitely did a proper job on the restoration. The cars from new would not last 10 years in regular use and for those slight imperfections after 6 years since restoration I would not complain about. Sure a better restoration would have lasted longer but cost vs time vs end value you can't complain. I love cheap small cars, they have much more character than more expensive cars. I've had both cheap and expensive cars and the cheap ones live with me forever and the expensive ones are more like one night stands.

[@diegosilang4823]

Depends where you live. Here in Vancouver Canada, most of the cars (domestics or imports) are rust free for 20 years. You live in places with a lot of snowfall such as Toronto, Edmonton or the notorious “rust belt” in the US, cars will rust within 5 years.

[@iansearle3967]

If Ant Anstead had anything to do with the restoration, I’m surprised it’s lasted this long.

[@daveshongkongchinachannel]

Very interesting variation on your regular stuff. I think with things like the bodywork if you restore to original condition they will rust again just like the did back then although presumably paint technology has moved on since then and if a job is done properly the bodywork ought to stand up better. Also find it funny that as a kid I would have looked down on such a car regardless of condition but now it's actually something I would love to own.

[@rhettcorcoran2879]

Great video, I have always wondered how these cars look after a few years.

[@Number27]

Thanks Rhett!! Take care buddy

[@rollingtroll]

Interesting subject for a video! Wouldn't mind seeing more of those!

[@Number27]

Glad you enjoyed it fella! Thanks for watching

[@StupStups]

Excellent colour-match between polo shirt and car, may I say.

[@topcat4643]

The US car restorations look the best to me…..they strip it back to bare basics and start again…..impressed with their restore work

[@russthebiker]

except they then fit rappers wheels, change the colour of the body, change the upholstery, change the engine and gearbox and suspension and brakes ??near me is a chap with a lovely 66 mustang, all origional even down to skinny wheels and tyres, its a joy to see it

[@petercampbell3828]

Interesting video. I've often wondered about theses cars. I think you have to cut it some slack though, unless you can confirm what has gone on with it in the last six years. There is a 500 in a clothing store in Halifax, NS as part of their decor.

[@allysonhanks9159]

Hello Peter

[@johnsim3722]

Mark Evans did an E-Type Jag, or rather he was there doing bits whilst Southern Classics (if I remember their name correctly) seemed to do most of the work. He spent something like £80k on the restoration and later sold it for £60k, according to one racing instructor I was talking to. Restoration wasn't quick, but it was thorough. One of those ones you knew was only going to go up in value and especially as the job was done superbly.

[@planetx5269]

It is SUCH a cool car! I would love to have one.

[@matthiasmartin1975]

I was shocked at the prices of these. At least here in Switzerland they are going for serious Porsche money. One is listed for the equivalent of $50,000. So if you're looking for rear engined fun, a 911 is cheaper.

[@richardhemingway6084]

That looks like a very nice Fiat 500L, by any measure. I had three of them over the years. They were what I referred to as 'running restorations'. I took them off the road for a couple of days at a time, while I replaced panels or sorted rust. But otherwise used as a school bus and shopping cart. They are indeed a 'hoot' to drive. Drive like an Italian. Foot down, double de-clutch, fling it round corners and not even get a speeding ticket. I don't think that was an alternator you pointed out. They had Dynamos of that age. 126's had alternators.

[@tonythedwvyer]

A lot of 500s have had the dynos replaced with alternators. Much better.

[@richardhemingway6084]

@@tonythedwvyer That is very true. The alternator is a bigger diameter, made of alloy, with a plastic cap near the pulley, where the wiring plugs in. The tinwork round the fan has to be swapped, or altered, to accomodate it. The one in the video, looks like it is still a dynamo.

[@allysonhanks9159]

hello Richard, how are you doing. I hope you are safe and in good health. Looking for a new friend and i saw your pic here. I hope you don't mind thank you.

[@mancaveproductions00]

The thing is , rust needs moisture and air to activate so it's the unfinished untouched doggy work not done thoroughly that is were those little bubbles are coming from..but overall this car should be not parked in the elements..cute car..

[@paulb4uk]

looks a lot better done than the ones from mikes brewers car show seen one of his online a mini looking very bad, you have to factor in the budget and time frame they have for each car as well but over all not a bad job only minor things to do and the underneath has held up well still looking very clean .Thanks for the video they do look fun just like a mini .

[@pgr3290]

Tiny classics are some of the best candidates for modernising, to an extent. I'm not a fan of expensive resto mods, but a few tweaks can turn a relic into a usable classic. One of the best, most fun and enjoyable cars I have ever driven in my life was the Lotus Elan. I would quite like to own one when the time is right. I'm always keeping my eyes open. A tidy series 4 would do, but they are all just wonderful.

[@Number27]

Would LOVE an Elan!!

[@armyof100clowns6]

A friend of mine had his motorcycle restored on one of those reality programs. The estimate they provided nearly tripled, the bike did not run properly when “finished”, and they used off the shelf fasteners from a big box hardware store and internal mechanicals from China while listing them on the invoice as OEM or exact replicas imported from Germany. He ended up spending another 8 grand post show to complete the restoration, correct the shoddy workmanship, and repair damage incurred sometime between filming and delivery. The network and the restoration company stonewalled him and actually taunted him to “take them to court”. What a nightmare.

[@briangriffiths114]

It always suprised me that most fans of Wheeler Dealers had no idea who Ant Anstead was when he replaced Edd China despite his excellent work on For the Love of Cars. Glad that this restoration was a good one as Ant strikes me as a very capable mechanic.

[@39PSIOnTheDaily]

For me Jack, the biggest problem I’d have with it as a new owner would be the differentiation between passenger door fitment (which looks to be superb) and drivers door fitment, which looks perpetually ajar the closer to the sills it gets, even when closed. That is something I’d be very worried about, as leaving open gaps like that invites moisture, rocks, sand and such to get trapped within the jams and start the rot process all over again.

[@steffydog]

Fab, thanks as always

[@Number27]

Thank you for watching so much of my stuff!

[@registrazioniduemillaotton6030]

Lovely video, hopefully you'll get a chance to try cars from other shows!

[@jackielinde7568]

Question: I know shows that do "time based restorations" sometimes will have a second or third car lined up in the case the car they're working on for the show is taking far too long for TV production. Do we know if maybe this might have been a swap car? There should be signs if body panels were replaced, since it looks like the Fiat 500 uses unibody construction to some extent.

[@tmjaspers]

In the old days, '60s, '70s, and '80s almost every car rusted away within 6 years. So this is a very good restoration!

[@keenanwengert423]

Maybe poorly made Italian cars, but even many mediocre quality American cars are still surviving and rust free today. I've owned an 85 firebird and I currently own a 91 and they have absolutely zero rust and are all original. My current one even has original paint and the original fuel pump. They where also quite reasonably priced.

[@theliberatorszen2916]

Great video Jack, the rust under the paint may simply be caused by poor quality Italian steel. We have a FIAT 500 owned near us and there is a big notice that is always in the rear window: "not for sale"! 😀👍 The Aston Martin DBS from The Love Of Cars - I would love to know where that is now and what condition its now in. 🇬🇧

[@donwright3427]

I owned a 126. Greasing king pins is essential. Also check carburettor float hight as this can cause issues. And most important if the alternator light comes on whilst driving stop immediately as a broken fan belt will cook your engine .

[@Number27]

Thanks for tips and for watching!

[@martinvickers1954]

I would doubt that any of the cars from flipping bangers have lasted more than a year !

[@allysonhanks9159]

hello Martin, how are you doing. I hope you are safe and in good health. Looking for a new friend and i saw your pic here. I hope you don't mind thank you.

[@lukenfoci]

Fiat 126 is its younger brother :). I spent my childhood and young adulthood in it. I think they ceased production around 2000 and you should see how much rust there was on just 3-4 years old cars. So to me, those bubbly spots are no surprise. Back in 1980/1990 you would take brand new Fiat 126 for a proper anti-corrosion treatment, where you would paint underneath the car with some gunk to slow down the corrosion. My first Fiat was from 1976 and last from 1996. Those tiny engines had only about 20-23HP, so to reach 60mph took around 60 seconds and you hardly were able to hit 70mph :).

[@Number27]

Yep, 126 is faster… top speed on these ones I think is 60mph.. thanks for watching Luke!

[@Number27]

Fiat 500 1000 Mile Journey Playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PL-JmG4958QS-CC7Otn0cGaMximKor4fFR

[@organiccold]

Will for sure have a look

[@AlainHubert]

Hmm, isn't it rather 1000 miles? 😉

[@mrd4335]

I will check out the other 500 video, Thanks Jack. I'm not surprised to see rust on the Fiat after 6yrs..! We are spoilt now with our galvanized cars, my Dad purchase an SD1 in 1986 only 3yrs old and needed lots of rust tidying...!

[@ridgmont61]

What happened to Sophia?

[@pgtmr2713]

I think it's nearly impossible to get ALL the rust off of old metal. One little imperfection under all the new paint and it can come back. But, if you catch it early and fix it. What would a 6 year old Fiat 500 look like from the factory? I'd bet worse than what you have there.

[@the_monza_man]

Thank you for making this video. I always wonder how these cars fare after the cameras stop running.

[@craigkearns6425]

I remember the Beetle they did on FTLOC, the alignment of the door bottoms and rear rear quarter bottoms were shocking, about an inch out, it “sold” at auction for stupidly high money.

[@kukipett]

The main problem with those shows is that they work for free, they are paid by the TV production. Then they sell the car at a price that doesn't take in account the work houres that have been done. A friend who actually does car restoration as a job got really upset one day seeing this with me on tv. He said "if i had done this job i would have add 10000 to the price to get to the real costs and now if i do it with my customers i will be seen as a scammer if they watch such crappy shows" Weehler dealers are doing this all the time, and more if they cheat on the real selling price it gives a false idea of what a restoration really cost in the real world.

[@alastairwatson3201]

Please tell me that you used axle stands to supplement the trolley jack when you were under the car!

[@garycumningham169]

cant have been that good a show as i have never heard of it

[@trevordeane3940]

A pretty good inspection but I did not see the use of axle stands for safety when the presenter was under the car, use the trolley jack. Also, i may be wrong, but I did not see a rummer pad or rag on the top of the jack. If a jack is used directly onto bodywork like a sill or jacking point, it will damage the paintwork or underseal and the whole rusting process will start again.

[@JerryMotorsport]

Crunching gears on the way up might be resolved with a very short pause at neutral in the change. Our 1930s car with non-syncro demands a pause to stop it grinding; changes super sweet if given a very short pause.

[@petej3800]

My dad taught me jo to double de-clutch, as you say you put it into neutral for a second and depress the clutch for that second then engage the next gear it worked well, he said you had to do it on the lorries he used to drive in the R.A.F.