1989 FIAT PANDA 4x4
VERNON HIBBERD HAMPSHIRE
Vernon Hibberd bought his rst Fiat Panda more than 30 years ago. ‘Back then it was for cheap transport,’ says Vernon, ‘but I soon became a big fan!’ Vernon has since owned 50 Pandas: ‘I still have 27 of them! I just love their design. They are really simple and a great pleasure to work on.’
These days it takes something special for Vernon to really fall in love with a car: ‘My personal favourite is the early 4x4. It is closest to the original design but with the additional benet of fourwheel-drive.’ Vernon discovered this car in poor shape back in 2016: ‘It had spent many years travelling the streets of London before being taken out of use so I snapped it up and was pleased to return to the NEC last year to show it – now fully restored.’
While originality is becoming more important as early Pandas achieve classic status, Vernon wasn’t afraid to modify his 4x4, raising the suspension by 50mm using custom hub carriers, lengthening the track control arms, modifying the tie bar front mounts and adding Škoda front and rear springs: ‘I raised the rear of the car by using spacer blocks between the axle and the leaf springs and changed the dampers to front-wheel-drive items because they’re longer, and used a di£erent drive shaft ange on the gearbox to clear the nearside drive shaft at steeper angles.’
Vernon then tted a bull bar, light guards and a sump guard, all for body protection: ‘I also improved the car’s driving ability at night by installing spotlights and rear-facing LED lights on the roof rack and tted custom rock sliders made from diamond patterned tubing.’
The interior didn’t escape Vernon’s attention, either: ‘I tted seats from an Alfa Romeo 147 and had everything trimmed to match.’
Even though it’s now in stunning condition, Vernon still drives his restored Panda long distances on the road: ‘I do hardcore o£-roading and it’s never let me down or failed to get me around a course. A 4x4 Panda can do pretty much anything that a Land Rover can, plus – thanks to their light weight – some things that a Land Rover can’t!
‘A long-standing and popular Panda upgrade is to t a bigger engine – the 16-valve version e£ectively doubles the original power. Mine currently still has the original engine but I now have a 1368cc eight-valve unit which I hope to nd enough time to t at some point later this year. Will I manage to do it?watch this space!’