1973 Fiat 124 Spider

[Randiego]

Hey all,

 

In 2015, I purchased this 73 Fiat Spider for a complete restoration.  This car is smog exempt and I am not limited on what I can do performance wise in California.  I have a 1608 twin cam engine for this car.  This engine was the last "performance" engine that Fiat had developed before the smog laws took a major "bite" out of performance for cars here in California.  After this year, they were detuned and did not have the HP or performance that the early Fiats had.  The 1608, by far, was the platform that the enthusiasts preferred. 

 

Not until the 2000 fuel injected "turboed" engine (that came later), were the Fiats desirable for the local enthusiasts.  Hence the popularity of the 1608.  

 

I took my 1608 to Mark Allison in Upland, CA (a surburb or LA) and we specked the engine for all the performance that I could get for that engine.  I had JMS Racing in Covina, CA bore the block (20 over) install a custom performance crankshaft, lightened (took off 7 lbs.) and balanced the flywheel, had Arias custom pistons fitted, and performance rods, and a Hi Flo oil pump installed.  Then the engine was blueprinted and balanced. 

 

The head was ported and 1MM oversized stainless steel intake and exhaust  valves fitted and new performance cams were installed.  I purchased a Compu-Tronix distributorless hi performance (racing) ignition system  and  Abarth headers and a dual IDF intake manifold from Mark also.

 

From a Porsche racing/tuning specialist in Raleigh, N.C. I got a pair of Weber (Italian, not Spanish)  40 IDF "matched" carburetors.  He did a lot of performance work on them installing "Jet Doctor" specialty parts (in the idle circut) and then flo benched them for optimum performance.  I had Pierce Manifolds in  Hollister, Ca build the custom linkage set up for the Fiat.  Once the car is complete, I will have it "chassis dynoed" for the maximum performance available.

 

The Fiat transmission and rear end are a good design.  Since I will not be "popping the clutch" they will only need to be serviced and re sealed.  I also will be installing a new "donught" in the drive shaft.  Nothing like new rubber for smooth operation.  

 

I will be doing a complete suspension overhaul with new bushings, tie rod ends, ball joints and a new 1" sway bar up front.  In otherwords, the whole suspension will be refurbished.

 

I will be using performance "slotted" rotors and performance brake parts to round out the running gear.

Since I need to downsize my photos, I can only post a couple of pics here.  But in the future, I will be "shrinking" the immages so I can upload more pics.

 

Randiego

 

[jp1gt]

I had one in the 80's, it was real fun to drive on twisty roads.

[Randiego]

Hey guys,

Last Friday, I trailered my 78 Spider to the paint shop after I detrimmed the car.  I have a consumate painter (he's Dutch and a perfectionist) who is doing the body and paint.  One thing about the 78.  Back in the early 80's, the previous owner got "bumped" and decided to do a repaint.  Well, he did not use a Fiat color but a Ferrari "hybred" color.  It isn't red and it isn't orange but a blend somewhere in the middle.  A very striking color.  A tech in Solana Beach told me to repaint it in THAT color as it was striking.  SO.....we are.

 

I will post pictures of the progress as I am looking to get the car back to my warehouse in early October.  Having the car detrimmed makes it a lot quicker for my paint guy.  I am taking the chrome bumpers and windshield frame to the platers this week.  I have a few parts that need to be replaced.  My original tail lights shined up very nicely but there is a major ripple in the chrome (over plastic) that will not show that great.  New OEM lights are..........EXPENSIVE ! !   $760.00 each (OEM) Since that is the only major expense besides body and paint and the rechroming of the bumpers and windshield frame, I am going to go with them.  This will be a 100 point car when done.  And as soon as it is done, I will be back on the 73.  I plan on posting pictures of the 73 and the engine soon.  Work constraints eat up my free time so bear with me.

The reason that  the 78 is getting attention now is that an idiot did not see me and was changing lanes and "tattoed" my drivers door and front fender.  I got an estimate to do the repair but after talking to the restoration shop, it would not look good with half of the car painted and the other half with 40 year old paint (and a few dings and nicks) complimenting the rest of the car.  So I opted to go for a total restoration.  I detrimmed the car and that knocked the price down on the complete.  After I get it back from him, I will let it "season" in my shop for a few weeks before I start the reassembly.  I will keep you posted with updates and as soon as this car is done, it is back on the 73.

Randy

[Luv2Wrench]

I had to read that a couple of times to figure out how the green car got red *before* it got painted.  lol, growing old is tough!    I'm now twice as excited about this thread since we'll get to see two cars!

[hursst]

That's a really good looking car, great resto candidate.  Looking forward to seeing your progress.

[Randiego]

I finally have time to get back on the 73 Fiat restoration/build while my 78 is in the paint shop.  Here are shots of the 1608 engine that I described in the earlier text regarding the 1973.  This engine was the best designed/running twin cam that FIat had offered BEFORE the EPA and CARB (California Air Resources Board) threw all of the new specs and regulations at the auto manufacturers  for the 1974 model year and on.   

 

This was probably the best designed engine that a cooberation between Fiat and their "aquired" engineers (from Ferrari) came up with to date.  After this engine, the performance for Fiat was severely hampered.  It was still a nice driving car with the 1800 engine but not a performer like the 1608.  This is why I opted for the 1973 model year.  To get away from Cal Smog.  And I can modify the engine to my hearts content.

 

The first pic shows the front of the engine with the adjustable cam drive gears.  When I get this car "chassis dyno tuned" the tech can adjust the cams (which are performance cams) for optimal power and performance.  I painted the water pump blue to depict the cooling system.  And to add "bling" I painted the head and some other parts with VHT engine paint in gold.  The 2nd pic shows the Abarth Tuned Heders.  The 3rd pic shows the Weber 40 IDF carbs.  These are a matched set from Italy, not Spain, where they moved to a while back. They are way better than the Spanish versions of the Webers as I have been told.

 

Below them, on the left side of the block is the Compu-Tronix distributorless, high energy (50K volts, I think), racing ignition system.  It is located down on the side of the block instead on the cam box on the top of the engine.  That is where the original distributor was located.  You can see in the second pic a gold cover where that was located.  The Compu-Tronix is  driven off of the aux shaft down below.  Fiat made a very good fuel pump that was serviceable.  I took the original fuel pump apart, cleaned it all up and the screen and diaphragm were in excellent shape.  I reassembled it and tested it.  Great performance and good pressure.  Plenty to supply the Webers with. 

 

Again this is not your normal engine.  WIth all of the head work (ported and oversized valves), carburetion,  custom crank, rods and Arai pistons, blueprinted and balanced and lightened flywheel (they removed over 7 lbs).  I am expecting between 165 to 175 HP.  I will not know exactly till it is dynoed. The 1608 came in at 106 HP.  On a lightweight small car like the Spider, that extra 60 to 75 HP will make it EXCITING to drive ! !  Plus all new suspension components will make this into a nice track car if I chose to take it to Laguna Seca or other tracks (still left) in California.

 

The 78 will be done at the end of the month and after I get it back from the paint shop, I will post pictures of the car.  This Friday, I will be picking up the bumpers and windshield frame from the platers for the 78.  Then I get to re assemble the front and rear bumpers.  There are a lot of parts that come off of those items.  I will also install the new glass in the windshild gasket and re assemble all in the windshield frame.  All of those pictures to come in the next posting.

 

Randy 

[Luv2Wrench]

Wow that's some eye candy there!!

 

Wonderful work!
 

[Randiego]

Hi All,

I have not been on the site for a while.  Progress is moving along on the 78.  I am attaching pictures here of the progress.  I am now putting the parts back on the finished body.  The doors are off as I have to put in new rubber trim and a new window crank in one door.  I took the wing windows off to replace the rubber and window chanels.  I have buffed out all of the stainless steel.

 

In the previous post, you can see the body work in progress. Here, the first pic is unloading the de-trimmed Spider at Classic Collisions in Vista, CA.  2,3, & 4,  after the body work is completed and in primer.  5 & 6,  the Fiat is back in my warehouse and I am getting ready to put it back together.  The pics don't show the flawless paint job that Peter did on the car. As I get it reassembled, I will roll it outside for better photos.  I will be posting pics of the progress.