Racing Saloon

[Marlow Sud]

Hi Tim,
I have got to speak to the experts to see what can be done.
I got very excited about charge cooling where the inter cooler has a box packed with dry ice at -110deg.
The charge goes in at -70deg and you can add 100 HP. Not allowed in the rules!
Can't add an inter cooler at all.
Brgds
Simon

[PETROLHEAD]

Glad to see this beast in the making has arrived safely in blighty Simon, smashing!

This is a thread for my watch list for sure!

[jobeed]

That looks like a nice piece of kit Simon, looking forward to hearing about it. You do find some interesting cars!

Love the Lancias, but the abarth x19 prototipo in the photo looks good. I had an x19 when I was 17, vastly underrated in my opinion apart from the hairdresser stick my pals gave me it was one of the most fun cars I have ever owned. Underpowered, so a bit poor on acceleration, but terrific handling. I am tempted each time I see one on eBay!

They used to put a 2 litre lampredi twin cam in them for a bit more go, but reading up just now it seems the Honda Civic type r engine is a popular swap, If not a little sacrilegious! I would imagine it flys.

[Marlow Sud]

Hi Jon,

The plan is to get it ready for racing for next summer. The first decision is wheels. I like the replica Cromodora CD68 wheels here:

http://www.group4wheels.com/customers_fiat.php#

Brgds,
Simon

[Kegsti66]

Looking forward to seeing your car Simon.
Some beauties on that site you posted.

[Marlow Sud]

The new wheels are on. Transforms the look of the car:

Brgds
Simon

[Kegsti66]

Very nice Simon.

[Spacenut]

It's like winding the clock back a decade - very nice

[KevJTD]

thought those wheels would suit it, very nice too

[Marlow Sud]

Thanks guys. I wasn't sure what centres to get as you can get red, yellow and black Abarth scorpion ones but it was staring me in the face. The old wheels have red ones so red it is.

Tom is kindly getting the car road worthy prior to an MOT test and then it will get a UK reg and I can tax it. The car is already insured under the chassis number with Chris Knott.

Next step is to get it on the rolling road to see what the power output is to set a bench mark.

Brgds,
Simon

[Veesix75]

I like to look ahead Simon.......so is it going to be a racer or fast road ? Spill the beans...

It would be a very different addition to pre 83, I havnt seen a mirafiori race car since about the late 90's in the auto Italia series.

Thinking about the auto Italia also reminded me of a family of racers that had a fast 33 (Nick Humphrey car I think) and modified Sud, but I remember them parking at the side of me at Mallory Park on my very first test day, first drive of my old white sud in early 2000. It was torrential rain, they unloaded an orange Fiat Ritmo, I think in jaegermiester livery. Wonder what happened to it, again something similar would make an unusual pre 83 racer.

[Veesix75]

Just noticed the new tyres on those new wheels....

[BS25]

Hi Tim - that was the Heynes family - Alex raced the Ritmo - no idea where it ended up though, not in the UK I suspect.

[Marlow Sud]

Hi Tim,

I am hedging my bets. Needed new tyres for the wheels so got road legal racing ones.
I am going to see what power output we can get from the engine. If it is high enough then I will go down the race car route.

A Ritmo 130TC is just outside pre-83 I think? Would have to be a 125TC.

Brgds,
Simon

[Veesix75]

Yes, I'm certain it was the first series Ritmo / Strada.

[garygecko]

I like to look ahead Simon.......so is it going to be a racer or fast road ? Spill the beans...

It would be a very different addition to pre 83, I havnt seen a mirafiori race car since about the late 90's in the auto Italia series.

Thinking about the auto Italia also reminded me of a family of racers that had a fast 33 (Nick Humphrey car I think) and modified Sud, but I remember them parking at the side of me at Mallory Park on my very first test day, first drive of my old white sud in early 2000. It was torrential rain, they unloaded an orange Fiat Ritmo, I think in jaegermiester livery. Wonder what happened to it, again something similar would make an unusual pre 83 racer.

I remember that Ritmo as being black (Wouldn't be the first time my memory was wrong). I was told at the time it was an ex DTM car. Would be worth a fair bit now if true.

[garygecko]

Sorry, I know this is going off topic but look what just popped up on Facebook. I am sure this is the car but now seems to have an Integrale engine.

[Veesix75]

Yes, I remember the black one, but didn't associate it with same family.

The one I saw was definitely orange, and 90% sure it was jagermiester livery and an earlier model. I never saw the orange one again in any race series, just the test day.

Anyhow, back to you Simon......Gary can recommend a good place to get your cage fitted

[Marlow Sud]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for that but Tom has it all planned and ready depending on whether we get the power output required.
Tom knows 131's very well.

Brgds,
Simon

[Veesix75]

Well, keep the updates coming, something to break the boredom / cold turkey during the non racing months.

[Marlow Sud]

OK. Ported and gas-flowed exhaust gasket arrived at Simpson Racing Exhausts as a pattern for the exhaust manifold flange to be laser cut.

Brgds,
Simon

[Marlow Sud]

Original exhaust manifold:

I am advised that the new manifold should have equal length primary tubes like this:

But supercharged engines need to be able to breathe so bigger diameter primary's like this:

image.jpg (32.84 KiB) Viewed 14959 times

And a large diameter exhaust pipe like this:

image.jpg (30.6 KiB) Viewed 14959 times

This shows a 3in oval and a 2.5in round.
Brgds
Simon

[garygecko]

This will make a very interesting race car but wont race prepping it kill the value of what is I presume a very rare original car?

I don't know much about these. Is it an actual Abarth car or a kit that was put on by dealers?

[Veesix75]

Impressive manifold and exhaust......What would the big carb be, 48 ?

[Marlow Sud]

Hi GaryGecko,
Good point. The car is a 131 Racing that I believe was sent to Abarth for conversion.
It is reported that there were only 25 two door volumetricos and 200 four door ones.
I guess the Fiat archivists could advise on that.
The guy I bought the car from thinks it may have been a factory car as it was registered in Torino.
Brgds,
Simon

[Marlow Sud]

Hi Tim,
The engine is for a racing Fiat 124. The Carb is a twin choke 45 DCOE.
I am advised that the original carb will easily do the job if you fit bigger chokes.

Brgds,
Simon

[garygecko]

Hi GaryGecko,
Good point. The car is a 131 Racing that I believe was sent to Abarth for conversion.
It is reported that there were only 25 two door volumetricos and 200 four door ones.
I guess the Fiat archivists could advise on that.
The guy I bought the car from thinks it may have been a factory car as it was registered in Torino.
Brgds,
Simon

Very rare then! If you strip it out and race prep it, you will have the Abarth Owners Club after you

Good luck whatever you decide.

[KevJTD]

there was a recent article in the auto italia magazine about them...i'll try and dig it out

[Marlow Sud]

Hi GaryGecko,

They will have to catch me first and they won't do it in a 131 Abarth Rally Stradale with 140 Bhp! And they won't do it in an Abarth Rally with 240bhp either!

Brgds
Simon

[Marlow Sud]

Hi Kev,
It would be great to see any article.
Brgds
Simon