Rememer the Fiat 131 Abarth?
Discussion
I had one of these when I was 18, it was bloomin fantastic. Character full 2.0 litre twin cam engine around 150 bhp, lightweight front engined, rear wheel drive. (It actually got lighter and lighter as the rust eat its way through...)
A classic. Rare. Good to learn the art of opposite lock and toe and heal.
Anyone got one / seen one / know what I'm talking about?
A classic. Rare. Good to learn the art of opposite lock and toe and heal.
Anyone got one / seen one / know what I'm talking about?
Yeah, I sure had fun in mine.
We would eat the 2.8 capris for lunch and still have an appetite for the Golf GTi's...
On one run back from Donnington, the carb froze fuel and locked the throttle wide open... 140mph or so and cooking brakes - shut the engine off and the heat soak seamed to cure it. Fun, but a bit scary.
We would eat the 2.8 capris for lunch and still have an appetite for the Golf GTi's...
On one run back from Donnington, the carb froze fuel and locked the throttle wide open... 140mph or so and cooking brakes - shut the engine off and the heat soak seamed to cure it. Fun, but a bit scary.
kaivaksdal said:
Yeah, I sure had fun in mine.
We would eat the 2.8 capris for lunch and still have an appetite for the Golf GTi's...
On one run back from Donnington, the carb froze fuel and locked the throttle wide open... 140mph or so and cooking brakes - shut the engine off and the heat soak seamed to cure it. Fun, but a bit scary.
Errm, slight case of rose tinted specs ?
Abarth had 115 bhp
Abarth RALLYE had 140 bhp and would max out at just under 120mph.
No way it was faster than a Crapi 2.8i given equal driver ability.
One of my more vivid motoring memories is from back in the 70's driving eastwards on an A road approaching the area of Keele in Staffs. Although an A road it was quite narrow, tall dark hedges either side.
I was taking a long fairly blind right hander at probably 50ish, at the limits of stopping distance as far as the distance ahead that I could see, when this bright orange blur appeared heading the other way seemingly at enormous speed (especially since his line of sight would have been less than mine being on the tighter inside of the corner) and with, I swear, the inside fornt wheel wafting around in mid air.
Much as I might have admired the driving ability I mainly remember it for being the first time that I really considered just how dangerous some road behaviour might be. 6 inches off line and he would have taken both of us out and there would have been nothing I could have done about it - and no time to do anything anyway.
That was a Mirafiori. I was always wary of them after that, just in case the driver was a hooligan.
Edit to add this photo of Walter Rohrl with his navigator as a back seat passenger by the looks of it. It may not come out too well being a scan of an old photo which has a lot of contrast. At the moment PH and Fotango seem not to be talking to esch other so I can't easily tell.
>> Edited by LongQ on Tuesday 22 February 13:52
I was taking a long fairly blind right hander at probably 50ish, at the limits of stopping distance as far as the distance ahead that I could see, when this bright orange blur appeared heading the other way seemingly at enormous speed (especially since his line of sight would have been less than mine being on the tighter inside of the corner) and with, I swear, the inside fornt wheel wafting around in mid air.
Much as I might have admired the driving ability I mainly remember it for being the first time that I really considered just how dangerous some road behaviour might be. 6 inches off line and he would have taken both of us out and there would have been nothing I could have done about it - and no time to do anything anyway.
That was a Mirafiori. I was always wary of them after that, just in case the driver was a hooligan.
Edit to add this photo of Walter Rohrl with his navigator as a back seat passenger by the looks of it. It may not come out too well being a scan of an old photo which has a lot of contrast. At the moment PH and Fotango seem not to be talking to esch other so I can't easily tell.
>> Edited by LongQ on Tuesday 22 February 13:52
Hi,
Agreed on the Crapi thing - although mine had a bigger Dellorto plus filter and a straight through exhaust, power was probably similar between the two.
I never found a similar skilled driver to play with, so couldn't say hand on heart.
That could be mistaken for a big headed reply.
Maybe I'm quite handy behind the wheel, or maybe most of the Crapi (mispealt on purpose) drivers weren't much cop?
All of that aside, fond memories of a fun car from the 70's.
Thinking I might start up another thread on another favourite of mine which was the Renault 5 Gordini...
Agreed on the Crapi thing - although mine had a bigger Dellorto plus filter and a straight through exhaust, power was probably similar between the two.
I never found a similar skilled driver to play with, so couldn't say hand on heart.
That could be mistaken for a big headed reply.
Maybe I'm quite handy behind the wheel, or maybe most of the Crapi (mispealt on purpose) drivers weren't much cop?
All of that aside, fond memories of a fun car from the 70's.
Thinking I might start up another thread on another favourite of mine which was the Renault 5 Gordini...
kaivaksdal said:
Thinking I might start up another thread on another favourite of mine which was the Renault 5 Gordini...
http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=140&h=0&t=157869
Ah, hot little cars: Lotus Sunbeam could keep up.
www.asoc.co.uk/
A good engine that 2.0 Fiat twin cam,,, I had a rare 1986 Morgan +4 with that lump factory fitted,
After Janspeed had worked on it, manifold, exhaust and rolling road set up we got 133bhp out of it.....you can get it up to 180bhp.....but you have to get rid of the awful Magnetti Marelli ignition system.
After Janspeed had worked on it, manifold, exhaust and rolling road set up we got 133bhp out of it.....you can get it up to 180bhp.....but you have to get rid of the awful Magnetti Marelli ignition system.
I would love to get another one now.
Had one back in 1981 (the bottom of the doors were already rusting then at just three years old) but we were able to blitz most of the motors we encountered in the Reigate area. Whether it was just stupidity or ability we will never know but very few in the lanes were able to keep pace. For some stupid reason I swapped it for a SAAB 99 Turbo. Good car but not as much fun. Just been to the Historical Motorsport show and watched 2x 131 Abarths displaying with the Quattros, RS200 and other group B cars and apart from the Manta 400s and TR8 they were well sideways. Superb to see the Fiats in action. Can't wait for the rally day in July.
If anyone knows of a 131 sport for sale can you let me know.
Had one back in 1981 (the bottom of the doors were already rusting then at just three years old) but we were able to blitz most of the motors we encountered in the Reigate area. Whether it was just stupidity or ability we will never know but very few in the lanes were able to keep pace. For some stupid reason I swapped it for a SAAB 99 Turbo. Good car but not as much fun. Just been to the Historical Motorsport show and watched 2x 131 Abarths displaying with the Quattros, RS200 and other group B cars and apart from the Manta 400s and TR8 they were well sideways. Superb to see the Fiats in action. Can't wait for the rally day in July.
If anyone knows of a 131 sport for sale can you let me know.
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