One of the previous owners put the dumb 132AC (1592cc) engine in which, when the timing belt came loose on the previous owner, snapped both valve heads off on the #4 cylinder. I bought a "new" 20 year old 125BC (1608cc) engine to replace the non-original, piece-o-crap 132AC.
The valve cover and cylinder head gaskets leak (not too bad considering age), and the transmission (5-speed) needs new seals.
I replaced all of the gaskets and seals on the engine and transmission, rebuilt the carburetor, and made everything nice and shiny. It all works great now!
The only other major problem left to take care of is body cancer. There is a 3 inch wide hole to the left of the drive's seat, a hole (puncture maybe, not rust) in the floorboard, and the suspension to body connecting points are rusted (HAZARD!).
This car is seriously fun to drive!
When I rebuild the engine (how many thousands of miles later?), I plan on making it a 14:1 C/R, hot cam, 500cfm, tunnel ram, race car. Theoretically, that should make around 230HP and 210ft.lb.
Check out www.rotrex.eu.com for superchargers with 98% efficiency!!
With a Rotrex supercharger, that Fiat engine (125BC) would make 250HP on a street setup and pump gas on 1.6L!!!
I used to really like the FIAT 124 Spider. They are quick and agile in stock form compared to other sports cars of the day. BEWARE THEY ARE FRAGILE AT THEIR MODEST STOCK POWER RATING. IF YOU TRY TO GET OVER 200 HP OUT OF THAT ENGINE IT WILL BLOW TO PIECES. It does not have the proper
bearings or cooling capacity to dissipate that kind of heat!
The Fiat Twin Cam is a reasonably bullet-proof donk, providing all the right bits are done (grab a copy of Phil Ward's Fiat & Lancia Twin Cams).
The Achille's Heel is the box & drive train.
With over 200hp, that delicate little piece of equipment called a 'Fiat 5-speed gearbox' will spray cogs in every direction before even thinking about transferring all that 'grunt' to the rear wheels.
Hi! I just installed a rebuilt 1592 motor in my 1970 Spider. Is there someething wrong with them I don't know about? It replaces a 1498 that came originally with it. 1608 is more desirable, I know, but is there a particular weakspot in the 1592? Thanks!
Be aware to always check gasoline filters for Fiat Spider.
I did not had experience with any car before and I decided that my first car to be a 1972 Fiat Spider. After I took it on the highway, after 4000 rpm the engine started to give shocks. I stopped and I saw that the gasoline filter at the engine was clean. What I did not realyse was that the car had 3 gasoline filters, one located at the engine and two at the fuel tank which is located under the luggage compartment, so I miss to check the other two. I throught that the shocks where from somewhere else and I continued driving at low speed, but even so, the engine started to behave again like so so that due to vibrations, on the highway gearbox fail in 5th gear.
Conclusion:
cost for another gearbox: 750 euro
new clutch + new disk: 200 euro
out from the highway in that night: 175 euros
vehicle back to service: 200 euro
service work: 400 euro
Total cost for repairs: 1725 euro.
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cost for 1 gasoline filter: 65 cents.
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