Dave Ambrose writes>>
> This could be a marriage made in, errr, um, France, that's it!
> A FIAT 1.8L 4 engine and tranny assembly from a 124 or 131 will fit
>into a Spitfire. Before y'all start laughing, these are actually good
>engines and can be had with fuel injection.
Um, yes and no. They are incrediably stout and potent engines, but only the
last of the 2.0L (132c/4) came injected.
> A friend of mine dropped a carburetted version of this engine into
>his spit. Performance was great. Unfortunately, the entire thing melted
>down in the Oakland firestorm.
Interesting. How, pray tell, did he get around the clearance problems? I would
imagine that the Fiat engine, being a front sump, would want it's oil pump
in about the same place as the Spit's steering rack. I once toyed with the
idea of putting a 1592 (forerunner to the 1.8L) into a MGB bodyshell. Gave
up due to this problem... at the time I couldn't afford a drysump system.
> Of course, it might make more sense to just buy a 124 Spyder. ;-)
No friggin' way. These things are *terrible* to drive, if you know how a
sports car *should* be. Excessive castor gain makes the steering wooden and
vague. Camber curve that goes the wrong way. The steering wheel is in totally
the WRONG place. And the top can be put up and down in 20 seconds one handed.
Definately not the British Way.
Don't get me wrong. I'm very much against engine swaps and other assorted
butchery. Things like a V8 XJS make me cry. But if the donor cars were
destined to be crusher fodder anyway...
Like the other day, I took a tape measure to the engine bay of a donor Austin
America (engine to be transplanted into a Mini Marcos). Would you believe that
a Ferrari 308 power train will fit? :>
> Dave "was it something I said?" Ambrose
Randy "have Lancia 2 litre, searching for Yugo" Wilson
randy@taylor.wyvern.com
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