Fiat 131 build

[SenorNoob]

You need a picture of your Ranger with this in the background. So we have justification to squeeze it into the calendar.

 

[RainjerBill]

I was working in the parts department at a fairly large BMW, FIAT, Subaru & VW dealership when FIAT officially pulled out of the US market back in the early '80s. I owned a '76 128 (from new) at the time. The issue, as we knew it, being in the northeast US part of the rust belt, was that a majority of these cars would be several years old and literally collapse on their suspension, such was the corrosive issue. It was a shame, really, because the engines would go like the proverbial, with proper maintenance, ie, timing belts (where necessary), regular oil & filter changes, valve shim adjustment, & etc.

My next job was as a parts guy at a foreign parts specialty house which had a workshop attached, in the same town. The owner, sadly now deceased, was a dedicated SCCA racer with his 128SP, 124 and Strada weekend racers, as were several of the mechanics, and a few customers. He approached his connections at FIAT and we got to be a certified warranty and maintenance shop for FIAT's left-in-the-lurch customers. It was a busy little Connecticut River Valley college town with a load of foreign car customers. We had access to OEM parts and factory tools, plus the combined knowledge of the technicians.

It's good to see your project, regardless of your using an 'other brand' engine. It brought back some wonderful memories for me. I continued the 'parts guy' work throughout my working career through to retirement, shifting to BMW motorcycles eventually, a life-long joy of mine.

I'll keep an eye on your project, and thanks for posting it.

 

[BlackBII]

You need a picture of your Ranger with this in the background. So we have justification to squeeze it into the calendar.

Here's one

 

[BlackBII]

I was working in the parts department at a fairly large BMW, FIAT, Subaru & VW dealership when FIAT officially pulled out of the US market back in the early '80s. I owned a '76 128 (from new) at the time. The issue, as we knew it, being in the northeast US part of the rust belt, was that a majority of these cars would be several years old and literally collapse on their suspension, such was the corrosive issue. It was a shame, really, because the engines would go like the proverbial, with proper maintenance, ie, timing belts (where necessary), regular oil & filter changes, valve shim adjustment, & etc.

My next job was as a parts guy at a foreign parts specialty house which had a workshop attached, in the same town. The owner, sadly now deceased, was a dedicated SCCA racer with his 128SP, 124 and Strada weekend racers, as were several of the mechanics, and a few customers. He approached his connections at FIAT and we got to be a certified warranty and maintenance shop for FIAT's left-in-the-lurch customers. It was a busy little Connecticut River Valley college town with a load of foreign car customers. We had access to OEM parts and factory tools, plus the combined knowledge of the technicians.

It's good to see your project, regardless of your using an 'other brand' engine. It brought back some wonderful memories for me. I continued the 'parts guy' work throughout my working career through to retirement, shifting to BMW motorcycles eventually, a life-long joy of mine.

I'll keep an eye on your project, and thanks for posting it.

This is really cool to read and to know someone that worked on these cars back then! Parts for these cars is serious issue these days; I have spent so much time and money getting the correct lights, badges, grill, door handles, etc. When I bought the car, it had the twin cam lampredi engine, a 1.8. Sadly the block was cracked, and at the time I decided to go with more easily replaceable parts underneath, engine, clutch, gearbox, brakes, suspension, rear end, drive belt, etc. I can just order stuff as I need from summit racing or rock auto which is nice.

I plan on putting an italian engine back in this car one day, perhaps one with 8 cylinders

 

[Fast Eddie]

This is really cool to read and to know someone that worked on these cars back then! Parts for these cars is serious issue these days; I have spent so much time and money getting the correct lights, badges, grill, door handles, etc. When I bought the car, it had the twin cam lampredi engine, a 1.8. Sadly the block was cracked, and at the time I decided to go with more easily replaceable parts underneath, engine, clutch, gearbox, brakes, suspension, rear end, drive belt, etc. I can just order stuff as I need from summit racing or rock auto which is nice.

I plan on putting an italian engine back in this car one day, perhaps one with 8 cylinders

Or do like the other Italian, DeTomaso and put a romping stomping 351c in it

 

[sgtsandman]

Here's one

@ericbphoto calendar photo op!

 

[BlackBII]

Just ignore my friend flipping off the camera in the background

Or do like the other Italian, DeTomaso and put a romping stomping 351c in it

That might be a bit too much engine for this car. It's already undriveable in the rain

 

[Fast Eddie]

That might be a bit too much engine for this car. It's already undriveable in the rain

So was the Pantera if you jumped on it...in the rain ;0)

 

[Fast Eddie]

@ericbphoto calendar photo op!

I think the Ranger has to be out front to legitimately qualify, but's that's the basic idea. I think the Ranger towing the Fiat to the track would make it awesome

 

[BlackBII]

I think my Ranger could tow my car; it's only about 2k lbs. What I need is an aluminum car hauler

 

[Danny74]

That looks like it's going to be a cool project. When I was a kid my parents had one of those but in a wagon version. I remember sitting in the trunk space with my brother on the way to Virginia for family trips. There are six of us. It was a really cool dark green color. I know my parents had to junk it, or really donate it when my oldest brother was around 16. Apparently he blew out the rear end and nobody could fix it so going to have to get rid of it. That Fiat I loved and always wanted to learn cars when I got older and work on it in fact before the tow truck driver came I removed the entire front grill clip with those four headlights and grill. It's still hanging in my garage because it's the first time I ever did any kind of wrenching on a car. I'm not even sure if I was 10 yet.

 

[BlackBII]

Me too. I've been going crazy without something to work on, so I started on a motorbike a few weeks back. It's getting put on hold itself now tho

This Triumph is now finished

 

[BlackBII]

And my ugly mug from a recent cars and coffee

 

[Jim Oaks]

That car really turned out great. I'm anxious to see what happens with the COE.

 

[BlackBII]

That car really turned out great. I'm anxious to see what happens with the COE.

Thanks! I'll start a thread on it once I start working on it. At the moment it's just a driveway decoration until I get some other projects finished