anyone seen a spifire with a fiat twincam?

[eschneider]

I know... sacriledge. Probably even silly. But I'm about to obtain a '77 1500 spit project and the wheels are turning....

Saw a couple of references on a google search to a fiat twincam powered spitfire, and started eyeing my collection of fiat engines.....

Yeah, there's the GT6 motor laying in back of the shop, and the TR6 motor doing nothing - but both weigh more than the rest of the car.....

Maybe I could reconcile by putting SU's on it?

 

[piman]

Hello Eschneider,

not an answer for you, but in the early 1960's Jack Brabham (Ex Formula 1 world champion) sold Triumph Heralds (The original sedan the Spitfire\GT6 was based on) which he fitted with an 1100 cc (I think) single overhead cam Coventry Climax engine.

Alec

 

[eschneider]

Hello Eschneider,

not an answer for you, but in the early 1960's Jack Brabham (Ex Formula 1 world champion) sold Triumph Heralds (The original sedan the Spitfire\GT6 was based on) which he fitted with an 1100 cc (I think) single overhead cam Coventry Climax engine.

Alec

<laugh> actually, I have a cc engine (in Morgan trim) laying about, too - but I don't think I'll use it for a spit....

Come to think of it, Morgan used the Fiat twincam, so it can't be the HIGHEST form of heresy in a spitfire.....

 

[aeronca65t]

The FIAT swap into an LBC seems more popular in Europe. I've owned several 124s and it seems like a lot of trouble to get only a slight increase in power.

Probably a fairly simple one here in the US is with a RWD Toyota engine and trans (see picture below). A friend of mine is doing a similar twin-cam Toyota in a Midget.
Miata and RX7 engines are also a possiblilty. It's easy to get 150 reliable HP from these Japanese engines. Not so easy with the FIAT.

I've had a look at the GEO Tracker/Suzuki Sidekick engine (from 2 WD version) and it looks like a good swap for a small car too. The engine is all-aluminum; the trans is on the bigger side, but there is a fair amount of trans room in a Spit.

The Coventry Climax engine would be neat but sounds troublesome (in the 60s, a limited run of "Super Sprites" from Donald Healey also came with the CC).

Personally, I prefer the normal 1300 Triumph engine, with OD or maybe with a 5 speed Miata trans.

This Toyota-powered Spit came to an EMRA event at Pocono a few years ago....it was a screamer. He did pretty well in Salinas, Kansas (at the SCCA Solo Nationals)

 

[Guest]

Joe Curry races a Franken Spit powered by a Honda four-banger. Scarry. Ever hear a Spitfire shift at 10,000 rpm?

 

[eschneider]

The FIAT swap into an LBC seems more popular in Europe. I've owned several 124s and it seems like a lot of trouble to get only a slight increase in power.

Probably a fairly simple one here in the US is with a RWD Toyota engine and trans Miata and RX7 engines are also a possiblilty. It's easy to get 150 reliable HP from these Japanese engines. Not so easy with the FIAT.

I've had a look at the GEO Tracker/Suzuki Sidekick engine (from 2 WD version) and it looks like a good swap for a small car too. The engine is all-aluminum; the trans is on the bigger side, but there is a fair amount of trans room in a Spit.

Point taken, although I'm not sure why you think the Toyota mills have more HP potential than the Fiat. Certainly the Jap engines are more popular these days. I'm just not a toyota or Mazda guy. <shrug> I've got 4 fiats at the moment.

My daily driver is a Geo Tracker, and yes, I've thought the aluminum block would be cool in a light car - but the engine is hardly a performance mill, and I'm not sure how much is available to modify the power curve. A 3-cylinder sprint/metro turbo engine would be interesting, though -- I've seen more than one (modified) sprint turbo obliterate a Mustang 5.0 off the line.

But we digress. Still looking for anyone who's seen one of these fiat-powered spits?

Thanks for your reply!

 

[YankeeTR]

The Ford Zetec and Duratec fours would be a good choice, too. But I'd sooner see and old Brit motor in a Brit car...

 

[Andrew Mace]

...in the early 1960's Jack Brabham (Ex Formula 1 world champion) sold Triumph Heralds (The original sedan the Spitfire\GT6 was based on) which he fitted with an 1100 cc (I think) single overhead cam Coventry Climax engine.

and if anyone's looking for such a car, check this out!

 

[Mike_Bouse]

I'm prolly gonna get chomped on quite a bit for this, but the Fiat Twin-Cam is an amazing engine. I have seen many examples with well over 150,000 miles still running strong.

My 2 litre is run on a daily basis, has over 100,000 miles, and still shifts at 4-5000 rpms every day-all day.

The 1755cc engines stock out with less pollution crap on them than the 2 litres, but either one has a fine assortment of performance parts suppliers readily available. Of course, if you "need" fuel injection, you can skip the smaller engine.

What tranny will you be switching to to support those high rev's?

 

[Geo Hahn]

Non-Brit engine swaps don't particularly appeal to me but I will agree that the Fiat DOHC is a fine engine. If I was doing this (and I wouldn't) I would opt for the later fuel-injected engine. I've had Fiat 124s both ways and in my opinion FI was just what that engine needed to make it near perfect. Just be sure to keep the timing belt in good shape.

 

[RobT]

I used to drive a Lancia Beta HPE with the Fiat 2 litre DOHC engine. Nothing sweeter than that engine when it got above 4,000 RPM. For a quite practical station wagon, it was a fun car to drive. Only problem (with the transverse mounted engine) was going round a rotary (round-about)- the oil would surge to one end of the sump and you would loose all oil pressure till the oil came back. Rust was a bit of a problem with these too.

Rob.

 

[SpitBang]

Eschneider,
there is a guy on the CT forum who is doing this conversion, might be of interest to you Spitfire meets Fiat twincam

Also near me is a guy putting a Rover K series in a Spitfire, lighter than the Duradec engine

 

[foxtrapper]

I almost dropped a Fiat 124 engine and transmission into my Spitfire. One of the sweetest running engines and absolutely the best transmission I've ever had. I've seen pictures of it being done, and it all fit under the bonnet without any holes.

I think it's an excellent swap idea.

 

[PC]

How can you beat an Aurelio Lampredi designed aluminum DOHC? It’s one of history’s great motors. I say go for it.


PC.

 

[eschneider]

the Fiat Twin-Cam is an amazing engine. I have seen many examples with well over 150,000 miles still running strong.

My 2 litre is run on a daily basis, has over 100,000 miles, and still shifts at 4-5000 rpms every day-all day.

The 1755cc engines stock out with less pollution crap on them than the 2 litres, but either one has a fine assortment of performance parts suppliers readily available. Of course, if you "need" fuel injection, you can skip the smaller engine.

What tranny will you be switching to to support those high rev's?

It is a motor with a long and venerable history - the italian version of the "A" series, one could argue. 16V heads are availble, FI versions, turbos, even velorex superchargers. But I like the 1756cc desmogged. Bore of the 2.0L with a shorter stroke. I remember my Mopar buddies in high school being [censored] off that it had stock rod oil squirters and idled at 1000rpm with 300 degree cams (not stock)

Since I grew up with it though, I just think it's a pretty engine, especially with dual webers.

I would use the stock 124 spider trans. The synchros are a little prone to wear, but it's a pretty sturdy box. Most importantly, it's easier to have a drive shaft fabbed than make an adapter plate, and it's got 5 speeds..... and an aluminum case

 

[eschneider]

Eschneider,
there is a guy on the CT forum who is doing this conversion, might be of interest to you

Ooooooooooo......... Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..........

Thankyou! That's perfect!

Geez, the twincam is quite a bit taller than the TRiumph mill, eh?

 

[Mike_Bouse]

Can't beat that five speed. Just keep your hand off the shifter knob while running down the road, and you should be o.k.

Getta arm rest if you need someplace besides the wheel to put your right hand.

 

[RonMacPherson]

if you get one out of a crashed car. These engines are extremely susceptible to improper maintenance. If you find one pop the valve cover and a couple of cam hold down bearing caps, make sure everything is clean, non scarred..

 

[swift6]

There was a chap in England that did the Italian Twin Cam into a Spitfire a few years ago. It was featured in a Triumph World. I seem to recall the car was painted some version of a 'Fly Yellow'.

 

[eschneider]

if you get one out of a crashed car. These engines are extremely susceptible to improper maintenance. If you find one pop the valve cover and a couple of cam hold down bearing caps, make sure everything is clean, non scarred..

Great tip. And replacement cam bearings are really hard to find for those motors...... 8)