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Bless me, for I may sin!
- Thread starter Bugeye58
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Banjo
Yoda
Offline
RUN! Run as fast as you can! The Fiat 850 I had was the BIGGEST pile of junk I ever had. My cousin's jumped the timing chain at 16000 miles and mine did the same, swallowed a valve and lunched the motor. It also needed heavy greasing in the frontend every 500 miles or so or the steering woild get really tight. And they rotted out faster than a chevy LUV truck.
That said The 124 engine would be nice (also had valves made of butter that would bend if you looked at them wrong) and it sounds nicely modified.
Many blessings, you'll need them
That said The 124 engine would be nice (also had valves made of butter that would bend if you looked at them wrong) and it sounds nicely modified.
Many blessings, you'll need them
aeronca65t
Great Pumpkin
Offline
My pal Bob has an 850 vintage racer he's building. When my brother was looking to give away his 124 Spider, Bob took it, to do the swap you've mentioned. I pointed out to Bob that he will need to spend about 100,000 hours fixing the body on the 850 first. Bob also has a TR7, a Spitfire and a racing Yugo. As you can tell, he's one step away from a rubber room.
Good luck...you are a brave man! (and if you intend on driving that car around corners, I hope you have eyes in the back of your head!).
Note: My brother got rid of the FIAT and bought a Midget..... that's the way it's supposed to happen!
All kidding aside, the guys I have the most fun racing with both have X1-9s. Typically, we're side-by-side with them shifting at 8500 and me shifting at 5800.
Finally, I'm sure you know the "rule"....you can never have too many toys! G'luck!
Good luck...you are a brave man! (and if you intend on driving that car around corners, I hope you have eyes in the back of your head!).
Note: My brother got rid of the FIAT and bought a Midget..... that's the way it's supposed to happen!
All kidding aside, the guys I have the most fun racing with both have X1-9s. Typically, we're side-by-side with them shifting at 8500 and me shifting at 5800.
Finally, I'm sure you know the "rule"....you can never have too many toys! G'luck!
Steve, I'm getting the thing, including the trailer, for three grand. It comes with a Midwest Sports Car Council logbook, and the last entry was for the Chicago Historics in '95, but only the touring sessions. The logbook entry says "Nice car. Have fun."
Banjo, I remember all the 850 horror stories, but back in the early '70's, they were fun to race against. In a 30 minute race, on a 2 1/2 mile track, you would lap them three or four times with a 948 Sprite. Always nice to know there was someone slower than you!
Nial, I'm going to have to re-learn trailing throttle oversteer, methinks! With the 124 setup, I don't imagine I'll be racing it much, as it ain't legal for anything that I know of. Can I come play with EMRA? Should be a fun "track day" car though.
But, I'll have to admit, what I know about Fiats would fit in a thimble, with room to spare. Luckily I have a friend here that was a performance engineer for Fiat for many years. I'm hoping he'll share some of his knowledge with me.
I just wish it was a Spridget, but I have enough of <u>them</u> already.
I might even pick it up this weekend.
Jeff
Banjo, I remember all the 850 horror stories, but back in the early '70's, they were fun to race against. In a 30 minute race, on a 2 1/2 mile track, you would lap them three or four times with a 948 Sprite. Always nice to know there was someone slower than you!
Nial, I'm going to have to re-learn trailing throttle oversteer, methinks! With the 124 setup, I don't imagine I'll be racing it much, as it ain't legal for anything that I know of. Can I come play with EMRA? Should be a fun "track day" car though.
But, I'll have to admit, what I know about Fiats would fit in a thimble, with room to spare. Luckily I have a friend here that was a performance engineer for Fiat for many years. I'm hoping he'll share some of his knowledge with me.
I just wish it was a Spridget, but I have enough of <u>them</u> already.
I might even pick it up this weekend.
Jeff
aeronca65t
Great Pumpkin
Offline
Jeff:
Carwise, *anything* can race in EMRA (as long as it passes safety tech).
"Strange" cars are placed in classes where they are likely to be competitive. If a car is doing too well (or too poorly) we'll bump them to a more appropriate class after a few events.
In the last couple of years we've had: NASCAR Craftsman trucks, ARCA Racers, Ledgends Racers, two rotary-powered Spridgets (one full tube chassis and irs), a "7/8 Racer" (mini-NASCAR stocker with bike engine), a Radical Sports Racer, a D-type Jag (replica), a Toyota-powered Spitfire, a four-wheel drive Celica, two Lotus Exiges, a Turner, a '66 Chevelle (in full-road-race trim including 4 wheel disks and full cage), a modern MB sedan (in full road race setup) a Sonnet, a fierce P1800, and other stuff I can't recall right now.
One of our FV racers goes out to the MidWest Council to run all the time. He says it's just like EMRA.
You and your FIAT would be quite welcome in our motley crew!
Carwise, *anything* can race in EMRA (as long as it passes safety tech).
"Strange" cars are placed in classes where they are likely to be competitive. If a car is doing too well (or too poorly) we'll bump them to a more appropriate class after a few events.
In the last couple of years we've had: NASCAR Craftsman trucks, ARCA Racers, Ledgends Racers, two rotary-powered Spridgets (one full tube chassis and irs), a "7/8 Racer" (mini-NASCAR stocker with bike engine), a Radical Sports Racer, a D-type Jag (replica), a Toyota-powered Spitfire, a four-wheel drive Celica, two Lotus Exiges, a Turner, a '66 Chevelle (in full-road-race trim including 4 wheel disks and full cage), a modern MB sedan (in full road race setup) a Sonnet, a fierce P1800, and other stuff I can't recall right now.
One of our FV racers goes out to the MidWest Council to run all the time. He says it's just like EMRA.
You and your FIAT would be quite welcome in our motley crew!
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
What can I say but "oops."
It's mine.
Jeff
[/ QUOTE ]
So, now you'll have to learn another language, right? (Can you say "Oops!" in Italian?)
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif Mickey
What can I say but "oops."
It's mine.
Jeff
[/ QUOTE ]
So, now you'll have to learn another language, right? (Can you say "Oops!" in Italian?)
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif Mickey
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
Mickey, that's easy.
"Fiat"
Jeff
[/ QUOTE ]
OOPS!
Mickey, that's easy.
"Fiat"
Jeff
[/ QUOTE ]
OOPS!
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Bob also has a TR7, a Spitfire and a racing Yugo.
[/ QUOTE ]
A racing Yugo? Is that not a oxymoronic term? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
I've seen a Yugo rally car...I can't imagine trying to find replacement parts for it. I think the owner must be very good with a welder! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
[ QUOTE ]
Bob also has a TR7, a Spitfire and a racing Yugo.
[/ QUOTE ]
A racing Yugo? Is that not a oxymoronic term? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
I've seen a Yugo rally car...I can't imagine trying to find replacement parts for it. I think the owner must be very good with a welder! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif