Topic: motors suited to the 850 sports coupe

[canabl]

Hello all,
I recently purchased myself the 1970 850 sports coupe with a 903 cc motor, it is running and prob be good to use but i was looking to have a competive track car for age period racing class.
I am after a list of motors that would be interchangeable to the 850 coupe transmission if not something that could be swapped in.
I have got a 1973 132ab 1756 twin cam motor and a 124 1800 twin cam at my disposal. Would these be of any use as i see they would give a double in performance specs, i wish to build up a similar replica 1300-2000 OT style of vehicle.
Just not many people here in Australia that i can drop by and ask a million questions or buy parts from,
Thanks in advance for any support given.
Cheers
Adam

[scooterjoel]

Hi Adam,

I have a coupe project too, but will try the 1050 route if I can find one.

I am in sydney, where abouts are you?
Cheers Joel

[grant gauld]

Adam,
         I had a 1300 Abarth version in Australia and I found the heavier motor to put the handling balance out.You will need to make many modifications to work out a nice handling package.A few guys on this forum have built such a car.There is also a yellow 2 litre twin cam coupe in Queensland and a white one in Victoria.

 My 1 litre version is faster than the 1300 in a straight line,and around a bend.That said,I also did a lot of work to get it to that stage.You can see this car on Youtube under Fiat Abarth 1000 OTS Melbourne.

Joel,I have had many emails over the last year with a Joel in Sydney who is also building a 1 litre coupe.Maybe that is you ?
Grant Gauld.

[Rubino]

Hello Gentleman,
Grant if I can ask you ,why or what was the issue with handling on the ot1300? understeer from better traction from the rear? or more weight hanging out the rear? I built a quick little 850sc with a SOHC Suzuki head on a 127 block and that was a fantastic handling car! but now building a replica ot 2000 mostra with the Fiat twincam would like to know, did you fix the handling? what did you do?
cheers !

[guy moerenhout]

good  morning ,can  whe have some pictures  from Suzuki head on 907 engine  . Also with change have to be made

[Rubino]

Good Morning Guy!
Sir with pleasure, I did this in 1983 so please forgive rusty memory! the head is from a Suzuki 4x4 early '80s called LJ80 with a F10a engine, rotated 180deg to fit fiat 127 903 block and spin anticlockwise for the 850 gearbox, head bolt arrangment was very close with only the outer 2 on each side needing 1.4mm movement inwards to match the block, using the suzuki headbolts as they are larger and tapping the block,water galleries are close but a full face weld to the head and a redrill to suit the fiat that was fixed, oil feed had to go exturnal and was fed thru the back of the camshaft, timming was easy as I already had a "Trigger" cambelt conversion that now was just the oil pump drive aux' and a 128 cam wheel machined to suit the cosworth grind Suzuki camshaft with 128 tensioner, custom alloy manifold tig welded to suit the twin Weber DCOE40's with 30 chokes, I bought mandral bents to fabricate the  exhaust system and hand made the strait thru stainless muffler. Power was 114Bhp at just over 8700 but think there was still a more with tuning!
Hope this answers but more if wanted, Regards Rubino

edit- photo's are from when it was modified in the '80s,car has come back to me recently in worn-out condition tobe restored this 2013!

Guy, Can I ask you, why on the "OT" replica is a Porsche 901 box better than a vw box? does it have a cable speedo drive?

[rraspa]

I love the interest in which engines to insert into a Fiat 850.

Rubin's 850 was a great car in it's hey day.
I look forward to the restoration of this great beauty.

I have started building an OT 2000 Coupe America replica with the help of Rubin (Rubino).
It took a while to find the various bits.
Happy to share my story and info with other enthusiasts.

Ras

[guy moerenhout]

hallo ,the old 901 box  have the first  gear   ,left and  down . Also it have the gearchange  on end of gearbox ; The cardanconnection are  10 cm ,so the small one  . there is also a cable connection on but you need  adjustment  for instrument
A  901 gearbox is still to find on a good price  and a VW  5 speed its a bit bigger ,I think no ?

[Rubino]

Thank you for the reply Guy, I only have a type3 4speed box, I have looked over here in Australia for a 901 but all around the $1200 to $2000 very hard to come by a good one, not like in Europe. I will put that on hold for the short term while working on the rest of the car, just chasing a grill at the moment, if you still have it, could I have a picture of the Simca abarth grill for sale ? pricing ?
Regards Rubino

[guy moerenhout]

If  you can make a adaption plate for the Fiat 850 gearbox you can always  turn this  one on his  head.
When you do this is turning in the good  way

[Rubino]

is it your experiance that the standard 850 sport gearbox will take the power of a 2lt Fiat Engine?
I'm guessing you don't like vw gearboxes?
Regards Rubin

[guy moerenhout]

All abarth simca   gearbox where  850 case even with the 204 Hp  2000 cc
In the America coupe was  also a 850 derivat
Simca  1000 gearbox = same (very small difference on rear)  like 850 gearbox
Abarth use on some of his  formula cars a  850 gearbox and turn this.
I have many gearboxs  from 850 because  the  dont crash

[Rubino]

Wow! I did not know the mighty little 850 gearbox was so tough! I will look into reverse rotation of the Fiat engine now.
thanks Guy .
 Regards Rubino

[slim4936]

Hey great info from Rubino,
I had heard a rumour about this Suzuki/fiat engine about 10years ago in Sydney. The rumour was that it fitted "straight on". Obviously a fair bit more work than that!  What sort of RPM was the engine capable of?
Hey, with the exception of Guy, did you realize the rest of us were aussie?
Small world! Let's take some pics of our projects and we might learn something new.

Cheers,
Toby

[guy moerenhout]

I keep this  forum  live  because  I wish to give our knowlege to our children our  persons that come after us
Some keep all for them and take it there grave