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Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: October 16th, 2014, 10:51 pm
by miro-1980
Hallo all,
An opportunity cropped up to supplement the "never ending story" of building my 131 Abarth with a project being developed from the beginning to end.
Some time ago, by a set of unusual circumstances our little stable was supplemented by a 1600 131 coupe, of 1976 !
We had no plans to build another 131 Abarth replica and the car was just sitting abandoned in a garage, waiting for real fan who would appreciate this little beauty.
Sometime this summer a friend turned to us to help him building a 131 Abarth replica. He did not know of what was sitting in our garage just waiting for him. When he saw it he immediately fell in love with it.
Now wonder , it really is a beauty .....
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Now the project is under way ... and we have this rare opportunity to share its development from the very beginning ...
The car is to be ultimately a replica gr 4 but will be developed in stages.
Stage 1 - body work ( body enforcement, roll cage, body panels, bonnets, dashboard, interior )
Initially the car will be on standard rigid rear axis and stock 131 hubs with upgraded brakes springs, and shocks
Stage 2 - engine ( building a rally DOHC 2.0 engine of hopefully 160-180 bhp to GC stage II rally specs
Stage 3 - installation of full gr 4 replica suspension from Rally Sports Development and original Abarth diff.
Stages 1 and 2 are planned to be completed for 2015 season , and stage 3 is currently planned to be completed for 2016 season.
Next : body and chassis inspection for rust.
Miro
Re: Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: October 16th, 2014, 11:08 pm
by miro-1980
Re: Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: October 16th, 2014, 11:50 pm
by miro-1980
Re: Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: October 21st, 2014, 12:00 pm
by Nobby
Looks excellent. Didn't know they came in this colour.
Re: Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: December 4th, 2014, 3:01 am
by miro-1980
Latest update
We are waiting for the car to come back from the welder , but in the meantime we have key Abarth suspension parts for it:
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It comes from a Stradale, but under the circumstances of a very short supply and great demand we were extremely lucky to get those. These are all homologated so the car will have
fully historic Abarth independent suspension ( no re-manufactured parts).
More to come soon .
Miro
PS: other parts like ARB's for rear and front and rear struts are also here ( though not shown of the pictures) ...
Re: Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: January 18th, 2015, 12:45 am
by miro-1980
Here is a small picture update.
As pictures say more than words , I will keep my comments to a bare minimum
The body is so fresh it is almost unbelievable !
This is a 1976 car !!! almost 40 years and the body and chassis is practically with no trace or any rust !!!
The cage was welded in. Most of chassis strengthening reinforcements are done.
The light panels and aluminum sheet doors are being fitted.
Miro
PS: the roll cage really is a masterpiece !
Re: Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: January 18th, 2015, 7:15 pm
by miro-1980
Re: Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: January 18th, 2015, 9:24 pm
by Will01
Some nice shiny bits there
Re: Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: January 19th, 2015, 8:00 pm
by FiatRally
Hello Miro,
Please tell us what pistons are those that you are going to use.
The weight must be heavy with the shape of the dome?
Regards,
Ernst
Re: Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: January 19th, 2015, 11:45 pm
by miro-1980
Hi Ernst,
We are sort of working with what we got in our garage and garages of our friends.
I know the pistons are drop forged and US made, but have to find out who made them.
They are the high , but not as heavy as they look. In fact I will weight them to see how much they actually weigh.
Miro
Re: Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: January 21st, 2015, 12:17 pm
by Will01
This does look like a really nice build, i still can't quite believe how great condition the car is to start with.
Looking forward to following the build as you progress
Re: Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: January 21st, 2015, 12:34 pm
by miro-1980
Well,
This is really in unbelievable !!!
I gave seen so many pictures of 131 total rust piles being returned to life , but this one . It is truly amazing.
Its is like finding a jewel !
Thanks for your comments. I will keep updating this thread as things happen.
Should make a nice story with lots of pictures.
Rgds
Miro
Re: Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: January 21st, 2015, 4:55 pm
by FiatRally
Miro,
You are right, that car is a gem and it really needs to be built into a masterpiece!
Please if you can post pictures of the chassis strengthening that you do to a body like that. From front to back.
Also where all do you seem weld the chassis please.
I am so envious of your projects and hope to get all the cars that I am busy with to a standard close to what you are able to do.
All the best,
Ernst
Re: Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: January 21st, 2015, 5:21 pm
by miro-1980
Ernst,
I also envy the car owner
Now am only helping him to compete this project.
This car has in fact a funny history. I bought it for a friend whose client urgently needed 131 2dr for a 131 Abarth replica project.
When I saw the car I bought it , but by this time the client lost interest.
I think this client (whom I never met) did not trust my judgment and he decided to buy a 131 Racing in UK, which he could inspect locally.
So I was stuck with a car I did not need ... and nobody seemed to want it.
People new the car came from Sweden and may have feared that Swedish snow turned it into a pile of junk. ( They forgot that cars rus5t due to humidity and salt not snow. The Swedes never use salt to melt the snow, while salt is used ll over Europe causing the cars to rust, especially where it is dump during 3 out of 4 seasons of the year , like in UK)
Ultimately a local friend turned to me to help him build a 131 Abarth replica , and when he saw the car he put cash on the table.
Right I am helping him to build it ... The man who is actually doing all the work is my mechanic , who knows my 131 inside out and has extremely wide experience with competition car preparation ( engines, suspension, body) as well specialized knowledge of Fiats. He builds all cars as it each of them was for his own racing/rallying.
So the current owner guys is indeed a very lucky man ...
Rgds
Miro
PS: will ask for pictures of seem welding and body strengthening and post them, when I get them.
Re: Buiding a 131 Abarth Replica STEP -BY-STEP
Posted: February 24th, 2015, 10:17 pm
by miro-1980