FIAT 124 Vintage Race Car

[andregt6]

There is a new member in the fleet.
A 1972 FIAT 124 Spider. Bought her in June from a seller in NY.

The PO has used her as a track day car so I'm currently doing the upgrade required to run with my friends in VARAC.

http://www.124racer.com/

The fleet


I spent the Vintage Fest at Mosport learning the ropes as a pit crew for a friend's 124 racer.


Paid special attention to the parts and trailer kit they use.

Can't wait for my race school in May and my first race in June of 2010.

I still need to buy a 10Gal fuel cell, fire bottle, transponder and a few other small bits.

I've been re-wiring the car to my standards as well.



A.

[DEye]

Wow - that's a prety *Spartan* dash

[el_torpedo]

I like the toggle switches and coloured lights - what are they for (apart from the obvious ones)?

[andregt6]

From left to right.

Amber = starter button light. (I had intended it for something else, but that failed so it was extra) Filled in a hole.

Red = Oil pressure warning.
Amber = Alternator warning.
Green = Tach shift light.

Green = Fuel pump.
Green = Accessories . So gauges and transponder.
Blue = Fan. Manually only. Disconnected the stat controlled system.
Blue = Rain lights. I could have gone with an independent system, but opted to use the car's outer indicators. A lot of the guys are using the LED lights you can get from CTC for your bike.

That's about it.
The wiring is more or less to help trouble shoot stuff. If they do not come on its a fuse or switch problem.

Still have to install the master cut off switch and a few other tricks.

A.

[vwgolf2lwk]

Sweet, are we going to see it a Calabogie this year?

[andregt6]

No car this year. I have to run my race school in May 2010.

I'll be at CMP, but only on Saturday working on #418.

All in time.

A.

[andregt6]

Took a quick run out to Kirkey in Cornwall.
Came home with a 17" 47 Series - Intermediate Road Race seat.

Seems to fit me well.


The FIAT is progressing well.

A.

[pbrownhill]

Andre - I met the guy you bought this from this past weekend at the Fiat Freak-Out in Valley Forge, PA. The car is in better hands with you! I'll say no more.

[andregt6]

Gosh.

Thank you Peter.

Updates



A.

[GoesFilled]

The car looks awesome Andre... Maybe you should bring it out to an AutoX this year for a shakedown!!

[andregt6]

I'd love too, but I lack a tow vech.

A.

[andregt6]

Caged...

[andregt6]

[ScotcH]

Nice progress, but I gotta tell you man ... this thing was not meant for a tall dude and a cage. That looks pretty ridiculous

[andregt6]

Yeah it is what it is.

At least I can get out.

I did go for 3" over my helmet vs 2".

A.

[ScotcH]

Hey, I'm not knocking it ... safety is very important ... just looks a bit comical is all. You just have to drive it fast enough so people lose their smile quickly

[andregt6]

Deal

Could have been worst. Specially if I was in a Spitfire.

The FIAT is actually a fairly big compared.

Now I did fiddle with the seat down set lower, but I could not see well enough.

I think where it looks odd is the main loop is pretty basic.

If I had tapered it inwards and raked it back a touch it might have looked a little better.

Still pretty good for my first try.




A.

[Ian]

Not sure that bungee cord on the rollbar will pass tech ...

[terrydale]

Andre - that car looks awesome!!! Lots of hard, very good quality work - congratulations!

What colour are you going to do the cage in?

Oh, and I wouldn't really care about what people think about the cage. First, it looks like it would really work if needed. And second, it looks 100 times better than my race car's cage! Oh, wait a minute - I don't HAVE a race car!!

[andregt6]

Thanks Terry.

I hope I never have to test it, but there is no way I was going to chance the roll bar setup.

I'm toying with a white cage. I tried red, but unless I could match the car's red it looked weird.

So white might would keep in theme with the car. If not black.

[terrydale]

My personal vote would be for the black.

Just an aside but the blue foam wrap doesn't seem like the approved 'dense cell' type that is pretty much standard now in everyone's rules. Even if it is still allowed by CASC or whatever, it has been well proven that that type really compresses under load allowing for a hard, almost direct, contact with the bar underneath. NASCAR, Grand Am. IMSA have all disallowed its use.

[andregt6]

Yeah I'm going to order the good stuff from Kirkey next month.

I'll do the main loop, down bar, over head and A posts with it.

I'm thinking I'll use the blue stuff around the door bars for knee and ankle protection.

A.

[terrydale]

Good plan!

[andregt6]

[andregt6]

Nearing the closing stages of the car's prep.

Its been a long year, but hopefully it will be so worth the effort.