General Fiat Road Trip Summary: Part 1

[RobertM]

For anyone interested I made a video on the first segment of our road trip (out of 3) it’s not particularly detailed on all of the car bits, mostly just the fun sight seeing and it’s a bit long winded but for anyone who wants to follow along I’ll leave a link here.

I plan on writing a bunch of words more specifically detailing the car side of it in 2 weeks whenever I have it back home, so if videos aren’t your thing stay tuned for that!



(Disclaimer, I’m not so great at video production / editing so I won’t claim that this is the best video you’ll ever watch, it’s more like old school home movie style)

 

[Noah500]

Nice one! Keep them coming Fingers crossed you don't have (m)any more hiccups along the way

 

[Goldnrust]

Well that looks like a wonderful adventure Thank you for taking us all along with you.

As a heads up, noticing your comment about the car cruising at 60mph on the flat and from the clips when you're adjusting the engine where it looks like you have an alternator, rather than a dynamo. Put those two things together and I wouldn't be surprised if you'll find that it's had a 650cc engine swapped in?

Might be worth checking the engine number on the block, just by the fuel pump, to help confirm. The difference between 650cc and 500cc engines are not massive but there are a couple e.g. different carbs so you'd need a different rebuild kit if you plan on getting one and different valve clearance specs.

Also, I will not be only person on here to recommend removing the plastic fuel filter between the pump and the carb. They have been known to split and cause fires.

 

[Toshi 975]

Not sure if you have edited out bits but I love the carefree, unphased approach to this trip. You both seem to be enjoying every minute and I enjoyed watching it.

 

[lazylobster]

Loved the video, you guys are real fun too and such a great can-do attitude. Once sorted, you can drive these cars distance. I do 300 miles in a weekend in mine on a regular basis. She's happy to cruise at 100kmh (62 ish mph) and on occassion take her to 110-115 kmh for the overtake. The look on people's faces when you pass then in a baby Fiat !

Very brave to buy a 500 and drive it all that way home. Keep us updated!
R

 

[RobertM]

Not sure if you have edited out bits but I love the carefree, unphased approach to this trip. You both seem to be enjoying every minute and I enjoyed watching it.

I don’t really edit out stuff unless I say the wrong thing and fix it… I mostly just forget to record stuff

 

[RobertM]

Well that looks like a wonderful adventure Thank you for taking us all along with you.

As a heads up, noticing your comment about the car cruising at 60mph on the flat and from the clips when you're adjusting the engine where it looks like you have an alternator, rather than a dynamo. Put those two things together and I wouldn't be surprised if you'll find that it's had a 650cc engine swapped in?

Might be worth checking the engine number on the block, just by the fuel pump, to help confirm. The difference between 650cc and 500cc engines are not massive but there are a couple e.g. different carbs so you'd need a different rebuild kit if you plan on getting one and different valve clearance specs.

Also, I will not be only person on here to recommend removing the plastic fuel filter between the pump and the carb. They have been known to split and cause fires.

I’m not sure on the generator vs alternator debate, I’ve never actually tinkered with a generator but it looks to me like it could be an alternator. The engine number is 110F 000 4504205. I have no idea how to tell if that’s the original… but I don’t think it’s a 126 motor. I certainly don’t think it’s a stock 500cc one though, it feels more like a 550 or 595 for sure. In the very flat grounds of Florida I was able to get it to 68-70 on a long enough stretch of flat ground, though if I crossed 70 it started to break up and sounded pretty unhappy so I mostly cruised at 63-65. The body number is 5047791 from 1971, I know you can approximate if the engine is from the same era as the car but I don’t know how to do that.

 

[Goldnrust]

110F is a 500cc engine originally, but that’s not to say someone couldn’t have modified it and tuned it.

All engine number info is here:

Facts_Figures_Engines_Carburettors_Fiat_500 - Spare parts Fiat 500 classic 126 600 onderdelen | Axel Gerstl

Identify the currently installed engine in your classic Fiat 500 or Fiat 126 by its engine number! You will also find an overview of the carburetors used for the Fiat 500 and Fiat 126!

webshop.fiat500126.com

The 500cc cars all came with a dynamo, and in your video that’s definitely the later alternator, so that is a modification.

 

[RobertM]

110F is a 500cc engine originally, but that’s not to say someone couldn’t have modified it and tuned it.

All engine number info is here:

Facts_Figures_Engines_Carburettors_Fiat_500 - Spare parts Fiat 500 classic 126 600 onderdelen | Axel Gerstl

Identify the currently installed engine in your classic Fiat 500 or Fiat 126 by its engine number! You will also find an overview of the carburetors used for the Fiat 500 and Fiat 126!

webshop.fiat500126.com

The 500cc cars all came with a dynamo, and in your video that’s definitely the later alternator, so that is a modification.

It feels like it has more than 18hp, esp with the top speed. It won't matter in the long run because I intend on buying a complete 40hp engine for it to drop in... at some point. My Mini is waiting for a supercharger first.

 

[the hobbler]

It feels like it has more than 18hp, esp with the top speed. It won't matter in the long run because I intend on buying a complete 40hp engine for it to drop in... at some point. My Mini is waiting for a supercharger first.

If (and when) you buy your uprated motor, make sure that it is 500 based and NOT 126 based as the crankcases where they bolt onto the gearbox are quite different---they will NOT 'mix and match'. Be careful where you buy your 'uprated' engine from, I had to spend a LOOONG time sorting an engine that had been bought from "Mr Fiat" in Atlanta---to say that I was not impressed would be putting it mildly!
With the performance figures that you are getting from the engine currently in your car, are you going to gain a great deal by spending a LOT of money on an uprated engine?
As people have pointed out, your engine is definately 500 based, but it is not very difficult to fit bigger barrels and pistons (only up to 652cc with the 110 crankcase)---the engine will still look 'standard'. The change to an alternator would indicate that 'uprating' work has been carried out on this engine.

 

[RobertM]

If (and when) you buy your uprated motor, make sure that it is 500 based and NOT 126 based as the crankcases where they bolt onto the gearbox are quite different---they will NOT 'mix and match'. Be careful where you buy your 'uprated' engine from, I had to spend a LOOONG time sorting an engine that had been bought from "Mr Fiat" in Atlanta---to say that I was not impressed would be putting it mildly!
With the performance figures that you are getting from the engine currently in your car, are you going to gain a great deal by spending a LOT of money on an uprated engine?
As people have pointed out, your engine is definately 500 based, but it is not very difficult to fit bigger barrels and pistons (only up to 652cc with the 110 crankcase)---the engine will still look 'standard'. The change to an alternator would indicate that 'uprating' work has been carried out on this engine.

I can't imagine that my engine is near the 40hp mark right now, though I could probably find a dyno to throw it on and see. My plan was to sell my current engine when I get the new 40hp engine so I'm going to be out ~$3,000 for a brand new engine with a new carb electronic ignition, etc. It's my understanding that with 40hp this little car should be able to pass 80 miles per hour on a flat road (not that I'd want to, I just want the extra grunt for some mountain drives, and to have the 695essess experience.

I know that buying an engine from a reputable shop would also increase resale value over building one myself. I don't have any plan to sell this car as of right now but at some point in the future it could leave to make way for something else so it's something I need to keep in the back of my mind.