Tuning Now fast does your 500 go/ State engine size/tuning

[fiat500]

Obviously I meant "How fast does your 500 go?"
Following another thread where this question has arisen. It looks like everyone gets in the region of 60 'ish on the flat in normal conditions. My current car has achieved about 40 mph towed on an "A" frame to my current garage
But when I used one as a "normal" when it was simply a ten year old "banger" I don't remember it either:

1 Being in any way prone to overheating.
2. Having any problems driving fast all day on long journeys.
3. Having any significant problem with steep hills other than the obvious with a car of this power to weight ratio.

And this is as a novice car owner using the car as my learning "vehicle"

So I guess for me, if memory serves me well,I would say that 55-60mph cruising would be easily achievable.

How fast is yours?

 

[Franko500]

Mine is as fast as i can physically push it.

 

[Hugh Jarce]

Hi Guys

Best I've done so far was around 62mph, on a slight slope but she cruises all day at 55mph, standard amount of heat through the trunking and I feel there is more speed to get. However, I don't feel I need to go there as with the car being so small, I am holding the speed limits and traffic sufficiently and it actually feels like I am going much faster. I have a 594cc restored engine and 126 syncro box installed. The exhaust is a bit loud, that's a 126 single tube sports unit, which I can cope with the noise as it looks good and now of course I have my stereo bashing out Pavarotti, (you just have to get in the Italian mood don't you)?

Cheers
Hugh Jarce

 

[Damon500]

Depends how optimistic your speedo is...
A good standard 500 should be able to show 55-65mph depending on wind and gradient.
If you have a standard 650 70-75mph should be possible depending on gearing- unfortunately valve bounce tends to take over after that even on a downhill stretch. However
Gearing has an effect too- I have a standard 650 with 126 gearbox and 5 speed conversion which will wind up to 85mph if you find a long enough stretch, it will cruise happily all day at 70mph fully loaded without stress (or a broken crankshaft)
Modified cars can top 90mph if they are built with a lot of care and attention to detail- this is a very important factor as there are plenty of vital components that can rattle off and go bang when pushing hard...
Then it all just comes down to bravery and side winds!

 

[Pete145]

How fast is yours?

I've never driven a standard 500, as my 500L had quite a lot of work done to the engine as part of its restoration.

The head was skimmed and ported, a high lift cam-shaft was fitted, as well as a larger carburettor (from a 126 I believe) and a sports exhaust. The cylinders were also bored a little.

All this has apparently added 30% more BHP (from a standard of 18 to 24BHP). The gear change sweet-spots are quite a way beyond the red lines on the speedo on mine, so the tweaks have certainly had a positive impact on the engine.

I've been running the engine in this summer, so I haven't floored it to test its top speed as yet. But I have nudged it to 60mph (ish), apparently quite comfortably, with something left to give.

To be honest, in such a small car with pretty poor drum brakes, I don't think I'd feel too happy exceeding 60mph by much!

 

[Luxe]

I have the original engine that came with the 69' 500 L, the 499cc. I have had it to 110 Kph, but I tend to operate it at 80 Kph. If I run it for an extended period of time at 90 Kph, I tend to get smoking out of the exhausr pipe. That may be because I have too light of oil and maybe a bit too much in the crank case. I never get the oil light on and the engine does not get that hot. I do get pinging on steep hills if the gear is wrong, but that just might be the sh*ty gas here in Italy.

 

[Vitesse]

I think anyone using the speedo to measure your speed will find it a little optimistic. I measured my speed on a phone app that uses GPS so a lot more accurate. I have had my bog standard 500F with 17 BHP up to 52mph on a straight, very slightly up hill and it would have gone a bit faster if the straight was a bit longer. But I haven't driven it a lot since it has been rebuilt. So I think it is about right.

The official Fiat shop manual produced by Fiat states the following for a 17 BHP car.

1st Gear 15.5 MPH, 25 KM/H
2nd Gear 24.9 MPH, 40 KM/H
3rd Gear 40.4 MPH, 65 KM/H
4th Gear 59 MPH, 95 KM/H

Climbable Gradient, fully laden.

1st Gear 20%
2nd Gear 12%
3rd Gear 6.5%
4th Gear 3.5%

There a couple of 25% gradients near me, so I might go for a few test runs.

 

[Luxe]

Believe it or not, my spedo is spot on. I seriously doubted it, but I tried a GPS app on my iphone and it was accurate through out the entire range. I was shocked!

 

[dk500]

I got 73km on a short stretch, this was off an app, on the speedo was similar, will have to try on a longer road.

 

[timgarman]

Just first gear around the roundabout on my driveway so far.

 

[berkeleyman]

My 500L with standard 650 engine & gearbox has comfortably done 65mph, however I hardly ever go much over 50 where it cruises nicely, (except when I am A- framing it behind my motorhome which I do quite a lot), When I have driven her for over 15 miles or so, although there are no signs of overheating whatsoever, when I switch off she invariably emits a loud BANG, possibly due to the sports exhaust, hence her name Poppy. The person who I sold my Berkeley to last year told me of the time he bought a 500 Abarth and drove it back to England from Italy, he was advised "the car will do 70mph, the main bearings will do 60mph!" Oh joy!

 

[Bambino]

An easy 60mph on the flat. I haven't had it much quicker that as it is still running in.

The engine is a 695cc putting out around 35bhp. 4 speed gearbox.

Chris

 

[PointFiveO]

I've had mine up to the low 70's mph according to the speedo which as stated before might or might not be a bit optimistic. Felt there was possibly more to come but felt it was revving quite hard and was afraid it might blow up. Could do with a rev counter to be sure as when tuned with a loud exhaust it's hard to know what the revs are at. Has a 650 engine and box mildly tuned with cam, flowed head, exhaust and weber 30 dic carb. Fell it could probably take slightly higher gearing.

Colm.

 

[dragonwagon]

Never really knew how accurate the speedo was on my old 500D but I do recall seeing the needle sit opposite the low fuel warning light !
Never went bang - how I never know, it was absolutely thrashed all the time as you would expect when being driven by an enthusiastic 17 year old. Also autotested, rallied and even raced unbeknown to parents.....

 

[Bambino]

And then of course just to get that little extra speed, some dork goes and shoehorns a 500bhp+ Murcielago V12 into your bog standard 500F ...

Apparently spits flames on a trailing throttle - frankenfiat

Chris

 

[Antgiu]

Luigi got to 83kph with 2 in the car, and 93 with one up......
I think he will have gone faster, but there was a corner coming up......
Luigi is a standard 1965 500F

 

[tjmra]

120 kph on the freeway.....



Joe R

 

[Bambino]

Better not let the plod read that ...

Chris

 

[lordsnowy]

I've a standard 500L engine, gone around the clock, only thing I did was fit new piston rings so I know it's standard, but as for the cam I am not sure....it easily does 100kph at 4,100 rpm (rev counter fitted & used app to check)...I typically travel at around 100 to 110kph for about 20km a lot (when other big cc cars get out of my way). My other 500 maxs out at 90, as does another 500 I work on a lot...so I suspect not a normal cam!


Lately have been having issues with hot engine, still trying to sort it but otherwise it has been fine for over 10years I've owned it.


max speed was 120kph, vibrations of wheels spoiled the high speed, I cant find anywhere that can balance the wheels, I have to get this sorted as I am building a 700cc engine for it at the moment....another story....

 

[Damon500]

Hi Lordsnowy,
You can sometimes find strangely fast standard 500's- maybe someone has also increased the compression along the way. I have had problems with wheel balance on my 500F too- have put up with it since I put a set of Ceat tyres on in 2007 which were out of round to varying degrees and caused brake pulsation and vibrations. They have done 30,000km and were barely worn but starting to perish so I recently replaced them with a set of the Formula Cinturato CN55 125 x 12's which completely transformed the car - no vibrations up to 80 mph indicated. Recommended and definitely worth it!