128 coupe 1500..how easy the swap?

ghostdancing

True Classic
i have no fast driving wills, but have to say that my sl 1100 would definitely benefits with some more torque and "souplesse" if you know what i mean (is it a word used also in the stateside?)

i scored a 1500cc from a ritmo (that was named strada for the US market because looks like the female monthly problem it's called "ritmo" there..so not exactly a nice sounding name for a car)

what the swap 1100 to 1500 does exacatly involve? note that i live in a small island, so i really dont need the fifth gear (rarely use the fourth) and i am interested in a decent mileage (gas is very expensive here and i wish use much as possible the car for dailydriving)
 
If you are keeping the 4spd transmission it should be fairly simple, assuming that it will bolt to the 1500. I believe it will with out modification. Adapting the Ritmo trans would involve quite a bit of modification. I have not heard the term "souplesse" but it sounds like what we call "gutless". Perhaps some of our members with swap experience will chime in. Ciao.
 
thank you kevin.. i mean a smooth, relaxed motor..that (for example) let me go in third up on a hill without the necessity of downshift to get power..i heard that the 1500 has similar gas mileage of the 1300 but with more torque available (longer stroke)
 
Not too many Stradas left in the US, and no Ritmos, so most of the time we swap a 1500 from the X1/9. It is an easy swap. We don't have many 1100s; mostly 1300s getting swapped out.

The X1/9 engine is mounted at a different angle than a 128 engine, so the basic plan is to swap all of the 1100/1300 accessories over to the 1500. Oil pump and oil pan, intake and exhaust manifolds, dog-bone engine mount and bracket, and valve cover. Check that your oil dipstick reads correctly (might need to use the 1100 one). The cooling system is different so thermostat, water pump bypass tube, and heater pipes get changed. Distributor from the X could be used, but I have Marelli-Plex units for 128 and prefer the cap on those. I keep the 4-speed transmission and use the 1300 flywheel, clutch, and starter. It should be possible to do the same with the 1100 but I have no experience with that.
 
good morning 128kid (BTW i saw your restoration thread..a big WOW!)..

here the most of the 128 (sedan\coupe\3P) were 1100, and the 1500 motor can be sourced from ritmo, lancia delta,fiat regata (X1\9 it's a very rare car indeed, i think the most were sold in foreign countries, USA in primis..)

i found one @250 eu (less or more are 270 USD), with carburetor and dizzy included..it's from a ritmo (S85 model)..the seller says it has less then 60K kilometeres (hard to beleive tough..)

i guess i will need the 1500's header exhaust manifold..correct? (i assume the exhaust ports are larger and more spaced in the 1500)
 
1500 and five speed will go into the 128 sl with no big dramas, the five speed will clear the chassis rail (might need to rebend a sheet metal lip on the chassis rail but that's about all) ...it won't fit into a 128 sedan as the chassis legs and front sway bar are different, but the coupes chassis and brake reaction rods will clear the transmission casing. You might need to trim back the alloy transmission mount from the wheel end of the trans casing as there is a mount at that end you wont be using and the alloy "ear" gets in the way. The tripode joints at the inside end of the axles are larger in the 85S, and your 128 axles will need very minor mods to get these to fit and still be able to install their retaining circlip. Sump, inlet manifold an exhaust manifold from the strada/ritmo/regata will all swap across to the 128sl as both engine have the same engine tilt (unlike an X19) but the inlet manifold wont have the two threaded holes for the linkage to mount into, so probably easiest to swap that from the 128... the twin down pipe from the 128 may be a little too short as the 1500 engine is about 10mm taller than the 1300, so the exhaust front pipe may want to touch where it bends to the rear...inside the car the gear linkage assembly will need a small modification to allow you to select fifth gear...

SteveC
 
Steve, tnx for your inputs! i know that you are a big reputation guy on these lampredi sohc motors.

please, lets' focus on the motor swap without the 5 speed trans: i will go with my 4speed original trans (as i mentioned before, i barely need the fourth.. the fifth it's useless driving in a small island of south italy)

can i match the ritmo 85 motor with my original clutch\trans?

if i understood your points, i need to use my 1100 inlet manifold..correct? will it fit the ritmo carburetor (i dont know wich carb mount the ritmo 85.. probably bigger then my weber 32?)

exhaust manifold \header: can i use the 1100 header? just have to manage those 10mm with an extra piece of pipe welded on the 1100 downtube..correct?
 
1500 onto four speed. The 1100 cc engine is flat on the back face of the cylinder block, there is a core plug to the water jacket. the 1300 and 1500 both have a bolted on steel plate on the rear block face where the transmission bolts to. The early 128 transmissions are flat and the steel dust shield is flat where it fits against the rear of the engine block... I'm not sure what year your car is but it may have no notch cut in the transmission bellhousing to suit the 1300/1500 style block with the steel bolted on water jacket plate... cutting out the notch is pretty easy, but the dust shield is a bit more difficult... the 1500 dust shield wont match up with the starter motor... so you have a small problem here.

Easiest to use the 1100 cc 180 mm type clutch and flywheel bolted to the 1500 motor, this will let you use the 128 starter motor too... but you will need to find a dust shield from a 1300 (128/ritmo etc) as this will have the 'stepped' face to clear the water jacket plate, and will also have the correct bolt holes and positioning to allow you to use the 128 starter motor.

Does the 1100cc SL come with a two barrel carby and manifold? and a twin outlet exhaust manifold and downpipe? we never got the 1100SL here in australia but looking at parts manuals it appears they ran the same 32dmtr style carb and exhaust as the 1300 coupe...in which case it would be simplest to swap over your existing carby/manifold/exhaust manifold and front pipe from your 1100, and yes simply extend the pipework to clear at the bend, or another way is to make a flange spacer , and use two gaskets and longer studs (extending the pipe is probably simpler)

igniton on the 85 engine, electronic marelli plex? best for maintenance and fuel economy to use electronic ignition and upgrade from the points system.

SteveC
 
so you say i need:

- 1100 180mm flywheel and clutch..is this a part from a later 1100? also ritmo 60 correct?
- 1300 dust shield (from 128, ritmo, regata, delta)
i belive that the ritmo 85 motor comes with points dizzy..E.I was introduced later in italy..

anyway here a foto of the motor i'm considering
motore ritmo.jpg
 
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