850 Engine swap?

gene cooley said:
I had a '70 850 H/P race car that I
used as an autocrosser. I replaced the 903 with a 1300 128 motor using a PBS 600/128 kit. It ran fairly well with a lightly modded engine. The drawback to this was that the gas tank had to be moved to get the 600 trans with it's top mounted starter in where the 850 trans came out. Mounts had to be made, shift linkage changed, but nothing really involved. At the time my biggest problem was starting it because the 600 starter just didn't want to crank the 128.
Later on when the kit was put in my 600 I used one of Paul V's adapters to use a gear drive Subaru starter and that solved the problem.
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I have seen (in real life) a Scorpione with a 128 conversion and I was going to post a reference but I can’t find it.
Now I know how it was probably done.
 
I own a 69 850 Coupe with a PBS twincam conversion. It is fuel injected and turbocharged. It's a 1438 with forged rods and pistons. PBS claimed it put out 225 hp. It ran 4 injectors on gas and 4 on alcohol at higher boost levels. I currently have the engine out and are upgrading the electronics and some other stuff. It has 4 wheel disk brakes as well. It had a front intercooler so had a bit of lag. I am changing it to an water intercooler to reduce lag.
 
Derek Greenwood said:
I own a 69 850 Coupe with a PBS twincam conversion. It is fuel injected and turbocharged. It's a 1438 with forged rods and pistons. PBS claimed it put out 225 hp. It ran 4 injectors on gas and 4 on alcohol at higher boost levels. I currently have the engine out and are upgrading the electronics and some other stuff. It has 4 wheel disk brakes as well. It had a front intercooler so had a bit of lag. I am changing it to an water intercooler to reduce lag.
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What are the rear brakes? 124 calipers? I have a pair or Scorpion calipers I'd like to use but the e-brake cable needs to do a 180 turn at the calipers on an 850.
 
My 2014 Subaru Outback has an electrically operated e-brake. Maybe some clever person could adapt that. Another idea is for 850 Coupe (flip open) quarter windows. I check the 850s at the car shows to see if someone has them electrically operated like on a Toyota Sienna.
 
myredracer said:
Did you use an e-brake cable? A 124 cable is long enough but it's the 180 turn I'm not sure how to deal with and make sure it doesn't clash with the exhaust.
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You know, I dont know what they did. Will have to take a look. Actually, I think they mount them on the front and then swap sides with the calipers and then they pull correctly.
 
Derek Greenwood said:
You know, I dont know what they did. Will have to take a look. Actually, I think they mount them on the front and then swap sides with the calipers and then they pull correctly.
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I think mounting the calipers on the forward side of the rotors doesn't work. Tried that on my 600 trailing arms with the calipers and there was no way it would work. Haven't tried a mockup yet on my coupe body but am guessing it's the same thing. IIRC, the caliper or caliper holder hits the outer side of the trailing arm.
 
myredracer said:
I think mounting the calipers on the forward side of the rotors doesn't work. Tried that on my 600 trailing arms with the calipers and there was no way it would work. Haven't tried a mockup yet on my coupe body but am guessing it's the same thing. IIRC, the caliper or caliper holder hits the outer side of the trailing arm.
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you are correct. Mine are mounted on the back. The cable runs over the top of the trailing arm and just makes a 180 degree bend. It works
 
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Chaostoy said:
That's awesome @850EV though I will probably miss it since I work 6 days a week. I hope there's a replay! :)
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Yes! I will save it to the channel for anyone that wants to re-watch it, or wants to see it that missed it. I will be doing this on 12/9/2020 Starting at 12 Noon Central US Time (that is a Wednesday). My channel is called Garage Time TV on YouTube. This is be a general rebuild, cut and dry. Nothing crazy done here, but a simple build from the bare block up. I am not sending these pieces to the machine shop, I know some will say I should, but they really don't need it. (Mine at least.) I will have all the parts laid out and go step by step.

Anyway, hope to see you there!
 
I like the idea of a Beetle (real Beetle) engine swap. The engine is super light and highly tunable. A stock 1600 dual port engine would make more power than the 903cc FIAT engine (about 60HP, I believe,) and can be developed to make 150HP NA. I would swap trans while I was at it, as the Beetle trans is tougher and upgradeable as well.
 
Longitudinal said:
I like the idea of a Beetle (real Beetle) engine swap. The engine is super light and highly tunable. A stock 1600 dual port engine would make more power than the 903cc FIAT engine (about 60HP, I believe,) and can be developed to make 150HP NA. I would swap trans while I was at it, as the Beetle trans is tougher and upgradeable as well.
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But that is not really a Fiat then. Swapping an Alfa Sud engine at least comes from the same family and won't get you kicked out of the Fiat club. I often thought a Punto engine and gearbox, or the Alfa equivalent mounted cross wise in the back of the coupe might be a good idea.
 
ramona300 said:
But that is not really a Fiat then. Swapping an Alfa Sud engine at least comes from the same family and won't get you kicked out of the Fiat club. I often thought a Punto engine and gearbox, or the Alfa equivalent mounted cross wise in the back of the coupe might be a good idea.
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How about a modern 500 engine?
 
ramona300 said:
But that is not really a Fiat then.
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But we can still call the new 124 a FIAT, right? Of course it would still be a FIAT. It just wouldn't have a FIAT engine anymore. The OP didn't place any restrictions on where the engines came from. I get purism. I was a purist in the VW world for two decades. But I got over it. There are places where purism makes more sense and places where purism makes less sense. This place here is one of the latter, at least for me.

I mentioned the Beetle engine because there are precious few potential native rear engine donors that would not require a bell housing adapter to stick with the already fragile stock transmission. If I can make something simpler, more powerful, lighter, and less expensive all in one move, I'll do it.
 
Fiats have had all sorts of engines in them over the years. The GM ecotec, Suzuki etc. The trouble is if you compete in Fiat club events there is a list of engines you can use that come from the Fiat family, Lancia, Alfa, Ferrari etc. If you use the engine and gearbox suspension etc from a "Fiat" front-wheel drive car then you overcome the lack of a good 5 speed gearbox at the same time. The engine would be where the rear seat was but that is fine. The modern 500 engines are a good choice but they are very high. I measured up for a Punto and it would fit with shortened drive shafts.
 
Quote :"The trouble is if you compete in Fiat club events there is a list of engines you can use that come from the Fiat family, Lancia, Alfa, Ferrari etc"

Show me:
1. An active FIAT club in the US.
2. An active FIAT club in the US that even cares about the engines at a car show
3. Hell, right now I'd be happy for ANY car show or club event thats not a Zoom call.
 
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