Alternative Transaxle with existing SOHC Engine

AKimball92 said:
adaptor plate.
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I don't particularily like the bolted adapter plate approach. It dates to front engine, RWD really and in the days when there was excess meat everywhere. Once apon a time, bell housings were bolted to the box as well and that made mods easier. I do like the idea of using a C514 box. My plan is to phaf about with a box/block and starter to find a workable installation geometry and then cut the bell housing as required and weld in a waterjet cut new gearbox to engine flange and a new formed starter bulge. @Rupunzell is correct - lots to get right. The C514 has an external circumfrencial rib in the plane of the interface to the block and a similar rib around the flywheel apeture. The space between these ribs is where the bolt bosses live. The gusseting in this space shows where FIAT expects the load paths to be. The adaption needs to respect these and I will use a machined fixture to ensure I ghet correct centre and squareness. In the short term, I am keping an eye out for a C514.5 or 6 at a reasonable price here in Australia. It will probably mean buying a comple 500 and parting it out.
 
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As the starter is on the wrong side on the C514 it will involve a a lot of complex work. A C510 is a direct fit with many options for gearing, LSD (even torsen) etc.
If money is not an issue, have a look at the Unic 6-speed sequential box. They can make a bell housing that fits w/o an adapter plate but the price is 15000 €.
 
We do get some C510 but the C514 is widely available here [Australia] and it is a little smaller and lighter. I don't need more torque or power rating as I am sticking with 1300/1500 NA on carbs. This is for road use and in even fairly wild form, LSD is just not needed [in my opinion :) ] The C514 is a pretty good step up from the original 4/5 speed boxes in all respects.

I am going to document the mods and install in detail and hopefully others will find it useful. The beauty of the C514 is that it is in base model 500s and there a re a lot of those in a lot of places.
 
Bjorn Nilson said:
A C510 is a direct fit
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? all the pics I see of a C510 have the starter on the wrong side too? Are there different generations of 510 or something?

EDIT - aha. There are C510 in Uno that are as you say. Problem, Uno never came to Australia. In fact FIAT as a brand in the Australin market died in the 80s and was not reborn in any meaningful way until the new 500. Availability of everything before the new 500 is very very limited. Very few models came here and very few of those were sold...
 
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Steve Thomas said:
? all the pics I see of a C510 have the starter on the wrong side too? Are there different generations of 510 or something?
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Yes there are, many different versions with the starter in multiple places.

I can’t download from T124 anymore so I can’t get at the Excel file etc from Steve’s link.
 
fiatfactory said:

Fiat transverse gearboxes/transaxles - T124 Forum | Australia

Modifications to suspension, steering, brakes, wheels etc etc..
t124.com

SteveC
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Sadly, despite being registered, this is what I see for every file in that thread.
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and judging by the last post in that thread this is an old problem...
1697945025385.png
 
Steve Thomas said:
? all the pics I see of a C510 have the starter on the wrong side too? Are there different generations of 510 or something?

EDIT - aha. There are C510 in Uno that are as you say. Problem, Uno never came to Australia. In fact FIAT as a brand in the Australin market died in the 80s and was not reborn in any meaningful way until the new 500. Availability of everything before the new 500 is very very limited. Very few models came here and very few of those were sold...
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Yes, the C510 came with different variants as it was common in many cars, not exclusively Fiat cars.
It is your decision of course, but I don't see the point with having a C514. I have a C510 on the shelf ready to install when/if my C506 gives up. But I've been abusing the C506 on track days for 3 seasons now without a sign of failure (knock on wood😱). IMO the C506 is better than most people think as it handles 240hp/300Nm from my UT engine. -Your engine produce 50% of that?
I hope my C506 stays healthy. Even if the C510 is a direct fit the work with converting to cable shifting is a PITA. If you want a C514 so badly the easiest and cheapest would be installing a complete drive train from a Fiat/Abarth 500 with FIRE engine (not the complex T-Jet).
 
Bjorn Nilson said:
want a C514
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all I want is a readily available [in Australia] FIAT 5 or 6 speed gearbox for use in road normal 1300/1500 X. It should have good parts support and reasonable price. It should be no heavier that the existing original 4/5 speed and it must go into the car without any cutting or bashing of the monocoque. The C514 fits the bill. Bonus - tripod CVs :) No way in hell am I changing the engine so I can change the gearbox!? That would defeat the point and the point of this thread. I want an alternative transaxle with the existing SOHC. If I was doing serious mods to engines, then the perhaps a C510 becomes a better choice

EDIT - to clarify - I have two cars that came to me without their gearboxes. I am not taking perfectly good C506 boxes out and replacing them with C514. I am fitting C514 in place of C506 I don't have...:)
 
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C510 did come to our shores, but very limited numbers...

post 1986 (so ULP versions) Fiat Regata, both the sohc version (85Sie) and the dohc version (100Sie) used a C510 "top change" transmission... obviously the dohc version wont have the correct bellhousing.

If you want to use a C514 then you'd be looking at a 500 "pop" with the 1200cc 8 valve for a five speed, and if your going to go for something modern you might as well use the whole drivetrain, the 1200 is rated to 75hp

for a six speed you'd need to find a 500 "lounge" with the 1400cc dohc (non multiair) which is rated at 100hp

SteveC
 
Steve Thomas said:
rare as hens teeth :)
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I've seen many more regata ie versions than I have hens teeth... they are out there if you look, people want the 1500 engine, but most grab the trans hoping to use it and then realise it's not a straight in swap over so drop the idea...

and plenty across the ditch in NZ

SteveC
 
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