How hard to install pre-79 engine cover on 83?

[carl]

Is it possible and what's involved with installing a 1300 engine cover and side panels on an 83?
How much lower is the 1300 engine cover than the 1500 engine cover?

 

[kmead]

Hussien has done this mod on his so he would be a good resource.

The height depends on the year. It looks like there are three different heights, driven mainly by the hook at the back of the cover.

I have this set up to put on one of my X's, it just hasn't happened yet. I think the biggest challenge is the fuel filler and the left sub cover, you likely don't want to use one from a 74 as they are the lowest but the lock loop could be adjusted. Most don't have any trouble with the later 1300 covers. Kent Elder has this on his 1.9 so the 1.5 shouldn't pose much of a problem for you.

Karl

 

[Dr.Jeff]

I made the mods needed to put the earlier side covers on my '79, I'm not doing the engine cover though (making a custom one). I'm not sure what year these side covers came from, or if there is any difference in them. I also don't know if my '79 is much different than your '83 in this respect. But it did require a fair amount of modification to make them fit. The sheet metal 'lip' at the top of the car's side partitions needed to be significantly trimmed. The '79 has a rather wide lip and the plastic covers would not fit over it. The plastic panels also had to be trimmed along that same edge (toward the engine) to clear things. The electronic ignition stuff had to me relocated. The attachment points for the covers are on the car but need to be completed. I have not attempted to fit the gas filler neck back on (tank is still out), so I have no idea what will be involved with that. After all of that the plastic side covers really did not fit that well in my opinion, but frankly I don't know how well they fit on the earlier cars so maybe that's normal. None of it was really difficult, just a lot of on and off trial fitting and tweaking until things went together. But cutting, trimming, drilling, etc, is required...certainly not a simple bolt-on job.

 

[carl]

OK. Maybe not as easy as I had hoped. The reason for my question is that if I install the FAZA snorkel, the base will fit without mod to an early flat cover but if I install on a later curved at the rear cover I will have to trim the flat base of the snorkel and they are rare enough that I didn't want to modify it.

I think I have about six months of making the car look decent as is so I have time (for my daughter or neighbor to tota the car).

 

[Dr.Jeff]

It may not be the same for all cases. As I said I do not know if there are differences between various side/engine covers, the sheet metal on different year models, etc. But based on what I found, it would keep your existing lid and make the snorkel fit it.

 

[Mark]

I have one on my ‘85. I think I had to trim the bottom of the side vents so they sat flush and then just screwed them in place with some SS pan head screws. The engine cover was a direct bolt-on. Only the prop had to be modified.

Is it possible and what's involved with installing a 1300 engine cover and side panels on an 83?
How much lower is the 1300 engine cover than the 1500 engine cover?

 

[lookforjoe]

I don't remember all the precise details, however if the '83 is the same as '87, no cuttting or trimming of anything. The only fiddly bit is the filler neck. You have to undo & free the upper neck & junction tube, as you will need to rotate them for the revised offset created by the lower cover. You won't be bolting the neck tab back in to the side panel in it's stock location. Copious amounts of vaseline or silicone spray to get the 'rubber' junction in place between the neck and the 'new' cover. That, and the stay mod shown above should be all. I think I used velcro on my side panels.

I removed all that when I did the Dallara work & went back to the later cover.

Wherew are the pics of the snorkel situated on the cover? That's what I want to see

 

[Eastep]

If you do this conversion, please be aware that the '74 engine cover has a very short hook. I had to cut the stock hook and use the one from my original cover. I had to have its height/ length adjusted to work and then welded to the '74 cover. The side grills take some minor alterations, but fit without much hassle. As posted earlier in the thread, you will have to fabricate or weld a new mounting post for the spring type cover support, as the OEM 1500 piece is too long. (Or if you have the 1300 unit available)

 

[carl]

With the front edge of the snorkel base lined up with the edge of the front of the engine cover, we have a rear over hang like this.

With the rear edge of the snorkel base lined up on the rearmost flat portion of the 1500 engine cover with have this much overhang on the front.

About 1.5 inches that would need to be trimmed. If we move back and squint, the finished product looks like this.

I must add, at the French GP brunch, get together, I mentioned that I had the final touch as this snorkel and got some flack about being rather immature and ricish about adding this "look at me" feature but at age 70 I feel you can do stuff like this and don't care what responsible people (Dave, you know who you are) think.

 

[JimD]

I must add, at the French GP brunch, get together, I mentioned that I had the final touch as this snorkel and got some flack about being rather immature and ricish about adding this "look at me" feature but at age 70 I feel you can do stuff like this and don't care what responsible people (Dave, you know who you are) think.

In my teenage years, I can remember seeing dudes my age driving a shiny new vette or Jaguar and asking them if their dad knew they had borrowed the car. carl will create the inverse of that situation. Just get this sticker set to be applied to both sides of the snorkel.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Carl, I like your last picture with the snorkel in place. Goes great with the flares and side scoops. And I'd consider it a compliment if someone told me I looked younger. I consider being called "immature" the same as "younger".

That overhang does not seem like too much to alter in my opinion. Unless you just want the early style lid for other reasons, I would definitely alter the fiberglass at one end of the snorkel rather than change the lid. You will be working on the snorkel to some degree even if you change the lid to a early one. I'm sure it will still require some mods to fit the way you want. Plus you will be repainting it to match the body color.

 

[DaveR]

Carl,

Maybe some age appropriate ads/sponsors stickers like AARP would let people know it is your car and not your grandkids.

Maybe add a license plate surround that says, "Don't laugh my other car is a Buick".

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Dave got me thinking. Instead of the common "racing" paint scheme, with sponsor logos and colors like Fiat did with AIitalia, do the whole car in the the livery he suggests. Pretty much what seems to be on most NASCAR stock cars these days. Some suggestions: Viagra, Metamucil, Geritol, One-A-Day, Teveten, Lipitor, etc.

 

[kmead]

Have you tried fit up on an older cover?

The snorkel either needs removal from the engine cover or remove them both at the same time (meaning pins etc) to access the engine.

I would want to modify the snorkel the least amount possible, it will be the most valuable part of the car as I recall.

 

[carl]

Karl, you pretty much hit the point, the snorkel will be the most desirable part and I didn't want to modify it by trimming the mounting flange. I think the snorkel IS the equivalent to the middle finger so we don't need redundancy. John Ovington, X owner and DCfiats member had some stickers that read in Italian "what are you looking at?"

I think the current plan is to mount it with Dzus fasteners and leave the engine cover hinged. That way if I'm feeling mature I can easily remove it.

 

[speedy fiat]

Having done this conversion in the distant past I'm sure that the hinges for the 1300 & 1500 are different. The 1500 ones lifting/seating the 1500 cover a bit higher.