Tuning a Scorpion?

I loves me some Italian, and there's a supposedly rust free-ish Scorpion for sale not far from here. It needs interior upholstery work but TBH I'd probably just take out the seats and put some race seats in anyway.

However, the big issue is power or rather, the lack thereof. The US-spec 1.8L isn't exactly a powerhouse, but are there some gains to be had that don't require pulling the engine apart?

Also, does anybody happen to know what the availability of uprated suspension parts for these is? I had a look at the Bayless site and some UK sites that I still remember from my Integrale time over there and there seems to be some availability but not much.

Of course the other question is - do I really want to modify something that rare?

Rust free Scorpion? Buy it now. We can work out trade next time that we decide that I'm selling a car that you want. As I recall, this has happened twice in the past.

LSX swap!

Put a 2.0L DOHC motor in it and add boost, rev to 10000 RPM.

Type Q wrote: LSX swap!

Not quite what I had in mind, if there is any swappery going on it's much more likely to be a 2l twink.

Forget about adding significant power to that lump without taking the engine apart. And even then, they weren't up to the 2 litre European versions.

Decent looking car though. Love to see one with an Ecotec slipped in there....not sure the gearbox would take it though. Bet you could use the whole Cobalt transaxle and engine though.

the beauty of that engine. You can easily drop the head from the 2.0 16v engine from the later Twin Cam European Engines onto it. You will need to put in new pistons too.. but at 8:1 compression, you need to do that anyway.

Unlike an X 1/9, there is a -lot- of room in the engine bay (especially after you remove the spare) and you could easily go full turbo ala the Lancia Delta Intergrale

Suspension is mostly a mix of X 1/9 and Lancia Beta and the brakes.. well, Tar-Ox makes some tasty multi-piston calipers for them via the Monte Hospital

So do X1/9 struts or coilovers fit a Scorpion?

Buying this car with a view to some slight modifications would only make sense if we stayed down here (no smog checks), so that's an added question. But it might as well look at it this weekend if the owner happens to be around and I can stomach the 8h round trip.

13b

They still have an 037 replica body kit for those things available? I think a Cobalt SS drivetrain under that thing with an 037 body kit would be super sweet!

Alfa V-6?

I'm not sure I'd buy a Scorpion unless you have a line on a parts car to go with it. Many of the parts are pure unobtainium. I forgot the name but there is a British website that sells replacement body and patch panels. As you might expect they aren't cheap and that's even before you factor in shipping to the US.

EDIT: Found it. The Monte Hospital.

http://www.montehospital.com/

When FIAT /Pininfarina decided to create the turbo Spider, it was a dealer installed option. They changed absolutely nothing inside the motor and they lasted just fine. The internals are really overbuilt. Also, find a set of cams with 40-80-80-40 event timing. They are relatively mild and increase output everywhere in the rev range.

I'd love to have a Scorpion myself. I had 2 X 1/9's so it woud be a logical progression. I see no reason a 2.0 with boost couldn't be stuffed in there, although it might be tough to add an intercooler.

RexSeven wrote: Alfa V-6? I'm not sure I'd buy a Scorpion unless you have a line on a parts car to go with it. Many of the parts are pure unobtainium. I forgot the name but there is a British website that sells replacement body and patch panels. As you might expect they aren't cheap and that's even before you factor in shipping to the US. EDIT: Found it. The Monte Hospital. http://www.montehospital.com/

Monte Hospital is one of the companies I was aware of from my time in the UK, the other one is Omicron Engineering which is one of the older Lancia specialists in the UK.

Good point regarding having a parts car, I really don't want to go that far even though I have the space currently.

put an mr2 powerplant in it?

I checked all these pictures but I can't find an Abarth anywhere...

...but the yellow 328 is awesome. ;-)

David

BTW, this is the car I was talking about:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/4202288461.html

Wow. Even with the shredded upholstery, that could possibly be one of the best ones left in the country.

That's why I'm tempted. I need another car like I need a hole in the head, but that's never stopped me before.

I'd want to look at the door sills and the floorboards, especially the front edge of the front footwells but that looks pretty sweet regardless.

2.0 fiat twin cam = fun

That looks amazing, if I wanted to take a risk on a 70s italian car i would buy it now.

That thing is so clean, you'd be a fool not to keep it stockish unless you've always pined for one of these and just can't stand one with the stock powertrain. It's in such good shape, originality seems like it would really help to retain the car's value. That thing really looks like a great restoration candidate...just a few minor fixes and it would make for a fun car to own for a while, maybe make a couple of bucks on even.

...and that's coming from a guy who has "ruined" more than one car. Sometimes, stock is the right thing to do.

Bryce

Its not about the power, its about the delivery, and the Lampredi engines are pretty good at that.Especially once you desmog it, add decent exhaust, and bump the timing up a few degrees.

Nashco wrote: That thing is so clean, you'd be a fool not to keep it stockish unless you've always pined for one of these and just can't stand one with the stock powertrain. It's in such good shape, originality seems like it would really help to retain the car's value. That thing really looks like a great restoration candidate...just a few minor fixes and it would make for a fun car to own for a while, maybe make a couple of bucks on even. ...and that's coming from a guy who has "ruined" more than one car. Sometimes, stock is the right thing to do. Bryce

well they ruined the car when they brought it to the US, would be nice to fix it and return it to where it should be.

the biggest issues these cars have, aside from rust, are the brakes.

Who in their right mind would take a light weight, mid-engine car, and only add power assist to the front brakes? To say it takes nothing to lock the fronts is an understatement.

Curious thing, supposedly the Japanese version had power assisted -rear- brakes only.. that seems more in keeping with the weight distribution