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DukeOfUndersteer
DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
4/22/10 10:49 a.m.

Well, got my new tires ordered. Sumitomo HTR's coming from California, hopefully will get here in time for the Mitty, also got my alternate front and rear suspension on its way too. Got a metal plate to make drop plates for the rear, and Honda Civic coilovers coming for the front. If i can get all of this knocked out in the next week, i could bring it to the Mitty!

DukeOfUndersteer
DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
4/30/10 3:35 p.m.

got my new tires in and my knock off Recaros!

John Brown
John Brown GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
4/30/10 4:06 p.m.

Can we call them Recar-nots

DukeOfUndersteer
DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
4/30/10 4:15 p.m.

www.instantrimshot.com

DukeOfUndersteer
DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
5/1/10 3:23 p.m.

well, in a rush to button everything up to try and take it to the Mitty this weekend, I mounted and balanced the new tires, got both buckets in, re-attached everything and took it for a test spin to the gas station.

As soon as i got there, a guy at a near by pump walks up and says "That a Fiat 128?" I said "Yup". He said " I bought one of those brand new back in 1975." I said "oh yea?" He said "ya, biggest piece of crap i have ever owned!"

So, getting on the throttle, it sounds like a mini-Ferrari, pulls to the left under acceleration, under braking, it pulls to the right! All of this with a big smile on my face! Trying to talk myself out of taking it up to Road Atlanta this weekend, its only an exit up from me...

EvanB
EvanB GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
5/1/10 3:26 p.m.

doooo eeeet

DukeOfUndersteer
DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
5/3/10 1:28 p.m.

So... got the Fiat ready to go Sunday morning. Drove it to Road Atlanta, tookk about 14 or 15 miles to get there, most nervous 14 miles of my life! Got there, immediately got laughed at by the girls at the front gate , and proceed to putt around the infield.

Then, came time to leave. We were about 10 miles from the shop when i started thinking "whats with everyone bad-mouthing Fiats? Look, its gonna get me back, round trip, with no failures of any sort!" when this happened...

yup, came off in my hand as i was putting it into first, at a red light. As soon as it happened, i jumped out at tried pushing it out of the way. Then, out of no-where, i had about 6 others helping me push into a gas station. Its like, when you see a Fiat, you have to get ready to help push... Long story short, it would have made it round trip if the shifter didnt snap in my hand...

racerdave600
racerdave600 Reader
5/3/10 2:10 p.m.

Still, 128's are awesome! Reminds me of my sister's old 124, the shifter broke off in her car too while I was driving. had to modify a wrench to get back home!

friedgreencorrado
friedgreencorrado SuperDork
5/3/10 4:02 p.m.

Aw, man..that's just "development time". Good to see it at the Mitty, sorry I didn't catch up to you! Car sounds great.

car39
car39 Reader
5/3/10 4:23 p.m.

Where did you get the seats?

turboswede
turboswede GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
5/3/10 5:39 p.m.

Wow, very cool.

Would you be interested in a 1.5L for it? I have one from my X-1/9 that I need to get out of my garage. It would be GRM cheap. Comes with the EFI intake.

I can pallet it up and get a shipping quote (or even break it down to try to make shipping more reasonable if you'd like)

furcylndrfoury
furcylndrfoury SuperDork
5/4/10 1:29 p.m.
DukeOfUndersteer wrote: it would have made it round trip if the shifter didnt snap in my hand...

pffft chuck norris coulda driven it to mars that way!

just kidding man. At least it moved and stopped on purpose many times with you in the captains chair, most of us will never get to say that about a classic european car.

rjones33
rjones33 New Reader
5/4/10 1:48 p.m.

Love this thread!

I particularly love that the fail is something a sitcom writer would come up with.

"Let's have it break down, maybe the distributor cap walks off?"

"Nah, go for the sight gag, have the shifter come off in his hands"

DukeOfUndersteer
DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
5/4/10 2:38 p.m.

Haha, all i can do is laugh. When it came off, i looked around going "uh... uh... UH.... UUUHHH....." it looked like it came straight out of a sitcom! Haha

DukeOfUndersteer
DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
6/17/10 10:10 a.m.

So, after 2 months of sitting, and no real part supplier for Fiat parts, Im thinking of doing a Honda B16 swap. Whatcha guys think?

Gimp
Gimp GRM+ Memberand Dork
6/17/10 10:15 a.m.
DukeOfUndersteer wrote: So, after 2 months of sitting, and no real part supplier for Fiat parts, Im thinking of doing a Honda B16 swap. Whatcha guys think?

I think I will gladly trade you a B16 for that car. I consider this deal complete. Contact me directly and we can finalize the exchange.

DukeOfUndersteer
DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
6/17/10 10:20 a.m.

scardeal
scardeal Reader
6/17/10 10:34 a.m.

Hoo Boy! Watch out for that VTEC, yo!

Tidy little engine compartment there!

DukeOfUndersteer
DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
6/17/10 10:39 a.m.

just popped the hood to the Fiat, forgot how narrow it is in there. I gotta make some measurements...

Travis_K
Travis_K Dork
6/17/10 10:55 a.m.

I wouldn't, to me the engine is a big part of what makes those cars cool. It would be sorta disappointing to see one with a honda engine.

DukeOfUndersteer
DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
6/17/10 11:04 a.m.

In reply to Travis_K:

yea, i agree, but its tough to find any parts for this. All i can find are seat belt pads... not much for replacement parts

Raze
Raze HalfDork
6/17/10 11:06 a.m.
Travis_K wrote: I wouldn't, to me the engine is a big part of what makes those cars cool. It would be sorta disappointing to see one with a honda engine.

I think I'd rather see 'a fiat' than no fiat at all because it can't move under it's own power...

Carson
Carson Dork
6/17/10 11:06 a.m.

While I agree with Travis, I'm torn because that blue X1/9 with the K20 (or whatever) shows how rad a Honda Fiat can be.

On the budget side of things, I'd do a D-series, you can typically can be given one for free dollars when someone rips one out of their Civic to install a B. A stock D16 will damn near double the factory output of that car.

DukeOfUndersteer
DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
6/17/10 11:15 a.m.

yup, i found this D swap on CL:

Full Turn-Key Swap D15B7, it's still in the car running available for test drive (engine, SI trans, axle, harness, and ecu)- $500obo

914Driver
914Driver SuperDork
6/17/10 11:27 a.m.

A lioness perched on a hillside studying its next prey.....

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