Rear engine Fiat motors I've had over the years.....#6

[Frank L. Di Gioia]

This is a short block rather than a complete motor. It featured a stock size journal crankshaft, Stole 290 degree camshaft, A112 oil pump with built in pressure relief, and external oil flow modifications. The pistons were from Steve in Australia and I think 67.8mm diameter. The displacement was around 985cc. This gave a nearly square bore/stroke with offset bore on the center two bores. I couldn't find a shop in Las Vegas willing to take the time to do the offset center two and ended up having to have a Los Angeles shop do it. All the others wanted to slap it on their automatic centering machines and drill it out. The Abarth OT 1000 sump (replica) was from Scuderia Topolino in Germany and a parts trade. It was HEAVY, the bolt holes matched but the oil baffles hit the crank throws. Some time with a high speed grinder cured this. I never ran the motor and it's in Fresno California destined to have a PBS 8-port head installed. I'm a fan of polished aluminum (vs chrome) and killed some time cleaning it up.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Frank, wasn't this a fairly recent build? I seem to remember us talking about it before.
Another amazing job!

 

[Frank L. Di Gioia]

This was done about 1 1/2 or two year ago Jeff. It was destined to go into my '67 Spider before I made the decision to go with a "civilized" 124BC Sport Coupe. That was before Covid 19 and the "rest of the story." Thanks for the complement. The pics shown were before final detailing so there's gasket cement and paint splatter present. I don't know about the X's but the aluminum on 600's and 850's seems to take a better/easier buffing than similar pieces from my 124??? It's been less than a month without a Fiat and I'm starting to.....Good news is my new VA Pulmonary doctor is very proactive and doing all type of testing as he thinks I was misdiagnosed and my lungs can be improved.....