A few pics of the engine I am building.  Actually, the bottom end is ready, and 
the rest is a dry build to check the piston valve clearances.  It was looking 
so good, I just had to put the manifolds and carbs on for a few pictures.  If 
you see anything major (or minor) wrong in the pics, please point it out to 
me.  I'll be putting it together for real and dropping it in the car tomorrow, 
if everything goes well.  Many thanks to all that have given me advice while 
putting this project together over this past year.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?A6C32126C
http://makeashorterlink.com/?U1D35226C
http://makeashorterlink.com/?N2E35326C
http://makeashorterlink.com/?K4041126C
http://makeashorterlink.com/?M2141626C

What it is:
1.8L block, 2.0L head, 1438cc flywheel (lightened to 11 pounds)
85mm Mondial, 8mm dome pistons
40-80 intake, 30-70 exhaust cam regrinds
Balanced to <.5 gms for reciprocating parts, <4 gm-inches rotating parts
40 IDF, 13/15's, waffle manifold, TB air cleaner
Performance valve springs, std valves; Head ported, polished, & built by Jon 
Logan
10.5:1 Compression ratio
Crane Fireball 700 electronic conversion in late 70's dizzy
Electic Fuel pump in trunk, Pressure regulator and gauge for setting to 3 psi
Block mounted Thermostat
4-2 stock exhaust manifold, with 2-1 downpipe

Will be adding:
Adjustable cam wheels from Jason
Different Air cleaners, when I find some that will fit under my flat hood

A few more pics can be found at:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v26/ventura_ace/1800%20engine/

alvon
'70 124 spider, 1438cc . . . 1608cc . . . now 1.8L

1. It's not fuel injected ;)
2. Your oil pressure sensor and switch are reversed from the stock 1800 positions
3. Several pullies don't match
4. The manifolds aren't bolted on
5. It's the wrong color - you're gonna have to keep it real clean!
6. Oh yeah, it's not in my garage...

Of course none of that means diddly. Nice work, ACE.

Trent Wagner - Seattle, WA
'78 Lancia Beta Coupe
http://sickchilly.com

Webmaster - FIAT Enthusiasts Northwest
http://www.fiatnorthwest.org

Trent Wagner wrote:
: 1. It's not fuel injected ;)
: 2. Your oil pressure sensor and switch are reversed from the stock 1800 
positions
: 3. Several pullies don't match
: 4. The manifolds aren't bolted on
: 5. It's the wrong color - you're gonna have to keep it real clean!
: 6. Oh yeah, it's not in my garage...

Thanks for busting me, Trent.  You've got a sharp eye!!
The pulleys will look better when I get the adjustable cam pulleys, move one of 
the slotted pulleys to the aux shaft (ditching the solid steel one).

Hmmmmm.  OP sensors reversed?  I had thought they were always in that order on 
the 1438 engine, so I put them the same way on my 1608, and now the 1.8L.  I'm 
guessing it really makes no difference, but someone please correct me if it 
does make a difference.

Here's a deal for you:  Move your garage down here, and I will put it in it.  I 
could use more garage space!!  ;>)

alvon  
'70 124 spider, 1438cc . . . 1608cc . . . now 1.8L

Hi Alvin:
Just another small thing I noticed.......

The 'fingers' of the distributor cap should point toward your carbs not towards 
the exhaust manifold.  This will help keep your wires away from the heat of the 
manifold.  I'm sure you can run the distributor in any position as long as you 
set the rotor correctly upon reassembly but every Fiat I've worked on or owned 
always had the distributor oriented in this manner.

Looks REAL nice though!

Chris
1982 Fiat Spider

Chris wrote:
: Hi Alvin:
: Just another small thing I noticed.......
: The 'fingers' of the distributor cap should point toward your carbs not
towards 
: the exhaust manifold.  This will help keep your wires away from the heat of
the 
: manifold.  I'm sure you can run the distributor in any position as long as you 
: set the rotor correctly upon reassembly but every Fiat I've worked on or owned 
: always had the distributor oriented in this manner.
: Looks REAL nice though!
: Chris
: 1982 Fiat Spider
............................................................
Rich Stephens, Pacifica, CA
Former Fiats: two 1500 cabs, a Dino, two 131 wagons, a brava
Current daily:'72 Fiat 238 Weinsberg 'Wohnmobile' CamperVan
Weekend fun car:  '69 124 Spider
One of every Fiat project: http://www.3jar.com/fiat
Bay Area Running of the Fiats club: http://barf.mirafiori.com
............................................................

nt

Yup, it sure is!  The 2L FI Lancia Beta head is KILLER!  It has the largest 
intake ports I have ever seen on a TC head.  Standard valve size as other TC 
heads but not much porting needed to be done to it.

Jon W. Logan
Hilliard, Ohio
1979 Spider 2000 (Twin IDF's 10:1)

Oh, man, is this a trick question?  :-)

Only thing I can add is that both the breather hose and air filter box appears 
and disappears in the pictures.  How many points is that worth?

George Emery
http://members.aol.com/gemery -- "Twincams and Autox"

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) are answered here:
               general - http://www.mirafiori.com/faq
        model specific - http://www.mirafiori.com/model
             engine id - http://www.mirafiori.com/id
           smog system - http://www.mirafiori.com/smog
    parts substitution - http://www.mirafiori.com/sub
   wheels & suspension - http://www.mirafiori.com/dave
Thad Kirk's balljoints -http://www.mirafiori.com/~thad/balljoints/bj.html

... that it's not in your car yet, Alvon! 

Oh, and the carbs look nice, glad to see they found a good home.

Peter

   --Alvon, very nice job.  I notice you're using the oil dip stick from a 
1438/1608?  Also, looks like it is slotted into the 1756cc oil dip stick 
fitting that screws into the block.  Caution, your oil-level reading may not 
be correct in this configuration.  
Jim

72 124 Spider, 1756cc, SCCA FP-55
72 124 Spider, 1608cc, owned since July '73
74 124 Spider, 1756cc, CSA Abarth Replica project
71 124 Spider, 1608cc, backup to FP-55
http://www.mirafiori.com/~jscurria

Jim Scurria, (Norfolk, VA) wrote:
:   I notice you're using the oil dip stick from a 
: 1438/1608?  Also, looks like it is slotted into the 1756cc oil dip stick 
: fitting that screws into the block.  Caution, your oil-level reading may not 
: be correct in this configuration.  

Man, you guys are sharp as a tack.  We should put together a contest -- to 
stump the experts -- maybe do it in a way to make it fun and raise some money 
for Mira!!  I'll have to work something up.  I remember somebody took a picutre 
of all the gaskets and seals from an opened gasket kit a while back, and asked 
for help to ID the pieces.  That was fun.

Your're absolutely right on with the dipstick.  I don't like that big long, 
ugly extension on the later models -- though I am sure it is much more 
convenient than trying to find the hole for the dipstick when it is down on the 
block.  Fortunately, my dipstick is plently long enough to put another set of 
|Full.......Add| marks on the lower end.  

Thanks for studying the pics.
alvon
'70 124 spider, 1438cc . . . 1608cc . . . now 1.8L

George Emery (Oregon City) wrote:
: Only thing I can add is that both the breather hose and air filter box 
appears 
: and disappears in the pictures.  How many points is that worth?

That's enough points to win a drive around the lake at Oregon '06 or FFO '06, 
or maybe both if I can figure out a way to do both.

I'm debating on whether to fix up a small bump hood, so I can run the Turtle 
Back air cleaner, or just go to some other variation of filter that I can stuff 
under the flat hood that I have.  I do have a ratty looking small bump hood -- 
perhaps I can just paint it black, slap it on there and pretend that it's 
Abarth.  The rest of the car is red.

alvon
'70 124 spider, 1438cc . . . 1608cc . . . now 1.8L

Peter Cripps wrote:
: ... that it's not in your car yet, Alvon! 
: Oh, and the carbs look nice, glad to see they found a good home.

Soon, soon . . . I am still taking a few measurements on piston clearances and 
cam timing while I have everything out and accessible, but hope to have it 
ready to drop in tomorrow or Saturday.  I may give you a call if I can't figure 
out adjusting the carbs.  I'll just follow the cookbook procedure, and I expect 
it will be fine.  Trying to beat the rain storms heading this way.  You may 
already be getting wet up in Central Cal.

alvon
'70 124 spider, 1438cc . . . 1608cc . . . now 1.8L

Alvon,

I think I mentioned that I got them from a guy in New Zealand (not Malc). I'm
sure they hadn't been used for a long time, but the motor fired right up on the
first try, with the standard jetting, as received. Let's hope you have the same
success!

One thing though -- for the first few weeks, I kept having to clear out the idle
jets, even though there was a new fuel filter in circuit. Wouldn't be surprised
if you have to do the same. 

Peter

We already KNEW that you were gonna do that with the dipstick based on earlier 
posts... :-)

Jon W. Logan
Hilliard, Ohio
1979 Spider 2000 (Twin IDF's 10:1)

Jon Logan wrote:
: We already KNEW that you were gonna do that with the dipstick based on 
earlier 
: posts... :-)

Hey, I'm over 50 now.  You expect me to remember everthing?  I'll send all my 
replies to you from now on for editing!!  Ha!

Thanks for keeping me straight, Jon.  It was good to get Val's input on the 
head that you built.

alvon
'70 124 spider, 1438cc . . . 1608cc . . . now 1.8L

That's an unusual throttle cable setup. The one I ran on my 81 Spider used a 
bracket from a 78 that bolted to the valve cover and a throttle cable from a 
79 model.

James Seabolt  
Tennessee, United States
Homepage --->>> http://users.chartertn.net/jseabolt/

2003 Subaru Baja 
1980 FIAT 2000 "turbo" Spider
1968 Ford Fairlane 500 (Not a Ford Galaxie!!)
1987 Yugo GV 1500cc also turbocharged
1979 131 Brava (work in progress)

Turbofiat wrote:
: That's an unusual throttle cable setup. 

The throttle cable setup came with the 40 IDF carbs that I got from Pierre B. / 
Peter C. / fellow from NZ.  All I had to do was mount a little bracket on the 
firewall so the end of the cable pull can latch onto the early pedal assy, up 
where the manual throttle is normally attached (did have to bend the pedal arm 
toward the center of the car about 1/2" to make it line up).  Ken Dickson has 
done some similar setups for his early model spiders.  Here is a link to some 
pictures when I was laying it in the engine bay earlier this year:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?O2661236C

Pretty clean setup!!  I like it a lot better than the later spider valve cover 
contraption.

alvon
'70 124 spider, 1438cc . . . 1608cc . . . now 1.8L

Does any year starter work or is the 1438 unique?  Is it the same diameter as 
the latter years?


124s, an 850 coupe,an X1/9 and an old ford pickup

gregory  mcclure wrote:
: Does any year starter work or is the 1438 unique?  Is it the same diameter as 
: the latter years?

The starter location is a function of the bell housing.  My car, being 1438cc 
originally, had the smaller bell housing (i.e. smaller diameter position for 
the starter), and is the reason that I am running the smaller OD 1438cc 
flywheel.  The 1608, 1592, 1.8, & 2.0 all had the larger OD flywheel, and bell 
housings with a different starter location to match.

The 1608 flywheel, though the same OD as the 1.8 and 2.0 liter engines, has 
10mm flywheel bolts.  The larger engines used 12mm flywheel bolts.

Hope that is what you were looking for!  

alvon
'70 124 spider, 1438cc . . . 1608cc . . . now 1.8L

Alvon Elrod (Ventura, CA -- near Los Angeles) wrote:
: The larger engines used 12mm flywheel bolts.
----------------------------------------------
   --Mostly true, except the early 1756cc motors, still used 10mm; but all 
10mm bolt flywheels can be drilled out to accommodate 12mm bolts on a later 
crank.
Jim

72 124 Spider, 1756cc, SCCA FP-55
72 124 Spider, 1608cc, owned since July '73
74 124 Spider, 1756cc, CSA Abarth Replica project
71 124 Spider, 1608cc, backup to FP-55
http://www.mirafiori.com/~jscurria

Alvon Elrod (Ventura, CA -- near Los Angeles) wrote:
:: I'm debating on whether to fix up a small bump hood, so I can run the 
Turtle Back air cleaner, or just go to some other variation of filter that I 
can stuff under the flat hood that I have.
--------------------------------------------------
   --Alvon, if your early flat-hood is from a 1438, you also need to be 
concerned with distributor clearance on the hood.  1608cc flat hoods have a 
recess on the distributor side (to match the recess on the carb side) to 
accommodate the cam-mounted distributor.  
   --It's easy to cut and modify the 1438cc hood if you don't have this 
recess.  I cut an early hood to match the carb side, and then just rivited in 
a piece of aluminum to smooth the surface over the distributor wires.
Jim    

72 124 Spider, 1756cc, SCCA FP-55
72 124 Spider, 1608cc, owned since July '73
74 124 Spider, 1756cc, CSA Abarth Replica project
71 124 Spider, 1608cc, backup to FP-55
http://www.mirafiori.com/~jscurria

Jim Scurria, (Norfolk, VA) wrote:
:    --Alvon, if your early flat-hood is from a 1438, you also need to be 
: concerned with distributor clearance on the hood.  1608cc flat hoods have a 
: recess on the distributor side (to match the recess on the carb side) to 
: accommodate the cam-mounted distributor.  

Thanks for the info, Jim.  I will certainly check for that.  Maybe I'll just 
leave the hood off!! LOL.  

alvon
'70 124 spider, 1438cc . . . 1608cc . . . now 1.8L

: That's enough points to win a drive around the lake at Oregon '06 or FFO '06

So, which lake are you proposing to drive around at FFO '06?  Lake Michigan, 
Lake Erie, Lake Huron...??? LOL  That'll be some jaunt, and attend FFO at the 
same time??


Mike Bouse
1980 Fiat Spider  (Queenie)


(Michigan Winter Stinks)

Mike Bouse wrote:
: So, which lake are you proposing to drive around at FFO '06?  Lake Michigan, 
: Lake Erie, Lake Huron...??? LOL  That'll be some jaunt, and attend FFO at the 
: same time??

Oregon . . . not FFO!!  Actually, I don't know if you can drive around the 
Oregon lake, either.  Never been there.  

'70 124 spider, 1438cc . . . 1608cc . . . now 1.8L

Alvon Elrod (Ventura, CA -- near Los Angeles) wrote:
: Actually, I don't know if you can drive around the Oregon lake, either.
: Never been there.  

'06 is calling your name, Alvon.  Yes, you can drive around the lake, though 
it's not a lakeshore drive.  Takes an hour or so, very scenic.

George Emery
http://members.aol.com/gemery -- "Twincams and Autox"

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) are answered here:
               general - http://www.mirafiori.com/faq
        model specific - http://www.mirafiori.com/model
             engine id - http://www.mirafiori.com/id
           smog system - http://www.mirafiori.com/smog
    parts substitution - http://www.mirafiori.com/sub
   wheels & suspension - http://www.mirafiori.com/dave
Thad Kirk's balljoints -http://www.mirafiori.com/~thad/balljoints/bj.html