Fiat 124 Coupe
Encyclopedia
Fiat 124 Coupé is an Italian car produced between 1967 and 1975 in three generations.
The four cylinder
, aluminum, twin overhead cam engine was designed by ex-Ferrari
engineer Aurelio Lampredi
. Originally, the AC or first generation featured an 1,438 cc engine, which grew to 1,608 in the second or BC generation. The third generation, or CC, was first officially offered with the 1,592 cc and then 1,756 cc (some early CC left the factory with left over 1,608 cc engines).
Other mechanicals include a 5-speed gearbox (although very early AC models only featured a 4-speed), disc brake
s at each wheel, power brakes, double wishbone front suspension, one carburetor per cylinder (2 Dual Weber or Solex carburetors on the BC series 1608 engine - except for the USA version which received mild carburation due to emissions constraints), electric fuel pump (on the CC series), and suspension by coil springs.
, notchback
by Mario Boano
, known for designing the bodywork on the Ferrari 250 GT "Boano". He was hired by FIAT and was made responsible for the in-house Fiat Centro Stile, while the softtop Spider
was designed by Pininfarina
. The Spider and Coupé shared the same basic platform as the 124 Sedan (or Berlina in Italian), but the Spider had a 14 cm shorter wheelbase .
There were approx 113,000 AC Coupés, 98,000 BC Coupés 1,438 cc/1,608 cc, and about 75,000 CC Coupés manufactured. There were ongoing changes with all models making them almost individual by year (e.g. lack of rear sway bar on 1969 ACs, etc.)
The Fiat 124 Spider Abarth came with dual Weber
44 IDF carburetor
s unlike the regular 124 coupes and spiders which were equipped with dual Weber 40 IDF carbs. Fiat twincam engines tend to be oversquare in design, that is, big bore and short stroke.The 1608 cc is a perfectly square engine, its bore being 80 mm and its stroke being 80 mm. This gives them the ability, when combined with the camshafts and proper carburetors, to rev to high rpms. The Fiat 2-liter is the final evolution for this engine, and by creating a longer stroke (90 mm), actual capacity came to 1995 cc (the bore had been raised to 84 mm earlier on when the 1592 and 1756 engines first appeared). These were not used in any Coupes, but only on Spiders from 1979 on. This engine can be found, in turbocharged and intercooled form, in the Lancia Delta Integrale rally cars. These cars (in several forms and classes) took the World Rally Championship
a total of seven times in the 1980s and 1990s.
The AC model began in 1967 and came with a 1438 cc twin cam, 4-speed gearbox (the option of a 5-speed item appearing in mid-'67), front and rear anti-roll bars and a torque tube rear axle. It featured a 120 mph speedo, three supplementary gauges, a faux wood steering wheel, a woodgrain dash and console top, as well as tail lights shared with the Lamborghini Espada
and Iso Rivolta
.
124 Sport Coupes were modern in chassis and engine design. Braking was via four 9" disc brakes with a front/rear weight-sensitive proportioning valve. It also had a sealed cooling system, viscous fan clutch and a toothed timing belt for the twin-cam motor, the first mass-produced engine to feature this instead of the usual chain-drive.
The torque-tube rear axle of the A series was replaced by a four-link rear axle with a Panhard rod
in mid-'68, and remained the same throughout B and C models.
The BC featured revised styling with twin headlights and revised taillights shared with the Lamborghini Jarama
.
The BC was available with both the 1438 cc and later (although sooner in Europe) the 1608 cc engine. Other details remained similar to the AC except the interior dash now had a 140 mph or 220 km/h speedo, 9000 rpm tacho in 1608 cc models and a clock. The steering wheel now had black painted spokes and the seats had for the first time cloth inserts in the centre. There was no woodgrain inside like before (all the panels were finished in black vinyl and the gauge rims were matt black to match) and "eyeball" vents were fitted in the centre console where the AC had a decorative panel simply filling in the space for an optional radio.
Options included green tinted windows, Cromodora alloy wheels with Chrome centre hub cap (as per AC optional), radio, seat headrests, rear windshield electric defrosting, electronic ignition. At the end of the BC run air conditioning was available as an option as well. The fuel tanks were always around 46 l (12 US gal; 10 imp gal) and all fasteners used are metric as per European measurement.
The CC Coupe arrived in 1973 with new front styling and a revised squarer rear tail with a new deeper trunklid. Taillights also changed to a now vertical arrangement and side rear windows were revised.
The CC started with a small batch fitted with the 1608 cc engine, soon changing to a revised 1592 cc engine (slightly shorter stroke at 79,2 mm to create a "sub-1600" engine to fit the lower tax bracket in Italy) and an enlarged 84 mm bore creating an engine of 1756 cc. The 1592 cc and 1756 cc (sourced from the new Fiat 132, introduced in 1972) both made use of a single carburetor again (the Weber 34 DMS). In spite of this change the 1756 cc was the most powerful engine produced with 118 hp and 115 mi/h top speed.
The CC's revised interior featured a new dashboard incorporating a lower panel on the passenger side, an alloy fascia in front of the driver and seats covered completely in cloth. There was a new vinyl-covered steering wheel rim with anodised silver spokes. The optional but not uncommon Cromodora wheels now had a revised design with no chrome centre hubcap, instead having exposed wheelnuts. These were of an 8 slot design, the earlier wheels used coming in 6 slot configuration (an 8-slot design was also current but not original to the 124 range).
as the SEAT 124 Sport
. The first series produced was equivalent to the BC series of Fiat's version, and used 1608 cc engines provided by Fiat itself. The second series was a direct copy of the CC model, with both the 1592 and 1756 cc engines. SEAT
later developed facilities for producing its own engines of this family, but it appears that the Sport versions were actually built in Italy.
The four cylinder
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
, aluminum, twin overhead cam engine was designed by ex-Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
engineer Aurelio Lampredi
Aurelio Lampredi
Aurelio Lampredi was an Italian automobile and aircraft engine designer.Born in Livorno, he began his career at Piaggio, makers of the Vespa scooter, but quickly moved up to larger engines...
. Originally, the AC or first generation featured an 1,438 cc engine, which grew to 1,608 in the second or BC generation. The third generation, or CC, was first officially offered with the 1,592 cc and then 1,756 cc (some early CC left the factory with left over 1,608 cc engines).
Other mechanicals include a 5-speed gearbox (although very early AC models only featured a 4-speed), disc brake
Disc brake
The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel while it is in motion.A brake disc is usually made of cast iron, but may in some cases be made of composites such as reinforced carbon–carbon or ceramic matrix composites. This is connected to the wheel and/or...
s at each wheel, power brakes, double wishbone front suspension, one carburetor per cylinder (2 Dual Weber or Solex carburetors on the BC series 1608 engine - except for the USA version which received mild carburation due to emissions constraints), electric fuel pump (on the CC series), and suspension by coil springs.
Design
The 124 Coupé was designed as a three-boxThree-box styling
Three-box design is a broad automotive styling term describing a coupé, sedan, notchback or hatchback where — when viewed in profile — principal volumes are articulated into three separate compartments or boxes: engine, passenger and cargo....
, notchback
Notchback
Notchback is a styling term describing a car body style, a variation of three-box styling where the third distinct volume or "box" is less pronounced — especially where the rear deck is short or where the rear window is upright...
by Mario Boano
Mario Boano
Felice Mario Boano was an Italian automobile coachbuilder.With Giorgio Alberti, he bought the Carrozzeria Ghia in Torino when their friend Giacinto Ghia died...
, known for designing the bodywork on the Ferrari 250 GT "Boano". He was hired by FIAT and was made responsible for the in-house Fiat Centro Stile, while the softtop Spider
Fiat 124 Sport Spider
The 124 Sport Spider is a 2+2 convertible marketed by Fiat from 1966 to 1979 – having debuted at the November 1966 Turin Auto Show. Designed and manufactured by Italian carrozzeria Pininfarina, Fiat continued to market the monocoque-bodied car as the 2000 Spider from 1979 to 1982...
was designed by Pininfarina
Pininfarina
Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...
. The Spider and Coupé shared the same basic platform as the 124 Sedan (or Berlina in Italian), but the Spider had a 14 cm shorter wheelbase .
There were approx 113,000 AC Coupés, 98,000 BC Coupés 1,438 cc/1,608 cc, and about 75,000 CC Coupés manufactured. There were ongoing changes with all models making them almost individual by year (e.g. lack of rear sway bar on 1969 ACs, etc.)
The Fiat 124 Spider Abarth came with dual Weber
Weber carburetor
Weber is an Italian company producing carburetors, currently owned by Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A., in turn part of the Fiat Group.The company was established as...
44 IDF carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
s unlike the regular 124 coupes and spiders which were equipped with dual Weber 40 IDF carbs. Fiat twincam engines tend to be oversquare in design, that is, big bore and short stroke.The 1608 cc is a perfectly square engine, its bore being 80 mm and its stroke being 80 mm. This gives them the ability, when combined with the camshafts and proper carburetors, to rev to high rpms. The Fiat 2-liter is the final evolution for this engine, and by creating a longer stroke (90 mm), actual capacity came to 1995 cc (the bore had been raised to 84 mm earlier on when the 1592 and 1756 engines first appeared). These were not used in any Coupes, but only on Spiders from 1979 on. This engine can be found, in turbocharged and intercooled form, in the Lancia Delta Integrale rally cars. These cars (in several forms and classes) took the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
a total of seven times in the 1980s and 1990s.
Engines
- 1400 (1438 cc) - 90 PS
- 1600 (1608 cc) - 110 PS
- 1600 (1592 cc) - 108 PS
- 1800 (1756 cc) - 118 PS
AC
- 1967 AC - starts 000001 - #034513
- 1968 AC - #034514 - #066279
- 1969 AC - #066280 - #113869
The AC model began in 1967 and came with a 1438 cc twin cam, 4-speed gearbox (the option of a 5-speed item appearing in mid-'67), front and rear anti-roll bars and a torque tube rear axle. It featured a 120 mph speedo, three supplementary gauges, a faux wood steering wheel, a woodgrain dash and console top, as well as tail lights shared with the Lamborghini Espada
Lamborghini Espada
The Lamborghini Espada is a grand tourer which was built by Italian car manufacturer Lamborghini between 1968 and 1978.Based on the Marzal show car, displayed at the 1967 Geneva Auto Show, and the Bertone Pirana, a radically rebodied Jaguar E-type, it was to fill the spot of a true four seat car in...
and Iso Rivolta
Iso Rivolta
Iso Rivolta was an automobile and motorbike manufacturer in Italy, predominantly active from the late 1940s through the early 1970s. They are known for the iconic Isetta 'bubble car' of the 1950s, and for a number of powerful performance cars in the 60s and early 70s.-History:Iso Rivolta was...
.
124 Sport Coupes were modern in chassis and engine design. Braking was via four 9" disc brakes with a front/rear weight-sensitive proportioning valve. It also had a sealed cooling system, viscous fan clutch and a toothed timing belt for the twin-cam motor, the first mass-produced engine to feature this instead of the usual chain-drive.
The torque-tube rear axle of the A series was replaced by a four-link rear axle with a Panhard rod
Panhard rod
A Panhard rod is a component of a car suspension system that provides lateral location of the axle...
in mid-'68, and remained the same throughout B and C models.
BC
- 1970 BC - #113870 - #115876
- 1971 BC 1438 cc - #115877 - #139912
- 1971 BC1 1608 cc - #139913
- 1972 BC1 1608 cc - #181442
The BC featured revised styling with twin headlights and revised taillights shared with the Lamborghini Jarama
Lamborghini Jarama
Lamborghini Jarama is a sports coupé which was built by Lamborghini between 1970 and 1976. It was designed by Bertone designer Marcello Gandini. Feruccio Lamborghini was concerned the car would be thought to be named after the Jarama racing circuit near Madrid, while he meant the car to be named...
.
The BC was available with both the 1438 cc and later (although sooner in Europe) the 1608 cc engine. Other details remained similar to the AC except the interior dash now had a 140 mph or 220 km/h speedo, 9000 rpm tacho in 1608 cc models and a clock. The steering wheel now had black painted spokes and the seats had for the first time cloth inserts in the centre. There was no woodgrain inside like before (all the panels were finished in black vinyl and the gauge rims were matt black to match) and "eyeball" vents were fitted in the centre console where the AC had a decorative panel simply filling in the space for an optional radio.
Options included green tinted windows, Cromodora alloy wheels with Chrome centre hub cap (as per AC optional), radio, seat headrests, rear windshield electric defrosting, electronic ignition. At the end of the BC run air conditioning was available as an option as well. The fuel tanks were always around 46 l (12 US gal; 10 imp gal) and all fasteners used are metric as per European measurement.
CC
- 1973 CC 1608 cc - #206905
- 1973 CC 1592 cc - #213370
- 1974 CC1 1756 cc - #240100
- 1975 CC1 1756 cc - #269934
The CC Coupe arrived in 1973 with new front styling and a revised squarer rear tail with a new deeper trunklid. Taillights also changed to a now vertical arrangement and side rear windows were revised.
The CC started with a small batch fitted with the 1608 cc engine, soon changing to a revised 1592 cc engine (slightly shorter stroke at 79,2 mm to create a "sub-1600" engine to fit the lower tax bracket in Italy) and an enlarged 84 mm bore creating an engine of 1756 cc. The 1592 cc and 1756 cc (sourced from the new Fiat 132, introduced in 1972) both made use of a single carburetor again (the Weber 34 DMS). In spite of this change the 1756 cc was the most powerful engine produced with 118 hp and 115 mi/h top speed.
The CC's revised interior featured a new dashboard incorporating a lower panel on the passenger side, an alloy fascia in front of the driver and seats covered completely in cloth. There was a new vinyl-covered steering wheel rim with anodised silver spokes. The optional but not uncommon Cromodora wheels now had a revised design with no chrome centre hubcap, instead having exposed wheelnuts. These were of an 8 slot design, the earlier wheels used coming in 6 slot configuration (an 8-slot design was also current but not original to the 124 range).
SEAT 124 Sport
The car was also built with 1600 (FC-00) and 1800 (FC-02) engines under license in SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
as the SEAT 124 Sport
SEAT 124 Sport
The SEAT 124 Sport is a 2-door Coupé car built by the Spanish manufacturer SEAT between 1970 and 1974, having sold 23,611 units when its production ceased....
. The first series produced was equivalent to the BC series of Fiat's version, and used 1608 cc engines provided by Fiat itself. The second series was a direct copy of the CC model, with both the 1592 and 1756 cc engines. SEAT
SEAT
SEAT, S.A. is a Spanish automobile manufacturer founded on May 9, 1950 by the Instituto Nacional de Industria , a state-owned industrial holding company....
later developed facilities for producing its own engines of this family, but it appears that the Sport versions were actually built in Italy.