Quick update on thoughts and plans
This car is an opportunity to try out some ideas that have been hanging around in the back of my mind for a while now. So I thought it was timely to put some of this stuff down on paper (bytes?)
My idea is to have a bit of fun building the thing with my own hands (the therapy bit) - and then go out and have some fun racing the car - as it is the car has sat around so long now that it is up to Evolution 3 status without having turned a wheel in competition under my ownership - last event was as a half caged rally car in 2001 with Mal Simmonds www.fiatparts.co.nz (there is picture in the gallery) running around the Taupo race track - so that makes 4 years on ice, with at least another six months of fiddling to go. I could have just tarted the old thing up and had a skid - but I didn't, in hindsight I should have - but that's just life. So with all that in mind here is where I am at.
- I have a thing for the 128 - boxy unloved and kinda funky. So I have an excuse for not building an Uno or a Golf or a mini... just don't like em
- I have owned a factory Group 2 Fiat 128 (built by Trevialato Racing and campaigned by Scuderia Filipinetti in 1971/72) - see the photo from a few days back - so have had the opportunity to drive the best "classic" set up there was and its good... but....
- I cant leave anything alone....
- I don't actually like the ergonomics of a 128 - sad but true...
- I have a thing about the BTCC, German Group 5 touring cars, American SCCA GT3, 4 and 5 cars and the Kiwi SS2000 / Shell Sport cars - fat flares, big slicks low low ride height - wings - anything to make it all work...
- So taking some ideas from those who should know - I have settled on the following mods
- Lower and centralise the seating position - means a new drivers floor tub (underway)
- Use floor Mounted pedal box - in this case willwood - means a tub for these as well (underway)
- move the seating position 250mm rearwards (underway)
- extend the steering column and add quick release (done)
- Add a steering quickener - 'cause I cant find a quick rack - still haven't confirmed this bit...
- mount the seat to the roll cage - (next job)
- Jungle Gym roll cage - I make it out to require 44 metres of 38mm Southward Tube... or 1/2 what an Aussie V8 Supercar has in it - only question is will the cage builder agree?
- ditch the front anti roll bar and fit tension struts with insitu adjustors (done)
- seam weld (underway)
- fit coilovers front and rear (done)
- Lexan glazing all round - including the windscreen (job for later)
- Glass fibre Boot and Bonnet (done) and Front doors (later)
- Weld rear door skins to shell (later)
- Tub the rear wheel wells (Done)
- 13 x 7 wheels (done)
- Disc brake rear, Vented Fronts (done)
- Ditch the hand brake (done)
- remove the parcel tray (underway)
- Ditch the dash
- run the exhaust inside the cabin (in a fabricated tunnel) exit out the lh rear door skin
- plus all the Normal racing stuff - rewire/replumb/fuel cell/window neat/race seat etc etc oh and fix the rust in the boot wells
- Big rear anti roll bar & small front anti roll bar - both to be sorted out in testing
- Front air dam and splitter
- Rear Wing - (done)
- Plus it will need painting as is the worlds most awful shade of light blue (it was the 1970's after all) - I like the idea of a semi gloss black..... white doors and big skunk stripes...
- Engine is a 1500 SOHC - 40mm delortos Alquatti Intake - Stainless Headers - Big valve head - Cam to suit etc all pretty average really (see previous note on resources)
- Gear box is standard 4 speed - but there is a development plan for that...
- Will it actually all work? - who knows - its all been done before just generally not on the same car... but I am sure that there is an almost identical spec 128 somewhere - I just haven't found it.
- Will it be fast? - actually who really cares? I don't... my toy .
If anybody feels the need and has a set lying about I am looking for a set of 450# 2.5"x8" coil springs for the fronts....
email warwickg@inspire.net.nz
later
w
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