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blownbeetle Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2009 Posts: 5 Location: St John IN
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:59 pm Post subject: Fiat 600 air cooled conversion topic |
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I am looking to swap a 58 fiat 600 to air cooled vw. I got the entire pan from the pedals back with irs. Anyone got any photos of chassis setups? I know there are some older threads on here but unfortunately they don't really show any of the build just completed cars. I even tried to contact some of those people but that leads nowhere as well, I'm guessing due to the age of the threads. My plan is to swap in the vw spine and frame horns, then build custom A arms. _________________ little cars with big engines !!!! |
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NJ John Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2007 Posts: 2224 Location: HdG, MD & NJ
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blownbeetle Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2009 Posts: 5 Location: St John IN
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:35 pm Post subject: Re: Fiat 600 air cooled conversion topic |
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Thanks for the reply, i seen those. Same problem, all older photos of completed cars. Thanks for sharing tho! Maybe someone else has some more info and will chime in. _________________ little cars with big engines !!!! |
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NJ John Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2007 Posts: 2224 Location: HdG, MD & NJ
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2022 3:57 pm Post subject: Re: Fiat 600 air cooled conversion topic |
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My father did an 850 years ago and I built the engine. But that was just an engine and trans swap with modified fiat arms for vw irs hubs. I wish that guy stayed in touch. _________________ 1973 standard, yellow, lowered, 3” narrowed front, 1600 blo-thru turbo w/single dell 15.4@86, so far
11.41 et buggy. Long gone
Let’s go O’s! Let’s go O’s!
https://www.youtube.com/@AirSpooledGarage |
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rayjay Samba Member
Joined: March 26, 2008 Posts: 1506 Location: Buford GA
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Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:26 am Post subject: Re: Fiat 600 air cooled conversion topic |
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Are you familiar with the various Abarth versions of the 600? These were called Berlina Corsa. The last versions were 1968 to 1970 or so and were TCR. These final versions had nice looking fiberglass fender flares for the rear and would possibly allow you to use std VW irs trailing arms and axles. The car would handle far better with the wider track frt and rear and the VW irs is far superior than the really terrible Fiat layout. |
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blownbeetle Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2009 Posts: 5 Location: St John IN
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Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2022 9:27 am Post subject: Re: Fiat 600 air cooled conversion topic |
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Yes i am, agree on the track _________________ little cars with big engines !!!! |
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Kafer_Mike Samba Member
Joined: June 23, 2004 Posts: 348 Location: Noblesville, IN
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blownbeetle Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2009 Posts: 5 Location: St John IN
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Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2022 11:43 am Post subject: Re: Fiat 600 air cooled conversion topic |
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Yeah i messaged on youtube for him to make a video of the chassis setup _________________ little cars with big engines !!!! |
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rayjay Samba Member
Joined: March 26, 2008 Posts: 1506 Location: Buford GA
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Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2022 4:15 am Post subject: Re: Fiat 600 air cooled conversion topic |
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The swap I am thinking of is a Spitfire. Body on frame so once you have the VW torsion grafted to the frame you can start lowering the body and see where you need to trim. Fuel tank and battery up front where the motor used to be. Spitfires have a great looking steel hardtop readily available and some homemade louvers would disguise anything that might stick up above the trunk lid. Need to be the later Kamm tail versions.
Now for Plan B. 002 or 091 bellhousing, custom made adaptor plate, T10, Muncie, T5, or ???? manual trans and the VW motor mounted in the front ?!??!??! The front suspension would have to be moved forward or possible use 914 complete A arms and strut assembles to allow room for the VW heads..... The transaxle headaches that plague VWs is banished forever. |
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blownbeetle Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2009 Posts: 5 Location: St John IN
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Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2022 4:34 am Post subject: Re: Fiat 600 air cooled conversion topic |
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Cool idea, build it I’d love to see it ! However the fiat is rear engine so id prefer to leave it that way. _________________ little cars with big engines !!!! |
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rayjay Samba Member
Joined: March 26, 2008 Posts: 1506 Location: Buford GA
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Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:03 am Post subject: Re: Fiat 600 air cooled conversion topic |
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blownbeetle wrote: |
Cool idea, build it I’d love to see it ! However the fiat is rear engine so id prefer to leave it that way. |
This is over my desk
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NJ John Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2007 Posts: 2224 Location: HdG, MD & NJ
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2022 5:35 am Post subject: Re: Fiat 600 air cooled conversion topic |
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I would narrow and shorten the pan to fit the fiat. Narrow the beam. Then figure out how to narrow the rear suspension. Short torsion bars along with late spring plates and modified vw arms. But, that’s just an idea. _________________ 1973 standard, yellow, lowered, 3” narrowed front, 1600 blo-thru turbo w/single dell 15.4@86, so far
11.41 et buggy. Long gone
Let’s go O’s! Let’s go O’s!
https://www.youtube.com/@AirSpooledGarage |
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BIGMIKEY Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2007 Posts: 1105 Location: North East Pennsylvania
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