1978 Fiat 131S

1978 Fiat 131S Description

I have owned this car for 8 years and traveled from Vermont to many car shows all over the country racking up some 35,000 miles. Many Fiat Freak Out events in including Nashville, Chicago and Long Island. This is a First in Class car most of the time. I have gone to 7 of the last 8 Carlisle import shows. In 2009 The car traveled from Vermont to Ashville Oregon to a west coast Fiat event. This car was built for long haul travel. Enthusiast owned and maintained Fiat 131 S four door sedan for sale in excellent cosmetic and mechanical condition, has never been involved in any accidents, has no structural or serious cosmetic rust, it has 55K miles on a complete mechanical refurbishment in 2007. Total milage is 157,000. A rigorous maintenance schedule as been adhered to and the car continues to be reliable, an able to be driven anywhere.
It includes a California legal 1981 Brava update to Bosch L-jet from the radiator to the tail pipe on a 1800 block. Rear disk brakes, Wilwood front conversion an a tall final drive. You can be comfortable driving anywhere. I adhere to a strict maintenance schedule. It continues to be very reliable. 30,000 mile service just performed included Timing belt, tensioner, and all ignition components. The front suspension was rebuilt last summer including NOS control arms rubber donuts and new KYb struts.
The details
Exterior
Re-sprayed metallic silver paint, that has been professionally redone in several areas as needed. The windshield was replaced in 2008 using a post ’82 rubber gasket. The hood/trunk/doors latches operate correctly, all keys match. Front and rear aluminum bumpers with rubber caps are positioned closer to body for a cleaner appearance. The front grill has newer generation blue /F/I/A/T/ emblem, rear panel has the same with /Supermirafiori/ emblem. Taillight clusters, side marker lights, and front bumper lights all operate brightly without any electrical or grounding issues, outboard headlights are Hella H4 with 55/60W bulbs, inboard headlights are Cibie H1 with 55W bulbs, all high beam headlights are operated with relays, night driving visibility is excellent. Wheels are OZ Italian 20-spoke painted silver finish 6x14 offset 16mm with center caps and long chrome Fiat wheel bolts, tires are 195/60-R14 Sumitomo HTR New in the summer of 2013.
Interior
Black color, replaced beige headliner, all seat coverings are original vinyl and in excellent condition. Carpet is in excellent original condition with no tears or stains. A set of four custom Coco mats from CocoMat.com are included. Center console and dashboard are in great condition, dash has a few cracks but is covered with a very well fitting cover, non-A/C ventilation and heater controls are functional, heater core and valve were replaced with new OEM parts in 2007. This car has an in-dash Kenwood HD stereo with CD player with iPod and USB connectivity, two Alpine front door speakers, and roof antenna. The original electric horns have been replaced with tradition Italian air horns with compressor. Hi & low wipers have relays installed.
Front Suspension
The front suspension control arms with integral ball joints and bushings, and wheel bearings and hub seals have been recently renewed, the suspension struts are complete KYB-GR2 low pressure gas assemblies (2015), the upper strut bushings have been upgraded to 1979-on model year Fiat 131 assemblies which incorporate larger reinforced rubber bushings, needle bearing steering pivots, and mount from above inside the engine compartment in lieu of from underneath in the fender well. Front suspension springs are shortened to reduce the stock ride height approximately one inch with only a mild increase in stiffness. A front end alignment was performed in 2015 using a new Hunter Laser sight computer alignment machine. Front anti-roll bar, center bushings, and end bushings are stock (new 2015).
Rear Suspension
The rear suspension bushings in the upper control arms, lower control arms, and panhard ro, dual lower control arms are installed on the left side and right side to increase positive location of the rear axle and differential assembly and to reduce rear body roll. Rear shock absorbers are KYB-GR2 low pressure gas, the rear suspension springs are shortened for increased stiffness and reduced ride height, spring shims are installed between the body and the top of the springs to provide a means of adjusting the rear ride height.
Brakes
The entire braking system on this car has been upgraded for improved performance. The front brakes have been replaced with larger 10-inch brake rotors and Wilwood Dynalite forged calipers with four opposed pistons, supported by custom fabricated steel caliper-to-knuckle brackets, and plumbed with custom SAE J1401 brake hose assemblies. This installation was the development prototype for the Whoa Brakes kit for Fiat 131 models. The rear drum brakes have been replaced with disc brakes from a 1979-on model year Fiat 124 Spider, which is a direct bolt-on installation without any modifications required except for fitment of the Fiat 131 hand brake cable. The brake master cylinder and power brake booster are stock with the actuator rod properly adjusted.
Engine
The engine is built utilizing parts from several different Fiat and Lancia twin cam engines. The 1.8 liter cylinder block is from a Lancia Beta Scorpion, which is virtually identical to the original 131 cylinder block. The crankshaft and connecting rods are unmodified, the pistons are domed high compression Kolbenschmidt in bore size 84.6mm yielding a displacement of 1781cc. The auxiliary shaft is the later thinner type as utilized in 2.0 liter engines, and has the mechanical fuel pump lobe cut off with the oil passage closed with a threaded plug, which eliminates the need to properly time it to avoid contact with cylinder No.2 connecting rod. The oil pump is an OEM Fiat pump, the clearances are within factory specifications, and the oil pressure relief spring has been shimmed slightly to increase engine oil pressure, typically around 30 psi at warm idle and 60 psi at 3000 rpm. The oil pan is a stock later type 1.8 liter Fiat 124/131 part, the aluminum oil filter housing is a 1.8 liter Fiat 124 engine part with integral alternator pivot mount and a downward oriented oil filter. The front main seal cover has a timing pointer bracket and the crank pulley is a Fiat 2.0 liter 131 part. The cylinder head is a Fiat 1592cc part, which has identical intake valves, exhaust valves, and combustion chamber size as the 1.8 liter cylinder head, but lacks the exhaust emissions ports, and so has a cleaner appearance. This cylinder head has been shaved to reduce the combustion chamber size from 49cc to 46cc, which in combination with the domed pistons yields a static compression ration of 10.5:1. The intake and exhaust camshafts, housings, and pulleys are stock with stock engine timing. All engine bearings, seals, and gaskets were renewed during the rebuilding process. This engine and all associated components of this car have completely converted to the Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection system that is stock for 1980-on model year Fiat 131, including the intake manifold and plenum, fuel rail with injectors and pressure regulator, air flow meter with air filter housing and intake hose, fuel tank and larger fuel deliver hard lines between the trunk and engine compartment, fuel pump and filter, fuel vapor canister, fuel injection wiring harness and fuel pump combo-relay, auxiliary air valve with associated hoses, etc. All of the fuel injection system components are mounted in the correct factory locations as though this car was originally equipped with fuel injection, and all wiring that previously supported the carburetor emissions equipment has been removed with the electrical harnessed re-wrapped to maintain a clean and uncluttered engine compartment. The exhaust system is the 4-2 cast manifold with oxygen sensor, the 2-1 steel downpipe to the 4-bolt catalytic converter, and primary and secondary factory Fiat silencers as are stock on the 1980-on model year Fiat 131. The only exhaust system modification is to the 2-1 downpipe, which has been shorted approximately 1-inch to compensate for the fact that the 1.8 liter engine is shorter than the 2.0 liter engine. This engine has a Marelli electronic ignition system from a 1980-on model year Fiat 131, including the stock Marelli ignition coil and heat sink with ignition module, and distributor with 22 degrees centrifugal advance and ported vacuum advance, static ignition timing is set at 10 degrees BTDC. (New T-belt and ignition tune up components 2016) This engine installation has been tested visually, functionally, and for tailpipe emissions by the State of California Bureau of Automotive Repair, and is tested as a 1981 model and retains the Bureau plaque in the engine bay. The cooling system utilizes an in-head type thermostat, currently 160 degrees, with single upper and lower radiator hoses, an overflow reservoir, a reconditioned radiator, and the stock radiator cooling fan. This engine has no coolant or oil leaks, the timing belt and tensioner bearing were just renewed as the engine has 55k miles on it. The relatively tall 5th gear Typically produces an average 31 mpg highway, city 27 .
Driveline
Transmission is 5-speed manual as originally fitted in 1979-on model year Fiat 131 with taller 5th gear ratio, fixed output flange, and speedometer drive for 3.58:1 ratio rear axle. Clutch pressure plate, disc, and release bearing are OEM Valeo parts with 55k miles, clutch cable was renewed at the same time. Driveshaft is a two-shaft assembly with universal joints, rubber mounted center bearing, sliding front yoke, flexible coupling have 20K miles on them. Rear axle and differential assembly has 12/43 ring and pinion with 3.58:1 ratio, and in combination with taller 5th gear ratio, results in only 3200 engine rpm at 70 mph, which is great for distance driving or freeway commuting. Rear axle shaft bearings and seals, transmission oil, and differential oil have all been recently renewed, rear axle housing has no leaks, transmission output shaft has a minor leak at the seal, but not bad enough to warrant replacement at this time.
Background
Dave Voss purchased this car in the spring of 2007 in anticipation of taking this car on a long cross country trip to the Mirafiori Oregon and the Fiat Lancia Unlimited Freak-Out events. The mechanical components have proven to be very reliable. This car is without question the nicest 131 sedans, and perhaps one of only several left in North America in this nice condition, and with the upgrades and modifications that this car has, it is a very unique Fiat. In 2007 Dave covered 8300 miles, 23 states, and touched both oceans in just a little over two weeks.
I Purchased this car from Dave at the Valley Forge Freak Out in 2008. My wife & I repeated the coast to coast trip in 2009 when we attended the Mirafiori event in Ashland Oregon. The car has attended 8 of the last 10 Fiat Club of America Freak Lut events including Nashville 2011 (2nd in class). This car won 1st in class at Long Island ’13 and Chicago (’14) where it won a 1st in class. I have also gone to the Carlisle import show from 2009 through 2014 in this car. I feel I I have done all there is to do with this 131 and would like to see someone that appreciates it the way I do, to take the car over.
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