Yet another non Stratos related project !!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by john

Plus one for the wheels! They look so good.
Haynes manual in prominent position there Phil.
Are you getting sponsorship?

---

Morning John / Chris
There is an issue with the Haynes Manuals !!... the 2 Books I have found are for models up to 1978 and 1980 Upwards............ mine is a 1979 !... there are several wiring diagrams, for European and American markets, and also there is a difference between the 124 Coupe and Spider !...... however when I have been tracing wires back to source i.e Fuel Tank sender, Lights etc etc not all the the colour combinations match what I have on my car for any of the wiring diagrams !!... and I am convinced that the wiring is original..... So when you are a Mechanical engineer the electrics are taking a little longer than hoped !

Progress / Non Progress yesterday
I had read on some web page somewhere that the engine and gearbox could be fitted to the car as an assembly... so here we go I thought... took the bonnet of and safely stored it away without any drama, then after about 3 hours buggering around, pulling, shoving, giving birth to a 5kg hernia twins etc........... IT DID NOT GO IN !!..
The slightly different shape of the Fiat 131 Sport gearbox combined with the custom sump from Guy C (square along the front edge rather than rounded) prevented this idea... so today I will split them down and fit the engine followed by the gearbox (as the rear mounting for the gearbox is in a different place to the original item)..... that's the plan anyhow.

On the plus side... yes I really like the wheels too !

Cheers
Phil

Phil, hope your garage is soundproofed so you don't upset the neighbours with various utterances (crikey, By Jove, I Say, etc.) But good luck with getting the motor/box in!

As for the electrics - might it be an idea to try and source a new loom and install that, rather than bu&&ering about with the one currently in the car? At least that way you'll know which wires go where cos you'll have done them all yourself... as it is you'll never be sure what some of the wires are for (et one of them's a bonnet release, haha!)

Wiring sounds typical of Fiats of that era, as I have eluded to before. Generally it was, "what have we got a reel of today, OK lets use that one".

Press on regardless !!!

Best of luck Phil.

Plus one for making a new loom! The 124 isn't exactly stuffed with electronics and CanBus stuff. A new one is likely to be more reliable plus you'll know where to check for any future faults and can draw your own wiring diagram as you go.
I seem to remember installing the motor and gearbox in one unit on my Spider many years ago. But for the life of me can't recall how. I think it was a case of dropping the body onto the assembly (or more likely having the car on the lift with the enginge/box underneath and then hoisting it up to the right heigh and lowering the lift/car). But I am sure I didn't have the motor in the car and then heave the box in or vice versa!
Guy

New loom may be an option..!.... but will keep trying for a bit yet !

Better day today !!.... whey hey... Engine and box in !.... fitted the engine first (the easy bit)... then added to my collection of Hernia's heaving the box in...
Attachment 16224Attachment 16225Attachment 16226

Wow, looking good, with all the witchcraft and strangeness of 'moderns', give me a Lampredi and set of carbs any day... as well as a V6 Busso obviously.:D.

Looking good Phil. Re the wiring, everyone seems to be fitting fancy PDU’s these days. Does away with all the fuses and relays...and no doubt a chunk of the bank balance too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NoCorseChris

Looking good Phil. Re the wiring, everyone seems to be fitting fancy PDU’s these days. Does away with all the fuses and relays...and no doubt a chunk of the bank balance too.

---

Bonjour Msr Savage
I didn't reply immediately as I didn't have a clue what a PDU was (quelle surprise)..... Reading a little.... I mean little.... Bit of what it meant and what it would cost.... I will be sticking with the standard wiring with twisted connections and doubtful insulation.... And that's only my input !!!!.....

just about out sorted the tail gearbox mounting this morning, just made a couple of spacers and will bolt it up tomorrow....... Just had a VE Day celebration drink so best not venture into the garage today !!

take care mate
Phil

Nowt wrong with a few wires, fuses, relays and switches Phil. PDU’s probably make sense for a high-end motorsport application where the significant cost is less of a factor...and in mass production where you can get economies of scale. I see the new Tesla Y has a PDU among many other cutting edge components.

Retropower used a PDU in both their Stratos build and the “Murray Escort”, but I can’t help thinking a bit of the motivation is ‘cos it’s cool’. And of course, budget no object. No denying they are incredibly flexible things but they need to get cheaper.

They'll get cheaper when the Chinese start copying them.........