Fiat 124 Coupé

Infobox Automobile


"Fiat 124 Coupé 1800 1972"
name = Fiat 124 Coupe
aka =
manufacturer = Fiat
parent_company =
production = 1967-1975
predecessor =
successor =
class =
platform =
body_style = 2-door Coupe
layout = FR layout
engine = straight-4
1438 cc AC
1608 cc BC
1592 cc CC
1756 cc CC
transmission = 4-speed manual (1967-68)
5-speed manual (1969-)
wheelbase = convert|95.3|in|mm|0|abbr=on
length = convert|162|in|mm|0|abbr=on AC
convert|165|in|mm|0|abbr=on BC
convert|167|in|mm|0|abbr=on-convert|171|in|mm|0|abbr=on CC
width = convert|65.8|in|mm|0|abbr=on
height = convert|52.8|in|mm|0|abbr=on
weight = convert|2110|lb|abbr=on AC
convert|2214|lb|abbr=on BC
convert|2205|lb|abbr=on-convert|2360|lb|abbr=on CC
fuel_capacity =
related =
similar =
designer = Mario Boano

Fiat 124 Coupé was an Italian car produced from 1967 in three models: the AC, BC, and CC. Some popular accounts put the AC as the prettiest and most sought after by collectors. The AC were the lightest cars with the best handling. The BC series actually came with softer suspensions. This was remedied with the CC series in 1973. Engine wise, the AC started with the 1,438 cc, then grew to 1,608 in the BC. The 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). The four cylinder, twin overhead cam engine was designed by ex-Ferrari engineer Aurelio Lampredi. Other mechanical tidbits include a 5 speed gearbox and disc brakes all round. When it was released many of these features were only found on exotic sports cars with much higher prices.

Design

The 124 Coupé was designed by Boano, an inside designer, while the softtop Spider was designed by Pininfarina. The Spider and Coupé did not share a common platform. There were approx 113,000 AC Coupés, 98,000 BC Coupés 1,438 cc/1,608 cc, and about 75,000 CC Coupés. 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 carburetors 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 square engine its bore being 80 mm and its stroke being 80 mm. This gives them the ability to rev to high rpms. The Fiat 2 liter is the final evolution with an engine that contains a longer stroke, actual capacity 1995 cc. These were not used in any Coupes, but only on Spiders from 1979 on. This engine can be found as a turbocharged and intercooled fire breather in the Lancia Delta Integrale rally winning cars. These cars took the World Rally Championship several times in the 1980s.

Engines

* 1400 (1438 cc) - 90 PS (89 hp/66 kW)
* 1600 (1608 cc) - 110 PS (108 hp/81 kW)
* 1800 (1756 cc) - 118 PS (116 hp/87 kW)

Chassis numbers

*1967 AC - starts 000001 - #034513
*1968 AC - #034514 - #066279
*1969 AC - #066280 - #113869
*-
*1970 BC - #113870 - #115876
*1971 BC 1438 cc - #115877 - #139912
*1971 BC1 1608 cc - #139913
*1972 BC1 1608 cc - #181442
*-
*1973 CC 1608 cc - #206905
*1973 CC 1592 cc - #213370
*1974 CC1 1756 cc - #240100
*1975 CC1 1756 cc - #269934

It is believed CC coupés ended at about 280,000 cars.

The AC model began in 1967 and came with a 1438 cc twin cam, 5 speed box and torque tube driveline. It also had a rear sway bar, 120 mph speedo and 3 warning gauges. A fake woodrim steering wheel with stainless spokes and a woodgrain dash and console top were features inside and their tail lights were shared with the Lamborghini Espada. 124 sport coupes are extremely modern in chassis and engine design with fine tolerances not unlike modern motors, good braking via four 9" disc brakes and things like sealed cooling systems, thermatic fans and a toothed timing belt for the motor. AC 124 coupes gained small changes each year e.g. - an open tailshaft towards the end and wider rear wheel bearings but also lost their rear sway bar in favour of the BC style panhard rod rear suspension. FIAT bought Ferrari in 1969 and it may explain why 1970 was a low production year in 124 coupes and spiders, about 2000 coupes for 1970. The BC heralded a new look with a neat twin headlight front and different tailights once again shared with another Lamborghini, this time the 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 was added and new ancillary gauges to match. The "wood" 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 and the BC gained "eyeball" vents in the centre console. Options included green tinted windows, Cromodora alloy wheels with Chrome centre hub cap (as per AC optional), radio, seat headrests. The fuel tanks were always around Convert|46|L|usgal impgal|0|lk=on and all fasteners used are metric as per European measurement. Corrosion was always a bugbear of Fiats and unfortunately 124 Coupes are the same. The CC Coupe came out in 1973 encompassing a debatably styled new grille and front section, a revised squarer rear tail with a new deeper trunklid. Tailights also changed to a now vertical arrangement and side rear windows were also a different shape. The CC started with the 1608 cc engine soon changing to a revised 1592 cc engine before using an enlarged 84mm bore engine of 1756 cc in 1974 and '75. The 1592 cc and 1756 cc both using a single carburettor again (the Weber 34 DMSA) in spite of this change the 1756 cc was the most powerful engine standard with Convert|118|hp|kW|0|abbr=on and convert|115|mi/h|km/h|0|abbr=on top speed. The CC saw the interior changed again this time with a new dashboard incorporating a lower panel on the passenger side, an alloy fascia in front of the driver and revised gauges, seats were covered in cloth completely and more plastic was incorporated into small parts compared to the previous models. There was a new non "woodgrain" steering wheel also as well as different seatbelts. The optional but not uncommon Cromodora wheels now had no chrome centre hubcap instead having exposed wheelnuts. These were of an 8 slot design, the earlier wheels used coming in both 6 or 8 slot configuration. All of these coupes are fun competent modern driving cars which look fantastic in their original forms. They are akin to other Italian high performance cars and hence respond best to mild changes rather than street machine style modifications.

Today

The car was also built, with 1600 and 1800 engines, under license in Spain as the Seat 124 Coupé. Most of the cars are in the United States, Australia, Germany, Canada, and New Zealand.

External links

* [http://www.members.aol.com/_ht_a/fiat124coupe/home.html Information on the 124 Coupé from a fan club]
* [http://www.mirafiori.com/~thad/ Another 124 Coupé fan site]
* [http://www.fiat124sportcoupe.it Fiat 124 Sport Coupè Italia]