131mirafiori forum

Did every 131 & 132 owner or scrapyard owner in the 70's and 80's remove the tc engine and gear box from their car before scraping it ?  :)
The tc is used in many a Morris Minor and kit car hill climb car project etc since years up till even today.
On ebay there is not a month hardly that there is not a tc engine for sale.
Its just a shame the 131's & 132's they came from were never kept aside in shed's like the engines that have survived all these years and still keep croping up.

I know since I have a 132 tc engine in my mkI  ;)

unfortunately, engines usually lasted much longer than the bodywork and interiors...

i personally scrapped 4 132s and 1 131 because the were rusted far beyond repair

The metal/tin Fiat used must have been of the poorest quality available to man kind  ;D

frakly, i believe it's complete lack of rustproofing that is to blame

I know from my father in law who used to work in FIAT Hellas that the metal was coming from a ship scrap yard in Livorno. They re melted the metal but the rust stayed inside though...

I dont believe any of the stories going around about bad steel etc, sure the cars didnt stand a chance they wernt even painted in the nookes & crannies & some design faults led to the rust, i work on other cars on that era like toyota ford opel & some newer cars that rust just as bad like a 99 yaris that was rotten, so its not all Fiat 131 although some did rust very badly though not them all, look at the fine examples that were at the 3ma & what about all getting restored & in storage?

I think you maybe right.
We forget most of these Fiat 131's are 30 yrs old now !!
My kangoo van has had new outer sills both sides an will need more welding for this mot.
So maybe we are to hard on the old 131

Its because the engines where much better than anything on offer , pinto when heavy and large ,fiat engine small compact and revy with steel crank and bigger valve than a lotus twincam  ;D ;D ;D ;D
jason