Fiat 131 Abarth Gr.4 Dashboard.

[131rally]

Also, can somebody tell me, how many of those pull on-off switches were in original dashboard, and how many of them were two-position switches and was there some with three positions? Also, were they all with red light, or, was some with different colour of light? Or, some without light?

I did find a source for those switches, but I should know how many I should buy. If somebody need these, I can sell new original Hella switches without light for 10?/each. Its 100% the same. With light they cost 60-80?/each depending on colours.

Marko

[mirafiori76]

Marko,

Sometimes 6, sometimes 7 and sometimes 8. It all depends on what parts you got on your car. Do you have a heater? 1 or 2 fuel pumps? That sort of things.
I can tell you right away, but i need some more information about your car.

[131rally]

I dont have the car yet. But Im going to build g.2 Racing to gravel rallying, with all possible homologated parts. So, it should have 8v engine with Kugelfischer and drysump. It will have heater from mkI Mirafiori, Racing lights, g.4 fusebox (as homologated to g.2). Im trying to make it as much as Abarth would have done it, so Im not sure if they used one or two fuelpumps? What Ive heard Abarth never made any g.2 them selves, but sold the parts to whom wanted to build it. I guess, Abarth would have used all electrics from g.4 cause the dashboard was homologated from g.4. So, I think the setup Abarth used at 1978 would be the one I should try to copy. What Ive been doing now, is Im charting what I need, and get the parts when I find it. I do have g.4(g.2) front shocks, uniball mounts, some parts for dashboard and so on. Im just beginning.  Im racing my track bmw actively, so Im not in hurry.

Marko

[mirafiori76]

I have absolutely no idea how a group 2 Abarth is put together. If there ever was such thing. But a "winter" tarmac version from 1978 on had switches 7 for lights, heater and ignition. And a 2-flip switch for eather ignition or fuel pump. My Abarth has one switch for fuel pumps (they run together) and 2 for ignition (2 coils).
But no group 4 was ever the same, so all parts differ. Even the switches.
I got one of those original switches for just 1 Euro (!!!!), yes. But i know they are worth a fortune.

[mirafiori76]

Look here 

[131rally]

8 pull switches, all on-off? Or is the light switch three postition, off-parks-lights? All with red dot? And blower with three positions also, 0-1-2?
2 flip switch, both on-off? Do you have good picture of those?

How was the main switch originally? It had one small pull switch with text for it, did it cut power through solenoid type of relay? Some ex works seem to have modern type main switch, but guess they were installed later?

Marko

[mirafiori76]

Hi Marko,

This is such a difficult subject. Like i said, no group 4 car was alike to another one. The ones produced in 1975 were so much different from the ones used later. And then there were the privateers...

Here goes: Mainley there were 4 versions. Tarmac summer and tarmac winter. Gravel summer and gravel summer. I don't mention the safari cars, because they were even more different.

The switches were all the same, that's for sure. On/off. They were earlier used in Lancia Strato's. Had the little red light in it. Did you know they were available in white as well? I got one. Can't use it though.

1.There was one switch for ignition
2.One for basic lights (dashboard, tail light and the small one s at the front. From 1978 they used the indicators from Lancia Aurelia GT. They're made of glass btw, not plastic.
3.One for beam lights in the middle.
4.One for big beam lights on the outer side of the car. Used at night.
5.One for Fuel pump(s).
Normal beam lights, great lights are done by the usual switch. The big one on the left on the steering column.
These are the five on top of the dash.
Then there is one located for heating. One position only. Sometimes a second one for the heater. Only used on cars in winter (Monte Carlo/Swedish rally for example).

Then the sixth switch on top of the dash. That's for Fuel pumps or for the second ignition. Yes, the second. Because they broke down almost every rally. On gravel that is. For example: Portugal or Finland. Due to the jumps the car made, the ignition would fail almost every time.
The original ignition system looks great, but is so poor. I don't use it on my Abarth. I have the one from Sport/Racing. Never fails.
Anyway, the sixth position is to choose. If you want to make yourself a gravel rallycar the you should use it for a second ignition, but if you're building a tarmac version use it for a second pump. I have done so because mine is atarmac version with heating. It can be very cold here in Holland 

Perhaps you would like to know about indicator light as well. There is one for battery which is red, one for indicators (both left and right) which is green and sometimes a blue one for head beam lights. That's all. No extra lights for whatever.
Group 4 cars, and even group 2 cars have no hazzard lights. Not even Stradale had them, as Simon can confirm, because he still has one original.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask more 

[mirafiori76]

Winter...

[mirafiori76]

Summer...

[mirafiori76]

And here is that, ever failing, ignition pack...

Did you know, the teams always had a spare one on the navigator's side? Sometimes just in front of the seat, sometimes behind the aluminum floorplate.

[131rally]

There was no ignition key or lock? No steering lock? Where the starter motor was turned on?

To make this clear, can you describe what had to be done to make the motor run. If the car was at trailer, what switches there must be put on to make it run? 

[mirafiori76]

Marko,

In the first picture i posted, do you see the big red key in the middle of the dash? That's the main key. When on, then al electronics work. Switched off kills everything.
From that point there leads the big cable to the starter. Also a small one to a starter knob. Push to start, as to say. Just like a lot of modern cars have nowadays.
In the picture(s) it's the one left from heater controls. Mostly red or black.

You have to consider this: you can't use normal wiring from the 131. You have to make every wire yourself. Some must lead to fuses, some to relais (there are 9), some to both. Everything needs grounding. It took me a whole week to lead every wire.
Have a look at this picture. This is how the wiring in my car also looked like.

[131rally]

Ok. How was the main circuit switch made in early versions? There is only small on-off switch, relay controlled? With very large solenoid looking relay? Do you have wiring diagram for g.4?

I have done full electrics to my previous 131 rally car. And also my race BMW has all electrics done by me. So, thats not a problem at all. The main problem is how to make the electrics like Abarth did it.

[mirafiori76]

Al those questions...
Like i said, i dn't know if there ever was a group 2 Abarth version of the 131. Therefor i don't know if the wiring diagram is the same. As far as i know the group 2 car is based on a normal 2-door shell with modifications made to it. Maybe Racings, maybe Specials.
I only know of group 4 specs, but i have to do everything by pictures because, as far as i know, there is no wiring diagram made from group 4 cars.

You probably know the promotion pictures from the Oliofiat rallycar. Giorgio Pianta behind the wheel. Look at the right rear window. There is a kill-switch located. This is 1976.
Later on, that key was located in the trunk. Look at the picture of my car... And yes, there's the one on the dashboard. They both are integrated in the main wire from battery to starter engine. There's no relay or anything anywhere in that wire.
Don't get fooled by pictures from cars with a switch between the windshield and the bonnet. That's not original.

The key on the dash is your electronics key. From that there goes a wire to an ignition switch. Pull-type. You pull it and there's the light for battery. From that switch there goes a wire to the starter knob. Push it and the starter comes alive.

All other electronics are directly controlled from the main key.

I hope this gives you a picture of things. If not, just ask.

[mirafiori76]

Another picture from pumps and wiring