new 131 book by Graham Robson

[italianxrays]

On my Xmas list by Veloce publishing, should be a good read and if anything like the Guy Croft tuning manual  anticipate demand may well outstrip supply, although  I did buy the GC at half price !! all those years ago now.

Desirable motoring books and now out of print do seem to attract good prices these days, I have x2  R Klein on "Rally cars" and "Rally" both are quite sought after now and a delight to read.

Apologise if previously posted I do seem to miss links so often, looking forward now to next years run to Italy...........in the old 131, she will be ready by then.

Cheers anyway   

Ian

[simon131]

How did you hear of this book Ian? It's certainly news to me - and probably many other 131 owners too

Can't see it being as popular as GC's tuning manual though, as the 131 book doesn't cater for so many owners as the Twin Cam bible does.

Is it already published or is it due to be? If so, when? Any idea of cost?

Looks like I've been guzzumped then I've been planning to write a book on the 131 for ages - I suppose I should have done something it about it years ago.

Cheers, Simon

[mirafioriman]

Here is a link to details. Its coming soon......

http://www.veloce.co.uk/shop/products/productDetail.php?prod_id=V4182&prod_group=Cars%20Vans%20&%20Trucks&

[simon131]

Thanks Dave.

Looks to me to be one in a series on Rally cars, and this book is specifically about the 131 Abarth alone, and it's rallying evolution, successes and history. A great book I'm sure, and one that will certainly grace my shelves , but after a quick glance at the chapter titles, I doubt that it will refer too much to the model that spawned it

Perhaps I should start writing

[italianxrays]

Simon, suggest you MUST get in touch with a publisher, an old friend Terry Horler wrote his book on the Midget & Sprite an excellent book with exact details on cars produced colours etc etc with help of the heritage archives but drew on members cars at the time alas my RWA Midget was not deemed good enough.

Im certain he will give advice on how long it took and marriage survival plans etc.

I think you are the ideal person, even now I get confused with the Mk2 & 3 series differences, I thought my year 1982 were all with the deep side door mouldings but appears not be the case?

Go on start writing....now

Cheers Ian

[Thotos]

Perhaps I should start writing

How about writing Part 3 of the 131 Story  for the website first? 

[simon131]

Mmmmmm - I wondered if you'd bring this up Theo I got told off for being too sentimental when I wrote my piece for the series 2, so I was holding back until something better was written by someone else for the series three

I spoke about pulling together a book on the 131 with Phil Ward a good few years ago now, and he promised me all of his publishing contacts if I were to call him. I guess I chickened out Perhaps I should call him and see if his offer still stands.

Ian, I might even give your man a call too, to get his perspective

[sid131]

But no one has replied to my question about the LSD on 131 racings

[simon131]

Nick, LSDs are nothing to do with this thread are they?

I'll tell you what I know. I don't have any knowledge of any 131 in the UK being fitted with an LSD - from the factory or otherwise, but Theo had one fitted in his silver 131 Sport (DDL) for a while, at one time in the past, so they must have been available.

He has already said in a thread on this site, that the LSD was not very useful for everyday usage, and he quickly changed the axle back to the 'factory settings'.

More than that I don't know. I personally wouldn't fit one to a 131 I owned - seems to be a very expensive way to get rid of the all the fun

[Thotos]

I got told off for being too sentimental when I wrote my piece for the series 2

No, Simon, you weren't told off, it was simply a passing comment and certainly no reason or excuse for not writing Part 3  You know it will be good practice for writing the book. 

[sid131]

sorry i just stuck that in if you were going to write a book on 131s i just thought you could answer my question seems not sorry again

[Thotos]

sorry i just stuck that in if you were going to write a book on 131s i just thought you could answer my question seems not sorry again

which 131 cars had the lsd as standard? i had 2 131 sports & know of 5 others that were in town years ago all had lsd fitted bit of sideways driving done as well, i also remember a silver one needing a diff & he got complete backend out of a crashed 131 sport also lsd for ?100 lots then, when my diff finally gave up i fitted a super backend, so any info would be nice to know.

The answer to your question is: None. I am talking about standard production cars here and in that I am not including homologation specials such as the Abarth Stradale or limited production cars such as the Volumetricos. The LSDs were available as an optional extra on the 131 Sport/Racing and as Simon has mentioned above I had one fitted for a while to my Silver 131 Sport. I don't know of any other cars fitted with them and you can't tell from the outside as the axles look the same. There's a little plate on the axles fitted with LSD stating so and I believe the oil filler plugs have 'LSD' on them. The oil for LSDs is different to the oil for ordinarry diffs and in fact the LSDs will be damaged if filled with standard hypoid gear oil. I am surprised that so many people here claimed to have had 131s with LSDs and I'd question those claims by saying "how do you know?". Claims of sideways driving due to LSD are unsound as an LSD is supposed to reduce or eliminate the tendency to drive sideways.

The LSDs fitted to the 131s are 'torque sensitive' and use friction plates or clutches to exert a braking force on the spinning drive shaft and hence transmit torque to the other drive shaft.  The more drive shaft input torque present, the harder the clutches are pressed together, and thus the more closely the drive wheels are coupled to each other.  With no or little input torque the drive wheels are still coupled somewhat as the clutches are always in contact to some degree, producing friction. The amount of preload (hence static coupling) on the clutches is determined by the general condition (wear) of the clutches and by how tightly they are shimmed. And they need to be shimmed quite often or the gap between the clutches gets too large and the 'limiting' of the LSD is lost. I had to have my LSD re-shimmed a couple of times and only got a few thousand miles of limiting out of the LSD before the clutches wore too much and would no longer limit the slipping.

[sid131]

thanks for that but there are enough twincam corollas doing circles around here & at any crossroads you will see the circles of rubber left by them my 131 sport FIB 1588 would do circles both of the rear wheels driving at the same time & all the 131 sports here were the same so they all had lsd as standard here, they also had 13" alloys as the uk ones had steel 14" wheels

[italianxrays]

I feel a book on 131's is a must at some point, Simon would be ideal and with all the other passionate fans via this Forum no shortage of assistance by photos or knowledge, I really didnt mean to start any literary wars though !!

At the end of the day its a story worth writing for that much I'm certain ......

I'm so ignorant on 131's that I thought all Volumetricos were 4 doors with those early Strada Abarth alloys .but I keep seeing 2 door versions as well ? .... so much for my knowledge then  !!

I'm OK on diecast models which I can just about afford to add to my collection now and again.

Simon If I can assist with part 3 in any way ? please let me know.

Cheers Ian

[simon131]

Thanks for your offer of assistance Ian.

I'm sure that you haven't started any 'literary wars' . The story of the series 3 has always needed to be written - and I guess that really I should have been a little more proactive - just that time has a habit of passing you by so quickly, and before you know where you are almost two years have passed

The Volumetrico Story is a completely wonderful, and little understood (even by me!) tale of the coming together of Fiat's production twin cam 131 with 'Works' tuning specialist technicians, to make a truely wonderful 'Q-car'. To my mind, by far the greatest expert on the Volumex on this Forum is our good friend from Holland, Albert. When (if?) I put finger to keyboard to write the full 131 story he's the man I'll see first