Mk1 air con?

[Tas131]

Did any of the mk1s come with air conditioning. I've just parted out a 131 4 door, the engine I pulled out has a 6 bolt oil filter housing with the mounting points for air con and a horizontal fitment of the filter. There were no other provisions in the vehicle for air con, so the engine is probably a ring-in from another donor vehicle. I'm trying to decide what to do with it, it started first kick and wasn't smoky in the exhaust or fumy in the crankcase, but I've got a spare motor, 2 spare heads and a spare crank. I don't need another spare, I haven't got room to store it and I probably couldn't give it away, I'd hate to have to throw it out! I might pull the head off and see if it has oversize pistons, my spare is a virgin block, so a set of oversize pistons would be handy.

[simon131]

Mick,

I'm not certain what you mean by Mk1.

The Series 1 (1974 to 1978) cars in Europe (and Australia too I believe) were only available with pushrod (over head valve) engines. In the US however they were 1800 (1756cc) Twin Cams (from the 132) and were available with Air Con for certain States.

The Series 1 was not available as a 2 litre (1995cc) TC.

The series 2 (1978 to 1981) however was available as a 2 litre and had air conditioning and power steering as an option for certain markets (definitely the whole of the USA and Canada and possibly Australia too). Strangely, for the Canadian market, automatic transmission was only available if power steering was fitted!

Series 3 cars (1981 to 1985) were readily available as 2 litre TC (1995cc) (Super mirafioris and SuperBravas) and had power steering as standard. Air conditioning I believe was also standard across Australian spec 2 litre series 3s (SuperBravas).

Hope this helps.

[Tas131]

I'm not certain what you mean by Mk1.

OK, I must mean a series 1. I think it was a '77 or '78 model, twin headlight grill, different taillights, no gearshift extension and the glovebox opened towards the passenger, not on top. It also only had Fiat on the grill and no badges on the back. Come to think of it, the rear quarters I cut off for Sid131 may have had 1600 badges on them.

[sid131]

Yes Mick they have 1600 badges at the moment but through time they will be wearing a pair of 2000 tc badges, happy days.

[Tas131]

I may have found a use for this motor! Strip it, clean up the block and paint it a shiny colour, mount some wheels on it and make a large perspex top for it. New coffee table

[simon131]

Hi Mick,

The car pictured above (which to me looks like a Australian or USA bumpered Series 1) would not have had a 2 litre (1995cc) TC engine fitted in it at the factory.

Should have had seperate "FIAT 131" and "mirafiori" badges on the back tho, like those shown on my orange 1600 Special below.

[mirafioriman]

Can you not sell the engine? In the UK twin cams usually sell well as they are still commonly used for transplants. In fact someone near me is fitting one to a Morris Minor and needs a five speed gearbox. Anybody got one for sale?

[131DHOC]

Of course there were MK1 air conditioned fitted 131's, this is the dashboard situation for this version (the photo is from the web):

[Tas131]

Can you not sell the engine? In the UK twin cams usually sell well as they are still commonly used for transplants. In fact someone near me is fitting one to a Morris Minor and needs a five speed gearbox. Anybody got one for sale?

I suppose I could stick it on Ebay and see if I get any bites. Tasmania is fairly isolated so finding someone in Hobart that wants a Fiat motor could be interesting. I've got 3 x 5 speeds, again, Hobart is a long way from anywhere!

[simon131]

I must be missing something here or I'm not explaining myself clearly again (sorry).

The Series 1 WAS definitely available with air conditioning, but the 2 litre (1995cc) Twin Cam was not fitted to any Series 1 131, therefore if you have a 2 litre (1995cc) TC engine with air conditioning mounts it did not come from a Series 1 131. (which is what I was trying to say above - I think! )

[kev131]

Si - I had to re read your last posting as well... but it's clear enough to me what you were saying! 

[Tas131]

The rear quarters I cut off and sent to sid131 had 1600 badges on them. The 2 litre is a transplant from another vehicle some time in the past.

[simon131]

Glad that we've got that one sorted

[Gremlino]

In fact someone near me is fitting one to a Morris Minor and needs a five speed gearbox

ARRRGHH...NOOOOOOOOO!

This should be made an illegal practice   

[jseabolt]

Looks like the engine in my 80 model. The alternator is fitted below the A/C compressor and shares the same bracket and the oil filter is facing like you described.

I believe all 131s sent to the United States were twin cams. Since federalizing these cars were expensive there were no engine options. It was a take it or leave it deal. So the 124 Spiders and 131s had the same engines and changed displacements together.

My 1980 131 has the Mk1 style grill (quad round lights) like the one in the photo. The ones from Europe I've seen that same year have the "Volvo 240 style" headlights.