131mirafiori forum

Guys,

I need a picture of Stradale / Gr. 4 rear arch showing the shock and spring ( wheel off ).

From my research so far I take it that the both Stradale and Gr. 4 had the turret  completely opened up from the wheel side.

I also need a picture of the turret from the boot side , to see if the top strut mounting was in the same different location as in 131 racing  and if there were any modifications of the top of the turret.

Miro

PS the Gr 4 homologation of another part ( travel limiter for the shock) shows the turret completely opened up.

Can anybody help, please ?

   

Standard 131 racing top turret shock mount  (boot view)

Just as a matter of intrest on ebay australia there are two parts catalogs one is 131 abarth group 4 and the other is for a stradale

Hammerbeirne ,

I got them both. Both are partial versions , though stradale (a more complete of the two)  is very useful.

Incidentally I am not sure what these are from. I would be surprised if a Gr 4 catalog ever existed.

Stradale was homolgated for Gr. 4 as the base model. Modifications were entered into FIA homologation.

Important is that  131 Abarth "Stradale"  was in 75% a civilian 131 coupe. and Corsa was at least 75 % "Stradale".

The modifications were homlogated , but the tech specs of the modifications provided were very scarce.  

Creating a separate parts list for Gr 4 ( remember: practically 30 cars ) is not something that strikes me as likely.  I would rather thing there were "garage notes" and general Fiat/Abarth ( street version documentation with hand made notations). Note also that very team has is own set of specs in all areas not covered by requirement for FIA homolgation.

  

I could do with a copy of the Stradale manual, if not both of them. ::) Must get a PayPal account ;)

Miro, the rear suspension on the series 1 (therefore Stradale/Grp 4) and series 2 cars (there Racing) is different. Yes, the Abarth is open at the rear, but the suspension is NOT interchangeable. I know because I've tried to fit 131 Racing/Sport rear springs to my Stradale and they are not even close! Stradale springs 'taper' at each end where the Racing/Sport springs are the same diameter for their whole length. This also means that they 'seat' differently at each end.

I would take a photo for you Miro but unfortunately my car is more than 100 miles away at the moment being prepared for 3MA10.

I Understand about the pictures , but maybe you remember how are they mounted in the rear ( I mean rear top.)  Is it like the standard front or different ?  

My intention is to front top mounts in the rear ( to fit the independent McPherson type suspension of the Abarth ) .

Miro

PS will get you the whole manual in a PDF format but need few days to do it.

  

Miro,

Thanks for your various emails regarding manuals and spring details. I apologise for not sending my thanks sooner.

I still haven't got my car back but can now confirm a few things. The Stradale springs are the same diameter from end to end, that is, they do NOT taper at each end, and it would seem that the springs fitted to my car are not the factory standard items as they are too short! ::)

I managed to collect a set of Group 4 131 Abarth 'Safari' rear springs from a well known local ex-131 Works car owner, and I'm going to try and arrange their fitment to my car before the trip to Germany next week. Not quite sure how yet, but I'm going to try ;)

As far as the top mount arrangement is concerned, I'd say that my car is different to your top picture above and that the rears don't look anything like the fronts on any 131 I've seen.

When I get the car back I'll photograph it for you and post up a copy.

Simon,

I am sorry that the emails was the only way to give you full data quickly.  (too busy wasting time with non paying clients - I will send them all to hell one day...)

Sorry also for my late reply.

I hop e you found the data on springs you wanted. They come from original  Abarth manual.  Unfortunately the data does not contain key information on springs. I still need the following measurements (see picture).

Maybe your safari springs could be measured?

Maybe the " well known local ex-131 Works car owner" has  more spare springs ???

Re top mounts:  see picture below. this is from original corsa. This is the one with spherical top mounts.  This will be achieved later but not I just want to put the car on wheels an would like to find out what is the way the rear struts were mounted to the body. Current solution is use standard (almost) unmodified turret using the front top mounts.      

"(almost) unmodified " means ; opened up from the wheel side , re- drilled to fit the front top mount bolts.

"As far as the top mount arrangement is concerned, I'd say that my car is different to your top picture above and that the rears don't look anything like the fronts on any 131 I've seen."

I am most keen to see what the look like. My mechanic is stuck with the top mounts and until we will; know what iot should be we are making zero progress !!!

Anybody has a Stradale in a garage to take some pictures , please .
Is Simon the only Stradale owner around this forum?    

M

Hello Miro,

Jonathan Sage  nick:(131grp4) jssage@hotmail.com have also 131 Stradale

Enzo ;)

Hi Miro,  you are correct.  Bertone actually made a whole rear inner arch and strut tower for both the Stradale & Group 4. There are pictures in the common group 4 catalouge. Hard to modify the original to look exactely the same as Abarth. The bottom of the strut tower to boot floor is the same dimensions, but the strut tower is taller and wider. The inside wheel arch has just been cut away and I found when I modified mine the top of the strut tower protruded into the cabin slightly. The additional length also give slightly different angle with abarth suspension and that is why they cut out the inside. What I can also confirm is the 131 Stradale hubs & CV's are exactely the same as the monte carlo. You can use late model x1/9 the only difference is CV and bearing sizes. The strut is same pattern as x/19 but casing is slightly smaller. I never got to try a montecarlo but suspect they are slightly bigger in diameter casing. If you need anything else let me know. 

Forgot to mention. These photos are of a genuine 131 abarth stradale, not my car.

Some more photos

Pscamb, Simon

This is most useful and interesting.

But let me start with the springs:
 
Finally we are on the right track thanks to a Belgian friend Geert, who provided data on the springs and spherical top mountings.

The missing spring data was: 
 
HEIGHT OF SPRING UNCOMPRESSED  415 MM
INTERNAL DIAMETER 102 MM
COILS REAR /FRONT 9
SPRING DIAMETER 12.4 MM



Information and pictures from Pscamb are most interesting in terms of the top mount information we have collected.
 
Also top mounts for the struts in an Abarth issue seems to be clarified:

According to  available pictures Stradale front mountings were not the standard 131 parts.  Available Stradale pictures indicate that both Stradale and Corsa had spherical top mounts on the front.

The difference on the front between Stradale and Corsa seems to be that on a Stradale the top mounts were installed with minor modification ( a collar to fit the spherical top mounts has been added to replace the standard opening for the standard top mount.

On a Corsa - major modification extra space was added by welling hub on top of the turret.

As far as the rear is concerned i still am not totally sure but what appears to be the case is that  both Stradale and Corsa used spherical bearing top mounts on the rear as well. 

Corsa rear top turrets were heavily modifies (extended) so that their top was higher than the rear window shelf.

If pictures from Geert show a Stradale rear turret  it looks like the rear Stradale turrets were also modified ( as compared to standard 131) , but modification was smaller than in case of a Corsa version. Still some space has been added (at an angle) to the top of the turret.


Miro

See pictures on : http://www.guy-croft.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1240&p=11481#p11481