1978 Fiat 131S

I have owned this car for 8 years and traveled from Vermont to many car shows all over the country racking up some 35,000 miles. Many Fiat Freak Out events in including Nashville, hicago and Long Island. This is a First in Class car most of the time. I have gone to 7 of the last 8 Carlisle import shows. In 2009 The car traveled from Vermont to Ashville Oregon to a west coast Fiat event. This car was built for long haul travel. Enthusiast owned and maintained Fiat 131 S four door sedan for sale in excellent cosmetic and mechanical condition, as never been involved in any accidents, as no structural or serious cosmetic rust, t has 55K miles on a complete mechanical refurbishment in 2007. Total milage is 157,000. A rigorous maintenance schedule as been adhered to and the car continues to be reliable, n able to be driven anywhere.
It includes a California legal 1981 Brava update to Bosch L-jet from the radiator to the tail pipe on a 1800 block. Rear disk brakes, ilwood front conversion an a tall final drive. You can be comfortable driving anywhere. I adhere to a strict maintenance schedule. It continues to be very reliable. 30,000 mile service just performed included Timing belt, ensioner, nd all ignition components. The front suspension was rebuilt last summer including NOS control arms rubber donuts and new KYb struts.
The details
Exterior
Re-sprayed metallic silver paint, hat has been professionally redone in several areas as needed. The windshield was replaced in 2008 using a post ’82 rubber gasket. The hood/trunk/doors latches operate correctly, ll keys match. Front and rear aluminum bumpers with rubber caps are positioned closer to body for a cleaner appearance. The front grill has newer generation blue /F/I/A/T/ emblem, ear panel has the same with /Supermirafiori/ emblem. Taillight clusters, ide marker lights, nd front bumper lights all operate brightly without any electrical or grounding issues, utboard headlights are Hella H4 with 55/60W bulbs, nboard headlights are Cibie H1 with 55W bulbs, ll high beam headlights are operated with relays, ight driving visibility is excellent. Wheels are OZ Italian 20-spoke painted silver finish 6x14 offset 16mm with center caps and long chrome Fiat wheel bolts, ires are 195/60-R14 Sumitomo HTR New in the summer of 2013.
Interior
Black color, eplaced beige headliner, ll seat coverings are original vinyl and in excellent condition. Carpet is in excellent original condition with no tears or stains. A set of four custom Coco mats from CocoMat.com are included. Center console and dashboard are in great condition, ash has a few cracks but is covered with a very well fitting cover, on-A/C ventilation and heater controls are functional, eater core and valve were replaced with new OEM parts in 2007. This car has an in-dash Kenwood HD stereo with CD player with iPod and USB connectivity, wo Alpine front door speakers, nd roof antenna. The original electric horns have been replaced with tradition Italian air horns with compressor. Hi & low wipers have relays installed.
Front Suspension
The front suspension control arms with integral ball joints and bushings, nd wheel bearings and hub seals have been recently renewed, he suspension struts are complete KYB-GR2 low pressure gas assemblies (2015), he upper strut bushings have been upgraded to 1979-on model year Fiat 131 assemblies which incorporate larger reinforced rubber bushings, eedle bearing steering pivots, nd mount from above inside the engine compartment in lieu of from underneath in the fender well. Front suspension springs are shortened to reduce the stock ride height approximately one inch with only a mild increase in stiffness. A front end alignment was performed in 2015 using a new Hunter Laser sight computer alignment machine. Front anti-roll bar, enter bushings, nd end bushings are stock (new 2015).
Rear Suspension
The rear suspension bushings in the upper control arms, ower control arms, nd panhard ro, ual lower control arms are installed on the left side and right side to increase positive location of the rear axle and differential assembly and to reduce rear body roll. Rear shock absorbers are KYB-GR2 low pressure gas, he rear suspension springs are shortened for increased stiffness and reduced ride height, pring shims are installed between the body and the top of the springs to provide a means of adjusting the rear ride height.
Brakes
The entire braking system on this car has been upgraded for improved performance. The front brakes have been replaced with larger 10-inch brake rotors and Wilwood Dynalite forged calipers with four opposed pistons, upported by custom fabricated steel caliper-to-knuckle brackets, nd plumbed with custom SAE J1401 brake hose assemblies. This installation was the development prototype for the Whoa Brakes kit for Fiat 131 models. The rear drum brakes have been replaced with disc brakes from a 1979-on model year Fiat 124 Spider, hich is a direct bolt-on installation without any modifications required except for fitment of the Fiat 131 hand brake cable. The brake master cylinder and power brake booster are stock with the actuator rod properly adjusted.
Engine
The engine is built utilizing parts from several different Fiat and Lancia twin cam engines. The 1.8 liter cylinder block is from a Lancia Beta Scorpion, hich is virtually identical to the original 131 cylinder block. The crankshaft and connecting rods are unmodified, he pistons are domed high compression Kolbenschmidt in bore size 84.6mm yielding a displacement of 1781cc. The auxiliary shaft is the later thinner type as utilized in 2.0 liter engines, nd has the mechanical fuel pump lobe cut off with the oil passage closed with a threaded plug, hich eliminates the need to properly time it to avoid contact with cylinder No.2 connecting rod. The oil pump is an OEM Fiat pump, he clearances are within factory specifications, nd the oil pressure relief spring has been shimmed slightly to increase engine oil pressure, ypically around 30 psi at warm idle and 60 psi at 3000 rpm. The oil pan is a stock later type 1.8 liter Fiat 124/131 part, he aluminum oil filter housing is a 1.8 liter Fiat 124 engine part with integral alternator pivot mount and a downward oriented oil filter. The front main seal cover has a timing pointer bracket and the crank pulley is a Fiat 2.0 liter 131 part. The cylinder head is a Fiat 1592cc part, hich has identical intake valves, xhaust valves, nd combustion chamber size as the 1.8 liter cylinder head, ut lacks the exhaust emissions ports, nd so has a cleaner appearance. This cylinder head has been shaved to reduce the combustion chamber size from 49cc to 46cc, hich in combination with the domed pistons yields a static compression ration of 10.5:1. The intake and exhaust camshafts, ousings, nd pulleys are stock with stock engine timing. All engine bearings, eals, nd gaskets were renewed during the rebuilding process. This engine and all associated components of this car have completely converted to the Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection system that is stock for 1980-on model year Fiat 131, ncluding the intake manifold and plenum, uel rail with injectors and pressure regulator, ir flow meter with air filter housing and intake hose, uel tank and larger fuel deliver hard lines between the trunk and engine compartment, uel pump and filter, uel vapor canister, uel injection wiring harness and fuel pump combo-relay, uxiliary air valve with associated hoses, tc. All of the fuel injection system components are mounted in the correct factory locations as though this car was originally equipped with fuel injection, nd all wiring that previously supported the carburetor emissions equipment has been removed with the electrical harnessed re-wrapped to maintain a clean and uncluttered engine compartment. The exhaust system is the 4-2 cast manifold with oxygen sensor, he 2-1 steel downpipe to the 4-bolt catalytic converter, nd primary and secondary factory Fiat silencers as are stock on the 1980-on model year Fiat 131. The only exhaust system modification is to the 2-1 downpipe, hich has been shorted approximately 1-inch to compensate for the fact that the 1.8 liter engine is shorter than the 2.0 liter engine. This engine has a Marelli electronic ignition system from a 1980-on model year Fiat 131, ncluding the stock Marelli ignition coil and heat sink with ignition module, nd distributor with 22 degrees centrifugal advance and ported vacuum advance, tatic ignition timing is set at 10 degrees BTDC. (New T-belt and ignition tune up components 2016) This engine installation has been tested visually, unctionally, nd for tailpipe emissions by the State of California Bureau of Automotive Repair, nd is tested as a 1981 model and retains the Bureau plaque in the engine bay. The cooling system utilizes an in-head type thermostat, urrently 160 degrees, ith single upper and lower radiator hoses, n overflow reservoir, reconditioned radiator, nd the stock radiator cooling fan. This engine has no coolant or oil leaks, he timing belt and tensioner bearing were just renewed as the engine has 55k miles on it. The relatively tall 5th gear Typically produces an average 31 mpg highway, ity 27 .
Driveline
Transmission is 5-speed manual as originally fitted in 1979-on model year Fiat 131 with taller 5th gear ratio, ixed output flange, nd speedometer drive for 3.58:1 ratio rear axle. Clutch pressure plate, isc, nd release bearing are OEM Valeo parts with 55k miles, lutch cable was renewed at the same time. Driveshaft is a two-shaft assembly with universal joints, ubber mounted center bearing, liding front yoke, lexible coupling have 20K miles on them. Rear axle and differential assembly has 12/43 ring and pinion with 3.58:1 ratio, nd in combination with taller 5th gear ratio, esults in only 3200 engine rpm at 70 mph, hich is great for distance driving or freeway commuting. Rear axle shaft bearings and seals, ransmission oil, nd differential oil have all been recently renewed, ear axle housing has no leaks, ransmission output shaft has a minor leak at the seal, ut not bad enough to warrant replacement at this time.
Background
Dave Voss purchased this car in the spring of 2007 in anticipation of taking this car on a long cross country trip to the Mirafiori Oregon and the Fiat Lancia Unlimited Freak-Out events. The mechanical components have proven to be very reliable. This car is without question the nicest 131 sedans, nd perhaps one of only several left in North America in this nice condition, nd with the upgrades and modifications that this car has, t is a very unique Fiat. In 2007 Dave covered 8300 miles, 3 states, nd touched both oceans in just a little over two weeks.
I Purchased this car from Dave at the Valley Forge Freak Out in 2008. My wife & I repeated the coast to coast trip in 2009 when we attended the Mirafiori event in Ashland Oregon. The car has attended 8 of the last 10 Fiat Club of America Freak Lut events including Nashville 2011 (2nd in class). This car won 1st in class at Long Island ’13 and Chicago (’14) where it won a 1st in class. I have also gone to the Carlisle import show from 2009 through 2014 in this car. I feel I I have done all there is to do with this 131 and would like to see someone that appreciates it the way I do, o take the car over.
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