Fiat 124 Spider History (1968-1978)
The 124 Spider debuted in 1966, winning immediate praise from critics.
Standard equipment included a twin-cam 4-cylinder motor, five-speed manual transmission, and four-wheel disc brakes.
The stylish body was built by Pininfarina, the same people that designed the original Nash-Healey, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider, and the Ferrari 250 GT.
With a wheelbase of 90 inches, suspension was conventional for the day. Independent coil-over struts were fitted up front,
and the solid rear axle used radius rods and a transverse link to help prevent axle wind-up during heavy braking and acceleration.
During 1968, the rear suspension was revised with upper and lower radius arms, and the original torque-tube driveshaft was replaced by a conventional driveshaft.
Unlike most sports cars of the Sixties and Seventies, interior accommodations are surprisingly roomy. Anyone above average height would feel cramped in most classic British roadsters, but not so in a Spider. The seats go back far enough, and if there's two people in the car, you're not touching shoulders. Trunk space is excellent, and the convertible top, which can be raised or lowered at a stoplight, is virtually leak-free.
Fiat Twin-Cam Engine
The heart of the 124 Spider is the well-crafted twin-cam motor, designed by Italian automobile and aircraft engine designer
Aurelio Lampredi. Formerly employed by Ferrari during its successes in the early Fifties, Lampredi also designed Fiat's long-lived SOHC engine, as well as managing their Abarth factory racing group from 1973 through 1982.
The iron-block, aluminum-head engine revved to 6,800 rpm in stock trim, and was easily upgradable.
Originally displacing 1438cc, the powerplant increased in stages. It's final displacement of 2000cc would be used on turbo engines powering the Alfa-Romeo 155 Q4 and Lancia Delta Integrale into the early Nineties. A three-decade production run makes it one of the longest produced automotive engines.
In 1971, engine size was increased to 1600cc. The early Seventies Spiders were the hottest performance years (until the fuel-injected models appeared in 1980).
Weighing slightly over 2,000 pounds and putting out about 100 horsepower,
0-60 mph times were in the ten second range and a top speed was about 110 mph.
Fiat 124 Abarth Spider
The 124 Abarth Rally model was developed for World Rally Championship competition. A specially-tuned motor with twin Weber carburetors and redesigned exhaust manifold helped produce 128 horsepower. Independent rear suspension was added to improve handling. A lightweight fiberglass hood and trunk lid, both painted black, helped reduce weight, as did alloy door skins. All Rally models had rollcages and a permanent hardtop. The Abarth Spider competed with notable success, winning the 1972 European Rally Championship. Produced from 1972 to 1976, a total of 1,013 Abarth Spiders were built, the last versions being offered with an optional 16-valve cylinder head.
U.S. emission controls began to appear in 1973. Although the Spider's engine was an efficient design, cars sold in the U.S. were required to have pollution devices, regardless of whether they were really needed. In order to continue selling to its largest market, Fiat complied by adding on smog equipment, which burdened the motor, choked performance, and caused driveability issues. Air pumps were added, along with restrictive manifolds, tiny carburetors, scores of vacuum lines, and other emission controls.
The 1974 model year began the phasing-in of the upcoming 1975 federal regulation, requiring bumpers to withstand 5 MPH impacts. The Spider's attractive chrome bumpers were replaced with heavy, energy-absorbing 5 MPH bumpers. Overall height was raised to meet new U.S. safety regulations, and California-bound Spiders required catalytic converters.
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