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tells here the history of your Fiat124
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contacts
tells here the history of your Fiat124
favorite links
optimized for 1024x768
created by Mondopapera
copyright
© 2006. all rigths reserved.
last modified:
15-10-2014
news
THE 124 SPECIAL, THE SPORTY SEDAN
FIAT 124’s VERSIONS – PART TWO (THE FIAT 124 SEDAN VERSIONS (PART ONE))
In
the previous part of this account we have seen the big goal achivied by
the 124 Sedan starting by May 1966 and her “Car of the Year 1967”
award. The 124 was in many respects an innovative car that broke the past
schemes who saw this kind of engine being slow and sleeping.
The 124 sedan was an all around sporting and performing Sedan car who offered good emotions and satisfactions to her guests. In those years we were in the thick of the “economic boom” end the customers wanted bigger performances and best finish by their cars with no revolutions in their philosophy and prices.
Due this questions, that Big Manager who was Ing. Dante Giacosa, a Master Fiat Engineer draught the Fiat 124S, the so-called “Special”, a more advanced and enhanced version of the 124 Sedan car.
The
124 genuine arrangement was fitted with the same but bigger 1438cm3 cubature
engine, with the same distribution layout (valves put on the head, driven
by staffs and rocker levers and the camshaft located in the cylinder block
and driven by a toothed chain) and 9:1 compression ratio; the bigger cubature
was obtained by rising the bore’ dimensions only. The carburettor
was the same Weber but the vertical version type, DHS/3 model with the two
vacuum-acting throttles.
This new engine, 124B2.000 type, rated 10 more Hp than the previous and in so doing gave 70 Hp. It had a bigger torque at low rpm with the same petrol consomptions of the smaller counterpart and brought the car over 150 Km/h (154,040 to be esact).
Other big updates were the change of the rear-axle layout, replaced by a more performing new four-point one with brakes vacuum servo-mechanism, bigger brakes plates, the same but revised suspension with different ratio, different gear-box ratio items, all changes that were subsequently fitted to the 1200 version also. The old dynamo was replaced by a far newer 770 W alternator.
With
all this changes and other minor the new 124S weighted 925 Kg against the
855 of the early version but was very amusing to drive, retaining the previous
good performances of the smaller sister and solding about twice the number
of the 1966 version. In 1970 she was THE best middle-class car ever sold
in Italy and her customers enjoyed her very much. She was quite cheap both
in maintenance than in the purchasing.
Let’s
to see her aesthetic features now; on her front a new 4 lights beautiful
grille was added, together with new direction lamps and bigger bumpers.
On the side you can see new 124 SportCoupè radial tyres and wheels,
new door-handles and bigger trim. On the tail there were quite the same
lights but with the reflector elements incorporated in the centre of the
bodies, a new logo and, at least a little reverse light under the numberplate,
fixed with a steel plate beside the bumper.
The
best improvements were in the cockpit however: the car had much better seats,
best padded and with better skay coating; a radio-compartment was fitted
on the gearbox tunnel, the doors had better tapestry and bigger internal
handles but the best item was the dashboard, totally changed.
It was like the 125’s one design with two rounded clocks, rationalized switches and smooth edges. It was all black skay padded and had the speedometer on the left and other instruments and warning lights on the right; an useful water-cooling thermometer gauge was added. Unchanged the wheel, but without the familiar chrome clackson ring of the previous model.
Now
the wipers were operated by a little knob on the right of the steer column;
in 1968 this was the famous Fiat 124S Sedan car. Otherwise she sported both
all the same good features than the same shortcomings of the 1200, like
the vapour-lock failure danger pending very hot days, the same thirsty demand
of petrol, little leaks of water from the windows in very raining days and
the everypresent rust menace after some years.
But
the car was very strong and reliable, in the far 1970 she sold some 45 thousands
units; she replaced her smaller sister in the races and in the rallies and
- a venture for all - in a memorable 40 days raid, two specially equipped
cars ran from Cape Town to North Cape, in the Summer of 1970, a 6000 miles
raid with a crew of six and driven by special skilful chaps, crossing the
wild country of African savage along ferocious animals! the sturdiness of
this unstoppable breedhorse did the difference.
At the Turin car Show, in November 1970, an entire new range of the 124
models appeared. The “Special” one sported the engine number
124B2.000 type with 124B2.000/II (Mk.II) body. and rated the same power
(70 Hp); aesthetically the car underwent to an overall refinement work by
early 1968 model: the top of the bonnets were with ribs no more, the front
nose and rear tail bulkhead were totally revised. The first sported a new
black radiator grille, fitted with four squared lights, the last had a little
changed linear lights (resembling the Ist serie ones), all encircled by
a chromate trimming.
Substantially
unchanged the side and the wheels, revised the bumpers with no more beacks,
replaced by useful rubber trimming edges; bigger changes went to the interiors,
with a new beautiful false-wood trimming dashboard with two rounded clocks,
the right one being the revs-counter, moquette carpets and cloth covering
seats.
Optional included the radio, the electronic Dinoplex-Marelli sparkling and
the no doubt useful automatic GM gear box, the best in its range at that
time.
(See also: The 124 “Special T” chapter for further news, in this part of the site).
In
September 1972 the so-called “serie III” (Mk.III version) appeared:
aesthetical changes were minimal, the 124 Special sported, under the front
bumper, the same grilles of the “Special T 1.6”, suitable for
the bigger engine’s cooling needings and a little logo “1400”
on the top of the rear bonnet. The wheel’s discs were painted with
special epoxy paints who performed better against corrosion but the engines
were quite revised; at this stage, like their 1200’s counterpart,
they had a revised emispherical cylinder heads, the collectors and the cam
shaft reworked together a different compression ratio in order to perform
some 75 CV.
With the end of the bigger sister Fiat 125 production, her place was token over by the new 124 “Special T 1.6” litre, with a new 95 Hp 132A9.000 engine, the same of the new-born admiralty Fiat 132.
This
last scream engine, fitted for synergy purposes, had a Weber 34 DMS 24-26
double barrel carburettor and the car weighted now 960 Kg. Her top speed
raised 180 Km/h and optional included the fifth speed. This last versions
of the Fiat 124 were very reliable and comfortable cars altogether, suitable
for very long trips coupled with high performances. They were sold until
February
1975, being their production ceased in October 1974.The final comments for
those late models are the same of the just seen previous versions;
And is noteworthy to know that some years ago I’ went to a holiday trip in the far East (Indonesia, HK and Singapore) and on Bali Island I’found, in a remarkable good conditions, some Fiat 124 Special 1.4 Mk.II cars, fully working and quite well preserved, being in so doing a true testimonial of long-living performance!
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