V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

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Mastasmash
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 8:17 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Fiat Spider 2000
Location: Carterville, Texas

V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby Mastasmash » Thu May 11, 2017 11:06 pm

I was curious about how difficult it would be to swap in a small block v8, my current engine is the stock ~120 cubic inch 4 cylinder with fuel injection, I was hoping someone who knew something might be able to share any information that I might need on how to go about this. I have never worked on a car but I'm hoping to make this project my first and most educational.
1982 FI 124 Spider

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So Cal Mark
Posts: 13839
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:45 pm
Your car is a: Fiat
Location: upland, ca.

Re: V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby So Cal Mark » Fri May 12, 2017 1:03 am

You've never worked on a car and your first attempt will be an engine swap? That's pretty ambitious. I'd suggest you spend about a year reading everything you can about engine swaps in general and learning basic automotive technology and theory before considering this. Exploring how feasible your project is will be the first step; will your host vehicle accept the engine you decide on?
Mark Allison
allisonsautomotive.com Fiat and Alfa Romeo parts and service. Performance parts our specialty!
Headers, ignitions, wheels, cams, flywheels
starsmark@hotmail.com 909-981-3566

klweimer
Posts: 550
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:45 am
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Arvada, Colorado

Re: V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby klweimer » Fri May 12, 2017 7:53 am

Mastasmash

I'm with Mark on this. Engine swaps are always a challenge, especially when nobody makes all the components to do the swap. Small block chevy in an old jeep? No problem, people make everything you need. Small block chevy in a Spider? No one makes anything to do this.

One of our forum members (V6 Spider) has transplanted a chevy V6 into his Spider, and I think that project took years.

Regardless, welcome to the forum! Even if your dream is a V8 transplant, the other systems in your car will all need to be in top shape (brakes, driveline, electrical, etc). Great stuff here to do all that.

Kirk

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spidernut
Posts: 1905
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:20 am
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider Automatic
Location: Lincoln, CA

Re: V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby spidernut » Fri May 12, 2017 10:17 am

Sounds like the show "Roadkill".

There is one person who put a V8 in his Spider. It involved cutting the transmission tunnel, cutting the firewall, modifying the suspension, making a new cross member, making a new differential, fitting a new transmission, building and balancing a new drive shaft, narrowing the pedal mechanism, modifying the wiring, and making a new cooling system.
John G.
1979 Spider (Owned since 2000)
1971 124 Sport Spider (Owned since 2017)
1977 Spider (Sold 2017)
1979 Spider (Disposed of in 2017)
1979 Spider (Sold 2015)
1980 Spider (Sold in 2013)
1981 Spider (Sold in 1985)
2017 Spider (Owned since 2019)

TwinFast
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Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124 Spider

Re: V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby TwinFast » Fri May 12, 2017 11:10 am

Mastasmash wrote:I was curious about how difficult it would be to swap in a small block v8, my current engine is the stock ~120 cubic inch 4 cylinder with fuel injection, I was hoping someone who knew something might be able to share any information that I might need on how to go about this. I have never worked on a car but I'm hoping to make this project my first and most educational.


It's really a strange idea ...

Not only because you never worked on a car engine but also because the Fiat engine itself is part of the magic of this car. The Lampredi engine is so beautifull and is one of the most emblematic engine in the World Rally Championship history.

it could be more challenging to improve the TwinCam itself, to make it more powerfull/reliable than simply put a V6 or V8 engine ...
Fiat 124 Spider 1.8L 1978
Jaguar XKR 4.2L 2009
Harley Davidson Fat Bob 96Ci 2011

narfire
Posts: 3959
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:14 am
Your car is a: 1980 124 spider
Location: Naramata B.C.

Re: V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby narfire » Fri May 12, 2017 11:11 am

Not my business regarding funds but a fellow in Kelowna , just north of me, installs V-6's into MG's and TR's. His price to do the re-re is about $30,000.00. Not only the engine gets swapped, the brakes are upgraded, Rear end swapped out, Tranny swapped out, frame reinforced...... For $30,000.00 ( CDN ) I'd go to a Honda 2000 or BMW Z3M or Boxter S for the power and handling in a car that is engineered for that power.
Saying that though, none have the iconic style of the Fiat spiders....

Personally, consider some mild upgrades( head work, headers and lightened flywheel) to the engine and then work on the suspension with upgraded sway bars, upgraded brakes and set of Koni yellows and 15 inch wheels with 205 tires and you will have a fun car with terrific handling.
Chris
80 FI spider
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box

ORFORD2004
Posts: 1099
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:48 pm
Your car is a: 1983 PININFARINA
Location: Sherbrooke, Qc, Canada

Re: V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby ORFORD2004 » Fri May 12, 2017 12:43 pm


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Odoyle
Posts: 440
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2014 10:06 pm
Your car is a: 1983 Pinafarina Spider
Location: CA

Re: V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby Odoyle » Fri May 12, 2017 1:39 pm

There are SOO many reasons not to put a V8 in a spider I won't even begin... lack of experience being one of the larger... though if you must I know that a 289 (possibly 351) Winsdor V8 can be fit to the stock crossmember with a relative degree of fabriction skills, but you'll never close your hood, not to mention the whole driveline will have to be modified...

TX82FIAT
Posts: 1814
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 11:04 am
Your car is a: 82 Fiat Spider 2000 CSO
Location: San Antonio

Re: V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby TX82FIAT » Fri May 12, 2017 2:22 pm

I have four kids. they get under each others skin often. One of their quotes from a few years ago intended to goat another kid into doing something that might not be the best idea at the time was:

"Do it, You won't"

Good seldom came from those situations.
Buon giro a tutti! - enjoy the ride!

82 Fiat Spider 2000
03 BMW M3
07 Chevy Suburban

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Nanonevol
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Your car is a: 1977 Fiat 124 Spider
Location: Medway, Massachusetts

Re: V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby Nanonevol » Fri May 12, 2017 2:24 pm

As other have alluded, a classic car restoration would be a far better first project than an engine swap. You would get some satisfaction for your efforts along the way while with the swap it would likely be years and many $$ before you ever get to enjoy it.
1977 Fiat Spider
1985 Jaguar XJ6
1967 Triumph Bonneville (hard-tail chopper)
1966 BSA Lightning

TStark
Posts: 127
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:24 am
Your car is a: 1975 Spider
Location: NE CT

Re: V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby TStark » Fri May 12, 2017 2:30 pm

wisdom

Mastasmash
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 8:17 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Fiat Spider 2000
Location: Carterville, Texas

Re: V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby Mastasmash » Fri May 12, 2017 9:59 pm

I ended up making a decision on what to do with the car, currently the engine that it came with is locked up because it sat for years. The car knly shows about 83,000 miles. I'm probably going to just restore the car to learn and get some experience working with it. I intend to make a blog to chronicle the experience. I will however be doing some minor tweaks such as putting some modern touches on, you know, a radio and new interior.
First order of business is getting this engine to turn over. The starter is fine, it wont manually turn so it seems like I'm taking the engine out to diagnose the problem area. Thank you to everyone who responded by the way.
1982 FI 124 Spider

TwinFast
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Posts: 102
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 2:06 am
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124 Spider

Re: V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby TwinFast » Sat May 13, 2017 11:52 pm

Mastasmash wrote:I ended up making a decision on what to do with the car, currently the engine that it came with is locked up because it sat for years. The car knly shows about 83,000 miles. I'm probably going to just restore the car to learn and get some experience working with it. I intend to make a blog to chronicle the experience. I will however be doing some minor tweaks such as putting some modern touches on, you know, a radio and new interior.
First order of business is getting this engine to turn over. The starter is fine, it wont manually turn so it seems like I'm taking the engine out to diagnose the problem area. Thank you to everyone who responded by the way.


Good idea. Have a look to this post : http://www.fiatspider.com/f15/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=16483
Fiat 124 Spider 1.8L 1978
Jaguar XKR 4.2L 2009
Harley Davidson Fat Bob 96Ci 2011

vandor
Posts: 3996
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 1:23 pm
Your car is a: 1971 124 Spider
Location: Texas, USA

Re: V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby vandor » Sun May 14, 2017 7:10 pm

Mastasmash wrote:First order of business is getting this engine to turn over.


If the timing belt is intact and it does not turn then it's likely because the cylinder bores are rusty. While you may be able to get the engine to turn if it's soaked in oil (although often the bores are rusty below the pistons) the cylinder wall will be pitted and will never seal right. Time to rebore the block and use oversize pistons.
Csaba
'71 124 Spider, much modified
'17 124 Abarth, silver
http://italiancarclub.com/csaba/
Co-owner of the best dang Fiat parts place in town

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v6spider
Posts: 1035
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2006 6:57 pm
Your car is a: 4.3L V6 Powered 1972 124 FIAT Spider
Location: Mount Vernon WA

Re: V8 Swap 1980 Spider 2000

Postby v6spider » Thu Jun 29, 2017 3:28 pm

klweimer wrote:Mastasmash

I'm with Mark on this. Engine swaps are always a challenge, especially when nobody makes all the components to do the swap. Small block chevy in an old jeep? No problem, people make everything you need. Small block chevy in a Spider? No one makes anything to do this.

One of our forum members (V6 Spider) has transplanted a chevy V6 into his Spider, and I think that project took years.

Regardless, welcome to the forum! Even if your dream is a V8 transplant, the other systems in your car will all need to be in top shape (brakes, driveline, electrical, etc). Great stuff here to do all that.

Kirk


Yeeeup, IMA sic bastard! But totally worth it in the end! The only reason it took so long to complete is that i didn't have a garage to work on it.
at any rate the conversion is not for the faint of heart. Lots of cutting welding and head scratching. BTW i wouldn't put a v8 in a spider. Too heavy for one and you'll basically make it into a straight line car. My spider has retained all the handling pretty much and has over 300hp and over 300ftlbs of torque.

Image

Rob
http://www.v6spider.com
4.3L V6 Powered 1972 124 FIAT Spider


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