185 hp 1800 without cams? on eBay

[zachmac]

Maybe I am just a skeptic but doesn't a claimed 185 hp without cams seems a little bit much to expect? Don't get me wrong, this looks like a very nice spider, but 185 hp? Maybe those are Canadian HP?

ebay listing: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1972-FIA ... 06.c0.m245

Anyone agree that dual webers, header and free flow exhaust with a shved head and MSD will produce that? Maybe he just failed to mention the cams and big valve job?

[So Cal Mark]

I doubt you could make 185hp with an Ansa exhaust on the car

[katsi]

i don't even think NOS would boost it up almost 100 HP. Maybe but seems like a lot of stress on a little motor.

[baltobernie]

Considering that the twin-carb, 2-litre Abarth was rated at 138 hp, this claim of 1.7hp/cubic inch is preposterous.

Not surprising, the car has Zero bids.

[pope]

It is a pretty car though.

I doubt the 185, that engine would need a major overhaul with high compression pistons and forged rods and he doesnt bring up any of this. Maybe he is reading the kilometers on the speedometer. LOL

[manoa matt]

185 hp NO WAY. That's a guess from his mechanic. Dual webers will add 25% more HP and headers with a free flow exhaust will add about 10 HP. In actuality he probably has about 125-135 HP. With 185 Hp the trans and diff would be shreaded within a month. He would need an uprated clutch, at least a 131 gear box and a stronger differential.

The Abarth 124's also had an 1800 engine and headers, but they also had autocross cams, high compression pistons, and 44 IDF's. And they only produced 144hp.

You can tell from the descriptions and prices of work performed that it was all done by a mechanic. $3000 for dual carbs, yikes! It would have been nice if they also covered the cracked dash with leather, and it dosen't look like the top frame was refurbished and painted.

$17,000 ??? again, NO WAY! Maybe, maybe, maybe half of that. It is a nice car for sure. Good thing he's going back to school.

[zachmac]

[quote="manoa matt"]

The Abarth 124's also had an 1800 engine and headers, but they also had autocross cams, high compression pistons, and 44 IDF's. And they only produced 144hp. quote]


185 hp times divided by the current US to Canadian exchange rate gives almost exactly 144 hp! I TOLD you he was quoting those Canadian horses!

[RJ80]

Did Abarth 124s really make that much power? Everything I've read puts horsepower around 125 or so.... although, that rating is from 35 years ago

[bwilson27]

There's no way that car is worth even half that.
As already noted, the dash is cracked, the engine is dirty, the engine bay is ratted, those wheels are hideous... Add to this the fact that he says it needs an additional 4000.00 to finish the body and paint.

The claim that it achieves 185 HP is a blatant lie, either by the seller or the mechanic who bilked him out of 3 grand for the dual carb setup. The flex disc itself would probably shred with all that torque.

Besides the dash, it does have a nice interior though.

[manoa matt]

The early 124 abarth's in 72 with a 1608cc block have a stated HP of 129. However as the cars progressed through the years many tweaks and mods were done to increase the HP, some of the mods were documented some were not. When the 1756cc blocks came out in the mid 70's they switched. Many of the 1756cc blocks were bored out considerably, since the 2000cc blocks didnt come out until late 78.

Taken from the ad:
"Replacement of 1608 cc engine, with 1800 cc engine, shaving of the cylinder heads replacement of all gaskets and seals, and replacement of all engine component parts." $9500.00

I guess he didn't know you can buy a brand new block with all new components for under $2000. For $9500 I would expect an actual 185HP monster from Guy Croft or John Logan.

[amsiegel]

For 10,500 you thinnk he would have left the stero and speakers in the car.

[FMO]

If that engine produce 185 HP, then I have done a very bad deal with my engine, wich probably produce something between 140-150 HP at 6000 rpm. I have to complain to my friend that he has charge me to much for the 2,0 l Abarth engine......lolol

But yes, a nice car it is for sure.

Regards
FMO

[zachmac]

I couldn't resist politely asking the seller how he knows it is 185hp?

He replied that his mechanic said so and while his car hasn't been dynoed he has a friend with identical mods whose car "calculated" to that! Man I wish I was this mechanic, appraently our brothern to the North are quite gullible. Clearly a "wallet enthusiast" who doesn't know he has been duped.

[katsi]

Works for me, I'm going to ask my mechanic to get my HP up around 300 +.

I bet the guy prolly went by playstation's gran turismo HP upgrades.

[sptcoupe]

Hehe. I have built a good number of extremely modified "full house" motors, and know that I have never been near 185 HP. I know a guy in Ohio in the mid 70's that very successfully campaigned E & F SCCA spiders (made it to the nationals 5 times - Hanover Automotive), and he once had a 1.8L that got 168 HP at the crank, but it was absolutely a race only engine, and the tranny was the cause of the DNFs. His most successful engines were around 150 HP. The 1.8L he built for my 131 (which was very streetable) dyno'd at 148 HP, and it had all the normal mods, including a custom exhaust (the Ansa just doesn't work that well) and 43/83 cams, big valves, tapered guides, and a 11.3:1 CR (when you could buy 100 octane at the pump)

GC calculated that I will get a possible 175 HP on the new 2.0L FI motor going into my coupe. Don't know what the calcs were, but I will be happy with anything over 160! It has all the mods and Mark's header, but we'll see when it goes to the dyno. And yes, I am very worried about the tranny. 185HP - 'fraid not in naturally aspirated, streetable form