Engine rebuild, part two

As the accessories and sheet metal came off, the details began to reveal themselves. Present is the correct 'siamesed' 695 cylinder, cast as a single unit unlike the stock Fiat 500 cylinders which are separate.



Under the valve cover was the telltale blue color of Abarth valve springs, and an extensively modified rocker assembly running on needle bearings. The before picture:



...and the rocker shaft after cleaning & inspection. As far as I know the stock 695 used a fairly standard Fiat 500 rocker assembly, so this must be a later addition.



Cylinder head was disassembled and thoroughly inspected, and required only minimal work to be put back in good order. No, the valves couldn't be any larger.



The proper Abarth 206 camshaft (tipo 206 was the designation for 695 series engines).



More to come.

Engine rebuild, part one

It didn't take much time behind the wheel to determine that this engine was tired. It was hard to start, leaky, and loud - but not in a good way. Amazingly it still made excellent power, so I was anxious to put it back into good fettle and see how it goes.

It also looked rough, as several months languishing in a seaport awaiting shipment to the USA had left every fastener with less than ideal plating - meaning all of them - with a uniform layer of surface rust. The engine sheet metal was also painted a rather undignified shade of school bus yellow. Something had to be done.







I was interested in seeing what was on the inside. The obvious worry with a production-based car is that along the way the special Abarth parts might have been replaced with something more mundane. Fortunately that was not the case. More to come.