Diff difficulties 1500 Berlina

[Roger Shackleton]

Hi everyone, my name is Roger, I’m a new member and am looking for advice for a problem with my 1964 1500 Berlina.
I bought the car nearly 3 years ago and have since refurbished nearly everything mechanical. I haven’t touched the brakes, diff or gearbox yet, as other things had priority. I’ve rebuilt the engine and head had the car lowered and suspension beefed up by Heasman Suspension and Steering and she is going and handling really well now.
My current obsession is gear ratios. This family car is now being asked to fang around like I did when I was a teenager and the gear ratios aren’t up to it, they are too low.
I thought I could remedy this by fitting a 5 speed box from a 124 sport (sedan) but I’ve discovered that the ratios are the same as mine with the addition of a 5th gear. This will help for highway driving but nor for fanging Into tight corners.
With a diff ratio of 4.1:1 I’m always at the top of the rev range screaming the motor. Ideally I’d like a diff ratio of between 3.2-3.4:1 for this gearset. The best I’ve been able to find is 3.9:1 from the same car as the 5 speed box; this will only save me a couple of hundred revs, not enough.
I’m already running 80 series tyres on Cromadora mags and whitewall tyres, quite an investment, so I don’t want to change them. I like the quirkiness of the column shift, so would prefer to keep it unless I can find a five speed with higher ratios.
Can anyone suggest a way of solving this dilemma?
Roger Shackleton

 

[s130]

I have to say you have a lovely car there Roger.

You could use Carfolio or similar sites to research all the Fiat rear wheel drive models. The Fiat 131 might be a candidate as these cam with 2L twin cam engines and good top speeds so I suspect will be longer geared and different diff ratio.

 

[Roger Shackleton]

I have to say you have a lovely car there Roger.

You could use Carfolio or similar sites to research all the Fiat rear wheel drive models. The Fiat 131 might be a candidate as these cam with 2L twin cam engines and good top speeds so I suspect will be longer geared and different diff ratio.

Thanks S130, we had a car show here last week and I met a club member with a magnificent restored 131 2litre 16 valve mirafiore. I didn’t think at the time, but he knows his stuff, I’ll see if I can find him. I’ll also do as you suggest and investigate carfolio.
cheers
Roger
p.s I’m originally a Cheshire boy and used to terrorise the lanes in my Anglia, good days.

 

[s130]

Thanks S130, we had a car show here last week and I met a club member with a magnificent restored 131 2litre 16 valve mirafiore. I didn’t think at the time, but he knows his stuff, I’ll see if I can find him. I’ll also do as you suggest and investigate carfolio.
cheers
Roger
p.s I’m originally a Cheshire boy and used to terrorise the lanes in my Anglia, good days.

I had a quick look at 131 on Carfolio and the one of the 131s has a 4.1 diff so the same as you have.

You might had to look at a complete gearbox change if all the available diffs are 4.1 or 3.9

As for Cheshire boy racer I lived in Chester till I was 10 and then legged it to Brussels. Have only returned to the Cheshire/Wrexham/Wales this March after many years on the South Coast.

When I'm out in the 130TC I'll see if I can see any of your Anglia tyre marks in the lanes