I have never seen the new Twinair engine as fitted to the modern 500.
I know it will be quite a big thing and be fitted transversely, but it IS air-cooled and two cylinders.
Could it go in a Classic 500?

Peering under the bonnet of a current 500 twinair, it is enormous with all the plastic extra stuff adorning it. It is water cooled, as without this temps cannot be controlled well enough so emission targets cannot be met.

You can probably make almost anything fit, but this is probably a very big task, not just a bolt-in job like the 126 engine.

I didn't realise it was water cooled....fooled by fhe twin AIR
That's it written off then!

The AIR bit refers to I think the dual inlet ports. At low speeds, only one is used per cylinder, opening up the second as more power is demanded.

portland_bill said:

The AIR bit refers to I think the dual inlet ports. At low speeds, only one is used per cylinder, opening up the second as more power is demanded.

Click to expand...

Clever Fiat, as always.

plenty of air cooled bike engine options if you want to try something zany

I have to say that personally, I would never transplant anything non Fiat or that needed bodywork mods. It just intrigued me when I mistakenly thought there was another type of two cylinder, air-cooled available.
Having watched WheelerDealers lately I gues that a Beetle engine would be worth a try.

Afternoon Peter;
When I was at Radbourne Racing we had a customer with a VW engine stuck into the back of his 500--it require quite a lot of modification as the VW engine is (a) quite a bit bigger (bulk-wise), (b) the VW track is quite a bit wider than the Fiat, so the drive shafts have to be modified. (c) the VW wheels are much greater in diameter, so you have to start playing with gear-ratios and (d) the VW engine does not have a rear mount so you have to do some mount reinforcing. Many years ago (and I do mean MANY) the magazine Car and Car Conversions did an article on such an installation entitled 'Little Red Rooster'. I personally thought that it was a messy conversion. I do have a copy of that article but sadly whilst we are between houses, it is 'in storage'. I would stick to doing up a 126 '652' engine as a separate project whilst you run around with the original engine. Gently breathed upon, the 652 engine will give you a substantial performance increase---my 500 with such an engine cruises at about 60/65mph and will easily top 75mph.

That's very interesting Mr. H. I had presumed this sort of think had been done before. I was just musing the other day and have no real intention of "souping up" my Fiat. Although I am cautiously looking for another 499 or 650 to "improve" ready for the future.

Wouldn't want this one though.....
http://www.motoringresearch.com/car...ul-enough-hills-says-bbcs-watchdog-1107954951

fiat500 said:

Wouldn't want this one though.....
http://www.motoringresearch.com/car...ul-enough-hills-says-bbcs-watchdog-1107954951

Click to expand...

Yeah there has been a massive long thread on this since December 2013 that has got quite heated at times on the 2007 onwards thread. Which I have read because we also have a 1.2 Lounge but it pre dates the problem cars. Bad on Fiat on taking such along time to hold their hands up and admit the problem exists.

All I can say is The Classic 500 Forum is a much nicer place to be.

.. or you could do this

http://www.gadgetreview.com/2013/04...lassic-fiat-500-with-a-lamborghini-murcielago

Merry Xmas,
Chris

Haha brilliant, I've seen this guy before, his earlier projects were "breeding" 2 500s with a Ferrari and a porsche! Mad and genius!