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Fiat
Sports Cars
1950s
Italy

History

Fiat 1200 and 1500S Cabriolets

 
Overview
Manufacturer  Fiat 
Production  1959 to 1963
Body and chassis
Class  Sports
Layout  Cabriolet
Powertrain
Engine 2.5L I-4, 3.0L Six Cylinder
Transmission Four-speed manual
Wheel base 92.19 in, 2340 mm
Length 158.78 in, 4030 mm 
Width 59.89 in, 1520 mm
Height 51.22 in, 1300 mm
Ground clearance 4.7 in, 120 mm 
Weight 19851b. to 21851b.

 

Fiat 1200 and 1500S Cabriolets Built: Turin, Italy, from 1959 to 1963

By the end of the 1950s, Fiat, who were Italy's largest manufacturer of cars, were expanding their model range in all directions. Earlier in the decade, their sporting car effort had been directed, rather half-heartedly, towards the handbuilt 8V model, and towards the rather ugly Pininfarina-bodied two-seater model.

From 1959, however, a much more satisfactory, and potentially more popular, sports car appeared. The new model, smart and very much up-to-the-minute in its styling, was shaped for them by Pininfarina, and had a choice of engines. The new car was first seen at the Geneva motor show of 1959, where it was seen to have a particularly trim open body style. Logically enough, it was known as the 1200 Spider, for it used the 'chassis' platform of the latest 1200 saloon, along with the classic front-engine/rear-drive/live-axle layout, and the pushrod overhead valve engine of the 1200 Gran Luce.

PERFORMANCE: 1200

  • Engine capacity: 74.68 cu in, 1221 cu cm;
  • Fuel consumption: 32.4 m/imp gal, 27 m/US gal, 8.7 1 x 100 km;
  • Max speed 90.1 mph, 145 km/h
  • Max power (SAE): 63 hp at 5300 rpm
  • Max torque (SAE): 68 1b ft, 9.4 kgm at 4000 rpm
  • Max number of engine rpm: 5300
  • Power-weight ratio: 31.1 lb/hp, 14.1 kg/hp
  • Acceleration: standing 1/4 mile 22.5 sec, 0—50 mph (0 —80 km/h) 12.5 sec
  • Max speed in 1st gear: 24.8 mph, 40 km/h; max speed in 2nd
  • Gear: 40.4 mph, 65 km/h; max speed in 3rd gear: 62.1 mph, 100 km/h; max
  • Speed in 4th gear: 90.1 mph, 145 km/h

That, however, was only a start, for later in the year the same basic unit-construction shell became available with a twin-overhead-camshaft engine of 1491cc, which was a product of co-operation between Fiat and O.S.C.A. (a small specialist Modena company, owned by the Maserati brothers). Osca had designed the engine, which was built under licence by Fiat at the Mirafiori works; Osca, incidentally, bought back quantities of the engine for their own use, and for selling in very limited numbers in their own cars.

PERFORMANCE: 1491cc twin-cam engine

  • Maximum speed 105mph. 0-60mph 10.6sec.
  • Standing 1/4-mile 18.5sec
  • Typical fuel consumption 30mpg.
  • Maximum power 80bhp (net) at 6000rpm,
  • maximum torque 771b.ft. at 4000rpm.

The cylinder block was of cast-iron, but the head was in light-alloy, and the widely-splayed valves were arranged Jaguar-fashion to give very efficient breathing. Unlike contemporary engines like the MGA Twin-Cam and the Ford-Lotus twin cams, the Osca unit was not a conversion, but was completely different from every other Fiat engine. Even so, the engine was never destined to be offered in any other Fiat model. Production was always somewhat limited, and twin-cam 1500S models were never built at a greater rate than 50 cars a day. The only important technical change made in the life of the model was the adoption of Girling disc brakes in 1961. At the end of 1962, the model was revised, with an enlarged twin-cam engine of 1568cc, and with the use of the pushrod engine from the latest Fiat 1500 model, and these cars carried on until 1966.
Perhaps the Fiat 1500 Cabriolet, to give the twin-cam model its full and official title, was never a roaring success in the market place because it was badged as a 'Fiat', instead of something more exotic. It had to face formidable competition in the same price and engine size brackets from the very stylish Alfa Romeo Giulietta/Giulia models, where snob appeal far outweighed the service practicalities of buying a Fiat.
However, it was an important car for Fiat, particularly later in the 1960s, for it paved the way for the enormously popular Fiat-designed twin-cam engines and sporting cars which dominated the 1970s.

 

 

Technical

  • Fiat 1200 1500S Cabriolets Technical details and specifications (1959-1963)


    ENGINE:1200
    location front
    4 stroke; cylinders: 4, vertical, in line
    bore and stroke: 2.84 x 2.95 in, 72 x 75 mm
    engine capacity: 74.68 cu in, 1221 cu cm
    compression ratio: 8.25:1
    specific power: 51.5 hp/l
    cylinder block: cast iron
    cylinder head: light alloy
    crankshaft bearings: 3
    valves: 2 per cylinder, overhead, in line, with push rods and rockers
    camshaft: 1, side
    lubrication: gear pump, by-pass filter
    carburation: 1 Weber 36 DCD 7 downdraft twin-barrel carburettor
    fuel feed: mechanical pump
    cooling system: water

    1500S twin-cam engine
    1491cc.
    twin overhead camshaft cylinder head, designed by OSCA, built by Fiat.
    Bore, stroke and capacity, 78 x 78mm

    TRANSMISSION:
    driving wheels: rearclutch: single dry plate
    gear box: mechanical; gears: 4 + reverse
    synchromesh gears: 2nd, 3rd, 4th
    gear box ratios: (I) 3.38, (II) 2.09, (III) 1.38, (IV) 1, (Rev) 3.38
    gear lever location: central
    final drive: hypoid bevel; ratio: 4.3:1

    CHASSIS:
    type integral
    front suspension: independent, wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar, telescopic dampers
    rear suspension: rigid axle, semi-elliptic leaf- springs, anti-roll bar, telescopic dampers.

    STEERING:
    worm and roller
    turns of steering wheel lock to lock: 3.25.
    turning radius (between walls): 18.7 ft, 5.70 m

    BRAKES:
    drum; braking surface: total 153.44 sq in, 990 sq cm. disc brakes from winter 1960/61.

    ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT:
    voltage: 12 V
    battery: 48 Ah
    dynamo: 230 W

    DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT:
    wheel base: 92.19 in, 2340 mm
    front track: 48.54 in, 1232 mm
    rear track: 47.87 in, 1215 mm
    overall length: 158.78 in, 4030 mm
    overall width: 59.89 in, 1520 mm
    overall height: 51.22 in, 1300 mm
    ground clearance: 4.7 in, 120 mm
    dry weight: 1962 1b, 890 kg
    distribution of weight: 56% front axle, 44% rear axle

    © Motor car History

Service

  • Fiat 1200 1500S Cabriolets Maintenance and Service Guide (1959-1963)

    Gearbox oil: 0.9 imp qt, 1.07 1, change every 18600 miles,30000 km
    Final drive oil: 0.5 imp qt, 0.6 US qt, 0.6 1, change every 18600 miles, 30000 km
    Steering box oil: 0.1 imp qt, 0.2 US qt, 0.16 1, change every 18600 miles, 30000 km
    Tyre pressure (medium load): front 24 psi, 1.7 atm, rear 27 psi, 1.9 atm.
    Width of rims: 3.5"
    Tyres: 5.20 - 14
    Fuel tank capacity: 8.36 imp gal, 10.03 US

    1200 Engine
    Fuel type: petrol, 92 Oct
    Tappet clearances: inlet 0.014 in, 0.37 mm. exhaust 0.014 in, 0.37 mm
    Valve timing: (inlet) opens 16° before tdc and closes 56° after bdc, (exhaust) opens 56° before bdc and closes 16° after tdc
    Engine oil change: 2.6 imp qt, 3.1 US qt, 3 1, SAE 10W (winter) 40 (summer), change every 3100 miles, 5000 km
    Total lubricating system capacity: 3.4 imp qt, 4.1 US qt, 3.9 1
    Cooling system capacity: 6.1 imp qt, 7.4 US qt, 7 1.

    © Motor car History

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Italian Automotive 1960s | Italian Automotive 1950s | Vehicles launched in 1959 | Italian Sports Cars | Pininfarina

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