Fiat Abarth OT 1300 sports car

Manufacturer	Abarth
Production	1965–1969
Designer	Mario Colucci
Class	sports/race car
Layout	FR
Engine	1289 cc
Transmission	4/5-speed manual
Wheelbase	79.33 in, 2,015 mm
Length	150.79 in, 3,830 mm
Width	63.78 in, 1,620 mm
Height	40.94 in, 1,040 mm)
Ground clearance	4.92 in, 125 mm
Dry weight	1,444 1b, 655 kg
Max speed	152.2 mph, 245 kmh

The Fiat Abarth OT 1300 is a series of successful sports racing cars built by Abarth in the 1960s.

History

While the Ferrari GTO was heralded for winning the Division 3 World Touring Car Championship, the Fiat Abarth OT 1300 nearly matched its performance in Division 1. This small car won many important victories for Abarth including the 1966 and 1967 Division 1 World Championships.

The OT 1300 basically had a Simca 1000 chassis floor pans which were heavily modified boxed pressed-steel chassis structure along with modified Fiat 850 components also Simca parts, The car was fitted with a fiber glass body by Designer Engineer Mario Colucci and built in Turin Italy by Sibona & Basano.The OT 1300 also featured suspension modifications similar to those on the OT 1000, including 5.5 in. wheels, front suspension was  independent, wishbones, transverse semi-elliptic leaf spring lower arms, anti-roll bar, telescopic dampers while at the rear  independent, semi-trailing arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar, and 4 telescopic dampers. 

For the engine was designed from the ground up, but was similar to the Simca 1.3-liter they had raced in previous years. It was built at Corso Marche and by Luciano Fochi  Hallmarks of the engine that had a cast iron cylinder block and cylinder head of  light alloy included five main bearings, twin overhead cams and 2 Weber 45 DCOE-9 horizontal twin barrel carburetors with dual ignition hemispherical combustion chambers .Both the front and rear sections were hinged and provided ample access to the running gear gearbox was full synchromesh 4 speed with option for a 5 speed with more options for various gearbox ratios and final drive.

PERFORMANCE

• Engine capacity: 78.69 cu in, 1,289.517 cu cm
• Fuel consumption: 23.5 ml imp gal, 19.6 ml US gal, 12 1 x 100 km
• Max speed: 152.2 mph, 245 kmh
• Specific power: 120.2 hp/l
• Power-weight ratio: 9.3 lb./hp, 4.2 kg/hp
• Max speeds: 51.6 mph, 83 km/h in 1st gear; 82 mph, 132 km/h in 2nd gear; 105.6 mph, 170 km/h in 3rd gear; 129.9 mph, 209 km/h in 4th gear; 152.2 mph, 245 km/h in 5th gear

Upfront was a noticeable large opening air feed to a front radiator cooling system that was water fitted with electric automatic fan, which was then extracted out of the hood.

To meet homologation requirements over 50 OT 1300s were made in the first year with only 50 Prototype cars were produced exclusively for the purpose of racing on circuits. By 1967, the design was updated starting with the chassis which was widened with the addition of a roof-mounted scoop this Periscopic type air-cooling intake on the rear of the cabin roof which now fed the carburetors cool air.

Overall, both the series I and series II OT 1300s were very successful in races at the time.