Apart from the quirkiness possessed by all-Italian cars, it wouldn’t be unkind to describe the standard Fiat 131 as just another unremarkable family saloon, however Fiat’s decision in 1975 to contest the 'Group 4' Rally Championship using the 131 and invite input from Abarth and Bertone was a game-changer. The company’s involvement in international rallying brought untold publicity and success in the form of the 1977, 1978 and 1980 FIA World Rally Constructor’s titles, as well as the World Rally Drivers Championships in 1978 and 1980. Much to the delight of enthusiasts, it also brought 400 Stradale road-going versions, built to satisfy FIA 'Group 4' homologation requirements, on to the market.
The alterations required to turn a bland saloon into an all-surface competition machine were significant and began with the chassis itself. Abarth engineers removed the rigid rear axle and replaced it with a fully independent MacPherson strut setup. They also developed a 2-litre twin-cam, in-line four-cylinder engine with a lightweight alloy 16-valve head, which sent power to the rear wheels through a 5-speed manual gearbox. The engine in the Stradale version breathed through a Weber double-barrel carburettor and produced a claimed 140bhp (single Weber 34ADF carburettor). Meanwhile, Bertone developed special bodywork, fitting a fibreglass bonnet and aluminium doors to reduce weight and adding wheel arches to accommodate larger 15'' Cromodoras and tyres, air intakes for cooling and spoilers for additional downforce. The results were spectacular, a cohesive design that turned the two-door shopping car into a veritable 1970s road-rocket.
The car presented here is the result of one man's desire to create his ultimate road-going 131 Abarth Rally Stradale, commissioning some of the best Fiat/Abarth specialist engineers in the business to help him develop a very original 131 S Mirafiori 1600, which he had purchased directly from Abarth GMR Works Museum in Belgium in 2007. The car’s original bodywork was in excellent condition, with little rust and a very solid bodyshell. This was stripped back to bare metal and a very good GRP body kit was sourced (consisting of front and rear wheel arches, front panel and valence, roof spoiler, rear valance, bonnet scoop, boot spoiler) and hand-fabricated onto the bare metal, taking great care to ensure they were aligned correctly and of perfect fit – utilising an original car as a template!
With guidance from the Scheda di Omologazione (which will accompany the car) referencing the engineering behind the factory-made examples, the suspension was sourced from a Lancia Delta Integrale (thus recreating the original specification independent rear suspension, with a 4.1 ratio rear differential). Other parts were hand-fabricated parts including the radiator, oil cooler, prop-shaft and coil-overs. The rear sub-frame was hand-built and has four adjustable arms and rose-joints, and the front braking system was bespoke-built by Hi Spec Motorsport Ltd. Wanting the imposing stance of the Rally Corsa, the wheels were a very important part of the build and subsequently, the car was built around them with a set of ATS wheels sourced from Germany, replicating the look of the Rally Corsa.
The engine is a 2-litre Abarth 103TC unit fully rebuilt to a specification by Guy Croft Engineering and has adjustable electronic ignition, race camshafts and a Weber 44IDF/71 carburettor. An adjustable 'competition' ECU ensures the car runs smoothly when in road mode, but can be adjusted to its raw state should you be brave enough! The engine is mated to an Abarth 131 Racing TC 5-speed gearbox. The original Homologation Abarth Stradale interior was also purchased from the Abarth GMR Museum, one of only 400 sets ever produced, giving an authentic look and feel completed by an Abarth 3-spoke steering wheel and Alcantara headlining.
This is a real opportunity to acquire a superbly engineered car, with proper integrity and diligence to its build. It was conceived to be a ‘keeper’ but sadly, due to a change in circumstances, this special car is now being offered for sale. It is absolutely ready-to-go and was recently magazine-featured by Auto Italia. Worthy of any collection of Italian cars, this is not to be missed.
*Images are used with permission from (and much thanks to) Michael Ward of Auto Italia magazine, the world’s first specialist publication to focus on Italian automotive design, motoring heritage and engineering.
