turbo124.com

This is all good and well...but I see no skid pics yet...

What does it drive like Nick?.

Need some action shots....... photos/videos.
Looks mean

yeah, i like the 1400 badge on the boot
I'll definitely organise some video when its finished. Hopefully at the next track day.
I haven't driven it all that far or all that aggressively yet (only a couple of small curiosity driven losses of traction ) but initial impressions are good. It has quite smooth power delivery and is very driveable. Mid range acceleration is real good and its surprisingly grunty off boost. I do get the impression its maybe not as strong as it should be at high rpm but i think i'll reserve judgement on that until it has a proper exhaust system.

The power should run out at about 5500rpm. Still on standard boost I assume?

That sounds like what it is doing. The turbo is set up as it was in the Croma. I was curious and hooked up a cheap boost gauge to check boost and it seems to be about 7-8psi. Is that about right? The turbo is by no means new so maybe it has lost a bit.

well nick if i am not wrong 7/8 psi is factory standard boost i think. considering its a used turbo it should smoke white from exhaust if it is in bad condition. check aswell the turbine shaft for exessive play.

cheers & good luck

7-8psi (0.52bar) is standard for a Croma. Lancia's have the overboost circuit which gives a bit more. You could increase boost to 1 bar if you like for more go. I would be interested to know if you have the same boost spike problems as I do. The only difference is the exhaust manifold.

Yeah, i think i'll get one of those adjustable bleed valves and experiment with the boost a bit.
The car is pretty much done now with just a few minor things to do before it can be registered, so i think i'll wait till after its legal

Nice build Nick well done.

Nice build Nick well done.

'Cause I'm french, I'm not sure that I understood everything.
Do yo mean that it wil be a Street Legal Car (Rocket ) ???
In France, it's absolutely impossible !
Any minor upgrade is forbidden (mechanical parts, etc) and, in case of damage, Insurance will be out and against the "Terrorist Driver"

Yes he means it will be street legal. It always amazes me though, (in this country) some people are concerned about the safety of modified vehicles, japanese imports in particular, and have changed laws/want to change laws further. Yet they would not bat an eyelid at the 60 year old driving his big block v8 T-bucket down the road with no roof, no brakes (to speak of) etc. Not that I want it to change, I love seeing stuff like that driving around

In Germany it is possible ...a engineer check if all conversions/upgrades are okay.
But i dont know its possible for you to buy one of this cars here in Germany (with german papers) drive them over to France and bring it there to registration ???

i'd be moving!

Agreed.

The Croma T too had a small overboost function, for 10seconds or so. A magazine here when new tested it to 165hp.
That turbo had a VERY small turbolag for it's time due to it's small size. This also mean it runs out of puff quite early, nothing strange about that.

If you're considering PRV/PBV I'd suggest you check the fuelling first so you don't melt any pistons..

Great to see this up&running anyhow!

Cheers for the positive comments guys. Yes it is going to be road legal. The certification tag for the modifications is supposed to show up in the next few days after which I can register it again.
Unfortunately the motor is sitting on the shed floor after a little bit of a meltdown at a trackday yesterday....
I think there was an airlock in the cooling system leading to the bottom end overheating in a short time. Cruddy sump design and general old age of bottom end (250000km) wouldn't of helped either. Temperature gauge (off sender in head) read normal and first warning of trouble was rattle and power loss
The sump is full of bits of big end bearings and the crank is stuffed but the block will be salvageable i hope.
I took the opportunity to take a pic of the oil squirters for whoever it was that asked
I also noticed an unrelated problem that had solved itself with surprising little damage. The piston recess is not symettrical and i had not noticed and neglected to rotate them 180 degrees. The inlet valves had been skimming the pistons and made their own recesses!
So now it is rebuild time. Not too big of a deal as i was planning to freshen it up anyway. Will rebuild with another crank and pistons, overhaul turbo, put some wings on the sump and fine tune the coolant plumbing a bit. Will try and get the turbo oil drain a bit further from the oil pump pickup for good measure too. Oh and fit an oil pressure and oil temperature gauge!!!

You must have cranked it to have the engine out and in bits by now!

Bad luck Nick. Im surprised the valves touched the pistons with the huge dish like they have, and with turbo cams. Do you mean the piston crown is not symetrical exhaust side to inlet? Maybe using the old head with the chamber spacing issue is the cause?

It sounds like it went like my Tipo. Overheating a little, coolant at 110, oil at 100. No big deal, i'll cruise down the road to cool it down, it didn't cool down. Then I noticed a little knock and a lack of power. Oil temp jumped to 120 odd in a few seconds. game over.

no not symetrical ...look on the last pics from my shiguli projekt ...

@Nick look out for new 1600hf(first series)pistons they have a little bit more Cr (8,4:1)

yeah, doesn't take long to rip apart when it hasn't been together long enough for everything to be stuck
The piston dish goes a couple of mm closer to the edge on the inlet side. It even has a little arrow stamped in to show you
Cheers for the tip mad. Will see what i can find

well i did a little more damage than initially thought...
Mostly done to oiling issues but it must of jumped some teeth on the cambelt to explain the piston/valve damage.
head f#*ked (cracked casting, four bent valves, broken valve guide)
cams f#*ked
camboxes f#*ked
crank f#*ked
rods and pistons probably f#*ked
oil pump f#*ked
Its coming along now though. Turbo has been overhauled. Bottom end is rebuilt with replacement crank and oil pump from a croma i.e, and rods/pistons from an 8v integrale, new rings, bearings. Replacement head has been sourced and overhauled. I think its another 1800 124 head but someone has ported/polished it at some point and it has non standard valve guides and springs. Not too sure what the replacement cams are but are likely n/a and look to be high lift so it could be an interesting combo. I figure its easy enough to change them (the cams) if they prove unsuitable. Hopefully it might be a bit more of a revver

Nice one Nick, keep plugging away and tell us what is like with the rebuild motor fitted.

Well Nick just came around to help me put on the gearbox/sabotage my X1/9 build (if the ring gear hits the starter motor then it is his fault!)

We went for a blast in the wee 124, he even let me have a drive - a true gentleman....

I can say that it goes very well, obviously a smallish turbo, but there is virtually no lag and a huge gob of torque and it is very easy to get things loose - nick was trying harder than I was tho

It made me want to get my old Lada wagon back and find a Thema Turbo......

So Nick, how does it go against the 131? (with a decent fuel pump )

Haha hopefully it was more help than sabotage but you can blame me all you like if i'm wrong. I'll even try not to laugh!

Yep, 124 is back together and running well after a few wee setbacks. Oh and its road legal at long last! Its great fun to drive... always brings a smile to the face

Steve i'd conveniently forgotten about needing a new fuel pump for the 131!! Performance-wise the two cars are very close. Theoretically the v6 has a few more hp and a bit more torque (although at higher rpm) and they have the same gearing. The smaller size of the 124 and the low down torque make it feel quicker but i reckon the 131 could just beat it. I guess there's only one way to know for sure and i haven't had a chance yet

The only true way to find out is a side by side drag...

And so purely in the interests of scientific enquiry I put my name forward as the second driver *cough*

seems like a good idea to me... I win either way

Speaking of which, a perfect opportunity.....

http://www.canterburycarclub.co.nz/comm ... p?slno=288

Some pics of the finished car. Its been behaving well since the rebuild

Does it go any better or worse after the rebuild?

Nice new driveway

cheers Steve
There's not a massive difference but I think its definitely a bit stronger than before.

hello nice project!!

I have a few qeustions for my rebuild 124 ac coupe.

I can buy a lancia 2l 8v turbo engine the one whit the balance shafts from 1994.
is it possible to fit de head and pistons etc. on a old style fiat 2L 8v 132 block.
it's very dificult to find a old model croma in holland the most are rust away.
but the 132 block do not have the oil squirters is it a problem?


gr kramer from the netherlands