Fiat Abarth OT 850

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Fiat Abarth
Fiat Abarth OT 850 (restored and with alloy wheels subject to a surcharge)
Fiat Abarth OT 850 (restored and with alloy wheels subject to a surcharge)
OT 850
Production period: 1964-1966
Class : Small car
Body versions : limousine
Engines: Otto engines :
0.85 liters
(32 - approx. 51 kW)
Length: 3570 mm
Width: 1420 mm
Height: 1350-1370 mm
Wheelbase : 2027 mm
Empty weight : 645 kg
Previous model Fiat Abarth 850 TC
successor ( Fiat 850 Special )

The Fiat Abarth OT 850 , alternatively also known as Fiat Abarth 850 OT , Fiat Abarth 850OT and internally as Abarth (Modello , Sigla or Tipo) 101 , is a sporty small car model from the Italian car manufacturer Abarth ; As the entry-level model of the series, it was offered in various versions based on the Fiat 850 between 1964 and 1966 .

Model description

The rear of a Fiat Abarth OT 850 (probably built afterwards in 1972) with contrasting side stripes, as was common in Abarth's motorsport

The OT 850 belongs to the widely ramified, confusing Fiat Abarth OT series of passenger cars , which the Turin-based company produced between 1964 and 1970. Among the OT models, it was the entry-level model in terms of displacement , performance and price until 1966, when sales of the new 850 version ended . His closest relatives were

The technical basis from the chassis to the body to the engine comes from the Fiat 850 Berlina with rear engine , rear-wheel drive and 34  HP (25  kW ).

The OT 850 was created in several versions as a series model with road approval for customers, while a motorsport variant was only used for in-house testing purposes. Unlike the OT 1000 , it was only available with the two-door sedan body of the Fiat 850 Berlina , but not as a coupé or Spider . A feature of all OT 850 is the Abarth Sigla 201 engine with the same displacement as the original model and still OHV valve control . The model was designed as the successor to the smaller, lighter Fiat Abarth 850 TC , which was still based on the Fiat 600 , and was aimed specifically at customers looking for a combination of good driving performance and better family suitability.

In the series version with road approval, the OT 850 develops 44 or 53 hp (32 or 39 kW), in the racing version without road approval up to around 70 hp (51 kW). Exact production figures are not known.

Overview of the different versions

The following variants of the Fiat Abarth OT 850 were created ex works:

  • Fiat Abarth OT 850 (internal Abarth Tipo 101 ): From May 1964, Abarth produced the basic model with road approval and the two-door sedan body of the Fiat 850 Berlina in series. It had the Abarth engine Sigla 201 with 44 hp (32 kW), which allowed a top speed of 130 km / h;
  • Fiat Abarth OT 850 / Oltre 130 (internally also Abarth Tipo 101 ): In November 1964, the slightly revised variant followed with small changes to the oil circuit, but the same engine identification, and with the same output, but a slightly higher top speed;
  • Fiat Abarth OT 850 / Oltre 150 (internally also Abarth Tipo 101 ): In November 1964, the more powerful variant with 53 HP (39 kW) and road approval supplemented the model range (internally also referred to as the Sigla 201 engine );
  • Fiat Abarth OT 850 Corsa (internal Abarth Tipo 101A ): For testing purposes, Abarth produced single pieces of this variant from 1964 for motor sport without road approval with the further enhanced engine Abarth Sigla 201A .

Sometimes all variants have the suffix “Berlina”, or “Limousine” in German, although this type of suffix is ​​unnecessary for this model due to the lack of other body variants.

Development history

The starting model of the Fiat Abarth OT 850 , the Fiat 850 Berlina

Abarth traditionally had close contacts with Fiat ; Thus, early pre-series vehicles of the Fiat 850 Berlina presented in March 1964 were available to develop the extensive Fiat Abarth OT series . Abarth saw the OT 850 as a sporty entry-level model for larger series production, also for near-series motorsport by amateurs in the class up to 850 cubic centimeters. In spring 1964, Abarth developed the Abarth Sigla 201 as a street version and the Sigla 201A as a racing version , under the direction of chief engineer Mario Colucci and the head of engine development, Luciano Fochi . Both engine variants were designed for the space available in the engine compartment of the sedan body with regard to the carburettor , the exhaust manifold and the entire exhaust system . The original version with 44 hp (32 kW) debuted in May 1964. In the course of further developments, the oil circuit was optimized in November 1964; At the same time, a more powerful, sporty variant with 53 PS (39 kW) was added to the improved basic version. At the same time, Abarth developed a racing version for internal testing from 1964.

In November 1964, the OT 850 with limousine body resulted in the production model OT 1000 Berlina ( Tipo 102 ) with a displacement of 982 cubic centimeters, with a larger displacement and more torque, and the Fiat Abarth OT 1600 Berlina ( Tipo 135 ) as a test vehicle in December 1964 and at the beginning of 1965 the Fiat Abarth 2000 Berlina ( Tipo 136 ). In 1966, still followed in individual pieces of the Fiat Abarth OTR 850 with the special, from Abarth developed Radial - cylinder head , the 1965 Coupe OTR 1000 had its premiere.

Production history

After the end of production of the Fiat Abarth OT 850 , many Fiat 850s were upgraded with Abarth parts, also for motorsport, here a modified Fiat 850 Special

Production of the OT 850 began in May 1964. Abarth received the original vehicles individually or in batches from ongoing Fiat production; he took over their chassis numbers and added their own abbreviations; a subsequent exact count is not possible. The production figures of the OT 850 fell well short of expectations. For some, its price premium over the standard Fiat 850 Berlina appeared to be too high compared to the gain in performance and the increase in top speed. Fiat had also introduced the rival 850 Super in the course of 1964 ; By converting to premium gasoline, it achieved 37  (DIN) HP (27 kW) and was even available at the same price as the weaker, but also more economical, basic model that was still offered. Many Abarth customers therefore immediately preferred the OT 1000 Berlina , which had more displacement and more torque .

During this time , Fiat had increasingly switched to no longer - like Abarth - specifying the lower values ​​in German DIN-PS or the very similar Italian CUNA-PS , but rather the higher SAE , which is particularly common in North America but more difficult to assess for European customers -PS ; Based on the Fiat specification of 40 (SAE) PS for the 850 Berlina, the increase in performance of the OT 850 to 43 (DIN) PS was disappointing for some. In addition, from spring 1965 Fiat was offering more powerful models with attractive bodies at an attractive price with the 850 Coupé and the 850 Spider with 47 and 49 (DIN) PS (35 and 36 kW) respectively.

Against this background, series production of the OT 850 ended in the first few months of 1965; Nevertheless, it was still in the Abarth price lists until model year 1966 . It is unclear whether Abarth recently only sold remaining stocks or whether the vehicles were still produced individually to order. The production of complete OT 850s ended in 1966 when Abarth discontinued the OT 1000 Berlina , the last version with the sedan body of the Fiat 850 Berlina ; The OT 1000 Spider remained from the OT series car program until 1968 and the OT 1000 Coupé and the OT 1300 Coupé until 1970 . OT 850 could, however, still be set up by customers themselves in the following years by buying the individual conversion parts from Abarth and installing them themselves.

The Fiat 850 Special can be seen as the indirect successor of the Fiat Abarth OT 850 , which was manufactured in large series from the beginning of 1968 with the 47 hp (35 kW) engine of the Fiat 850 Coupé . From 1965 until the early 1970s, Giannini Automobili , based in Rome, produced a competitor to the Fiat Abarth OT 850 , the Fiat Giannini 850 SL Berlina ; its engine developed 48 hp (35 kW) at 5500 revolutions per minute.

technology

The Fiat Abarth OT 850 is based on the widespread Fiat 850 Berlina with rear engine and rear wheel drive from 1964.

engine

The OT 850 is the only vehicle model that uses the short-stroke Abarth Sigla 201 engine , a water-cooled 0.85 liter gasoline engine with four cylinders in line . As with the original model, a cylinder bore of 65.0 millimeters and a piston stroke of 63.5 millimeters results in a displacement of 843 cubic centimeters. For the original version or, from November 1964, the weaker version, the manufacturer put the power at 44 DIN PS (32 kW) at 5400 revolutions per minute, for the stronger version at 53 PS (39 kW) at 6000 revolutions. The mixture is prepared by a Solex single carburetor of the type 34PBIC . Abarth initially stated the top speed as "130 kilometers per hour", then for the weaker version with "over 130" or 135 km / h and for the stronger version with "over 150" or finally 150 km / h.

Only at first glance are there any similarities to the four-cylinder engine of the Fiat Abarth 850 TC with 847 cubic centimeters displacement, which is based on the Fiat 600 as Sigla 214 . The crankshafts of both engine types have - as with the original Fiat engines - different directions of rotation; In addition, the TC engine is designed as a long-stroke engine (62.5 mm bore × 69.0 mm stroke). The increase in performance of the OT 850 compared to the Fiat 850 Berlina is based primarily on a more powerful carburetor, special add-on parts developed and built by Abarth and classic tuning measures ; Abarth-specific add-on parts include, in particular, the intake bridge , the exhaust manifold and the twin- pipe sports exhaust.

landing gear

The OT 850 uses the chassis of the Fiat 850 with independent wheel suspension . As with all versions of the Fiat Abarth OT car series, it has been modified because of the higher performance . The factory had OT 850 12  inches high and 4½ inches wide Abarth - steel rims with a chromed trim cover together with the Abarth logo to cover the hub and wheel bolts. For a surcharge, 13-inch light alloy wheels from several manufacturers were available ex works . The standard tires had the format 145 × 12. The weaker version decelerated front and rear with drum brakes, only the stronger with disc brakes at the front.

The wheelbase of 2027 millimeters and the track width of 1150 millimeters at the front and 1160 millimeters at the rear correspond to the Fiat 850 Berlina and the conventional Fiat Abarth OT passenger cars. The track width on the rear axle could be widened to 1220 millimeters.

body

The front of the Fiat Abarth OT 850 with the characteristic, asymmetrically mounted Abarth logo and the Fiat Abarth brand lettering

The OT 850 uses the standard body of the Fiat 850 Berlina . Outwardly it differs from this one in several small details; The external differences to the OT 1000 Berlina are minor .

The characteristic, large Abarth logo (seen from the front) is mounted asymmetrically to the left on the front, next to it is a narrow chrome strip with the inscription Fiat Abarth (without reference to the displacement). Abarth logos also adorn the front fenders, the hubcaps, the dashboard and lettering on the rear. The standard steel wheels have oval ventilation openings. Other external features are the sports exhaust with two tailpipes and a modified oil pan made from an aluminum alloy . In contrast to the larger-displacement variant OT 1000, there are no external indications of the displacement.

The OT 850 in motorsport

The in-house competition of the OT 850 Corsa , the Fiat Abarth 850 TC Corsa from 1965 / '66

In parallel to the street model, Abarth developed the OT 850 Corsa , sometimes also referred to as the OT 850 Competizione . Internally, the model bears the name Tipo 101A and the further enhanced engine the identifier Sigla 201A . From this model only a few vehicles were built for the company's own purposes, in order to replace them with the proven model 850 TC Nürburgring Corsa from 1963 and '64 and with the 850 TC Corsa from model years 1965 and '66 ( Sigla 214D / C – 214D / F ) Compare base of Fiat 600 D. As a result, the TC models asserted themselves because of their approximately 40 kilograms lower weight, more compact dimensions and more favorable aerodynamics .

Accordingly, no works operations of the OT 850 Corsa / Competizione have been documented, and no special motorsport homologation was carried out by the Commission Sportive Internationale (CSI), the licensing authority of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). However, customers could buy the racing components individually and install them themselves. In terms of performance, the racing versions of the OT 850 were about the same level as the respective 850 TC variants: around 64 hp (47 kW) at 7,000 rpm in 1964 and around 70 hp (51 kW) at 8,000 rpm in 1965 and '66.

The new car prices at the time

On the Italian home market, the Fiat Abarth OT 850 initially cost 870,000 Lire , while the original Fiat 850 Berlina - like the 850 Super later - was available for 798,000 Lire. With the revision to the OT 850 / Oltre 130 in November 1964, the price remained unchanged. The more powerful OT 850 / Oltre 150 , however, cost 1,100,000 Lire, exactly as much as the OT 1000 Berlina ; However, compared to the base model, both offered front disc brakes as standard instead of drum brakes.

Nonetheless popular accessories that were available ex works were alloy wheels from Amadori or Campagnolo for 23,500 lire; there was also a choice of various sports steering wheels with wooden wreaths or leather covers at prices between 17,000 and 22,000 lire.

The situation today

Only a few vehicles of the original OT 850 have survived to this day, many were worn out in racing. Because of their inconspicuous appearance, the remaining ones received little attention even among vehicle collectors for a long time. Today they are sought-after collector's items among Abarth brand lovers . The prices vary greatly depending on the state of preservation and vehicle history.

A limited miniature model of the Fiat Abarth OT 850 from 1964 in white in 1:18 scale is available from Laudoracing-Models .

literature

Web links

Commons : Fiat Abarth OT 850  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Photos, reproduction of factory documents and literature on the Fiat Abarth OT 1000 Coupé with information also on the entry-level model Fiat Abarth OT 850 on the web portal bernimotori.com , accessed on 11. November 2018 (English / Italian).
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Photos and literature on the Fiat Abarth OT 1600 Berlina with information also on the entry-level model Fiat Abarth OT 850 on the web portal bernimotori.com , accessed on November 11, 2018 ( English / Italian).
  3. ↑ a b c d e f Overview of the Abarth engines, here Sigla 201 and 201A , on the web portal bernimotori.com , accessed on November 11, 2018 (English / Italian).
  4. ↑ Roger Gloor: All Cars of the 60s . Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart. 1st edition 2006. ISBN 978-3-613-02649-0 , p. 39.
  5. ↑ a b c Roger Gloor: All cars of the 60s . Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart. 1st edition 2006. ISBN 978-3-613-02649-0 , p. 40.
  6. ↑ a b c Overview of the Abarth automobiles, here Tipo 101 , on the web portal bernimotori.com , accessed on November 11, 2018 (English / Italian).
  7. ↑ a b c d Technical data with further links, in particular to the models Fiat Abarth OT 850 / Oltre 130 (here: OT 850/135) and OT 850 / (Oltre) 150 on the automobile-catalog.com web portal , accessed on 11. November 2018 (English).
  8. ↑ Roger Gloor: All Cars of the 60s . Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart. 1st edition 2006. ISBN 978-3-613-02649-0 , pp. 151, 153 and 178 f.
  9. ^ NN: Fiat-Abarth OTR 1000, di testa propria . Automobilismo (magazine), April 9, 2016 with information also on the OT 850 entry-level model ( online version on the automobilismo.it portal , accessed on November 11, 2018 ) (Italian).
  10. ↑ The Fiat Abarth OT 850 as a limited miniature model in 1:18 scale from Laudoracing-Models , accessed on November 12, 2018.

Remarks

  1. ↑ Abarth regularly used the brand name Fiat Abarth (without hyphen) for this and other series and the model designation OT 850 in works publications , see the sales brochure for the OT 850 / OT 1000 Berlina and the works data sheets for the parallel models OT 1000 Coupé and OTR 1000 Coupé , respectively accessed on November 11, 2018 (English / Italian); The names 850 OT and 850OT can also be found in external sources . For the internal designation see the overview of the Abarth automobiles, here Tipo 101 , as well as the overview of the vehicles with the Abarth engines Sigla 201 and 201A , each on the web portal bernimotori.com , accessed on November 11, 2018 (English / Italian ).
  2. ↑ In addition to the Fiat Abarth OT passenger car series , there were also the pure racing sports cars of the Fiat Abarth OT series , which were also on the floor pan of the Fiat 850 from 1965 to 1968 , but with DOHC engines from 1.3 to 2.0 liters and with plastic bodies as OT 1300/1600/2000 Spider Sport and (Periscopio) Coupé Sport ( Abarth Tipo 135 to 137 ).
  3. ↑ In some later publications there is also the subsequent designation Fiat Abarth OT 850/130 for a more precise distinction with a view to the maximum speed , which can lead to confusion with the revised version built from November 1964.
  4. ↑ In some publications the Italian-language addition “oltre” (in German: “about”) is dispensed with, which can lead to confusion with the earlier version built between May and November 1964. In other publications, the name Fiat Abarth OT 850/135 is used to distinguish it .
  5. ↑ In some publications the Italian-language addition “oltre” (in German: “about”) is dispensed with, so that the model designation is only OT 850/150 .