| The Fiat 850 is a small rear-engined rear wheel drive car in the tradition of the Renault Dauphine. It was produced between 1964 and 1973.Fiat 850 Special Revised version of the 850 sedan, launched in 1968. It shared the
47 hp (35 kW) engine of 850 Coupé, and offered front disc brakes, sport
steering wheel and improved trim. With a 25 percent increase in power,
plus disc brakes nestled behind 13" wheels, it was a "sport sedan" in
the vein of the BMW 2002, albeit on a smaller scale. Pictured Below was me in a Road Rally in 1969 with Jane as my navigator. We never won one but we came in show and place once in a while...this one is in Northern Ohio |
| Power came from a 195-cubic inch (3.2 L) straight-4, marketed as the "Trophy 4," derived from the right cylinder bank of Pontiac's 389 cu in V8, the standard powerplant Pontiac used in its larger cars, such as the Bonneville and Catalina.
The engine was advertised as a gas-saving economy motor for thrifty
consumers, but Pontiac also saved money because it could run the engine
down the same assembly line as the 389. There were three versions of
the engine: an 8.6:1, low compression, single-barrel carburetor;
a 10.25:1 high-compression with single barrel; and a high-compression
engine with a four-barrel carburetor. While the single-barrel version
produced between 110-140 horsepower, the four-barrel was capable of 155 hp (82 kW) (SAE gross) at 4800 rpm and 215 ft·lbf (292 N·m) of torque
at 2800 rpm. All three versions had a fuel economy ranging from 18-22
mpg, and the engine was generally reliable though it had a reputation
as the "Hay Baler," a derogatory label applied by dealer mechanics
(ostensibly from farm states) who experienced the violent kicks it
could produce when out of tune. The 1963 version, slightly larger and heavier than the previous two years (now designated a "senior compact"), and with a redesigned transaxle that improved handling, offered a high-performance option much more powerful than the scarcely ordered 215. Pictured below is my 1963 Tempest LeMans convertible. it threw a rod in Albion California and died on Albion ridge Road. A few years later it was towed to a dump...too bad...coincidentaly I had an opporutnity to buy the house behind the car which we were renting...price was 7000 dollars...Last time it sold, after many fixes, it was for half a million. My life is like that... |
| The 1963 Pontiac Lemans is a truly unique automobile and for the longest period of time has been overlooked by collectors and overshadowed by the 1964 GT0. A true automotive buff ,knows that the 1963 Pontiac Lemans was the precursor to the musclecar.In mid 1963, Pontiac offered heavy duty suspension (springs, shocks,carbon metallic brake pads, oversize tires) 4 barrel carburetor , dual exhaust and 20:1 steering ratio coupled to a three tiger V-8 -326 HO cast iron block. All this was available in a very attractive lightweight compact body that featured a unique torque tube drivetrain with an independent rear transaxle suspension. In my travels, I have never seen one these models but I guess a few still exist and probably command a high price can you say "Son of Bobcat". |