Project Abarthvx

AbarthVX starting point

• A good solid car but sadly not the right color

AbarthVX naked

• Minor rust repair

• Proper preparation for a color change

AbarthVX proper color

Euro VOLUMEX body conversion:

• Round front marker light / front Pinin side emblem

• No rear marker / no rear Pinin side emblem

• Rear of car Spider 2000 indent removed

AbarthVX on the rotisserie

• Old undercoating removed

• Coated with POR-15

• Scuffed, cleaned & masked

Abarth VX undercoated 

Raptor Liner

• Sprayed with a Schutz spray gun

• 4 liter kit just enough to do 2 coats

• Results in about 2mm thick coating

• Bilstein shocks (as per VX)

• Progressive rate lowering springs

• Plated short lateral rod (as per VX)

• Wheel studs (as per VX)

• Fiat 132 rear diff (as per VX)

• Shock, short lateral & panhard rod mounts modified for 124

• AVT Torsen & 10/41 ring & pinion

• Bilstein shocks (as per VX)

• Progressive rate lowering springs

• 24mm anti-roll bar (as per VX)

• Wheel studs (as per VX)

• Larger hubs (as per VX)

• Taller spindles (as per VX)

• Shorter bumpstop (as per VX)

• Same this side

• Same as late model spiders (85.5)

• R&P crossmember with rack mounts modified with longer A-arm mounting bolts (as per VX)

• Relocated steering shaft hole (R&P)

• R&P specific upper & lower steering shafts

• R&P specific steering shaft firewall gasket

• R&P specific pedal box/steering shaft support

• R&P specific brake pedal (bent around shaft)

Front brakes

• 274mm ventilated front disc (as per VX)

• Caliper mounting bracket (as per VX)

• Brembo caliper (fixed mounting with single 48mm piston each side) (as per VX)

Rear brakes

• Standard 124 rear brake compensator, discs and pads

• Rear calipers with larger 38mm piston (as per VX) vs 36mm (STD)

Standard 124 handbrake setup

R&P specific brake pedal (bend around steering shaft)

Brake booster 8" (as per VX) vs 7" (STD)

Master cylinder - 1990-1994 VW Corrado (Dorman M390271)

• Length: 134mm vs 167mm (VX) and 190mm (STD)

• Travel: 33.5mm (~27mm for VX) 

• Bore: 7/8" (~22mm) same as VX

• Brake line thread M10x1.0 (as per VX)

VX master vs VW master

• spacer is needed as tail of VW master protrudes beyond the mounting flange

Booster with machined spacer and VW master cylinder mounted

• spacer rotates master 45 degrees to allow for recessed spacer mounting without modifying the booster 

Abarth volumetrico supercharger fits with this revised brake booster/master cylinder setup

Left bumper mount hast to be installed first since the securing bolt is best accessed when the fuel tank is out.

2025-01 Update - change in plans, decided to go with retro style chrome bumper conversion so different mounting brackets have been installed.

Tank (STD Fuel Injection tank) installed

Tank is vented via 3 hoses and vapor separator

Fuel pump, pre-filter and post-filter and lines

This car is setup for throttle body injection (i.e. Fuel injection)

Fuel feed and return lines inside the car

Driveshaft rear section is shorter than STD as VX diff is deeper

Driveshaft front section is shorter to mate with 131 gearbox being installed in this car

Rear view - inside trunk without liner

• Retro bumper with number plate lights in end of bumper

• Decided to do full floor due to easy availability of flooring carpet material without sewn in panels

Rear View - inside trunk with liner

• Trunk lock without Spider 2000 Fuel Injected badge (as per VX)

Rear View - Trunk lid closed

Driver Side View

• Side marker light (Euro)

• High Pininfarina badge (as per VX). Moved from low behind door.

Passenger Side view

• as per driver's side

Inside Engine bay view

Front Driver Side View

• Retro bumper with late model signal lights hung below bumper

Front Passenger Side View

• as per driver side

Front lights working

Rear lights working

Dash lights working

Still not sure about the gauge choice but I like the bilingual gauges and Ferraris from that era used gauges that pivoted from the top so why not.

Center switches & indicators working

Note: compressor gauge & clock yet to be mounted

 Steering column switches working

HVAC not yet installed (waiting for cable clips ...)

Note: temporary old steering wheel & test instruments

Windshield and related parts installed

Test install - A sign of things to come ...

rearview mirror, sunvisors, A-pillar moldings and steering wheel with extension installed.

Test install of the 

• dash, instruments and glovebox

• center console, vents and switches

• floor console and under dash panels

Dash and related parts installed. To stay.

Final instrument choices.

The rest of the dash area, center console and floor console, will have to wait until the floor insulation and carpet is installed.