For the love of Fiats

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Danny Townsend's multi record holding, multi championship winning A/A. Danny raced the car from the late 70's to the early 80's. Powered by a 482 cubic inch big block Chevy. It was injected gasoline and one of the car used by Crane Cams to develop their range of big block Chevy camshafts. It had a 11" Hayes clutch and a three speed Lenco trans with a 2.10 low gear.
The old rules for altered called for a maximum of 25% engine sit back measured from the front spark plug hole to the front spindle. This dimension could not be more than 25% of the wheelbase of the car. This is the reason all the older cars ran a 92" wheel base so they could put more weight on the rear wheels. The car ran a best of 7.48 @ 179 mph Today Danny races a TAFC in NHRA's Division 3. He still works out of the same garage behind his house in Muncie Indiana that the Fiat was in. Some things don't change.

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This was emailed to me by Rob Bennett from Brisbane Queensland.
If anyone has more Fiat photos available please email them to me kenlowe@onthenet.com.au if you have any info to go with the photo please include that as well. Thanks.

I was surfing the net and found some photos and specs of the original stock Fiats, for a look click here

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1948 Fiat Topolino race car body
Includes the hood and nose all molded into one piece.
Includes full gel coat lay up
The body has filled wheel openings and extended sides so the bottom and the wheel openings can be cut to suit.
The top is filled so it can be cut to suit.
The windows and windscreen are filled so the customer can cut the openings to suit windows.
We give the customer the greatest selection of choices for his finished race car.
Standard race lay up is 55 lbs.
Heavy lay up is $ 250.00 AUD extra (approx $125.00US)
Wooden frame to support body until installation $ 150.00AUD (approx $75.00US)
Wooden frame for shipping is $ 300.00 (approx $150.00US)

Please email me for prices on the Fiat body kenlowe@onthenet.com.au

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This photo was sent to us by Sean Kitchell in Wildwood Missouri. Sean purchased a body from us last month and has just received it. He says he will keep us posted with the progress as the car is under construction. Sean mentioned he had seen the photo sent to us by Rob Bennett in a publication in the US and it was part of the inspiration to construct his new Fiat race car.

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Delivering Sean's Fiat body to the shipping docks in Brisbane.

Photos below from Chris Wright
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Hi, My name is Chris Wright and I come from New Zealand. I race this 355 Chev powerd Fiat with a 2 stage NOs kit. We have done a best of 8.65 @ 154 mph. We call ourselves YAHOOEEE Racing and compete at Champion Dragway south of Auckland. We have just started a Web Site, YAHOOEEE Racing at http://yahooeee.homestead.com
I will send a couple of other fiat photo's when I can find them.
See Ya, Chris Wright

The Fiat photos keep rolling in .....

Steve McGrath from Perth sent this to me. This is his car making a pass at the new Kirwana Raceway in Perth.
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I've had several people send me photos of Fiats and now that I'm updating the site I can't find who car belongs to whom. If the cars shown below are yours please email me and I'll give you the credits.

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Classic - Reath Automotive car.

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Serious stuff!! Blown nitro 392 with Scott injector. Check out the size of the parachute pack. Does anyone know who the racers are, or which race track they are at or any information on the car?? Just a guess but I'd reckon the year is about 1968 to 1972.

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No burn out - this is a pass!!!

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Fiat race cars come with all kinds and sizes of powerplants. This looks like an inline six with three SU carbs.

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I don't know but I'm guessing this is from Australia based upon the car and the type of trees in the background. Note the push board on the front of the "push car". Back then the cars carried no starters or batteries to save weight. Just a guess but the photo is from 1970 give or take a year or two.

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Hosford and Peterson
You can tell this is a late model photo. First the size of the tree with the "blinders" and the long wheele bars. Note the dual chutes.