Midwest-124, Ltd

Performance 2L FI build up for Felice Maiorca

Stock 1.8L build up for client Pete Shank

Performance 1 8Lbuild up for client Paul Danigelis

Haven't posted in a while but had to share.... Client had chronic overheating while in traffic which resulted in a high-compression engine detonating ( #2 piston blown apart). While installing a newly rebuilt engine I decided to rip out the Rube Goldberg style fan activating device installed by a prior mechanic.... A spaghetti nest of wires, relays, circuit breaker, and adjustable dial with probe to do the simple work of a $15 lower temp fan switch. 🤔

Time to buy some lottery tickets... IYKYK (x2)

2L conversion engine for Matt Popp's Lancia Scorpion. Beta 2L FI head and camboxes. 2L Beta rotating assembly but 124 type block. Beta electronic ignition run off end of exhaust cam. A411 cams, Isky springs, standard valves. Single plane intake from an 1800 Beta paired with a new 34 DAT carb. 1.8L Scorpion baffled oil pan and pump, and liquid v***r return tube.

Lightened flywheel, 8.8:1 pistons. 124-type oil filter housing/alternator mount. 124 2L front crank pulley and water pump pulley. Scorpion water pump modified slightly to press pulley fl**ge toward the block to align for the belt.

New timing belt cover from Monte Hospital supplied by client.

1983 Pininfarina engine completed for client Chris D'Argio. Engine came in rusty and seized. Bored to 85mm with 8.8:1 pistons, but otherwise stock. Rebuilt fuel rail and distributor.

2L FI Fiat Spider 2000 head after a stock rebuild, rebuilt fuel rail, and distributor for client Mike Smith. Originally a Florida car, all original cad plating is still in great condition.

2L FI head for client Matt Popp's 2L Scorpion conversion. Head and cam boxes from late FI Beta. Used the Beta rotating assembly but substituted a 124/131 type 2L block for mounting in the Scorpion. Will mount the 1.8L Scorpion oil pan and pump.

Build is mostly stock but is running A411 cams and will run a 34 DAT carburetor.

Haven't posted in a while do to being overwhelmingly busy. Case in point is the current backlog of cylinder head work. Here is a glimpse of the production line of DOHC and SOHC heads through the shop.

Just about all represented. 1500 carb, 1500 FI, AND Yugo SOHC heads. On tge DOHC side, 2L FI, 2L carb Lancia, 1608cc, and two 1.8L.

Very unusual find under the seats of a client's 1974 Fiat X1/9. A VERY tiny English dictionary. Case reads "Smallest Dictionary in the Word" and includes a built-in magnifying glass in the case. The case is like a small locket. Strangely, I looked it up and it matches a circa 1893 novelty!

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/pears-bryce-son-smallest-dictionary-1761062679

Will be given to the client with his car.

A day in the life at Midwest-124. Somewhere around 7 engine builds, transmissions, and heads going at once. Good thing I have 8 pair of hands and arms! All that brake cleaner finally paid off. 🤪

Due to a shipping delay I have ended up with a spare shifter extension for a Fiat 131 gearbox. If installing a 131 box into a 124 coupe or Spider you need this extension. Very rare. PM me if interested.

Tom Ragonetti's Fiat 850 race car in for some dyno tuning. This was a 903cc engine that I had punched out to 67mm A112 spec (offset cylinder 1 and 4). Forged Pauter rods, forged 10.5:1 pistons. PBS head with roller rocker arms and twin sidedraft 40 DCOEs.

Video to follow.

Thank you Denie Hiestand for helping to finish off Zeke Guspan's 131 gearbox set up for his 124 Spider race car. The Fiat Argenta shifter extension!!!

Reminder to all Midwest-124/Midwest-Bayless customers, friends, family, and gear-heads in general... Our open house is THIS SATURDAY!

277 W Johnstown Road, Gahanna, OH 43230

Bring an appetite

Zeke Guspan's 2L race engine build up. Forged Weisco 10:1 pistons, Pauter forged rods, crank turned 0.010" undersize then re-nitrided. Head ported/polished with 43mm/37.5mm valves, Isky springs, billet PBS camshafts (dont recall the specs but they are aggressive). 1" timing belt, adjustable gears, lightened flywheel, and a Bluetooth programmable 123 Distributor and Magnecore plug wires.

Will mate up with a pair of NOS Weber 40IDF 13/15 carbs.

1800cc stock engine build up for Sandra & Lonnie Turner's 1974 Fiat 124 Spider.

843cc Fiat 850 engine build up for Jamie Quinn. Block was actually a new-old-stock shortblock Jamie acquired many years ago. I cleaned up the block, cleaned/polished the crankshaft, and fit higher compression STD bore pistons on the original rods. Finally block was lightly decked and bores honed to clean up any surface corrosion from storage.

I believe the head was also new-old-stock though it had some "shelf rash" from storage so it was cleaned, seats lightly cut, and mating surface refaced to clean up. New flywheel bolts and a refaced flywheel to finish it off. Jamie will add his carb/water pump, dustributor, and exhaust.

An unusual transmission rebuild for client Ethan Wing. This is an early series 1 Fiat 128 4-speed transmission, converted to a 5-speed with a kit manufactured by Bacci back in the early 1970's.

Upon tear-down I found a broken bolt retaining 5th gear to the custom pinion shaft. Oddly, this bolt was a left-hand thread M10. (No I did not break it trying to remove it the wrong way, see the witness marks inside the case). Fortunately the broken piece of bolt came out of the pinion shaft when drilled with a RHT bit.

Internally, the custom reverse idler gear was badly galled. Unfortunately Bacci has not made these in almost 50 years, so I cleaned it up the best I could. 1st & 2nd gears replaced, 1-2 slider, 3-4 slider, all synchros, and bearings replaced. Broken LHT bolt was replaced with a nee grade 12 bolt. Also replaced was the shifter gate as one arm of the spring was broken.

I thought I was done on Pascal Martel's 74 spider but while test driving after engine and trans rebuild, a nasty rear end noise became apparent. Upon draining the differential, I found a smallish bit of gear tooth attached to the magnetic drain plug. After pulling the differential assembly, more teeth were found and the full extent of the damage was discovered. Pinion was SHREDDED! Oddly, ring gear was relatively unscathed. A good refreshed 4.3:1 unit is being installed to wrap up the project.

Work on Matt Popp's Lancia Scorpion coming along. Rebuilt cylinder head. New valves/seals, light milling, stock cams, 32 DATRA carb rebuilt, distributor rebuilt and Pertronix electronic pickup added. Furnished ansa quad-tip exhaust installed (a bear of a fit!!)

I received a great email from my client Marc Tartaglia regarding his 1959 Abarth Record Monza engine that I rebuilt for him last year. He purchased the car on Bring a Trailer and rumor has it that this car was once owned by Italian Formula One driver Ernesto Prinoth.

Shortly after Marc purchased the car, the engine (which as a replacement 70HP A112 type) suffered a breakdown after blowing the head gasket. The valve train also had quite a bit of damage so a new performance roller-rocker assembly was added to the build. I installed overbore pistons, turned/polished the crankshaft, and new valves. I discovered a crack in the flywheel so a new billet steel unit was custom made to fit the A112 engine to the original Record
Monza transmission.

Upon installation there was an issue with the original distributor with the cable driven tachometer gear. I gave Marc some guidance on an electronic distributor replacement. With that installed by Marc's local mechanic, I received the following message:

"Jon, got the distributor..omg the car looks and runs great ~, thank you … I drove few miles nice and easy to give it a break in time im guessing 500 miles, is that good? I have to say it sounds fantastic, idles beautiful and runs nice and strong I am very happy and even more excited to finish it up. I took it for a ride around town at night all lights work and at 5’ 11” 235lbs I got in no problem and once in nice and comfortable…Thank you! for the excellent job I really appreciate all your expert guidance. "
-Marc Tartaglia

Pascal Martel sent some running lights to be installed prior to reinstalling the radiator. All in and wired.

For those curious on the exhaust destined for the 1976 Lancia Scorpion.... Ansa quad-tip with header. All ceramic coated by Jet-Hot. Like jewelry!

Another project in house. Matthew Popp's 1976 Lancia Scorpion. This apparently was almost a "junk-yard car" from the previous owner but Matthew has been dilligently restoring it to its rightful glory.

It is in for a cylinder head rebuild, carb repair (or replacement), electronic ignition conversion, and the install of a beautiful ANSA exhaust and header which has had a full Jet-Hot ceramic coating applied.