Fiat Coupe engine in a Multipla!!!!!!!!!

[Robert060379]

I have just seen the only people carrier worth buying (in the world?). A 2.0 20V Turbo Multipla at my local M.O.T centre. Brilliant! I'd like to thank whoever built it. The only things externally that give away the potential are a front mounted intercooler under the bumper and twin exhaust. The alloys are standard 15 Inch Coupe ones (no Brembo's then). The car is dark blue with tinted rear windows and lives near Sutton Bridge. I didn't have my camera or phone on me so if you own this beast put some pictures up for everyone and take a bow.

[Pooh]

Sounds fun, I used to have a Multipla and I always fancied putting an Alfa V6 in it, they are pretty good round corners and remarkably fun to drive even in diesel form so a properly quick one would be a right laugh.

Edited by Pooh on Sunday 26th April 13:30

[Robert060379]

I want to see it on a track. A five passenger "Ring" taxi.
It reminds me of the XJ220 that had the Transit body dropped on its chassis at Goodwood two years ago.

[AutoLusso]

I have a Multipla as our “family” car, the kids love it and the Mrs hates it (takes herself a bit too seriously, can’t do that owning a Multipla)

I bought mine needing an engine replacement and I had a GTA 3.2 engine on the shelf and I was so tempted to fit that but never got round to it

Ned

[Alfa_75_Steve]

It's a conversion I've always wanted to do.

A phase 1 Multipla with 220-odd bhp would be a giggle - and it's not a hugely complex conversion to do, as the Fiat engines are 'modular' in design.

[Bollah]

I would have thought that trying to get a coupe 20vt engine into a Multipla would be a little harder, as isn't the Multipla based on the punto chassis? I know the 20vt engine will fit into a punto, with a lot of hacking of the firewall and chassis arms to make it fit, so would hazard a guess it's the same with putting it into a Multipla?

[Pooh]

Bollah said:

isn't the Multipla based on the punto chassis?

No the Multipla is based on a bespoke semi-spaceframe chassis and is as wide as an S class Merc(to allow 3 full size seats to fit across the car) so I would have thought that there would be plenty of width for the 5 Cylinder engine.

[Robert060379]

I've seen the five pot in an Uno so there should be plenty of room. Semi-Spaceframed chassis? I really like the sound of this now. The Espace had a ladder chassis so heavy they had to make the rest of it out of plastic. The Sharran/Galaxy had either the VR6 or the Cologne lump so a 24V Alfa V6 Multipla should have happened. Oh my how about a Multipla 8/32? With 'grale runnning gear to urinate on the RX4 (Megan not Mazda).

[Pooh]

Robert060379 said:

Semi-Spaceframed chassis? I really like the sound of this now. The Espace had a ladder chassis so heavy they had to make the rest of it out of plastic.

Some info about the chassis.

"The Multipla design brief was for an MPV no more than 4 metres long (less than a Fiat Bravo) with the following capabilities:

To carry six people and all their luggage
To be roomy and comfortable
To be versatile and practical
To handle like a saloon
To perform like a saloon
To deliver the economy of a mid-range saloon
To develop a vehicle close to a segment 'C' and 'D' car in size
In order to produce such a vehicle, radical ideas were needed, including a fundamental re-examination of the way in which cars are built. Since there was no vehicle in existence to examine, this was no small task. Rules were not just broken, new ones were created.

The spaceframe

In order to produce the sort of radical vehicle that would fulfil customer demands of a mid-range MPV, Fiat's designers started from scratch, introducing a brand new method of car construction: The spaceframe concept. This was central to the viability of the Multipla and has proved to be such a success that it is destined to play a major role in the production of future Fiat cars.

Instead of the conventional bodyshell that's pressed from a single piece of steel, the spaceframe is a 'latticework' of steel sections, which are linked so as to form the skeleton of the car. The sheet metal that comprises the bodywork - which can be of varying thicknesses - is then welded to this 'skeleton'.

The benefits are numerous:

lower manufacturing costs
greater flexibility when producing derivatives (and consequent reduced investment costs)
the possibility of switching production on line very quickly
less wasted sheet metal (and further reduced costs)
the ability to use high strength steel with fewer shaping problems, thus reducing the weight of the vehicle, improving its performance, making it safer and enhancing drivability
But most importantly, the spaceframe concept gave Fiat's designers the ability to start the Multipla project with a completely clean sheet. They were not beset with the sort of problems, constraints and compromises that usually arise when using an existing platform."

[Robert060379]

Where is it? Someone on this site must know.

[Killer2005]

Robert060379 said:

I have just seen the only people carrier worth buying (in the world?)

You forget

[Mr2Mike]

AutoLusso said:

I bought mine needing an engine replacement and I had a GTA 3.2 engine on the shelf

That's one sturdy shelf you have!

[B52er]

Awsome, thats such a good idea! been looking to get something a bit roomier than my coop but as much fun for as little money.... hmmmm 1.5k for multipla anther 1.5k ish to swap the engines and some bits = 3k ish monster mpv.

[Robert060379]

Do it; and give me first refusal when you decide to sell.