The car shown here is what you get when you spend more than 1000 hours of work producing a Fiat powered by Porsche. No normal sane person would think of ever attempting this feat, but the evil geniuses at Oemmedi Mechanical have done just that. Of course, it may have involved a vino fueled night, and certainly a healthy dose of Italian enthusiasm to commit to such an extensive and far reaching premise.
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The idea for this concept was crafted more than 9 years ago when Gianfranco and his son Leonardo were visiting the Bologna Motor Show, and simple conversation formed the basis for the project. Gianfranco, showing his passion for Italian motoring suggested they tackle a vintage Fiat project. Suggesting that their project be different from any other, Leonardo proffered that the diminutive 500 be powered by a Porsche flat-six.
Listen to This Porsche Powered Fiat Start-up and Take Off
Four days after that conversation in Bologna, the pair had sourced a Carrera 3.2 liter air cooled engine from a late 80s 911, as well as a Fiat shell that would soon be mated together. After just over 1 year, the Oemmedi crew had crafted a Porsche-powered Fiat that was street worthy, but not yet ready for prime time. Work has continued with the project, and nearly everything has been upgraded from the original Fiat parts, inside and outside.
The engine, while relatively stock, has received a few custom components, primarily for ease of installation, but with the added benefit of additional power. A custom 6-into-2-into-1 exhaust manifold directs the flow out under the rear bumper with minimal muffling, making for a very sonorous ride. On the intake side of things, the stock fuel injection has been removed in favor of a twin set of triple throat carburetors with custom trumpets.
With power output from the Porsche engine being much higher than the original soda-bottle sized aircooled Fiat 2-cylinder, nearly all other systems of the car needed to be upgraded to cope. Because of this, the original gearbox has been replaced by a mostly stock Porsche 915 transaxle, which drives each wheel hub independently through a pair of MotoGP style chain and sprocket sets. This is an interesting way of handling things, if you ask me, but it seems to work.
The suspension has been extensively modified to handle the extra weight. The rear DeDion tube has been completely overhauled to handle the load. Stiffer springs and shock absorbers have been borrowed from the Fiat 126, with the dampers having been overhauled and custom valved. The front uprights and rear trailing arms have been modified to receive stronger Alfa 75 hubs. The front transverse spring has had two additional leaves added for stiffness, and the rear panhard rods have been replaced with much stiffer aftermarket units. Steering is handled through a Fiat 126 box, perpetuating the use of “parts-bin engineering”.
Creating a domino effect, braking is now handled by four wheel disc brakes derived from the same Alfa 75 as the hubs. To clear the larger brakes, wheels have been upgraded to a comparatively massive 13X5 alloy TSr pieces wrapped in Pirelli P5000 rubber. To fit the larger wheel and tire combination, a creative use of fender flaring was employed, making the Fiat look like something altogether foreign. More foreign perhaps, even, than a standard Cinquecento. All of this bodywork is accented perfectly by a gorgeous 12 coat paint process using a color specific to the McLaren F1.
While the exterior has been appropriately modified, the interior was not left alone, either. As Italian as ever, of course the car must receive a Momo steering wheel. Custom door panels, center console, and gauge cluster set this interior a step above the rest. While the flair is not particularly my taste, I would have preferred a more toned down interior, I can see the need to make this car flashy. Being that the car showcases the abilities of the Oemmedi shop, it certainly needs to be memorable, and perhaps even polarizing. The car shown here is the finished product, and can be driven without worry on street or track, making a surprisingly capable little corner carver.
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Since this project has been completed, however, Oemmedi has crafted a pair of 500s, each more insane than this iteration. Next after the Porsche project, the boys used a Ferrari transverse 3.0 Liter V8 to propel their second Fiat.
The third, and most insane, involves a Lamborghini derived 4-wheel-drive, 6.2 liter V12, 6-speed transaxle drivetrain.
It is clear that Oemmedi has a certain knack for crafting cars that most of us would deem impossible, or at least not worth pursuing. Of the three, the Porsche powered car seems the most sedate, if that is even possible, and certainly the one I would most like to drive.
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